Board of County Commissioners
Tourist Development
Gadsden County, Florida
WORKSHOP AGENDA & NOTES
May 28, 2013
3:00 p.m.
Present:
Lee Garner, Chair of TDC, City of Chattahoochee Manager and Tax Collector
Matt Thro, Vice – Chair of TDC, H & H Furniture - absent
Jeff DuBree, Sportsman’s Lodge, Bed Tax Collector Lake Talquin
Patricia Vice, West Gadsden Historical Society, Tourist Attraction (via phone)
David Knight, Midway Councilman
Keith Dowdell, City of Quincy Commissioner
Hemant Patel, Hotel Industry
Gene Morgan, BOCC (via phone) - absent
Sonya Burns, TDC Administrator
Mary Kelley, Legacy Marketing
Beryl Wood, Deputy Clerk
Pledge of Allegiance and Roll Call
Pledge of Allegiance
Roll Call (Beryl Wood, Deputy Clerk)
Amendments and Approval of Agenda
1. Budget Update & Discussion
(Jeff Price, Budget Analyst)
Jeff Price gave budget update.
Mr. Garner commented the reason for today’s workshop was to have a general discussion with Mary Kelley.
Mr. Thro arrived at this juncture of the meeting.
Mr. DuBree commented and explained Sonya’s salary portion in the budget. He said when they made the budget last year they budgeted $6,000. To handle some of the administrative duties for the TDC. He explained this is before Mary was brought on.
Mr. Garner explained they need to keep some of the salary there, for Sonya to continue some of her duties.
Mr. Patel we are the exception, most TDC have a full-time administrator. He said the Chamber use to be the full-time administrator. He said the biggest complaint is that they don’t have follow through. We need full time administrator.
Mr. Garner asked about the amount in the banks.
Mr. Price replied about $218,000.
Mr. Thro proposed said they need to consider what persons we need in place.
Mr. Knight arrived at this juncture of the meeting.
Mary Kelley trying to get collective voice of what TDC is looking for. “As a body of people if they aren’t involved in the process.”
Keith Dowdell arrived at this juncture meeting.
Mr. Garner commented Jeff and Matt were involved in the implementation of the RFP.
Mr. Thro said have someone in the Marketing field to help us put a plan together. Helping us the other entities involved.
Mr. Garner commented on kiosk.
Mr. Patel stated there is some debate were kiosk are still relevant. He said Mr. Morgan said the kiosk would be viable to the County.
Mr. Garner commented on Signage right of way.
Mr. Patel said the funds have been dispersed and they are waiting the signs.
Mr. Price said he would do followup with Curtis (interim county public works director) and the chair.
Mr. Dowdell asked would the entry signs be for all points for Gadsden County. He said the CRA would be doing the same thing for entry points to the City.
Mr. Garner said yes.
Mr. Knight ask about the kiosk.
Mr. Patel said the short answer is no, RFP has been finalized.
QR postcard poster would be great. Hotel and Motels would have to be touchtone.
Karen Marsh, Mary Garcia, Chattahoochee Main Street – asked what was the price of the kiosk and discussed the benefits to the community. “everyone does not have smart phones.” They asked various questions of the TDC.
Keith Dowell inquired about kiosk.
Mr. Garner, Thro and DuBree explained they would place one kiosk in every municipality.
Mr. Thro stated when you are marketing anything how, what assets, would it fit in the budget. We want the most cost effective plan in place.
Mrs. Kelley suggested visiting municipalities to see what works within the community. She said she was not in favor of kiosk.
Mr. Garner commented we must think regional to help Gadsden County.
Mr. Patel stated they are throwing so much at the wall and nothing is sticking. We need to prioritize. Website, Billboards productivity for hotels, bed & breakfast & camp grounds. He suggested they partner with hotel owners and see if they would give coupon rate.
Mr. DuBree directed Mary to the website. It gives her an opportunity to partner.
Mary Kelley said they are working on website. She said the website is cross collaborative material. We want to make the website captivating.
Mr. Thro asked was there $30,000 available this there.
Mr. Price said about $60,000. $123,000 out of a $145,000.
Mr. Garner directed Mrs. Kelley to work on the website.
Mr. Thro asked did they give Mary a budget for video, pictures, etc. to get acclimated in this county.
Mr. Dowdell when I looked at TDC it is the marketing place for Gadsden County. He said the must take of website and it should cover every area in all the municipalities. We need to market what goes in Gadsden County. We do need to give her a budget. He asked who was the marketing committee.
Mr. Garner suggested the marketing/advertising committee taking care of that responsibility. The accountability is there.
Mr. Patel stated he agreed with Matt to set aside a budget. What ever we don’t allocate for video, use some of the funds for billboards and coupon book.
Mary Kelly suggested the billboard would drive them into the hotel. She suggested merchants create coupon book. Suggested meeting with the different hotel individuals.
Mr. Patel suggested coming up with the Community guides.
Mrs. Kelley suggested multiple projects going on at the same time.
Mr. Thro suggested adding Mr. Dowdell taking Mrs.
Thro/$20,000 for formation of the asset list and start working on website. Would like to formulate a budget for $2,000 collateral material for hotels and $7,000 for billboards and then take the rest and move rest over.
Total -$29,000
Patel -$7,000 is not enough for billboards. You have to sign up for one year billboard contract.
Price we need good working numbers by July.
Mr. Garner suggested at the June meeting have numbers.
100th Anniversary for the Courthouse appointees
Mary Kelley & Hemant Patel
Mr. Knight asked about replacement for Peter Patel. He suggested Jim Batoya of the Comfort Inns in Midway.
Mr. Garner asked if they could get his contact info.
Mr. Thro asked what would they like to do and have set by the next meeting.
Mr. Patel again suggested workshop on tourism tax.
Mr. DuBree asked that they hire someone individual to ask them to show them the process.
Mr.Patel commented on the new forms Post event reporting form.
365 day target
Mr. Dowdell greeted the Tourism Council and expressed he was happy to be on the Council.
2. TDC Objectives and Goals
(Lee Garner, TDC Chairman & Mary Kelly, Legacy Marketing)
3. Discussion Items/Concerns By Councilmembers
· Lee Garner, Chairman
· Hon. Gene Morgan, Gadsden County BOCC
· Hon. Keith Dowdell, City of Quincy
· Hon. David Knight, City of Midway
· Hemant Patel, Hotel Industry
· Patricia Vice, Greensboro Historical Society
· Jeff Dubree, Whipporwill Lodge
· Matt Thro, H&H Furniture
Marketing and Funding Request
NONE
Public Comments and Concerns on Non-Agenda Items (3 minute limit)
Motion to Adjourn
Meeting(s)
- June 17, 2013
Other TDC Business
Printed Materials Available (Upon Request)
List of Strategic Partners
TDC By-Laws
Florida Statute