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Tourism Board Regular Meeting

Town of Hillsborough · Tourism Board
Monday, November 3, 2025 at 5:30 pm

Regular meeting Arts and public artSchools and educationTax rate and revaluation

Agenda document Full packet Minutes Meeting page Watch Meeting recap

What's on this agenda

Hillsborough's Tourism Board hears third-quarter reports from its contract partners -- the Alliance visitors center, the Hillsborough Arts Council, the Burwell School and the Orange County Historical Museum -- at its November 3 meeting, along with an update on a new Jingle and Joy holiday weekend event from the Chamber and Alliance. Staff also present the FY25 food and beverage tax report.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

Hillsborough's Tourism Board approved its agenda and its August 4 minutes, both 8-0, then heard third-quarter reports from its four contract partners. The Alliance for Historic Hillsborough served 1,282 visitors, including 32 people on two private tours and 72 students on field trips. The Hillsborough Arts Council drew more than 3,000 visitors to its gallery and gift shop, which brought in $27,500 in retail sales, with $16,000 of that paid back to artists as commissions. Burwell School lost time to HVAC problems that kept it closed into mid-July but still logged 480 visitors. The Orange County Historical Museum served 2,029 people, driven by a September 6 reenactment of the Third Provincial Congress that drew about 750 people across eight shows and five academic speaker sessions. The Chamber and the Alliance previewed the December 6-7 Jingle and Joy weekend, which combines the town's tree lighting, a Santa visit and six candlelight home tours. The tourism development authority put in a $5,000 sponsorship toward the tree lighting, and staff chose a storage unit over a previously discussed $20,000 storage building.

Staff reported food and beverage tax revenue came in about $10,000 below the prior fiscal year, with some recovery late in the year, and advised the board to plan for no more than $525,000 in revenue next year or to draw down its fund balance. Monthly collections ranged from $39,000 to $46,000, a narrower band than fiscal year 2024's $31,000 to $57,000. Board member Barney Caton is rotating off at the end of his term. The board has two vacancies: Caton's at-large seat and a food and beverage seat, which requires the appointee to work at or own a food and beverage business but not necessarily live in Hillsborough. The board adjourned at 6:22 p.m.

How the votes went

Agenda approved 8-0. August 4 minutes approved 8-0. No other motions are recorded in the minutes.

From the published minutes.

Speaking at this meeting

Town of Hillsborough's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Agenda items (8)

Staff or committee report · 4Procedural · 3Minutes approval · 1
  1. 1 Call to order
    Procedural
  2. 2 Agenda changes and approval
    Procedural
  3. 3.A Minutes
    Minutes approval
  4. 4.A Q1 Reports from Contract Partners
    Staff or committee report Arts and public artSchools and education
    Quarterly reports from the Alliance visitors center, the Hillsborough Arts Council, the Burwell School and the Orange County Historical Museum.
  5. 4.B Update on 'Jingle and Joy' Holiday Weekend
    Staff or committee report
    An update from the Chamber and Alliance on the schedule for a new Jingle and Joy holiday weekend event.
  6. 5.A F&B Tax Report FY25
    Staff or committee report Tax rate and revaluation
    Staff present the FY25 food and beverage tax report.
  7. 6 Board updates/comments
    Staff or committee report
  8. 7 Adjournment
    Procedural

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