Raquel Singo, CVV director, presented the county’s proposed calendar of tourism trade shows for 2026 and recommended prioritizing events in nearby states rather than distant national conferences. Singo told the commission the CVV has preregistered for three outdoor shows and that the International Sportsmen Show in Denver is the earliest event on the calendar. She said the CVV’s past trade-show work yields long-term contacts — “we generated about 400, give or take,” Singo said — that feed the office’s constant-contact list and weekly newsletter.

Commissioners questioned the cost-benefit of attending many conferences in a single year and asked Singo to evaluate shows on a six-month cycle to allow follow-up and measurement of outcomes. Singo said some coalitions and past partnerships have reduced costs for the county (for example, representation at the state fair through a coalition), and she asked for confirmation for the Denver show because it occurs early in the year.

Commissioner Trish moved that the county prioritize trade shows in Kansas and surrounding states — naming Denver, Omaha, Oklahoma City and Wichita as primary targets — and the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The board did not instruct the CVV to purchase every listed show; rather, it directed the director to focus on regional events and to return with recommendations and cost estimates.

Singho also presented a proposed three-year renewal for two of the county’s four billboards. The vendor provided a tiered monthly price schedule that Singo read to the board (vendor figures presented as $4.35, $4.55 and $4.75 for the three contract years). Commissioners expressed discomfort with any rate increase embedded inside a new three-year contract and asked Singo to return to the vendor and negotiate either fixed pricing for the full term or clearer terms on increases. Singo said she would renegotiate and report back.

On ancillary items, Singo said the janitorial bid for the CVV office was unchanged for 2026 and that she had submitted grant applications to local hotels and was monitoring a closed hotel property downtown. She also noted the CVV’s participation in an upcoming parade and the distribution of travel guides to soldiers at the nearby military post.

The board’s immediate action was limited to the trade-show focus direction and the instruction to renegotiate billboard price terms; no additional contracts were executed at the meeting. Singo said she would provide more precise cost estimates and early-bird pricing for commissioners to review before any final approvals.