GADSDEN
COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
TOURIST
DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
AGENDA
& NOTES
Monday, February 6, 2012
3:00P.M.
Edward J. Butler
Governmental Complex
9 East Jefferson
Street, Room 101, Quincy, Florida 32352
Commission Meeting
Chambers
Present:
Jeff DuBree,
Chairman of TDC, Sportsman’s Lodge, Bed Tax Collector Lake Talquin
Matt Thro,
Havana Merchants Association
Patricia
Vice, West Gadsden Historical Society, Tourist Attraction
Peter Patel,
Bed Tax Collector
Alca Patel,
Hotel Industry
Lee Garner,
City of Chattahoochee Manager and Tax Collector
Sherrie
Taylor, BOCC Chairman
Absent:
Angela Sapp,
City of Quincy Commission
David
Knight, Council Member of Midway
1.
Call
to Order – Chairman Jeff DuBree
Jeff Dupree, Chairman of TDC called the meeting to order.
2.
Roll
Call – Beryl H. Wood, Deputy Clerk
The roll was called by the deputy clerk, with all members present as noted above.
City of Quincy- Representative
Jeff Dubree _Quincy representative has not been to any meetings.
Sonya Burns stated that she has made contact with Sylvia Burns.
Lee Garner /Dubree bring to Board’s attention City of Quincy’s Representative – Angela Sapp. 6-0(motion carries)
Chair Taylor had not arrived.
(written notice may be a option)
3. Website Presentation (Matt Thro)
Wind Creek Horse Track add, local events added, keep updating delete info such as River Fest.
Taylor - How do you drive traffic to Gadsden County?
Thro – you have to pick key words
Taylor – not enough observation there; why the letter e
Thro – you have to hire search engine op.
Dubree – Electronic; it’s hard to get to the site; pick another to get more draw
Taylor – how long has site been up. (1 year) Is there anything to track over 12 months to get data to see how many hits?
Patel – If you type City – would website come up? Suggestion you add City’s as a way to pull website. Suggestion word tourism
Dubree – This site needs works
Taylor – per contract with Ron Sachs where the items we discussing are they suppose to be doing it & she asked for a copy of website. Let’s take a look and she if there is some obligation.
Thro – Search Engine Observation is not apart.
Taylor – The goal is to increase tourism, to make this effective a lot of more work needs to be done. I’m trying to get to point to continue and build upon. How hard would it be to remove the e from egadsden.com
Taylor – speak with County it to see if they can give input.
Burns – will report on the 20th of Feb.
· Contracts- Ron Sachs (2 signed contracts)
· Application – business will submit to receive funds
· Website – Matt to put together plan to move site up
4. Council Appointments and Terms
DuBree – discussed Council Appointments and Terms. Look at then make
proposal to the BOCC. (Stagg term years), Consistent length of term.
Suggestions: Submit to the Board as it states.
Motion:Taylor/Garner – make correction on item #1 correct name to submit to BOCC. 7-0 (motion applies)
Burns – will agenda for BOCC meeting and attach Florida Statues
Taylor – what does Statue say about Stagg Terms.
Gardner – extend to 12/31 the dates for Dubree, Vice, so all expiration dates are the same
Motion: Gardner/Thro extend date to 12/31ending dates 7-0
Changes: Chair Taylor name, changes to Dubree, Vice
5. Strategic Plan Discussion – page 6 (strengths)- Dubree discussed Strategic Plan.
Chair Taylor – concerns with weakness, we should be working to eliminate the problems. Would like to see list go down.
Dubree – the individual municipalities felt it should be split evenly. We thought we would be served by looking at target markets.
Taylor: some things that need to come off – removed:
· Poor overall image of the entire county
Garner – changes to Strategic Plan need to be made.
· Percentages – is that state statue (Taylor).
· Recommendation – increase bed taxes (overnight stays) – Taylor
· Should we loosen grant requirements due to not all funds being used , look at application– Thro, Taylor
· Strategic Plan changes it’s a process – ordinance, public hearing
· Taylor what do we plan to do with funds remaining from Ron Sachs (PR)- suggestion ways to increase Bed Tax with 4 great projects
· County Budget that updates all that is paid (incumbent) – Garner
· Chair Taylor – let Clerk know that Riverfest is budget at $2,000-let them know the invoice may come in the next year fiscal year. Send notification to Clerk.
·
Recommendation from Commissioner Taylor –
divide ourselves in groups, signage – task be assigned & check them off, we
might to look at someone who can help us. Great Ideas
·
Jeff – would entertain emails where you
would like to be assigned.
6. Public News & Comments (3 minutes) – Next Meeting Feb 20, 2012
7. Meeting Adjourn@5:20pm