Empty Dickinson CVB board seats filled

Talk about it

The Dickinson Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors has been busy refilling vacated member seats, officials said Wednesday.

“It’s an organization that needs to make sure it stays around and continues with what they do,” said Robbie Kudrna, CVB president and KQCD-TV marketing consultant. “It is going to be very beneficial to be on the board and be helpful for the community.”

All but one of the members on the CVB board resigned in early October, citing a change in the Hospitality and Lodging Tax ordinance as the reason.

The Dickinson City Commission approved the ordinance unanimously Oct. 17, which stated that funding for the CVB would be at the discretion of the city. Elaine Myran, Ramada Grand Dakota Lodge manager, was the only member who did not resign.

Bruce Dolezal, CVB secretary and treasurer and American Bank Center vice president, said it was unfortunate that the members resigned.

“I think there was some miscommunication and misunderstanding, and I think some feelings were hurt in the process,” he said.

Wayne Rau, owner of Pizza Ranch, will serve as vice president. Esquire Club owner Bernie Marsh, Oasis Inn manager Doris Callahan and Dickinson City Commissioner Klayton Oltmanns, would serve as directors.

Having a commissioner serve on the board is a new concept for the CVB, Oltmanns said, which could benefit it in the long run.

“Having a member of the commission on the CVB board should bode much better for them as far as being able to clarify what their needs are, what their purpose and what their objectives are for the budget year,” he said. “It should take a lot of their funding concerns off the table and give them a voice on the commission and make things much smoother.”

Oltmanns said the next big step is to find a replacement for Terri Thiel, the board’s executive director, who is serving as an interim until a replacement can be found.

Marsh said he thought the board would be able to continue forward in a positive way.

“Everybody there is new, so we are all learning and we are all trying to keep a positive attitude,” he said.

Dolezal said he has always been impressed by the board and would hate to see it “go by the wayside.”

“I always thought the CVB did a nice job of promoting Dickinson,” Dolezal said. “They have a definite purpose, and they’re more than just filling motel rooms in Dickinson.”

Dolezal said the city and the board has no agreements on funding, but both entities will meet to review and discuss what changes will be made to funding for the CVB.

Marsh said communication with the city commission is important when moving forward.

“This is my livelihood,” Marsh said. “It is important for me to have a say in what goes on there.”

Myran did not return calls from The Dickinson Press on Wednesday.

Tags: dickinson convention and visitors bureau board of directors, dickinson city commission, news, tax