Carbondale’s Convention and Tourism Bureau board director said much work is being done to kickstart the revitalized organization, and an executive director will help the process even more.

“I’ll be very excited to have a new executive director,” said Roxanne Conley, CCTB board director. “I’m sure the rest of the board will be, too … because we all have jobs, so getting this back up and running has been yet another full-time job for many of us.”

Since the organization’s August reinstatement, the City Council established a board of directors to rebuild a new and improved CCTB, Conley said.

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Although many steps were taken to lay the new CCTB’s foundation, most positions within the organization are yet to be filled. Conley said an office manager was hired last month to assist the CCTB in rebuilding its website and take some work off of the board’s hands.

However, she said an executive director is just around the corner.

The board has received and reviewed more than 22 resumes since its re-establishment, and it will have interviews with the five best applicants within the month.

Not only would an executive director lessen board members’ stress, but it will also allow the organization to flesh out some of the improvements it has planned for the two months, Conley said.

She said the CCTB will implement one specific tactic to separate itself from the former organization.

The bureau will announce its meetings online via the improved website, and it will present details from each meeting monthly to the City Council,  Conley said. While many of the organization’s facets are still being planned, she said, it will make a concerted effort to be more open to the public at all times.

In June, Mayor Joel Fritzler said one problem the former CCTB struggled with was its inability to work well with other area businesses such as Carbondale Main Street, Carbondale Community Arts and Chamber of Commerce.

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In light of this, Conley said the CCTB will communicate and collaborate with the Chamber of Commerce and other groups more frequently to promote cohesion between the bureau as well as the rest of the community.

Conley said the CCTB’s doors are now open, and city residents are encouraged to come in if they have any questions about the new organization.

“I think what people will see is a much more public presentation from CCTB, not necessarily just in this area because that’s not necessarily where we’re supposed to promote, but more so in the 50 miles in out areas,” she said.

Among CCTB’s many planned changes, Conley said bringing people to the city will remain a major goal.

However, she said the organization hopes to go one step further.

Conley said a system will be organized for hotel guests to be asked where they visited from and why they are staying in the city. She said the information will be passed to the CCTB and recorded to see where Carbondale’s visitors come from and where the city may need to promote itself, as well as which types of events bring in the most  people.

The CCTB will announce its full campaign as early as February or March, Conley said, and will give the public a good. Idea about what it will offer.

Conley said she is excited to see what the new organization’s capabilities, and she is confident in its determination to make a better Carbondale.

“We’re all like-minded on this, and we’re ready to see things move forward,” she said. “With the current funding level we’re at, there’s no reason we shouldn’t be able to do a fantastic job.”