GADSDEN COUNTY
TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
AGENDA & NOTES
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Budget Meeting: 3:30 pm
Present:
Lee Garner, Chair of TDC, City of Chattahoochee Manager and Tax Collector
Matt Thro, Vice – Chair of TDC, H & H Furniture (via phone)
Jeff DuBree, Sportsman’s Lodge, Bed Tax Collector - Lake Talquin
David Knight, Midway Councilman
Keith Dowdell, City of Quincy Commissioner (via phone)
Peter Patel, Hotel Industry (via phone)
Clarence Jackson, City of Gretna (via phone)
Brenda Holt, BOCC (arrived late)
Lynn Badger, Bed Tax Collector - Havana
Attorney David Weiss, County Attorney
Sonya Burns, TDC Administrative Assistant
Allara Gutcher, Planning Director
Beryl Wood, Deputy Clerk
1. Pledge of Allegiance/Roll call
Lee Garner, Chairman of TDC called the meeting to order at 3:30p.m. and then led in the
Pledge of Allegiance.
The roll was called by the deputy clerk and stated above.
2. Amendments and Approval of Agenda – Knight/DuBree 7-0 (no amendments)
3. Approval of Meeting Minutes (May) – Knight/Badger 7-0 approved
4. General Business
a. Gadsden Art Center 2014/15 Funding Request Grace Robinson highlighted the Gadsden Art Center. She is requesting $1,500 per quarter in marketing support for each group of exhibitions (Total $6,000 for the 2014-2015 year) to add television component to increase tourism from an educated, arts – interested audience.
Mr. Knight complemented Mrs. Robinson and the Art Center.
Mr. Dowdell asked was this for the 2014-2015 FY Budget year.
Mr. DuBree asked what the reach was for the TV.
Mrs. Robinson said the same as radio.
Mr. Garner asked that she contact Pam Fuqua of Jackson County. She has Canadian tour.
b. Quincy Music Theater 2014/15 Funding Request Bill Mock, manager Quincy Musical Theater, addressed the Council. He said this year they received $4,000 for marketing. Discussed the 5 major productions per year plus the summer workshop. He mentioned a partnership with Tallahassee Democrat. He requested $5,000.
c. University of Florida 2014/15 Funding Request Mrs. Burns said they are requesting $2,000. Mr. Knox couldn’t be present.
d. Havana Merchants 2014/15 Funding Request Bob Lauther, Havana Merchants addressed the Council with funding request for their 3 major events, PumpkinFest, Lawn Mower Parade and Havana Days. He mentioned the advertisement that the Havana Merchants spends each year. He said they would like to partner with the TDC all year. He is requesting $8,000.
Mr. Dowdell asked what he was asking for.
Mr. Garner replied 3 events at $8,000. They would discuss the advertisement with the Havana Merchants at a later date.
Mr. Jackson asked how they track the tourist or bed nights to the cities for events. He asked for history.
Mrs. Gutcher said it is adopted in the strategic plan. It is not a statutory requirement, but it ties the bed nights to the strategic plan.
Attorney Weiss said that is an accurate assumption. He highlighted the $1,000 limit for events. He mentioned a revised grant application which showed $2,500 per event. He said he wasn’t sure it has been adopted by the County. He advised they should try to follow guidelines. He said it should be an application for each event.
Mrs. Burns said the revised has been adopted by the Board.
Mrs. Gutcher said she likes how they are doing this. They are bound by the current Strategic Plan as to what they could do. She asked could they tally up and put in other fund.
Attorney Weiss said he was not sure if grant application was mandatory.
Discussion occurred among the Council.
Attorney Weiss said the museums and Music Theater are different events in state statute.
Mrs. Holt arrived at this juncture of the meeting.
Mr. DuBree said long term we need to address the marketing versus grant funding.
Attorney Weiss said they should be working on making things clearer.
Mrs. Holt said she was in favor of all applying except the ones that are in the state statute.
Attorney Weiss said there is inconsistency in several areas. The limit versus $1,000 or $2,500.
She asked did they market the public to say that where accepting applications.
Mrs. Burns said it was advertised.
Mrs. Holt asked what about percentage of funding.
Attorney Weiss said that the statute doesn’t address. He said it suggest that they become more self sufficiency.
She said they should fund new events and some older ones.
Mr. DuBree discussed the infrastructure. He asked would signing be infrastructure.
Attorney Weiss said it would.
e. Rocky Comfort Farms 2014/15 Funding Request $3,000
f. North Florida Education Development Corp. (NFEDC) $6,000 Carolyn Ford addressed the Council.
g. Letter of Intent to RiverWay South to budget $5,000 for membership. Holt/Knight 6-0 (2 abstain Garner, Thro members of Board of Riverway South)
Mr. Dowdell asked for diversity.
h. Letter of Intent to budget $12,000 for the Crappie USA February fishing tournament. Mr. DuBree spoke in support of Crappie USA tournament. He said he would abstain from voting due to it being on his property.
Motion: Thro/ Badger
Mrs. Gutcher said this would be an annual TDC event, they are doing the work for us.
Mrs. Burns, procurement policy discussions.
Mr. Knight asked that they research. He said he could be placed in the budget for funds. We need to be sure we are following guideline.
Attorney Weiss said they need to get clarification on the procurement policy. He said he didn’t think they were prohibited from hiring for profit service. He said they should not send a letter of intent, they may budget funds.
Mr. Dowdell expressed his concerns.
Mr. Thro/Badger made a motion to authorize to put $12,000 in fishing tournament. Motion to be amended for a TDC sponsored event for $12,000.
( Motion withdrawn)
Attorney Weiss discussed giving everyone equal opportunity. TDC is recommending body you need approval from BCC to spend funds.
Mr. Dowdell addressed the rules and regulations.
Attorney Weiss said they didn’t need a motion since they aren’t sending out letter of intent.
Crappie Tournament hosted by TDC.
Motion: Holt/Knight to go after RFP for fishing tournament, if necessary. 6-0 (DuBree abstained for voting)
i. 2014/15 Budget Hearing Discussion and Approval
Mr. Dowdell asked was any of them funded 3 years or more.
Mr. Thro said that was for grants only.
· Gadsden Arts - $6,000, Music-$5,000 and $19,000 additional
· Will request all applicants to come back before Council with application. Mr. Knight suggested they put the $19,000 in the budget.
· Mrs. Gutcher said they need a plan on how on who and how they spend funds. Trying to be more deliberate in how you spend funds.
· Other events not programmed take $3,000 from Crappie and add to other events would make $22,000
· $65,000 total
Motion: DuBree/Holt Proposed motion to recommend to county total budget $126,795 (7-0)
j. RFQ Review and Recommendation to the BOCC - TDC Marketing Services Error had to resend new date July 11
k. Decision of TDC attendance to the Governor’s Conference on Tourism in September, Boca Raton 23-24, 2014 (3) attendees (Clarence ?, Jeff, Badger) and Lee if no one else
5. Staff business (no vote items) Informational
a. Marketing material for the July event (Tour of Gadsden) July 9-10
b. Expenditure Report Review
c. Discussion of Strategic Plan Visioning Session (dates July 28, 2014 @ 1pm) tentative date
6. Items of discussion from Council members (no vote items)
7. Public Comments
8. Adjournment@ 6:02pm
Upcoming meetings: July 28, 2014 at 1:00pm (Visioning Session)