Publisher cries foul over Whitefish travel planner
The Whitefish Convention and Visitors Bureau has been criticized publicly for how it handled a contract for a new travel planner.
Ron Wright, publisher of the Whitefish Free Press and two tourism publications, Whitefish magazine and the Whitefish Dining Guide, said he believes there's a conflict of interest with the firm that was awarded the travel-planner contract.
Wright alleges that WCVB board member John Frandsen, a former marketing representative for Winter Sports Inc., was awarded the travel planner, but bureau spokesperson Lisa Jones said Frandsen's wife, Jen, who operates Old Town Creative, actually got the contract.
"John excused himself from the whole meeting," Jones said. "He didn't look at the proposals. It was a fair, open process."
The bureau's marketing committee wanted a travel planner that could be used at trade and travel shows and would market Whitefish for bureau members. A request for proposals was sent to seven publishing firms, and the only responses came from Jen Frandsen and Wright.
Beyond the perceived conflict of interest, Wright says the process was flawed because the bureau "did an end run around their mandate" of submitting the travel-planner specifications to the state Tourism Advisory Council for approval.
"That process was ignored," he said.
Rhonda Fitzgerald, vice chairwoman of the WCVB board, said that because private funds are being used to pay for the travel planner, it was not subject to state approval.
"We're not expending any public funds, we don't have to go by TAC rules," she said. "Only projects that use public funds need that approval."
The WCVB budget includes public bed-tax revenue and private contributions from Whitefish businesses.
Wright wrote about his concerns in a March 21 Whitefish Free Press editorial. He also sent letters to John Phelps, Whitefish city attorney, and Fitzgerald about another concern, his trademark for the name "Whitefish" for magazines dealing with rural and resort lifestyle.
Wright said he objects to the bureau using the name Whitefish on its travel planner, because his livelihood comes from Whitefish Magazine and Whitefish Dining Guide.
Fitzgerald wrote back to Wright, saying there is no intention to create any ambiguity that the bureau's travel planner is the same or related to Whitefish Magazine.
"Several publications can cover similar subject matter or content, even if their title and title art is trademarked," she said. "For example, the Whitefish Pilot is a trademark that does not limit your freedom to publish the Whitefish Free Press …"
City Council members got copies of Wright's letter but took no action.
Wright said he'll continue to "keep the spotlight on WCVB" until new board members are appointed in July. He'd like to apply, but said he doesn't meet the qualifications. Positions are open to residents of the city and planning jurisdiction who represent one of the following business categories: restaurant and bar business, retail, transportation, small and large lodging properties, finance, Big Mountain and Whitefish Golf Course.