Visit Estes Park’s Board of Directors made no public decisions Thursday afternoon on two items before the board during its executive session. No definitive schedule was set to reignite the search for a new CEO, nor was a decision made about a potential revised sponsorship contract for future Dead Guys Days sponsorship.
But when the Visit Estes Park Board of Directors completed its 2.5-hour meeting, they agreed on enough items to fill August’s meeting agenda and a portion of September’s.
The two executive session items – discussing a contract for Mike Zumbaugh, interim executive director of VEP, and a separate personnel item regarding a recent workplace investigation – consumed about 90 minutes of the board’s time. In each case, the board voted to ask VEP Attorney John Chmil to proceed “as discussed.” Chmil attended the meeting.
Zumbaugh has been working as an interim director since last September and has had his first six-month stint as a temporary CEO extended due to holdups in selecting a new leader for the organization.
However, the board learned that SearchWide Global, the executive search firm hired to spearhead VEP’s search for a new CEO, has received material from two potential candidates who could be interviewed, according to Deb Gibson, board secretary.
Board members expect to conduct a special executive session with SearchWide Global representatives to discuss the future process further due to anticipated discussions about “critical components” of the search process, as recommended by Chmil.
In a second 1.5-hour separate executive session, Chmil and a representative from CPS, a firm specializing in human resources issues, discussed with the Board a personnel matter related to a recent workplace investigation by CPS.
Internal issues were cited when Cindy Mackin, VEP’s community engagement director, was placed on paid administrative leave on May 6, and a representative of CPS met with the board and Chmil during their executive session on the matter.
Frozen Dead Guy Days festival arrangements
In other business, members agreed to meet with Von Freeman, owner of BOSCO, at their August meeting. Freeman, who owns Frozen Dead Guy Days, has proposed revising the festival’s contract with VEP to support the now three-year-old event held in mid-March.
Freeman purchased the festival from then-Stanley Hotel owner John Cullen earlier this year.
VEP had agreed to financially support the fledgling festival from 2023 through 2025. That contract was extended from 2023 until 2028.
VEP paid $350,000 per year for the first three years, but by the current contract, costs in 2026 will be reduced to $275,000. Each subsequent year through 2028, VEP’s cost to support the festival in Estes Park will be reduced by $25,000 for 2027 and 2028.
According to Zumbaugh, VEP also pays approximately $110K in advertising costs yearly. “We would anticipate that level of advertising costs for the next three years as well,” he said.
However, Freeman has asked to amend the contract again, beginning in 2026 and extending it through 2030. While his proposal for the additional years would require higher annual sponsorship fees, it guarantees that BOSCO would assume all advertising costs, saving VEP $110,000 each year.
The declining VEP sponsorship fee would start at $340,000 in 2026, $310,000 in 2027, $275,000 in 2028, $240,000 in 2029, and end at $225,000 in 2030.
According to Rachel Ward-Opperman, marketing director, VEP promotion of the event would be incorporated into the normal marketing efforts used for other events.
The issue is expected to be discussed again in August when the board meets with Freeman. Other topics slated for August include hearing a social media proposal and discussing the first draft of the operating plan, which must be approved by the Estes Park Town Board and Larimer County Commissioners before Dec.15. A report on the tourism marketing survey is reserved for a presentation in September.