The annual meeting of the Bed and Breakfast Innkeepers of South Dakota was held on January 18 and 19, 2008 at the Super Deluxe Inn and Suites in DeSmet, South Dakota and graciously hosted by the Glacial Lakes and Prairies Region.

Call to Order: The meeting was held in the conference room of the Super Deluxe Inn and called to order by President Ron and Carla Kaaz at 1:00 pm.

Present: Board Members: President Ron and Carla Kaaz - Foote Creek B&B; Vice President Jim and Linda Steele - Eagles View B&B; Secretary Dennis and Vixie Miller -Vixie’s Victorian Villa B&B; Treasurer Eileen Russow and Warren Meyer - Peregrine Point B&B; Newsletter Chairman Sara and John Steever - Steever House B&B; and Marketing Chairman Judy Parker - The Barn B&B.

Regional Tourism Directors: Lyndy Ireland-Triangle Ranch B&B of Black Hills, Badlands and Lakes; Ila and Bill Rumbolz-Der Rumbolz Platz B&B of Southeast South Dakota; Jim and Linda Steele-Eagle’s View B&B of Great Lakes; and Carla and Ron Kaaz - Foote Creek B&B of Glacial Lakes and Prairies.

Other B&B/Inn members present were: Art and Marilyn Oaks-Buffalo Rock Lodge; Clark Edwards -Clark’s Prairie Gold; Lelia Gilbert - Flavia’s Place; Rick and Ana Jensen - The Norbeck House Inn; Harold and Darla Loewen - Possibility Farm; Larry and Connie Cheney - Prairie House Manor.

Minutes: The minutes from the 2007 Annual Meeting were read individually by all present. Eileen Russow made a motion to approve the minutes as written. Seconded by Marilyn Oaks. Motion carried.

Treasurer’s Report: The Treasurer’s report was given by Eileen Russow. Marilyn Oaks made the motion to accept the Treasurer’s report as given. Darla Loewen seconded the motion. Motion carried. The Proposed 2008 Budget was presented. Eileen discussed the “Great Getaway” and that it is now targeting the whole state of SD for the cost of about $500.00. The advertisement insert will also be in the Fargo, Des Moines, and Minneapolis newspapers giving us a wider exposure. Clark Edwards made the motion to accept the proposed budget. Marilyn Oaks seconded. Discussion: A correction was made to the report to delete the wording “Coop Ad” from the line item SD Tourism. Motion carried.
Membership Report: Eileen Russow presented the report in the absence of the Membership Chairman Nancy and Bernie Roth-Apple Annie’s Cottage. We currently have 50 B&B members across the state. We lost four B&B’s this year: Granite Springs Lodge, Jenny Gulch, The Victorian Country and Elkridge B&B. But, we gained four new members during 2007: the Sweetgrass Inn B&B owned by Shari Rose and Lee Haverka, Rapid City; Anise’s B&B 4 Pets owned by Stephanie Anise, Hot Springs; The Norbeck House Inn owned by Rick and Ana Jensen, Pierre; and Elkridge B&B, Keystone. It was noted that Smiling Bear B&B has changed their name to Mountains to Prairies B&B at Hill City.

Marketing Report: Chairman Judy Parker talked on the importance of “Travel the Inn Route,” a prominent feature on our website with its logo and map locations of statewide B&Bs. She asked us to think of ways to expand this tool, possibly packages to put on the “Inn Route” with links to individual B&Bs. We need more visibility and ideas that target the B&B areas in SD. The Marketing Committee decided not to do the “Giant Step” advertising with SD Tourism. Instead, in the spring we are advertising in Midwest Living Magazine. We will have 1/6 page color ad in a 16 page Black Hills Badlands and Lakes supplement at a cost of approximately $1,100.00. The ad will direct travelers to our INN-Route link. BBISD association will continue to be in the “Great Getaway” this fall, which is now state wide. We would like to have a package on SD Tourism because people search for special packages. Check out TravelSD.com and sdmaid.com. It is one more link and it’s free. The Department of Tourism is an excellent source of information. BBISD is planning to take the “Matching Grant Fund Challenge” from SD Tourism. She explained that SD Tourism wants to help us with projects that will promote the state and bring more travelers to SD and keep them longer. We will be eligible for matching funds to market BBISD inns and having more guests staying on the INN-Route. There was a discussion of possibly taking half of the money we spend on brochures and invest in CD’s for the web site. The more links on the website the higher up on Google we would be.

Marilyn Oaks shared about the VIA, Visitor Industry Alliance, and how effective they were at changing the start date for schools in SD on behalf of tourism. She suggested doing image building by putting a local face on tourism. People in tourism are part of SD’s “great places have great faces.” Tourism works for SD, it literally turns the state green. She also enlightened us on two upcoming bills in the legislature that could affect us and that the Department of Health helped design the public health definition but it was confusing as to clarification of B&Bs, Inns, and Specialty Inns. She encouraged all of us to take the responsibility of keeping track of what is going on in our legislature and go to a cracker-barrel session. President Ron Kaaz encouraged us to all get to know the representatives in our area and talk to them about our issues.

Regional Reports: Glacial Lakes and Prairies: Carla Kaaz said they were glad to have the opportunity to host the annual conference this year. Black Hills Badlands and Lakes: Lyndy Ireland said they would like to host a region-wide open house this year, possibly on Mother’s Day as a spring tour of B&B’s is good exposure and advertisement for the upcoming summer season. Southeast SD: Ila Rumbolz wanted to mention that a new prospective B&B owner in their region, Joyce Metz from Mitchell, was featured in “The Parade of Homes” this year. Great Lakes: No report.