Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Governance Tda topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Advisory board votes to form three subcommittees to study bureau structure, mission rewrite and Hillsborough development
Summary
The Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau Advisory Board voted unanimously on Feb. 18, 2026 to form three subcommittees to examine (1) bureau structure and the prospect of converting to a Tourism Development Authority (TDA), (2) rewriting the bureau’s mission and vision, and (3) developing Hillsborough as a destination asset. Motions were made and seconded and approved without dissent.
The Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau Advisory Board on Feb. 18, 2026 voted unanimously to form three subcommittees to study structural and strategic changes recommended in a consultant’s strategic plan.
DR Bryan, Chair, asked the board to consider subcommittees to explore: whether the Visitors Bureau should remain an Orange County‑chartered entity or convert to a Tourism Development Authority (TDA); rewriting the bureau’s mission and vision; and a committee focused on developing Hillsborough as a destination and its interplay with other area TDAs.
On the question of governance and funding, Laurie Paolicelli (Executive Director) cautioned that the bureau is chartered under Orange County and that converting to a TDA could require statutory changes at the North Carolina General Assembly and new, separate funding arrangements. Board members debated tradeoffs: Matt Hughes (Town of Hillsborough) highlighted the fiduciary safeguards and independence a TDA can provide; Katie Murray emphasized the county structure’s safety net and staff capacity limits; and David Putnam and Jon Hartman‑Brown raised questions about revenue sources and whether future revenues are being maximized.
DR Bryan asked for motions: Allison Reid motioned to form a committee to examine the bureau’s structure; Matt Hughes seconded and the motion carried unanimously. Matt Hughes then motioned to form a subcommittee to review mission and vision; Allison Reid seconded and that motion carried unanimously. Allison Reid motioned and Creston Woods seconded a committee to focus on developing Hillsborough and coordinating with the Hillsborough and Carrboro TDAs; the motion carried unanimously.
The board’s formal actions were recorded as unanimous motions to form the three committees; no policy or structural change was enacted at the meeting and any statutory or funding change would require further study and potentially state legislative action. The board adjourned at 9:38 a.m. and scheduled its next meeting for March 18, 2026.
