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Geary County CVB approves printer and advertising, discusses trade shows, visitor counts and board issues
Summary
The Geary County Convention & Visitors Bureau approved using KSU Printing for the county visitor guide, authorized a half-page Kansas Magazine ad for $995, discussed trade-show plans and reviewed visitor counts and board attendance issues.
The Geary County Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) presented several operational items to the county commission, including a vendor choice for the annual visitor guide, trade-show plans, an advertising purchase and recent visitation statistics for area parks.
Rick Dykstra, CVB director, said he solicited three bids for the visitor guide and recommended Kansas State University (KSU) Printing to keep production regional. A commissioner moved to follow the CVB director’s recommendation and allow her to sign the contract; a second was recorded and the motion carried. The commission did not record a roll-call vote.
The CVB also requested approval to purchase a half-page ad in Kansas Magazine for $995. The proposed new design adds a QR code, phone number and website. A motion to approve the $995 ad carried with an affirmative voice vote.
Dykstra reported on trade-show planning. Denver and Omaha shows were discussed; an initial deposit ($400) had been paid for the Denver Sportsmen’s Expo and a remaining balance (reported as $1,325) was shown as past due on a bill the CVB had received. Dykstra said staff planned to attend Denver and Omaha and would handle exhibit materials and messaging focused on history and outdoor recreation.
Dykstra provided visitor-count updates for 2024 (December not included). He said state park visits rose 1.49% year-over-year to 308,810 in 2024, while Corps of Engineers visitation declined from 1,420,000 in 2023 to 959,000 in 2024, an overall decrease of about 31% for the Corps-managed sites. Dykstra noted there were no blue-green algae advisories, watches or warnings in 2024 and suggested that mitigation efforts by state and federal partners may be reducing occurrences.
On governance, Dykstra said several CVB advisory-board members have missed three or more meetings, a threshold the board’s bylaws use as grounds for removal; the CVB chair was out of state. Dykstra asked the commission whether to move forward with attendance enforcement or wait for a new director to take office.
Commissioners agreed to provide a CVB credit card to the incoming director after the director completes the county’s purchase-card training; the director will consult the board chair before making significant expenditures, Dykstra said.
No formal county budget appropriation requests were approved at the meeting beyond the advertising and visitor-guide contract authorization recorded in general motions.
