Kennett Chamber presents $25,000 tourism-marketing contract; council asks for a detailed plan before deciding

Christian Johnson, executive director of the Kennett Chamber of Commerce, presented an annual tourism-marketing contract to the Kennett City Council that would pay the chamber $25,000 from the tourism-tax fund to manage local tourism advertising and promotion.

Johnson told the council the chamber is recognized by the Missouri Division of Tourism as the designated marketing organization for the county referenced in the packet and that the $25,000 contracted amount is intended to cover the chamber—s annual marketing work; the payment is divided into monthly disbursements from the tourism-tax fund. Johnson said the chamber will still return to the council to request specific ad allocations before spending on particular campaigns.

Council members questioned the lack of a detailed, itemized marketing plan in the packet. One council member asked for objectives, geography, event calendars, and metrics showing how promotions would increase tourism or sales-tax receipts during target events (for example, past spikes around the barbecue cook-off, the fall arts festival or cruisers car show). That council member proposed postponing consideration until the chamber provides the plan; another council member clarified that postponing, as opposed to tabling, would require the item to be brought up at the next meeting.

Johnson said the chamber operates with a flexible annual schedule because some advertising is tied to state funding approvals and event timing; he offered to supply a summary of the handout he distributed in May and more detail about the proposed ad buys and timelines. He said typical work includes seasonal ad cycles (summer agriculture tourism, fall arts and festivals, winter waterfowl tourism) and that ad buys are often —evergreen— placements adjusted by available funds.

The packet language and Johnson—s remarks made three practical points: (1) the $25,000 is a contract for services to manage tourism marketing; (2) specific ad purchases or campaigns would be presented to the council for approval before funds are spent; and (3) the chamber expects to track reach data from media partners and to review outcomes post-campaign, though Johnson said concrete impact numbers are often influenced by multiple variables.

A motion and second were recorded before discussion began, but the meeting transcript does not contain a recorded vote or a final disposition of the motion. Council members asked staff and the chamber to return with a clearer scope-of-services and a simple, seasonal plan or budget grid that ties the $25,000 to specific activities and measurable goals.