DeKalb Times

DeKalb County Economic Development Committee met Feb. 4.

Here is the minutes provided by the committee:

The DeKalb County Economic Development Committee met on Tuesday, February 4, 2020 in the Administration Building’s Conference Room East in Sycamore, Illinois. Chair Emmer called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Those Members present were Mr. Tim Bagby, Ms. Rukisha Crawford, Mr. Tim Hughes, Ms. Terri Mann-Lamb, Ms. Sandra Polanco, and Chair Laurie Emmer. A quorum was established with all six Members present.

Others present included Gary Hanson, Derek Hiland, Jolene Willis, Cortney Strohacker, Brad Hoey, and Greg Millburg.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

It was moved by Ms. Crawford, seconded by Mr. Hughes, and it was carried unanimously to approve the meeting agenda as presented.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

It was moved by Mr. Bagby, seconded by Ms. Crawford, and it was carried unanimously to approve the minutes from the January 7, 2020 meeting.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

There were no public comments.

DEKALB COUNTY CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU REPORT & APPROVAL OF ANNUAL RE-CERTIFICATION RESOLUTION

DeKalb County Convention & Visitors Bureau (DCCVB) Executive Director Cortney Strohacker and Board President Brad Hoey joined the Committee to introduce themselves as well as provide an update on all the things that the DCCVB has been doing over the past year.

Mr. Hoey provided a PowerPoint presentation (attached). He shared that the DCCVB is DeKalb County’s sole Destination Marketing Organization. The DCCVB works on behalf of DeKalb County Government and other County stakeholders to attract leisure travelers and overnight visits to the area’s diverse attractions, destinations, events and amenities. The bureau serves as a primary point of contact for meeting planners, sports tournament directors, tour operators, special event planners and travelers. Bureau marking initiatives are primarily focused on markets and regions outside of DeKalb County to attract guests and visitors spending to the area.

The revenue generated from visitor spending in 2018 was $101.7 million, a 2.94% increase from 2017. This marks the 10th year in a row that tourism revenue for DeKalb County has increased. Hotel sales continue to rise and contribute more than $500,000 in taxes to the County. The investment that the County contributes to the DCCVB goes twice as far with the Illinois Office of Tourism Local Tourism Grant. This annual grant that is only available to certified Convention & Visitors Bureaus matches all moneys dollar for dollar contributed from DeKalb County Partners.

The County hosted their 4th IHSA State Football Championship November 29-30, 2018 which showcased DeKalb County in the best possible light. There were 20,000 plus visitors and generated an estimated economic impact of $800,000 for the region.

Mr. Hoey detailed the targeted marketing efforts the Bureau makes to the Chicagoland area and beyond as well as all the areas individuals can find the County’s Visitor Guides.

In 2020, DeKalb County will be welcoming even more sporting events, meetings and conventions, and entertainment events. The DCCVB is continuing to grow their niche market while highlighting and collaborating with the many attractions and venues the County has to offer.

Ms. Strohacker additionally thanked the County for offering them space in the DeKalb County Community Outreach Building where they are now more accessible to the public. The DCCVB respectfully requested that the County continue to fuel this economic engine by providing an annual letter of support and a Resolution recognizing the DCCVB as the marketing and promotion organization for DeKalb County tourism.

The Committee thanked Ms. Strohacker and Mr. Hoey for all their continued efforts in marketing DeKalb County and all the great areas and events it has to offer.

It was moved by Mr. Bagby, seconded by Ms. Mann-Lamb and approved unanimously to forward the Annual Re-Certification Resolution to the full County Board recommending its approval.

2020 CENSUS UPDATE

DeKalb County Economic Development Coordinator Jolene Willis provided an update and timeline on the upcoming April 1, 2020 Census. Individuals can full out their Census as early as March, online (video and printed guides available in 59 languages, as well as ASL and Braille), over the phone (in 13 languages), or by mail.

Decennial Census data is used to determine how to apportion $675B of federal funding for 55 State and County vital programs, like Medicaid, Foster Care, Pell Grants, SNAP, Highway and Construction Funding, Section 8, Free and Reduce Lunch/Breakfast Programs, and many more. Census data is also used to determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives and political representation at all levels of Government.

Every County in Illinois stands to lose approximately $1,535 per person, per year ($15,535 over 10 years) for every person who does not participate in the 2020 Census.

The Census Bureau uses information from the Decennial Census to redraw the boundaries of congressional and state legislative districts and reapportions congressional representation. Due to population loss in Illinois, we expect to lose one federal representative. If only 1% of the state’s population is not accurately counted, we are at risk of losing a second representative seat, leaving Illinois with only 16 Federal Congressional Representatives.

Ms. Willis shared that the County has received a $76,000 grant to assist with marketing for the 2020 Census. The County in conjunction with the City of DeKalb and Northern Illinois University will be marketing and targeting hard-to-count areas such as the North Annie Glidden Corridor within the City of DeKalb. It is very important for the County to reach those hard-to- count areas within the municipalities as well as out in the Unincorporated areas to ensure that everyone is counted. DeKalb County had a 77% participation rate during the 2010 Census and it will be imperative to get that percentage rate up as high as possible during this round.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

Community Development Director Derek Hiland updated the Committee regarding recent meetings from the DCEDC’s CEDS process. This process has been going on for about 2+ years now but it even began before that with DeKalb County Thriving. At the most recent CEDS meeting, everyone agreed to take a step back and refer to the process as DeKalb County Thriving again as a way to better communicate to the outside public what they are doing and trying to accomplish. Some of the subcommittees are talking about combining together due to there being mutual interest and a lot of crossover with who sits on what Committee.

Mr. Hiland also updated the Committee on what the Regional Planning Commission has been doing recently. He also explained that the RPC Meetings have been moving around the County in order to get those Commissioners familiar with other parts of the County that they may not otherwise visit very often.

Mr. Hiland lastly shared that the County’s GIS Program that was designed to assist with the County’s small-town economic development is at the point to be rolled out. Memorandum of Understandings have been drafted and there is a plan in place that for all of this year anyone who wants to participate with the County in utilizing this software can do so for free. The following year would be the beginning of a very nominal subscription fee. Mr. Hiland noted that he hopes they will see great successes with that program for the County’s small towns.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved by Mr. Hughes, seconded by Ms. Mann-Lamb and it was carried unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 8:04 p.m.

https://dekalbcounty.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/min20-ecofeb.pdf