[00:00:02]
>> ROLLING RIGHT INTO OUR REGULAR MEETING.
WE ARE GOING TO START OFF WITH A PROCLAMATION FOR TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH.
[PROCLAMATION]
COMMISSIONER SINGLETERRY.>> SO PROCLAMATION FOR NATIONAL TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH.
WHEREAS NATIONAL TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH STARTED IN 2016 AS AN INITIATIVE CREATED BY PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA.
WHEREAS DATING VIOLENCE MAY INCLUDE PHYSICAL FORCE, SUCH AS HITTING OR SHOVING EMOTIONAL ABUSE SUCH AS CONSTANT MONITORING OR SEXUAL ASSAULT.
WHEREAS ONE IN THREE TEENS WILL EXPERIENCE DATING VIOLENCE BEFORE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION, AND APPROXIMATELY ONE IN 10 TEENAGERS REPORT BEING PHYSICALLY OR SEXUALLY VICTIMIZED BY A DATING PARTNER, WHILE MANY OTHER VICTIMS DO NOT REPORT IT AT ALL.
WHEREAS VIOLENT DATING RELATIONSHIPS CAN LEAD TO DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE, THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE, AND HAVE A LASTING IMPACT ON VICTIMS LIVES.
WHEREAS ALL AMERICANS HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN ENDING DATING VIOLENCE AND FOSTERING SAFE, HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS FOR TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS.
WHEREAS SAFE AND SOUND SOMERSET IS A COMMUNITY RESOURCE WITH FREE CONFIDENTIAL SERVICES FOR CHILDREN, TEENS, AND ADULTS WHO EXPERIENCE OR WITNESS DATING DOMESTIC OR SEXUAL VIOLENCE.
IN 2023, SAFE AND SOUND SOMERSET ASSISTED 465 ADULTS AND CHILDREN IN SOMERSET COUNTY WITH SURVIVOR CENTERED COUNSELING, ASSISTED 638 SURVIVORS WITH LEGAL EDUCATION AND SUPPORT, PROVIDED 7,650 BED NIGHTS OF EMERGENCY SHELTER, AND A 295% INCREASE SINCE 2019, RESPONDED TO 3,708 CALLS AND TEXTS TO THE HELP LINE AT 688-685-1122, A 112% INCREASE SINCE 2019, AND PROVIDED 207 OUTREACH AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS TO 6,400 STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, INCLUDING THE ASK AVA PODCAST FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT THE SOMERSET COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS DECLARE FEBRUARY 2024 AS NATIONAL TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH, AND ENCOURAGE ALL SOMERSET COUNTY RESIDENTS TO JOIN THE CAMPAIGN AND BECOME CONCERNED ABOUT THE VIOLENCE THAT OCCURS EVERY DAY TO OUR TEENS, AND THE HOPE OF REACHING A TIME WHEN NO YOUNG PERSON KNOWS THE PAIN CAUSED BY DATING VIOLENCE.
MY NAME IS JOEL PIERCY, DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH AND PREVENTION.
THE VERY FIRST QUESTION I EVER GOT ASKED BY TEEN WHEN I WAS IN THIS ROLE WAS, WHY DON'T ADULTS TAKE OUR RELATIONSHIP SERIOUSLY? THANK YOU TO THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSION.
THANK YOU FOR THE MEMBERS OF THIS COUNTY FOR TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY, AND SAYING THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE'S EXPERIENCES ARE REAL AND IMPORTANT AND VALID.
[PRESENTATION]
[OVERLAPPING]>> NEXT WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY CHRIS EDWARDS, THE CEO OF THE SOMERSET COUNTY BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP TO EXPLAIN WHAT IS THIS DEVICE IN THE FRONT OF THE ROOM?
>> I HAVE A LOT TO SHOW AND TALE TODAY.
>> GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME IN TONIGHT.
IT'S A LOT BETTER TO COME IN HERE WITH A LOT OF GOOD NEWS VERSUS THE FIRST FEW YEARS I WAS PRESIDENT OF THE PARTNERSHIP WHEN IT WAS A LOT OF ROUGH NEWS DURING THE PANDEMIC.
FIRST, THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING THE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP FOR ANOTHER YEAR.
THIS IS ACTUALLY THE 25TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, WHICH NATIONALLY IS NOT QUITE UNIQUE, BUT IN THE NORTHEAST AND ESPECIALLY IN NEW JERSEY, THIS TYPE OF PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN COUNTY AND THE LOCAL CHAMBER TO ENHANCE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO DO TOURISM IS ACTUALLY QUITE UNIQUE.
I CAN MAKE AN ARGUMENT THAT IN THE LAST 25 YEARS, A LOT OF THE OTHER COUNTIES IN THE STATE HAVE TRIED TO EMULATE WHAT WAS SUCCESSFULLY DONE HERE FIRST, SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
AS YOU COULD SEE, I HAVE A NICE WINTER PHOTO TO COMPLIMENT OUR 65 DEGREE DAY TODAY,
[00:05:07]
BUT I WANT TO TAKE YOU THROUGH SOME 2022 HARD DATA.I'M ACTUALLY A YEAR BEHIND THE 2023 NUMBERS COME OUT IN MAY, AND THEN TAKE INTO SOME OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN 2023. IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
I APOLOGIZE, I'M GOING TO GET VERY MUCH INTO THE WEEDS HERE, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO SEE WHERE WE'RE AT, AND HOW FAR WE'VE COME.
THIS CHART GIVEN TO US FROM THE STATE BACK IN LAST MAY IS AN ECONOMIC REPORT FOR TOURISM IMPACT BY COUNTY, AND 2019 HAS REALLY BEEN OUR GOLD STANDARD OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET BACK TO SINCE THE PANDEMIC.
AS YOU COULD SEE, SOMERSET COUNTY HAD JUST UNDER THREE MILLION VISITORS IN 2019.
THE SPEND WAS 1.257 BILLION, WITH A B, BILLION DOLLARS, A LITTLE OVER 11,000 JOBS.
AS YOU COULD SEE, WE LOST ALMOST, I THINK IT WAS 53% OF OUR VISITORS SPEND IN 2020 FROM THE PANDEMIC.
WE LOST ALMOST A MILLION VISITORS, AND THE JOB MARKET HAS TOOK QUITE A BIG HIT.
BUT I'M HERE TO REPORT 2022 WAS A REALLY UNBELIEVABLE YEAR OF GROWTH IN THE TOURISM SECTOR FOR SOMERSET COUNTY.
WE GOT NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF OUR VISITORS SPEND BACK, AND ABOUT HALF OF OUR JOBS.
THE JOB SECTOR IS ONE OF THOSE THAT, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IS GOING TO TAKE A LONGER, IF NOT EVER FULLY COME BACK FROM THE PANDEMIC.
IF YOU JUST THINK ABOUT HOTELS WHERE THERE'S JUST NOT AS MUCH CLEANING STAFF AS THERE USED TO BE.
RESTAURANTS AND A LOT OF OUR HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY LEARNED HOW TO OPERATE WITH LESS STAFF.
THERE'S THOSE IMPACTS THAT MIGHT IMPACT THE JOB MARKET FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS BEFORE WE HIT 2019 RECOVERY NUMBERS.
THIS IS A VERY TOUGH GRAPH TO READ FROM A DISTANCE, BUT IT'S AN ECONOMIC BREAKDOWN OF THE IMPACT BY COUNTY IN 2022.
THIS IS TAX DOLLARS BROKEN DOWN INTO SEVERAL DIFFERENT SECTOR AREAS, LODGING, FOOD AND BEVERAGE, RECREATION, RETAIL TRANSPORTATION.
SOMERSET COUNTY HAD THE THIRD LARGEST GROWTH IN NEW JERSEY IN 2022 WITH 37.4 PERCENT INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
THAT TO ME, COUPLED WITH THE OTHER COUNTIES WHO WERE NEAR THE TOP OF THE LIST, WAS A MAJOR SIGN THAT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAS STARTED TO RETURN TO BUSINESS TRAVEL.
IT CERTAINLY WILL NOT COME BACK TO WHAT IT WAS PREVIOUSLY, BUT 2022 WAS THE YEAR THAT WE START TO SEE BIG CHUNKS OF BUSINESS TRAVEL COME BACK.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE LARGER COMPANIES IN SOMERSET COUNTY, HOW THEY OPERATE AS A HYBRID OR A REMOTE BUSINESS THESE DAYS, A LOT OF THEM UTILIZE OUR HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS FOR TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES.
IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT WAY OF BRINGING BACK BUSINESS TRAVEL THAT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE COMPARED TO PRE-PANDEMIC.
THAT BRINGS US TO FOUR ITEM AREAS IN WHICH THE BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP WORK WITH THE COUNTY ON LAST YEAR, SPECIFICALLY THROUGH THE ARP FUNDING.
SIP & SEE, ACTUALLY IT'S TWO YEARS OLD.
IT'LL BE THREE YEARS OLD IN JUNE.
WE DID A LARGE ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN WITH THE SOMERSET PATRIOTS.
WE HAVE A NEW DESTINATION GUIDE, WHICH YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU.
THEN I'LL GET TO THE TOY UP AT THE FRONT OF THE ROOM, THE KIOSK HERE IN A LITTLE BIT.
SIP AND SEE. WE'RE THRILLED WITH HOW THIS HAS TAKEN OFF.
WE'VE HAD 15,000 COMPLETIONS OVER A 2.5 YEAR PERIOD.
WE'VE HAD FIVE DIFFERENT ITERATIONS OF THE PROGRAM, BUT IT'S ALWAYS ESSENTIALLY BEEN THE SAME, WHICH IS, THERE IS A LARGE TOURISM POPULATION THAT TRAVELS TO DISTILLERIES, CIDERIES, AND BREWERIES.
OUR GOAL IS TO TAKE WHAT THEY'RE DOING, BUT ALSO SHOW THEM WHAT'S AVAILABLE HERE LOCALLY.
IT'S ALWAYS VIEWED AS A BEER TRAIL.
BUT THE SEE IS ACTUALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT SPOT.
IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, THE MOST IMPORTANT DATA FOR US IS HOW DO YOU GET A VISITOR UP TO 3, 4 PLUS HOURS OF ACTIVITIES? BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE A HOTEL ROOM COMES INTO PLAY.
THERE'S STATEWIDE DATA THAT SHOWS THE AVERAGE SPEND OF A VISITOR FOR A SINGLE DAY WITHOUT A HOTEL ROOM IS AROUND 100 BUCKS.
BUT WHEN YOU ADD AN OVERNIGHT STAY, IT'S AROUND $700.
A LOT OF OUR GOAL IN TOURISM IS TO COUPLE ACTIVITIES
[00:10:02]
TOGETHER SO PEOPLE CAN MAKE IT AN OVERNIGHT OR WEEKEND STAY.THE DESTINATION GUIDE THAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU.
THAT WAS LAUNCHED LAST SUMMER.
IT'S OUR FIRST ONE SINCE THE PANDEMIC AND THE BIGGEST CHANGE THAT WE HAD, AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THIS AS A THEME GOING FORWARD BETWEEN OUR KIOSK AND OUR WEBSITE, IS GETTING AWAY FROM THE MODEL OF LISTINGS.
I'M SURE WHEREVER YOU TRAVEL, IF YOU'VE SEEN OTHER DESTINATION GUIDES, THEY COULD BE LARGE ENCYCLOPEDIAS LISTING OUT EVERY HOTEL RESTAURANT IN THE COUNTY.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I DON'T NEED A 50-WORD DESCRIPTION OF OLIVE GARDEN.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS GIVE PEOPLE IDEAS OF WHAT'S AVAILABLE LOCALLY, WHETHER IT'S DATE NIGHTS, WHETHER THAT'S BUSINESS TRAVEL, WHETHER THAT'S AGRITOURISM, HISTORICAL, GIVING THEM IDEAS AND THEN BUILDING ITINERARIES AROUND IT.
THE BOOK IS A LOT SMALLER, BUT IT'S A LOT MORE COMPACT WITH INFORMATION THAT PEOPLE WANT TO SEE.
I THINK PEOPLE LOVE TO SEE, ESPECIALLY IN THE ERA OF TRIP ADVISOR, TOP 10 THIS, TOP 10 THAT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON HERE AT THE PARTNERSHIP.
THAT BRINGS US TO SOME OF THE DATA WE'RE SEEING FOR 2023.
A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE ACTUALLY, I'M SORRY. GO BACK.
YEAH. RIGHT. ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO MENTION IS THAT THE DESTINATION PART OF THE ARP FUNDING WAS TO EXPAND OUR REACH OF THE GUIDE.
PRE-2023, OUR GUIDE REALLY WENT TO THE TRI-STATE AREA, REALLY THE MID ATLANTIC STATES, HOTELS, REST STOPS, ALL THOSE AREAS THAT YOU WOULD FIND IN A DESTINATION GUIDE.
OUR GOAL IN 2023 WAS TO EXPAND IT INTO TWO KEY AREAS.
THE OTHER WAS WHAT I CALL BIG TEN COUNTRY.
ALL THOSE SCHOOLS THAT RUTGERS PLAYS IN BIG TEN GAMES.
WE KNOW THAT THEY STAY IN OUR HOTELS WHEN THEY'RE PLAYING IN PISCATAWAY.
LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT OREGON, WASHINGTON, AND CALIFORNIA WOULD JOIN THE BIG TEN.
WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE WORK TO DO, BUT THAT'S WHERE YOU COULD SEE THE DIFFERENCE.
NOW YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
WE'RE STARTING TO SEE SOME RETURN ON THAT DATA.
THIS IS OUR WEBSITE TRAFFIC 2020 COMPARED TO 2023.
WE'RE UP ABOUT 20 PERCENT YEAR-OVER-YEAR.
BUT YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE A LOT OF THOSE STATES THAT WE'VE BEEN ADVERTISING HIT START CLIMBING UP IN THE RANKINGS.
WE HAVE VIRGINIA, OHIO, NORTH CAROLINA, MICHIGAN, INDIANA.
THAT COUPLED WITH STATES WHERE WE KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF COMPANIES WHO HAVE CORPORATE OFFICES, TEXAS, CALIFORNIA, GEORGIA.
YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE THOSE TWO THINGS COUPLED TOGETHER, SO LEISURE TRAVEL AND BUSINESS TRAVEL TOGETHER.
OUR WEBSITE THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WHEN WE START LOOKING AT THE HARD DATA AND HOW WE'RE GROWING AS TOURISM, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ITEMS THAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY START SEEING THE RESULTS.
OUR WEBSITE IS UP 145 PERCENT SINCE 2019.
I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE MELISSA DEFREEST, OUR VP OF TOURISM HERE.
SHE'S REALLY THE EXPERT IN TERMS OF DESIGN AND MAKING IT USER-FRIENDLY AND GIVING THAT NEW AGE FIELD THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR.
BUT THERE'S BEEN TREMENDOUS GROWTH BECAUSE A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE PUSHING NOW ALSO LEADS TO THE DIGITAL ASPECT AS WELL.
THEN I THINK PROBABLY THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE, WHICH IS GETTING BACK TO OUR PRE-2019 NUMBERS.
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, WE WERE AT 68 PERCENT OCCUPANCY RATE AS FAR AS OUR HOTELS IN THE COUNTY.
2023, WE PASSED TO ABOUT 62 PERCENT.
WE'RE STARTING TO GET VERY CLOSE.
IF YOU JUST TAKE THE LAST HALF OF 2023, WE WERE RIGHT UP AGAINST 2019 NUMBER.
I EXPECT WHEN I'M BACK HERE THIS TIME, NEXT YEAR, THAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT OUR NUMBERS REACHING PRE-COVID NUMBERS.
WHAT'S AHEAD FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS? THERE'S A LOT.
I THINK WE'RE LEADING WITH THE BIG STORY HERE, WHICH IS THE WORLD CUP AND THE 250TH.
AS WE START PLANNING THAT, A LOT OF WHAT I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT IS CULMINATING WITH THOSE TWO EVENTS AS THEY HAPPEN SIMULTANEOUSLY IN '26.
THE KIOSK. I WON'T GET TOO MUCH IN DETAIL ABOUT THIS, BUT THIS WASN'T JUST ABOUT THE HERE AND NOW.
THIS WAS REALLY ABOUT PROVIDING A LONG TERM SOLUTION FOR OUR VISITORS.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TOURISM OVER THE YEARS.
ONE OF THE MINDSETS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, WHETHER IT WAS OUR COMMISSIONERS, COLLEEN, STAFF AT THE COUNTY WAS NOT ONLY APPEALING TO
[00:15:02]
TRAVELERS IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY WHO ARE COMING FROM A DISTANCE, BUT ACTIVATING RESIDENTS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE AREA.MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT OUR OFFICE, 360 GROVE STREET RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD, IS THE COUNTY'S VISITOR CENTER.
MOST PEOPLE HAVE NEVER GONE TO THAT PLACE.
IT'S BEEN THAT DESIGNATION FOR PROBABLY ABOUT 15 YEARS AND WE WOULD ESTIMATE IF YOU TAKE AWAY THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE FOR THE CHAMBERS MEETINGS, MAYBE WE HAD SEVERAL THOUSAND OVER A 15 YEAR PERIOD.
IT'S VERY HARD FOR A VISITOR CENTER TO OPERATE UNLESS YOU'RE ON THE STRIP IN VEGAS OR MAYBE IN CAPE MAY.
WE'VE SEEN FROM THESE KIOSKS WHERE THEY ALL CAME ONLINE IN NOVEMBER, WE'VE HAD ABOUT 5,500 UNIQUE USERS IN THOSE THREE MONTHS.
WHAT THAT MEANS TO ME IS WE CAN GET OUT INFORMATION WAY BETTER THAN A PHYSICAL VISITOR CENTER EVER COULD WITH THESE KIOSKS.
WE HAVE FOUR, THROUGH OUR FUNDING, WE PURCHASED FOUR LAST YEAR.
ONE SITS AT THE CORNER OF MAINE AND DIVISION OUTSIDE.
ONE RIGHT NOW IS CURRENTLY AT THE BRIDGEWATER COMMONS.
IT WILL BE AT THE TD BANK BALLPARK FOR THE START OF BASEBALL SEASON, AND WE HAVE ONE AT IRON PEAK SPORTS AND EVENTS IN HILLSBOROUGH.
THEN WE HAVE THE LITTLE BABY ONE HERE RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.
THAT'S OUR MOBILE VERSION WHICH TOURISM, THE COUNTY, OUR PARTNERS CAN TAKE WITH THEM TO EVENTS AROUND THE COUNTY.
IT'S MEANT TO BE A PIECE WHEREVER MELISSA GOES, [LAUGHTER] SHE'S GOT A LOT OF LUGGAGE NOW TO TAKE WITH HER.
BUT IT'S REALLY TO BE THAT PIECE WHERE PEOPLE ARE INTERACTING WITH WHAT WE HAVE.
THE KIOSK, LIKE I SAID, WERE INSTALLED IN NOVEMBER.
THEY'VE BEEN IN WHAT I'VE CALLED A BETA FORM FOR ABOUT THREE MONTHS.
MEANING WE'VE BEEN STUDYING WHO'S USING IT, HOW LONG THEY'RE USING IT, WHAT ARE THEY USING.
WE CAME OFF ACROSS WITH A BUNCH OF LITTLE FACTS LIKE THE ONE IN THE MALL, PEOPLE WERE TOUCHING OUR MAP WHICH SHOWS THE AREA, THINKING THEY WERE LOOKING FOR THE MALL MAP.
THERE'S THINGS LIKE THAT THAT WE WERE LEARNING ALONG THE WAY.
WE LEARNED THAT THERE'S A PHOTO BOOTH ELEMENT TO THAT, THAT BY FAR AND AWAY ATTRACTS MORE PEOPLE.
YOU THINK A WAY TO INTERACT KIDS AND TEENAGERS OVER.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT ME TO DO THAT NOW OR LATER, BUT I CAN DEMONSTRATE GOING INTO IT.
BUT WHEN WE FIRST LAUNCHED, WE HAD RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, THINGS TO DO AND IT WAS IN THAT LISTING FORMAT WHERE WE JUST LISTED EVERYTHING.
WE FOUND THAT WASN'T THE BEST WAY TO DO IT.
OVER THE LAST THREE MONTHS, WE'VE BEEN DOING A MORE PERSONALIZED SESSION.
WHEN YOU GO INTO THAT, YOU'LL SEE MELISSA'S TOP BRUNCH SPOTS.
LYDIA, WHO'S OUR OTHER MARKETING ASSOCIATES, OUTDOOR DINING PICKS.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A INTERACTIVE HOME FEEL THAN WHAT WE INITIALLY STARTED WITH, WHICH WAS DRY.
WE DID HAVE THIS MOBILE KIOSK DOWNSTAIRS RIGHT AT THE FRONT DOORS OF THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING SINCE IT WAS ONLINE FEBRUARY 15TH, SO ABOUT 10 BUSINESS DAYS.
THIS IS JUST TO GIVE YOU A SAMPLE OF WHAT WE CAN TRACK.
WE HAD 85 TOTAL SESSIONS THAT AVERAGED ABOUT THREE-AND-A-HALF MINUTES PER SESSION.
THE TIME OF DAY, WE KNOW 41% OF THOSE INTERACTIONS WERE BETWEEN NOON AND 3:00 PM.
WE HAD ANOTHER HEAVY, THE NEXT SECOND BIGGEST 130, 4% WAS BETWEEN 3:00 AND 6:00 PM.
SO THOSE PEOPLE WERE HEADING OUT FOR THE DAY.
FAR AND AWAY, ABOUT 20% THE MOST POPULAR SCREEN WAS THINGS TO DO, FOLLOWED BY RESTAURANTS AND PLACES TO STAY.
THE PHOTO BOOTH HAD TWO-THIRDS WENT TO THE PHOTO BOOTHS.
AGAIN, THAT WAS OUR MOST POPULAR ITEM.
BUT YOU COULD SEE THERE WAS A REVOLUTIONARY SPIES EVENT, CULINARY CLASSES.
WE COULD SEE HOW MANY TIMES THOSE WERE INTERACTED.
WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE IF PEOPLE WENT TO A WEBSITE AND ACTUALLY SENT DIRECTIONS TO A CERTAIN PLACE TO THEIR PHONE.
THERE'S ALSO A WAY FOR US TO GET PEOPLE, LONG-TERM VISITORS' INFORMATION, SO THEY CAN ENTER THEIR INFORMATION.
BUT IF THEY CHOOSE NOT TO, THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF PRIVACY IN PLACE, SO PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO GIVE THEIR EMAILS OUT, THEY HAVE AN OPTION TO OPT OUT AS WELL.
TOTAL, SINCE WE LAUNCHED THESE ON THANKSGIVING, WE HAVE ABOUT 5,000 SESSIONS, AVERAGING FOUR-AND-A-HALF MINUTES.
LIKE I SAID, RESTAURANTS AND THINGS THAT DO, FAR AND AWAY ARE OUR TOP ONES AND THEN WE CAN GO DEEPER INTO THAT.
[00:20:02]
BUT THAT AND THEN THE MALL SPECIFICALLY, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, DECEMBER WAS A HUGE MONTH AT THE MALL.SHOPPING AND RETAIL WAS RIGHT UP TOP WITH THOSE AS WELL.
THIS IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG IN MY OPINION.
I ENVISION IN 2026 TRYING TO GET PEOPLE WHO ARE STAYING AT SAY THE BRIDGEWATER MARRIOTT OUT TO OUR REVOLUTIONARY SITES AS THEY'RE IN TOWN FOR A MONTH WITH A KIOSK IN THE LOBBY.
THERE'S LONG-TERM IMPLICATIONS HERE.
WE'VE HEARD OF TOWNS WHO WANT THEIR OWN, SO WE'RE LOOKING TO PARTNER WITH SOME TOWNS TO DO IT AS WELL.
LIKE I SAID, I HOPE THIS IS REALLY JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG WHEN IT COMES TO THE KIOSK.
I THREW A LOT OUT THERE, ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE KIOSK.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER? I'LL STICK AROUND IF ANYONE WANTS A TOUR AFTERWARDS.
JUST A COUPLE OTHER THINGS WRAPPING UP.
THESE ARE OUR ONGOING CAMPAIGNS THAT WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THE BIGGEST ONES FOR US, OBVIOUSLY DINING HISTORY, WEDDINGS AND HOLIDAYS ARE HUGE AS YOU CAN RATTLE OFF 10 GREAT WEDDING VENUES IN SOMERSET COUNTY.
THIS TENDS TO BE WEDDING DATE PLANNING SEASON AND THAT TYPE OF STUFF, SO THERE'S BEEN HUGE INTEREST IN THERE.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ABOUT FIVE YEARS, WE'RE FILMING NEW COMMERCIALS IN 2024.
THESE ARE 20, 30, 60 SECONDS SPOTS THAT PRE-COVID AND PRE-STREAMING SERVICES YOU WOULD FIND ON CABLE THAT WOULD JUST BE HIGHLIGHTED REALLY VISUAL SNAPSHOTS OF SOMERSET COUNTY.
WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER, RIGHT NOW WE'RE OUT FILMING THIS FALL AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GET SOME IN THE SPRING OF SOME OF THESE LOCATIONS FILMING.
THEN THESE SHOULD HOPEFULLY START HITTING AIRWAVES THIS SUMMER, MAYBE THIS FALL AT THE LATEST.
THEN LIKE I MENTIONED, EVERYTHING REALLY WAS WITH AN EYE ON 2026.
I THINK THERE'S A VERY UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TWO MAJOR THINGS HAPPENING ESSENTIALLY AT ONE TIME.
WE ARE REALLY UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NOT JUST METLIFE, BUT PHILADELPHIA AS WELL.
THESE TEAMS WHO DON'T KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE HERE YET, THEY'RE QUALIFYING THIS FALL AND INTO THE WINTER, WHAT THEY'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS THEY'RE GOBBLING UP HOTEL ROOM BLOCKS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, ALL OVER NORTH AMERICA.
THEN IF THEY QUALIFY AND THEN THEY FIND OUT THEIR LOCATION, THEY'LL START TAKING AWAY THE BLOCKS.
IT'S JUST CHAOTIC RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF WHAT THESE COUNTRIES ARE DOING FOR ROOMS. BUT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY WITH WHERE WE'RE AT TO MATCH UP TRAINING AREAS LIKE PINGREE, RUCKER'S, IRON PEAK, WITH BEING RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF TWO MAJOR SITES AND COUNTRIES HEDGING THEIR BET ON WHERE THEY'LL HOST.
THAT'S REALLY EXCITING FOR US.
>> YOU'RE PREACHING TO THE CHOIR HERE.
YOU HAVE YOUR REVOLUTIONARY WAR BUFF, YOUR HAVE YOUR GOLFERS [LAUGHTER], A FEW FOODIES AND PEOPLE THAT LIKE THE SIP AND SEA SIDE AS WELL.
>> EASY CROWD. I APPRECIATE IT.
THE LAST THING I WANT TO BRING UP TONIGHT IS OFF FROM TOURISM, BUT SOMETHING WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT.
IT ACTUALLY GOES IN PART WITH WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE WHEN IT COMES TO DIVERSITY STUDY.
IN 2020, THE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER IN RADON VALLEY CLOSED.
WE WERE COUPLED WITH [INAUDIBLE] AT THE TIME AND NOW THEY SWITCHED SOMERSET COUNTY INTO UNION, AND THE NEAREST OFFICE FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER IS IN ELIZABETH.
WE'VE HEARD A LOT FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT IT'S JUST NOT REALISTIC TO MAKE THAT TYPE OF TRAVEL, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE DOING MULTIPLE CLASSES, MULTIPLE PROGRAMS. THE PARTNERSHIP, WHICH HAS BEEN IN 360 GROWTH FOR 25 YEARS ITSELF.
AS WE WERE STARTING TO LOOK AT OUR NEW SPACE, WE STARTED TALKING INTERNALLY ABOUT CAN WE BUILD OUT A HUB WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION WHERE WE CAN OFFER TRAINING, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS BEYOND OUR MEMBERSHIP INTO THE COMMUNITY.
RIGHT NOW, THE CHAMBER, WE HOLD MEETINGS AND NETWORKING EVENTS THAT ARE 40, 45 MINUTES LONG WITH A GUEST SPEAKER.
WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS TRAINING, SALES TRAINING, EXECUTIVE TRAINING, BUSINESS BASICS TRAINING.
WHERE WE WOULD BRING IN CERTIFIED PROFESSIONALS WHO WOULD GIVE A COURSE CLASSROOM STYLE.
WE NEEDED A SPACE TO DO THAT. GO NEXT SLIDE.
COME APRIL, MAY, WE'RE STILL WAITING.
[00:25:02]
YOU NEVER WANT TO SAY WHEN YOU'RE MOVING IN, BECAUSE YOU'RE GENERALLY USUALLY WRONG.BUT WE ARE PLANNING ON MOVING TO 50 DIVISION STREET IN SOMERVILLE, SO WE'LL BE RIGHT HERE IN DOWNTOWN.
BUT THE BIG THING FOR US IS WE'RE EXPANDING OUR OFFICES TO BE A HUB FOR BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS, SO OUR PARTNERS AT RIDEWISE, OBVIOUSLY, TOURISM WILL BE COMING WITH US.
BUT ABOUT 2,000 SQUARE FEET OF THIS SPACE WILL BE DEDICATED TOWARDS TRAINING AND PROVIDING CLASSES FOR THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT GOES TO THAT DISPARITY STUDY THAT CAME OUT LAST MONTH.
THAT ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT WAS IN THAT REPORT WAS THAT THE LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY WORK WITH GOVERNMENT TO BUILD MORE EDUCATIONAL AND ENTREPRENEURIAL SPACE FOR UNDERSERVED BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT SOMERSET COUNTY IS A FEW YEARS AHEAD OF WHERE OTHER COUNTIES MIGHT BE IF THEY STARTED THAT PROCESS NOW.
THIS IS A REALLY EXCITING TIME PERIOD FOR US.
LIKE I SAID, WE PLAN ON MOVING THIS SPRING, AND WE'RE PLANNING TO OPEN THE SPACE THIS SUMMER, SO OBVIOUSLY, YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR A LOT MORE ABOUT THAT AS WE GET CLOSER.
BUT THE PARTNERSHIP IS WORKING ON, AND YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WORKING ON SOLUTIONS FOR BUSINESSES.
SPECIFICALLY, OUR DOWNTOWN AND UNDERSERVED BUSINESSES IN THE PARTNERSHIP.
I MENTIONED BUSINESS BASICS, FINANCING, HEALTH, WELLNESS, AND EQUITY ARE ALL GOING TO BE PILLARS IN WHICH WE PROVIDE PROGRAMMING FOR GOING FORWARD.
I THINK THAT'S IT, IS ON THE LAST SLIDE? [LAUGHTER] ANY QUESTIONS? I RATTLE OFF A LOT, I APOLOGIZE. THANK YOU.
>> GREAT JOB, AND WE'VE HEARD SOME OF THIS AND THE DEVELOPMENTS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS HAVE BEEN EXTRAORDINARY.
I THINK THE NUMBERS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES, AND JUST SEEING PEOPLE ACTUALLY SHOWING UP AND HAVING FUN.
YOU'VE REALLY BROUGHT THIS TO LIFE AS OPPOSED TO ANOTHER OLD CHAMBER MEETING IN A CONFERENCE OFFICE.
YOU'VE REALLY BEEN INCORPORATING ALL OF YOUR MEMBERS AND PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY, SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NO, AND I WILL SAY THIS IS ANECDOTAL, BUT THERE'S IN MY 12 YEARS AT THE PARTNERSHIP, I HAVEN'T SEEN MORE ENERGY IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAN I'VE SEEN NOW.
I THINK PEOPLE BETWEEN PANDEMIC WORKFORCE ISSUES, SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES, THEY'RE STARTING TO FINALLY CATCH SOME AIR, AND I THINK WE COULD DO SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS COMING OUT OF IT.
>> ONE AREA I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT FROM YOUR WEBSITE.
IF YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP, PLEASE MAKE SURE TO UTILIZE THE PORTAL FOR MEMBERS.
BECAUSE YOU GET DISCOUNTS, THERE ARE IMMEDIATE BENEFITS FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE MEMBERS OF THE PARTNERSHIP.
I THINK WHAT PEOPLE TYPICALLY ASK IS, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO FOR ME? YOU HAVE ANSWERED THAT QUESTION WITH THAT PORTAL IN ITSELF, SO THANK YOU AND [OVERLAPPING].
>> THANKS FOR THE SALES PITCH. I APPRECIATE IT.
[APPOINTMENTS]
THE SENIOR CITIZEN AND DISABLED RESIDENT TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY BOARD.WE HAVE SUSZELLA JOSH AND THE HOMELESSNESS TRUST FUND COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE HEATHER BEULLEFELT AND CHRISTOPHER CURVINO.
MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTIONS 24-495 TO 24-496.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR FEBRUARY 13TH, 2024.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
MOTION TO APPROVE. ROLL CALL.>> YES. 24-399, ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING A LEFT TURN LANE RESERVATION ALONG
[ORDINANCE]
BONNIE BURN ROAD, COUNTY ROUTE 695, WATCHING BOROUGH, SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.MOTION TO OPEN PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE 24-399.
>> MOTION TO ADOPT ORDINANCE 24-399.
>> OH, I'M SORRY. I THINK [OVERLAPPING].
>> MOTION TO OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
>> ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC HERE?
>> MOTION TO ADOPT ORDINANCE 24-399.
[00:30:03]
>> [OVERLAPPING] I HAVE TO [BACKGROUND].
>> YES. DID I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 24-405 THROUGH 24-3 OR 435?
>> APOLOGIES. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MORANO.
MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTIONS 24-400 THROUGH 24-404.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
[AWARD OF CONTRACTS]
RESOLUTION 24-405 THROUGH 24-435. ROLL CALL.>> YES. MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTIONS 24-436 THROUGH 24-494.
[FINANCE]
>> YES. I WANT TO ABSTAIN FROM 24-442.
>> 24-442 COMMISSIONER SINGLETERRY?
>> YES. MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTIONS 24-497
[ITEMS ADDED FROM THE FEBRUARY 27, 2024 WORK SESSION TO BE ADOPTED TONIGHT]
THROUGH 24-499D. ROLL CALL.>> 499 D. >> COULD I GET A MOTION TO OPEN UP TO PUBLIC? ALL IN FAVOR?
>> ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING AND SEEING NONE, MOTION TO CLOSE.
>> CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE?
>> THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT, EVERYONE. [NOISE]
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.