One year ago we cut the ribbon on the new Welcome Center. It had been part of the Tellico Village Property Owners Association’s long-term plan to acquire a building where visitors to our community could be greeted and learn more about this great place.
Since the opening Sept. 28, 2015, the Welcome Center has been abuzz with activity. We have seen hundreds of visitors come through the doors as it is the launching pad for the Discovery Tours. I want to say a great big “thank you” to our volunteer tour guides who do such a great job of showing our visitors the beauty and friendliness of Tellico Village.
Along with tour activity, the Welcome Center is the place for the periodic classic car cruise-ins featuring vehicles from the various car clubs. The center has hosted a job fair where the TVPOA interviewed and recruited dozens of potential employees. Several dignitaries have stopped by to check out our new digs, with the most notable Kevin Triplett, Tennessee commissioner for tourism.
In the year before we opened the Welcome Center, only 15 or so visitors found our marketing department by stopping by TVPOA offices. In the year since, more than 1,500 visitors have found us. In fact, August was a banner month with 232 unplanned visitors.
The Welcome Center has been a game changer for our Day Tours program. Last year, less than half the tours of Tellico Village were Day Tours. This year, Day Tours are outpacing Discovery Tours 162 to 110. Both of those programs are well on their way to record-breaking numbers since we started the marketing program in 2013.
Villagers are more than welcome to stop by the Welcome Center. You will find the offices for Marketing Manager Beth Kuberka, Marketing Assistant Summer Macon, Lifestyle Coordinator Lisa McCray, and, of course, Patty Robichaud, public relations assistant and Welcome Center greeter. Patty is also a notary public and has notarized more than 60 documents since March.
These professionals can answer any questions you may have about the marketing of Tellico Village and how our visitor programs are progressing.
Any Villager wanting to sign up to be a volunteer tour guide should contact Kuberka at 865-458-5408, ext. 4130, or bethk@tvpoa.org.
Report hits mailbox
The latest edition of the POA Board Report should be in your mailbox by the time you read this. I encourage all property owners to read the information contained inside.
This edition has an excellent article about the great news on the renegotiated lease with the Tellico Reservoir Development Agency, some articles featuring some of our managers on staff and POA Board election information, including how the online election process works.
Budget meetings
I want to take this opportunity to remind all property owners that the 2017 budget discussions and meetings are open to all members of the community. It’s your chance to see the thoughtfulness and hard work that goes into developing an operational budget for your TVPOA.
The week of Oct. 10 may be of interest to a lot of the members of our community. That’s when we have the departmental reviews and take a look at the details behind the numbers.
On Monday, Oct. 10, the Finance Advisory Committee will get presentations from administration and golf. Tuesday, Oct. 11, is set for recreation, and Wednesday, Oct. 12, is public works.
I hope to see a lot of interest and attendance. All of these meetings are in the POA conference room. Watch the Tell-E-Gram and The Connection for updates and schedules for all budget meetings.
Materials on way
Packets of information about the upcoming TVPOA Board election will be mailed to all property owners of record on or about Oct. 27. Your envelope will contain instructions on how to cast your online ballot, how to ask for and receive a paper ballot, directions on where to find candidate information and, most importantly, your personalized, individual login and password.
It is my hope that all property owners will take seriously the opportunity they have to vote for the board members who will serve their community for the next three years.
For any questions about the election, please call our election administrator, Jessica Johnson at 865-458-7081, and always keep an eye on our communications channels for updates and information.
