[Call to Order by Chair]
[00:00:39]
>> ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, GOOD EVENING.
WELCOME TOTE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY COMMISSION. THE MAIN MATERIALS FOR IN MEETING ARE AVAILABLE ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE UNDER AGENDA AND MINUTES. ONCE YOU FIND THE MEETING AGENDA YOU CAN CLICK ON THE AGENDA ITEM TO ACCESS ALL THE SUPPORT CAN MATERIALS. WE'LL GO FROM THERE.
CLERK, IF YOU CAN UHL CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.
>> CHAIR COMMISSIONER JEREMIAH BLOCKER.
>> PRESENT. >> VICE CHAIR COMMISSIONER HENRY
>> COMMISSIONER CHRISTIAN WHITE MURS EVER HURST.
>> PRESENT JIRGS COMEB SMITH. >> PRESENT.
>> COMMISSIONER PAUL WALD RON. >> PRESENT.
>> FOR INVOCATION, COMMISSIONER SMITH, DO YOU MIND LEANED US IN
PRAYER? >> DON'T MIND HAT ALL.
CAN WE BOW OUR HEADS. FATHER WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR GRACEERS ANDY TO US. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SON JESUS CHRIST WHO YOU SENT TO DIE PAY FOR OUR SINS AND DIED AND WAS BURIED AND ROSE THREE DAYS LATER. FATHER I ASK THAT YOU WOULDOVER YE THIS MEETING, GRANT YOUR WISDOM ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL AND ASK FOR FAITH UNWAVERING. I ASK THAT YOU WITH BLESS THIS COUNTY, PROTECT US FOR YOUR GLORY P.
PROTECT OUR EMPLOYEES AND USE THEM.
I PRAY FOR YOUR SPECIAL HAND PONE THEM.
[Special Agenda]
WE THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THIS EGAN, THE TIME SET ASIDE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY.WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS IT IN JESUS' NAME.
>> MS. MCCORMICK, DO YOU MIND LEADING US IN THE PLEDGE OF
ALLEGIANCE. >> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH
[1. Public Hearing * 5:01 p.m. Public Hearing -- Adoption of Tentative Millage Rates & Budget for FY 2022.]
LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SMITH.
THANK YOU, MR. MCCORMICK. ALL RIGHT.
SO ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS TO THE SPECIAL AGENDA? SEEING NONE, I MOVE TO APPROVE.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND.
>> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER SMITH, AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER DEANNE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. LET'S GO RIGHT IN.
>> GOOD EVENING. CHAIRMAN BLOCKER, COMMISSIONERS. JESSE DUNN, DIRECTOR FOR THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGETS.
WE'RE HERE FOR OUR 501 FIRST PUBLIC HEARING TO ADOPT THE FISCAL YEAR 2022 BUDGET. CERTAINLY WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND A COUPLE OF THESE PRESENTATIONS SINCE FEBRUARY WHEN WE BEGAN THIS WITH THE BUDGET GUIDELINES.
WE'VE HAD WORKSHOPS, A COUPLE OF AGENDA ITEMS AS PART OF REGULAR MEETINGS AND AS PART OF OUR TIMELINE TODAY WE'RE AGAIN THIS IS OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING. WE'RE GOING TO BE -- IT'S A PRESCRIBED PROCESS THIS EVENING.
I'M GOING TO GIVE A QUICK OVERVIEW.
P OF THESE SLIDES YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE, BUT ONCE WE GET INTO THE ACTUAL HEARING ITSELF, IT'S A PRESCRIBED PROCESS THAT IT DOES ALLOW FOR THIS PUBLIC COMMENT SO I'LL HAVE SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT ROLL BACK RATE WHICH IS REQUIRED BY FLA FLORIDA STATUTE.
WE'LL GET INTO ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ASSOCIATE WITH THE BUDGET AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO CONSIDERATION OF TWO REST LAITIONZ TONIGHT, ONE TO ADOPT THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATES, ONE TO ADOPT THE TENTATIVE BUDGET. AND THEN THERE'S A FINAL ACTION, AND THAT WILL BE THE ESTABLISH THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE FOR THE FINAL BUDGET CONSIDERATION, ALSO AT A 501.
SO GETTING INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS, AND AGAIN I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A YEAR, AGAIN IN FEBRUARY WE WENT THROUGH AND PROVIDED THE GUIDELINES TO THE BOARD, CONTINUED TO LOOK AT OUR INSURANCE, FUEL COSTS, UTILITY COSTS THROUGH THE YEAR. WE HAVE CERTAINLY SEEN INFLATIONARY PRESSURES THAT ARE OUT THERE.
AT THIS POINT I THINK WE TOOK THE POSITION OF WE'RE GOING TO KIND HOLD TIGHT FOR A LOT OF OUR COST INCREASES FOR NEXT YEAR, AND IF WE NEED COME BACK FOR INFLATIONARY REASONS, WE'LL BRING THOSE BACK TO THE BOARD FOR CONGREGATION A CASE-BY-CASE SCENARIO. THE EMPLOYEE COST I COST INX THAT WE USE FOR WAS 1.8. THE FURTHER PROGRAMMING FOR
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PERSONNEL IF THERE WAS LICENSURES AS PART OF A CAREER LADDER IN ANY INDUSTRY MARKET WATCHES, PROMOTIONS, AND THERE IS A MERIT PAY OF 2%, SO THE OVERALL AVERAGE INCREASE, IF YOU WILL, FOR AN EMPLOYEE WOULD BE UP TO 3.8% AT THAT AVERAGE.HEALTH INSURANCE CONTRIBUTION, THE SHARED PARTICIPATION FOR BOTH -- I KEEP SAYING BOTH, BUT EMPLOYER/EMPLOYEE/RETIREE SAT 3.1% FOR THIS YEAR. CERTAINLY WE'LL BE REVIEWING THAT POST THIS YEAR TO SEE HOW OUR HEALTH INSURANCE FUND LOOKS. IT'S STILL HEALTHY.
OPEB. WE CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A ZERO DOLLAR EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION, EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTION, RATHER, FOR FISCAL YEAR '22 AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THAT FOR FY '23. RETIREMENT RATES ARE MANDATED BY THE STATE ON AVERAGE IT'S ABOUT 10.8% FOR REGULAR, 26% FOR SPECIAL -- FOR SPECIAL FIRE, PUBLIC SAFETY RELATED POSITIONS. WE'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN CURRENT WORKS' COMPENSATION RATES. WE'VE CONTINUED TO INVEST AND REINVEST IN OUR EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE, SO WE HAVE CERTAINLY IN OUR SUMMARIES WE HAVE PROVIDED OUR FIVE-YEAR DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT QUKS R&R OVERALL. WE CONTINUE OUR FIVE-YEAR COMPUTER REPLACE. WE HAVENING RATED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN PROJECTS WHERE FUNDING HAS BEEN AVAILABLE, AND CERTAINLY THIS YEAR WE'VE SEEN OVER THIS PAST YEAR WITH SOME PICKUPS RELATED TO BOTH THE COVID-19 RESPONSE, CARES, THE WAY WE HAD BUDGETED AT '21 AND HOW HEALTHY ST. JOHNS CAME BACK IN RESPONSE LAST YEAR, WE CERTAINLY HAD COME ONE-TIME PICKUPS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO INCORPORATE INTO THE CIP FOR NEXT YEAR. AS ALWAYS, WE'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN HEALTSDZ RESERVESO MAINTAIN OUR CREDIT RATINGS.
WEEP CERTAINLY HAVE TO AT THAT TIME FROM TIME TO TIME TO GO TO MARKET OR BORROWING AND THOSE ARE IMPORTANT.
AS ARE OUR RESERVES. WE CERTAINLY HAVE HAD TO UTILIZE RESERVES THIS PAST YEAR FROM TIME TO TIME.
WE HAVE CONTINUED TO UPDATE REVENUES UP UNTIL THE END ON OUR HALF CENT SALES TAX, GAS TAXES, OUR TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX INCREASE WITH THE BOARD'S A ADOPTION, AND WE ACTUALLY UPDATED IMPACT FEES UNTIL THE END SO WE CAN CAPTURE AS MUCH OF THAT FOR NEXT YEAR AS POSSIBLE. CERTAINLY WE'VE SEEN THIS SLIDE BEFORE. WE'RE AT 9.27% TAXABLE VALUE GROWTH FOR FISCAL YEAR '22 WITH THE CURRENT MILLAGE RATES, RESULTS IN AN INCREASE OF -- AN INCREMENTAL INCREASE OF $19 MILLION OVERALL ACROSS THESE FUNDS, AND I'LL LOOK AT THESE SPECIFICALLY. 12.7 -- I'LL READ IT OUT.
$12,694,234 FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
THAT'S NET THE TAX INCREMENT FINANCING FOR OUR CRAS.
THE INCREMENTAL PROPERTY TAXES FOR FIRE DISTRICT ARE $3,649,000. TRANSPORTATION TRUST FUND, AN INCREMENTAL $2.35 MILLION. THE HEALTH UNIT IS AN INCREMENTAL $44,000. WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING AGAIN AS PART OF THE PRESCRIBED PROCESS TONIGHT THE ROLLBACK RATE FEDEX, AND EFFECTS AE PROVIDED THOSE INDIVIDUALLY UP HERE. THE FIRST COLUMN SHOWS WHAT IS IN THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET, WHICH ARE RELATED TO OUR CURRENT MILLAGE RATES, WHICH IS -- AND I'LL USE THE GENERAL FUND AS AN EXAMPLE. WE HAVE $12.694 MILLION IN PROPERTY TAXES RECOMMENDED. THE ROLLBACK RATE IF THE BOARD WERE SO TO DESIRE WOULD BE A 5-POINT -- ALMOST $5.6 MILLION.
THAT WOULD BE A REDUCTION OF $7 MILLION IF THE BOARD DECIDES TO GO TO ROLLBACK RATE FOR EACH OF THESE FUNDS, AND THAT CHART YOU OF THERE PROVIDES THE BREAK BREAKDOWN ON THESE.
I'LL GIVE YOU CERTAINLY AS PART OF AGAIN, AS THE PRESCRIBED PROCESS WE'LL GIVE AN EXPLANATION OF WHY STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED GOING TO THE FULL MILLAGE RATES AND NOT THE ROLLBACK RATE, BUT WHILE WE'RE HERE AND WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THESE, I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ON THEM.
AND I'M GOING TO START WITH FIRE DISTRICT FUND.
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CERTAINLY WE ARE QUIEWCHED FOR THIS YEAR FOR PUBLIC BE-- QUEUED UP FOR PUBLIC SAFETY F. FIRE DISTRICT FUND IS FTE RESOURCES. THERE IS A CONCERN IF WE GO TO A REDUCTION. WE'RE ALSO AWARE, MY OFFICE, THERE IS A STATION ON 207 THAT IS BEING QUEUED UP THAT IS APPROPRIATED FOR CONSTRUCTION THIS YEAR.IF THAT CERTAINLY IS COMPLETED BY TBE, '23 THEN THERE ISK FR THE DAIFTION FTE DOLLARS TO MAN THAT STATION.
TRANSPORTATION TRUST. THE RECOMMENDATION WAS NOT TO GO TO ROLLBACK RATE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
THE BOARD HAS BEEN SHIFTING MILLAGE, OVER TO TRANSPORTATION TO MEET SOME OF THE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS THAT ARE THERE. CERTAINLY MAKING THOSE SHIFTS AND THEN GOING BACK TO ROLLED BACK RATE, WE'RE GOING TO FIND OURSELVES WITH AGAIN SOME SHORTFALL IN RESPONSE TO OUR ROAD NEEDS THAT ARE OUT THERE. AND THERE IS CERTAINLY I'LL Y A BACKLOG OF CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
WE'RE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE CHANGE THAT OCCURRED FOR IMPACT FEES AND WE DON'T KNOW ULTIMATELY WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE EFFECT FOR US LONG-TERM WITH THE IMPACT FEE CREDIT.
SO THAT'S AGAIN ONE OF THE REASONS WE BROUGHT THE TRANSPORTATION TRUST FUND AT THE FULL PILL MILLAGE.
GENERAL FUND MILLAGE RATE AT THE ROLLED BACK RATES WOULD BE A $7 MILLION REDUCTION. THAT WOULD RESULT IN FOR NEXT YEAR AN OPERATING DEFICIT OF ABOUT $3.5 MILLION DEFICIT GOING INTO IT. WHILE THERE IS $12 MILLION OF INCREMENTAL REVENUE FOR THE GENERAL FUND, LAST YEAR GOING INTO THE '21 BUDGET, GOING TO THE ROLLED BACK RATE RESULTED ACTUALLY IN AN OPERATING DEFICIT OF ABOUT $5 MILLION THAT WE OPERATED IN BUDGETARILY IN '21. NOW, WE CERTAINLY KNOW THAT REVENUES -- WE WERE IN A BETTER POSITION ULTIMATELY, BUT PART OF THIS FROM BUDGET YEAR TO BUDGET YEAR, PART OF THAT $12 MILLION IS TO FIX PART OF THAT DEFICIT BY GOING TO THAT ROLLED BACK RATE. AGAIN, WE UPDATED EACH OF ATHLETES REVENUES. I'VE BROUGHT THESE.
THESE CHARTS HAVE CHANGED A LITTLE BIT EACH TIME I BROUGHT THEM FORWARD, WE BUMPED AND AGAIN WE BASED THEM ON WHAT IS REMITTED BACK FROM THE STATE AND THESE ARE REFLECTIVE OF REALLY BEHAVIORS THAT ARE OUT THERE. WE'RE SEEING THAT OUR FUEL TAX, AGAIN, THAT'S FY 20 SHOWS THE INITIAL RESPONSE OF COVID, THE INITIAL BEHAVIORAL RESPONSES, AND WE'VE SEEN AN UPTUCK FOR '21, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PROJECT AN INCREASE FOR THAT IN '22. WE'RE CERTAINLY IN A DELTA VARIANT RIGHT NOW, BUT AT THIS POINT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE FORWARD WITH FUEL TAX AT AN INCREASING RATE.
HALF CENT SALES TAX REVENUE SHARING, AGAIN WE SAW IN '20 A SIMILAR SCENARIO WHERE WE SAW A DOWN TICK THERE FOR '21.
WE'VE SEEN IT -- WE'VE CERTAINLY SEEN IT INCREASE, AND THERE HAS BEEN CERTAINLY YOU CAN READ ABOUT THIS OUT THERE.
THERE'S SOME PENT-UP DEMAND IN FISCAL YEAR '21.
PEOPLE GETTING BACK OUT THERE AGAIN, GETTING BACK OUT TO GOING OUT TO RESTAURANTS AGAIN OR GOING OUT AND GOING TO HOME DEPOT OR REINVESTING. THERE'S SOME PENT-UP DEMAND, AND THEN WE SEE THERE'S A LEVELING OFF, ALTHOUGH STILL A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN FY 22 IN COMPARISON TO FY 19.
TOURIST DEVELOPMENT, AGAIN WE SAW THE SAME IMPACTS IN '20 WITH A REBOUND IN '21. AND THEN FOR '22 THE BOARD APPROVED THE ADDITIONAL 1 CENT SO THAT SAYS REFLECTED FOR '22.
GOING INTO THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET, THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET WAS AT $1.1 MILLION AT THE TENTATIVE BUDGET.
IT IS NOW $1.298 MILLION. THAT'S $194 MILLION INCREASE SINCE YOU'VE LAST SEEN ME UP HERE.
I CERTAINLY PROVIDED A RESPONSE INITIALLY THAT YOU WOULD SEE THAT BUDGET INCREASE. THAT IS LARGELY REFLECTIVE OF PROJECT CARRY FORWARDS AND THAT BREAKDOWN OF THAT $194 MILLION IS REFLECTED HERE BELOW, AND IF THE BOARD DESIRES, I CAN PROVIDE ADDITIONAL BREAKDOWN THROUGH EMAIL AS TO THOSE.
THE PROJECT CARRY FORWARDS ARE $139 MILLION.
I BELIEVE THAT'S IN COMPARISON WHO BASS YEAR ABOUT $121 MILLION. IT IS A NATURAL PART OF THE PROCESS. A LOT OF THESE CAPITAL PROJECTS AND THE WAY THAT GOVERNMENT FUND ACCOUNTING WORK WEEKS, NECESSITY
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THAT IS PROJECTS BE REAPPROPRIATED IF THEY CROSS FISCAL YEARS. SO THE TWO LARGEST AREAS AND THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN THE AREAS. IT'S NOT A POINT OUT, JUST THE TYPE PROJECTS THEY HAVE ARE BOTH UTILITIES AND PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS, THE WAY THAT THEY SPAN FISCAL YEARS.SO THAT'S 139. GRANT PROGRAMS ALSO CARRY FORWARDS THERE ARE $44 MILLION. FEMA BERMS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST UNC ONES IN THERE AND IT'S PROJECT CARRYFORWARD OF ABOUT $33 MILLION. WE HAVE HAD THE CULTURAL EVENTS. WE HAVE HAD SOME ADDITIONAL GRANTS ADDED. WE ALSO HAVE THE ARP DOLLARS.
SO WE'RE CERTAINLY SEEING BOTH IN '21 AND '22, AND I ANTICIPATE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS WITH ARP WE'RE GOING DO SEE SOME LARGE GRANT PROGRAM CARRYFORWARDS.
WE HAVE ABOUT $5 MILLION IN INCREASES RELATED TO BOTH IMPACT FEES AND TDT TAXES FOR NEXT YEAR SINCE THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET.
AND THEN OVERALL IN TERMS OF JUST ACROSS ALL FUNDS WE HAD SOME REVENUE PICKUPS AND SOME TURN BASK TOTALING ABOUT 5.7.
SO THERE IS THE RECONCILIATION ON THE CHANGE FROM THE RECOMMENDED TO THE TENTATIVE BUDGET.
REFS FOR THE MILLAGE FUNDS ARE REFLECTED HERE.
WE HAVE RESERVES THAT MANY TIME ARE RELATED TO DEVELOPER CONTRIBUTIONS OR DEVELOPER AGREEMENTS WHERE DOLLARS ARE GIVEN FOR SPECIFIC PROJECTS OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING RELATED PROJECTS. TARGET RESERVES ARE BY THE BOARD'S POLICY. AND WE'VE MODIFIED FIRE DISTRICT TO REFLECT A HIGHER TARGETED RESERVE.
IN COVID RESPONSE SO THAT THEY ARE REFLECTIVITY GENERAL FUND OF ABOUT A 60-DAY OPERATING RESERVE.
AND THEN UNRESTRICTED RESERVES ARE THOSE RESERVES ABOVE AND BEYOND. CERTAINLY WITH TRANSPORTATION TRUST AT 13.9, THESE ARE CUMULATIVE RESERVES SO IF THERE ARE ANY INFLATIONARY ITEMS THAT COME UP WITH PROJECTS THIS YEAR OR ANY PROJECTS THAT MAY BECOME PRIORITY THIS YEAR, THE BOARD HAS THE ABILITY TO APPROPRIATE FROM THOSE UNRESTRICTED RESERVES THROUGHOUT '22.
AND AGAIN, THESE ARE CUMULATIVE.
THESE ARE NOT NEW RESERVES EVERY YEAR.
THESE ARE THE RESERVES THAT THIS BOARD IS VERY CAREFUL IN TERMS OF BUILDING UP AND MAINTAINING FOR RESPONSE.
THE GENERAL FUND RESERVE THERE UNRESTRICTED AT 20 IS CERTAINLY A HIGHER NUMBER THAN WHAT WE'VE HAD.
THIS PAST YEAR WE HAD ABOUT $13 MILLION IN UNRESTRICTED RESERVES. I'LL REMIND THE COMMUNITY AND THE BOARD, THIS RESERVE IS THE RESERVE THAT THE COMMISSION AND THE PUBLIC GOES TO AT TIME OF EMERGENCY VA .
IF WE HAVE EMERGENCY. IF WE HAVE A STORM EVENT THIS IS THE FUND WE GO TO. IF ED WE HAVE COVID RESPONSE, CERTAINLY IF THERE ARE RAPR OR CARES DWHRASHES WE HAVE GENERAL FUN PREMPS WE'VE MAIDEN STRONG RESERVES.
IT'S ALLOWED US OVER THE LAST STORM EVENTS NOT TO HAVE TO GO ON IT AND BORROW AS MANY COUNTIES HAVE DONE.
TO HANDLE THEIR HURRICANE RESPONSE.
THESE RESERVES ALSO PROVIDE US WITH A LEVEL OF OUR CREDIT RATING AS WELL IN TIMES AGAIN WHEN WE NEED TO GO OUT AND BORROW. SO VERY IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN THESE RESERVES. SO GOING INTO THIS -- SO THAT'S KIND OF THE OVERVIEW. YOU'VE HEARD THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES FROM ME. AND WE HAVE PROVIDED THE LINE ITEM BUDGET BOOK TO YOU. THIS LATEST VERSION OF THE BOOK PROVIDES IN THE CHANGES FROM THE RECOMMENDED TO THE TENTATIVE.
I'M GOING TO SAY MOST OF THOSE ARE GOING TO BE CARRYFORWARD.
WE DID MAKE A CHANGE IN THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE OPERATING SALARY LINES TO REFLECT THE BOARD'S DECISION TO EXTEND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S CONTRACT THROUGH DECEMBER, SO WE WANTED TO MAKE AND ENSURE THERE WERE PROPER SALARY DOLLARS IN THERE THROUGH DECEMBER AS WE GO THROUGH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, LOOKING TO REPLACE THAT POSITION.
SO AT THIS POINT I'M GOING TO OPEN IT UP NOW TO THE BE, KID OF THE PRESCRIBED PROCESS ITSELF TENTATIVE BUDGET.
SO AGAIN, THE PROCESS ITSELF IS HEADLINE UP HERE AS WELL AS IN THE AGENDAS PACKET AND AGAIN THE FIRST ITEM WILL BE THE DISCUSSION OF PERCENTAGE INCREASE OVER THE ROLLED BACK
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RATE AS PER FLORIDA STA CHIEWPT.WE'LL THEN OPEN IT P FOR A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT RELATED TO THE BUDGET PROCESS. AND THEN THERE ARE THREE, CONSIDER THREE MOTIONS FOR TO BOARD TO AGAIN ADOPT THE MILLAGE RATE, ADOPT THE BUDGET, AND THEN ESTABLISH THE DATE AND TIME OF THE FINAL HEARING. SO THE INITIAL DISCUSSION PER FLORIDA STATUTE IS A DISCUSSION OF THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE OVER THE ROLLED BACK RATE AND THE TAXING AUTHORITY OF STMTION.
WE'RE TALKING NOW IN SERNLINGS OF AGGREGATE MILLAGE RATES.
THE ROLLED BACK IS 6-POINT -- I'M SZOHR.
6.5273% AND THAT ROLLED BACK RATE IS THE MILLAGE RATE NEEDED TO BE LEVIED IN THE FISCAL YEAR '22 TO GENERATE THE SAME AMOUNT OF TAX DOLLARS AS ADOPTED IN FISCAL YEAR '21 WITH CONSIDERATION FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION.
THAT IS THE CALCULATED ROLLBACK RATE.
THE TENTATIVE AGGREGATE MILLAGE RATE IS 6.8147%, SO THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE FROM THE ROLLED BACK RATE, AGAIN REQUIRED PER FLORIDA STATUTE, IS 4.4% INCREASE.
THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE OF THAT INCREASE IS PROVIDED HERE, AS IS REQUIRED BY STATUTE, AND THAT IS TO FUND, CONTINUE TO FUND OUR OPERATIONS, AS I HAD OUTSIDE LINED IN THE GENERAL FUND FIRE DISTRICT, TRANSPORTATION TRUST FUND, AND THE HEALTH DISTRICT FUND, AND TO ASSIST IN REPLENISHING THE GENERAL FUND RESERVES FOR RESPONSE EFFORTS IN FY 22.
AT THIS POINT I'M GOING TO OPEN THIS UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT RELATED TO THE OVERALL BUDGET PROCESS.
[INAUDIBLE] >> PUBLG COMMENT ON OUR BUDGET PROCESS. YOU'VE SEEN THE NUMBERS SO WE WILL START THREE MINUTES WEEK NAME AND ADDRESS.
ANYONE FROM THE AUDIENCE WISHES TO SPEAK, NOW IS THE TIME.
PUBLIC COMMENT. NOBODY? OKAY. YOU NEED TO COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE, SIR, AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES ON THE CLOCK WHEN YOU START.
>> MY NAME IS MICHAEL GOODMAN 22 FOOF WINDLEY DRIVE, ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. NEW TO THE COUNTY.
MOVED HERE FROM ORLANDO. THAT'S A LOT OF DATA YOU GAVE US. THANK YOU 4 TO THAT.
I WISH I WOULD COMPREHEND MORE THAN 1%.
BOTTOM LINE, THE TAXES GOING INTO THE NEXT TAXABLE YEAR ARE GOING TO GO UP 4.4%. IS THAT CORRECT?
PROPERTY TAXES. >> [INAUDIBLE] ROLLED-BACK RATE.
>> THAT IS A PRESCRIBED RATE -- WHAT'S BEING RECOMMENDED IN AGGREGATE SPHRRS THE ROLLED-BACK RATE.
>> ALL RIGHT. I JUST -- I WANTED TO BE THE FIRST PERSON JUST TO MAKE SURE -- [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. FURTHER COMMENT? PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE BUDGET. YES, MA'AM.
>> MARRING PRET WALTER. >> CAN YOU PULL THAT DOWN A LITTLE? THANK YOU.
>> MARGARET WALTER, 222229 VENECIA DRIVE.
ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. WE'VE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF ACCIDENTS ALONG 206. IS THERE ANY PROVISION IN THE BUDGET FOR PUTTING IN EXTRA STOPLIGHTS THERE? AND MR. CHAIR AND THE BOARD, I WOULD REMIND THAT THE BUDGET MEETINGS ARE THE ONLY ONES REQUIRED BY LAW WHERE I'LL JUST READ IT, THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHALL BE ALLOWED TO SPEAK AND TO ASK QUESTIONS BEFORE ADOPTION OF ANY MEASURES, SO A QUESTION IS
THANK YOU FOR THAT. LET'S TO GO COMMISSIONER WALTERS BRIEFLY AND SEE IF WE CAN GET AN ANSWER.
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO TELL MR. WALTERS IT A STATE HIGHWAY, 206 IS, SO IT WOULD BE UP TO THE STATE.
THEY HAVE TO DO A DISPID WE CAN REQUEST THAT A STUDY BE DONE BUT THE STATE HIGHWAY, THEY WOULD BE THE ONES IN CHARGE OF THAT.
>> WELL, WHAT WOULD BE THE ADDITIONAL COST OF SUCH A
STUDY? >> IT'S UP TO THE STATE TO WARRANT WHETHER THEY WOULD BURDEN THE COST, I BELIEVE.
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AND WE COULD CONTACT THEM ABOUT IT.BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THE STATE WOULD HAVE TO DO, DOT WOULD HAVE
TO DO. >> WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO
INSTITUTE SUCH A PROCESS? >> WE COULD.
>> SURE. WE'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO LOOK INTO. IF YOU DON'T MIND I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO STEP OVER THIS VAMENT GENTLEMAN ON THE END.
IF YOU CAN GIVE HIM YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION AND WE'LL HAVE SOMEONE FROM OUR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT CON DISPAWCT DEPARTMENT CONTACT YOU AND LOOK INTO THAT.
>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MA'AM.
FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT. FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE BUDGET. RICHARD.
>> GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR DOING THIS PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE BUDGET.
IT'S COME TO OUR ATTENTION THAT BUILT INTO THIS --
>> NAME AND ADDRESS JUST FOR THE RECORD.
>> I APOLOGIZE. RICHARD GOLDMAN, WITH THE VISITORS CENGS BUREAU OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY, OUR BUSINESS ADDRESS IS 29 -- [INAUDIBLE]
>> AFTER 30 SECONDS I'M GOING TO START YOU OVER NOW THAT YOU'RE REGISTERED. GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. I APOLOGIZE.
SO WE HAVE BEEN ALERTED TO THE POSSIBILITY OF THE MOVING OF WITHIN CATEGORY 1 SOME AMOUNT OF FUNDS FROM THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE VISITORS AND CONVENTION BUREAU TO CONDUCT DESTINATION MARKETING, AND FOR THOSE FUNDS TO BE MOVED TO THE CULTURAL COUNCIL FOR THE PURPOSE OF DESTINATION MARKETING.
WE, AS THE INDUSTRY SPEAKING FOR THEY INDUSTRY AND I ALSO HAVE OTHER FOLKS HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE SUBJECT, OBJECT TO THAT. WE ARE THE EXPERTS ON DESTINATION MARKETING. WE HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS MARKETING THE DESTINATION.
THE QUALITY OF VISITORS HAS IMPROVED MEASURABLY SINCE 2010.
WE HAVE, WITH YOUR SUPPORT ON FUNDING, WE WORKED VERY HARD TO HELP BRING ABOUT A REVITALIZATION OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY AFTER LAST YEAR SUCH THAT WE PERFORM BETTER THAN THE STATE AND THE COUNTRY WITHIN TOURISM, SO NOT EVERYONE IS PERFORMING BETTER. WE ARE PERFORMING BETTER THAN MOST. AND WE BELIEVE THAT THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT WE ARE DOING SOME VERY INTELLIGENT AND THOUGHT OF MARKETING. WE'D LIKE TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF HOTELS THAT WILL BE OPENING SOON, AND WE HOPE THAT WITH YOUR SUPPORT, WE WILL HAVE THE FUNDING TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.
I'M NOT GOING TO STEP ON THE INTERESTS OF SOME OF MY OTHER STAKEHOLDERS HERE, BUT THE GROWTH IN OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT.
WE LOOKED AT ABOUT 10,000 RENTALLABLE UNITS OF ALL -- RENTABLE UNITS OF ALL MEASURES IN 2010.
WE'RE AT 12,000 NO AND THAT NUMBER IS GOING TO GET HIGHER IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE SUPPORT THEM. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO RAISE REVENUE FOR ALL THE MANY USES THAT YOU HAVE FOR THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAXES, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH WE BELIEVE IS RAISING MORE MONEY THROUGH THE DESTINATION MARKETING EFFORTS.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
>> THANK YOU. >> MR. CHAIRMAN.
I WANT TO RESPOND HAD TO THAT BUT I'M GOING TO FINISH PUBLIC
>> PUBLIC COMMENT. SIR, YOU HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN.
PUBLIC COMMENT. THREE MINUTES.
I'M THE CURRENT CHAIRMAN OF THE VISITOR AND CONVENTION BUREAU AND MY ADDRESS IS 297 ST. GEORGE STREET GOWN ST. AUGUSTINE.
I'M JUST GOING TO READ A FEW THINGS BECAUSE I PROBABLY WON'T REMEMBER IT ALL. IN JULY THE VISITOR AND CONVENTION BUREAU COMPRISED OF MEMBERS FROM THE HOTEL COMMUNITY, CONDOS, RESTAURANTSN=, TRACTIONS AND RETAIL SHOPS SUPPORTED THE 1 CENT INCREASE IN THE BED TAX GOING FROM 4% TO 5%. SPECIFICALLY WE SUPPORTED THE
[00:30:02]
INCREASE BECAUSE WE EXPECTED TO RECEIVE A PORTION OF THE ADDITIONAL PENNY TO FURTHER GROW OUR TOURIST DESTINATION.THE COMMISSION IMPROVED THE INCREASE, WHICH WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
AND YOU APPROPRIATED 10% OF THE FIFTH CENT GOING TO CATEGORY 1 DESTINATION MARKETING. FOR THE BUDGET YEAR 2020, AS OUR PRESIDENT, MR. GOLDMAN, JUST SAID, WE BELIEVED THAT THE BUDGET FOR 2022, WE WOULD GET THAT 10% INCREASE.
WE HAVE HEARD -- I HAVEN'T FOUND IT AND -- SO I'M NOT SURE.
SO I'M HERE TO SAY THAT WE'VE HEARD THAT $300,000 OR THE EQUIVALENT OF THAT 10% INCREASE OF THE FIFTH CENT IS GOING TO THE CULTURAL COUNCIL. AND WE ADAMANTLY OPPOSE THAT.
WE NOT HAVE SUPPORTED THE FIFTH CENT HAD WE KNOWN THAT OUR MONEY WAS GOING TO GO TO THAT. THE CVB AND THE HOTELIERS, THE CONDOS, THE AIR BBC ARE THE ONES THAT ARE GENERATING ALL THIS BED TAX REVENUE TO SUPPORT THE BEACHES, TO SUPPORT THE CULTURAL COUNCIL, TO SUPPORT THE PARKS AND RECREATION.
I MYSELF AM A HOTELIER. WE'VE GOT THREE SMALL PROPERTIES. SO THIS IS NOT WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. SOME OF YOU -- I'VE TALKED TO EACH ONE OF YOU, AND I WANT TO REMIND THAWT HOTELS HAVE $413 MILLION IN TAXABLE REVENUE ON THE BOOKS.
SPECIFICALLY, I ASK YOU NOT TO APPROVE THIS $300,000 FOR THE 10% GOING TO THE CULTURAL COUNCIL.
I ASK YOU TO ALLOW THE MONEY TO CONTINUE TO GO TO THE VCB AND FOR THE VCB TO BE THE MAIN AND THE ONLY SOURCE TO MARKET OUR DESTINATION, SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE BUDGET. MR. CHAIRMAN, SEEING NONE.
>> PLEASE, MR. VICE CHAIR. >> MAY I?
>> YES, SIR. >> ASK A QUESTION OF STAFF? JESSE, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO YOU OR TO TARA WHO IS WITH US IN AUDIENCE.
TARA, YOU MAY WANT TO WORK YOUR WAY AND UP Y'ALL MAY NEED TO TAG TEAM ON THIS ONE. CAN YOU ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF THAT WAS BEEN RAISED WITH RESPECT TO WHAT DOES THE CURRENT BUDGET THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE VOTING ON TONIGHT, THE TENTATIVE BUDGET, HOW IS THAT SET UP WITH RESPECT TO MARKETING, DESTINATION MARKETING? IS THERE, IN FACT, A TRANSFER OF WHAT IS IN CATEGORY 1 TO CULTURAL AFFAIRS? AND IF SO, FOR WHAT PURPOSE? FOR MARKETING OR FOR SOME OTHER PURPOSE? AM I MAKING MYSELF CLEAR?
>> YES. GOOD EVENING, TARA MEEKS, DIRECTOR OF TOURISM AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT.
AND THE BRIEFEST ANSWER FOR YOU IS THAT REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU STAND ON THIS CURRENT ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE PODIUM, THE BUDGET IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE.
THE BUDGET AMOUNT THAT IS BEING BROUGHT FORTH TONIGHT FOR CATEGORY 1 IS $4,742,000, AND LIKE I SAID, REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU STAND ON THE SITUATION HERE, THAT'LL STAY THE SAME.
WHAT HAS BEEN EXPRESSED HERE TONIGHT IS KIND OF A SUMMARY OF WHAT HAS PLAYED OUT OVER A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
IN JUNE THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL TOOK UP THE PROMOTIONAL PLANS FOR THE CULTURAL COUNCIL AND FORE VISITORS AND CONVENTION BUREAU, AS THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DO BY EACH OF THOSE ENTITY'S CONTRACTS. AFTER HEARING THE PROMOTIONAL PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR '22, THE TDC ASKED IF WE COULD SHIFT SO MANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR PROMOTIONS TO THE CULTURAL COUNCIL BECAUSE THEY PREFERRED THE CULTURAL COUNCIL'S PROMOTION PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR '22. IN THAT TDC MEETINGS THERE WASN'T A SPECIFIED AMOUNT. THE DIRECTION WAS THAT STAFF, MYSELF, WAS TO GET WITH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CULTURAL COUNCIL AND DETERMINE A DOLLAR AMOUNT.
THE CULTURAL COUNCIL INDICATED THAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR $485,000 OF ADDITIONAL FUNDING, PLAY OUT THE WEEKS, THE COUNTY ENDED UP PASSING THE 5TH CENT REVENUE SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING IS THROUGH CONTRACT, NOT THROUGH THE BUDGET, WOULD BE PROVIDING THE VCB WITH $4.4 MILLION FOR FISCAL YEAR '22 MARKETING AND PROVIDING THE CULTURAL COUNCIL WITH A TOTAL OF
[00:35:07]
$1.396 MILLION WITH $300,000 OF THAT FUNDING COMING FROM CATEGORY 1. SO FROM THE BUDGET -- FROM THE BUDGET, THE BUDGET AMOUNT STAYS THE SAME REGARDLESS OF IF YOU FILL THE VCB SHOULD GET ALL OF THE CATEGORY 1 MONEY OR SHOULD BE SPLIT BETWEEN THE TWO ENTITIES.>> WELL, I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF, BUT AS ONE COMMISSIONER, IT'S NYE NOT MY WOISH INTENT SORRY DESIRE TO HAVE ANY MONEY TRANSFERRED FROM THE CULTURAL COUNCIL FOR ADVERTISING AND MARKETING PURPOSES, AND SO IF YOU'RE TELLING ME IT'S -- THAT WE DON'T NEED TO ACT ON THE BUDGET TONIGHT TO ADDRESS THAT IMRIEWLT BE COMING BACK WITH THE CONTRACTS FOR US TO PROVE, WE --
DO WE APPROVE THOSE CONTRACTS? >> SO THEIR THEY ARE CONTINUING CONTRACTS. THEY EXPIRE IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023, AND THE WAY THAT IT'S STRUCTURED, THE CONTRACT IS STRUCTURED IS THAT EACH YEAR THE COUNTY SETS FORTH A BUDGET AMOUNT FOR THAT ENTITY. SO IN THE PAST WHAT WE'VE DONE IS RUN THAT THROUGH THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, SO HISTORICALLY WE HAVE NOT BROUGHT THOSE CONTRACTS AND THAT AMOUNT BACK TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ANNUALLY, HOWEVER, CERTAINLY IF THAT IS THE DESIRE, WE CAN DO THAT.
>> WELL, THAT'S MY DESIRE, AND SO I WILL -- I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE TO MAKE A MOTION, MR. CHAIRMAN, BUT MY DESIRE IS TO HAVE NO FUNDS TRANSFERRED FROM CATEGORY 1 FOR MARKETING PURPOSES TO THE CULTURAL COUNCIL AS WE GO FORWARD WITH THE EXISTING CONTRACTS YEAR TO YEAR.
IF THAT'S APPROPRIATE, I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION.
>> I UNDERSTAND. LET ME ASK PATRICK.
OBVIOUSLY, THIS ISSUE HAS COME UP TONIGHT.
IS IT APPROPRIATE THAT WE HEAR A MOTION OR WHAT'S THE
RECOMMENDATION? >> FIRST OF ALL, THIS MEETING HAS BEEN NOTICED OBVIOUSLY AS A BUDGET MEETING, BUT THE BOARD MAY ALSO CONSIDER AND TAKE ACTION ON ANY OTHER BUSINESS THAT MAY LAWFULLY COME BEFORE IT DURING THE INSPECTOR MEETING.
I HAD A BRIEF DISCUSSION WITH MR. DUNN.
THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS THREE MOTIONS TONIGHT. ONE IS FOR THE MILLAGE.
ONE IS FOR THE TENTATIVE BUDGET.
AND THEN THE THIRD ONE IS JUST SETTING YOUR NEXT SPECIAL MEETING. BUT FOR THE BUDGET, IT IS LISTED OUT TOURIST DEVELOMENT AND THERE'S A FIGURE IN THERE WHICH Y'ALL HAVE IN YOUR MATERIALS, $21,000,000.763810.
IT WOULD BE MY SENSE BROADLY TO KIND OF AGREE WITH MS. MEEKS THAT, IN OTHER WORDS, IF THE BOARD ADOPTS THIS $21,763,810, THAT THAT WOULD NOT AFFECT SORT OF THE SUBSETS OF THAT DIRECTLY. I DON'T KNOW IF AT THE FINAL -- AT THE FINAL MEETING, JESSE, THEY WOULD DECIDE THAT, BUT AS I'M READING IT TONIGHT, YOU TOAFERRED HAVE THE TDC AS A WHOLE PACKAGE AND NOT THE CONSTITUENT PARTS.
>> SO THE BOARD IS ADOPTING, CORRECT, A RESOLUTION OR HOPEFULLY WE'LL ADOPT A RESOLUTION FOR THE TENTATIVE BUDGET WHICH HAS IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE A SET DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR TDC -- FOR TDT DOLLARS.
WHILE THEY'RE ADOPTING THAT ONE DOLLAR AMOUNT, THEY ARE ADOPTING, IT IS IMPLIED THEY ARE ADOPTING THE LINE ITEM BUDGET, SO IF THERE IS ULTIMATELY A MOTION TO CHANGE SOMETHING, IT WON'T -- YOU'RE RIGHT, IT WON'T AFFECT THE RESOLUTION BUT WE'LL HAVE TO INTERPRET IF THERE'S ANY LINE ITEM CHANGE AND WE'LL BRING
THAT BACK AT THE FINAL. >> RIGHT.
SO I THINK THE BOARD COULD GIVE DIRECTION TO WITHIN THAT AGGREGATE $21,763,810, THE BOARD COULD MAKE A MOTION TO BRING BACK AT THE FINAL, I GUESS A REVISION ADJUSTMENT TO THAT ITS
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
SO I THINK YOU CAN MAKE YOUR MOTION, COMMISSIONER.
I THINK -- IF I'M HEARING THAT CORRECTLY, I THINK THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO MAKE A MOTION.
>> AND LET ME, AS A -- SAY AS A BASIS FOR MY MOTION, SO I'M NOTE JUST MAKING THIS UP OUT OF CLOTH, THE BASIS OF MY MOTION IS BASED ON THE FACT THAT I'M A BIG BELIEVER IN SPECIALIZATION OF LABOR. WE HAVE THE VCB HAS DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS AFTER THEY GOT REORGANIZED FOR DESTINATION MARKETING.
MR. GOLDMAN JUST MADE THE POINT UP.
HEARD THE METRICS. YOU HEARD THE NURMTS.
EVEN DURING THE COVID EXPERIENCE WE HAD.
[00:40:02]
AND I SEE ABSOLUTELY NO REASON TO HAVE TWO SEPARATE ENTITIES AWNLD THE COUNTY'S JURISDICTION DOING DUPLICATE MARKETING.I THINK THAT WHAT I WOULD STUGHT IS THAT VCB WORK THE WITH CULTURAL ARTS COUNCIL TO COME UP WITH WITH WITH ADVERTISEMENTS AND MARKETING THAT MEET EVERYONE'S NEEDS, INCLUDING THE CULTURAL COUNCIL, BUT TO CREATE A WHOLE NEW SET OF WHATEVER IT TAKES, WHETHER IT'S CAPITAL OUTLAY, EMPLOYEES, WHATEVER, I JUST THINK THAT THAT'S THE WRONG DIRECTION, SO I WANT TO RETAIN DESTINATION MARKETING IN CATEGORY 1, AND I DON'T WANT ANY MONEY TO BE TRANSFERRED BY THE STAFF TO THE CULTURAL ARTS FOR
MARKETING PURPOSES. >> I UNDERSTAND.
BEFORE YOU MAKE YOUR MOTION, LET'S TO GO COMMISSIONER SMITH.
COMMISSIONER SMITH. >> I'M WAITING FOR IF THERE'S A SECOND TO EVEN HAVE DISCUSSION ON THE MATTER AT HAND.
>> UNDERSTOOD. SO COMMISSIONER DEAN, DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION AND SEE IF THERE'S A SECOND AND WE'LL GO
I'LL ASK JESSE TO FOLLOW ME ON MY MOTION IS THAT AS WE ADOPT THE RESOLUTION, WITHIN THAT RESOLUTION FUNDS THAT ARE EARMARKED FOR CATEGORY 1, INCLUDING DESTINATION MARKETING, WILL REMAIN IN THAT CATEGORY AND NO FUNDS WILL BE TRANSFERRED OR EXPENDED TO CULTURAL ARTS FOR MARKETING PURPOSES DURING THE '22 BUDGET YEAR. THAT'S MY MOTION, I THINK.
IS THAT -- YOU HEARD THIS DISCUSSION, TARA.
WHETHER OR NOT YOU AGREE IS NOT IMPORTANT.
RIGHT NOW THE QUESTION IS, IS THAT CLEAR IF WE ADOPT THAT MOTION AS TO WHAT MY INTENT IS AND THAT MOTION COVERS IT.
>> YEAH. I WOULD, COMMISSIONER DEAN, REPHRASE JUST SLIGHTLY. SHOULD THE BOARD ADOPT THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION AS SET FORTH IN THE AGENDA PACKAGE, THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT DOLLAR AMOUNT SHALL -- BASICALLY SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE YOU JUST MADE REMEMBERLY FLECTED IN THE FINAL ADOPTION, PROPOSED IN THE FINAL ADOPTION OF MEETING OF THE BUDGET. SO, IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN THIS COMES BACK, THAT ADJUSTMENT WILL BE MADE, THE ADJUSTMENT AS PER
>> OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER DEAN. IS THERE A SECOND?
SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER DEAN AND WE HAVE A SECOND BY WHIRKS WHITEHURST.
I'LL TRY TO SUMMARIZED AS BEST I CAN.
IN SUMMARY, A MOTION TO KEEP CATEGORY 1TDT RECEIV WITHIN THE VSB. I AM SUMMARIZING THAT CORRECTLY? JUST FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES.
SO LET'S DO THIS. WE HAVE HEARD SOME PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS. WHY DON'T WE OPEN IT UP TOTE BOARD. THEN WE GO GO FORWARD WITH PUBLIC COMMENT. COMMISSIONER SMITH, YOU HAD
I JUST HAVE SOME QUESTIONS IN REGARD HAD TO THIS LAST YEAR'S ALLOCATION, EXPENDITURES, AND WHERE WE STAND WITH THEM.
MR. DUNN, THIS YEAR WE HAD A $2 MILLION ALLOCATION GIVEN TO THE BCB FOR MARKETING, DESTINATION MARKETING.
WHAT HAPPENED WITH THAT $2 MILLION? WHERE IS IT? HAS IT ALL BEEN EXPENDED? HAS ANY OF THAT CARRIED OVER? AND ALL OF THAT I BELIEVE WE
FORGAVE DWB WE NOT? >> THAT'S RIGHT.
THAT $2 MILLION WAS FORGIVEN. >> WHERE DO WE STAND? HAS THAT ALL BEEN EXPENDED? HAS IT ALL BEEN UTILIZED? WHERE DID THAT MONEY SOMETHING IT'S ALL BEEN FORGIVEN, $2 MILLION. IT'S BEEN GIVEN IN THAT DIRECTION. WHAT HAPPENED TO MA MONEY? I WANT TO KNOW IF IT'S ALL BEEN SPENT.
>> SO THAT MONEY WAS PROVIDED TO THE VCB IN FISCAL YEAR '20.
Y SPENT $1.2 MILLION APPROXIMATELY IN FILL YEAR '20 AND CARRIED FOR APPROXIMATELY 800,000 DOLLARS TO FISCAL YEAR THE ONE. THEY ROLLED THAT $800,000 UP INTO THEIR I'M GOING TO CALL IT THEIR GENERAL OPERATING BUDGET FOR THIS I HAVE FISCAL YEAR. IT WAS EARMARKED FOR PROMOTIONS. BUT THEY EXPEND IT AS PART OF THIS YEAR'S FUNDS. THEY ARE IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, WHICH IS THRASES MONTH OF THEIR FISCAL YEAR, JUST LIKE OURS, AND SO THEY PROBABLY HAVEN'T QUITE ACCORDING EXPENDED EVERY DOLLAR OF THEIR OVERALL BUDGET, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF THEY'RE TRIANGLE THAT REMAINING $800,000 SEPARATE FROM THE REST OF THEIR BUDGET, WHICH WAS I BELIEVE $3.9 MILLION.
WE'D TO HAVE DEFER TO RICHARD GOLDMAN.
>> I'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT ANSWERED.
THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE PUT INTO IT THIS LAST YEAR, AND NOW $800,000 AS HAS BABY PULLED FORWARD.
SO IN THE SITUATION THAT WE WERE IN IN 2020, AFTER HAVING CLOSED DOWN THE ADVERTISING UNTIL JULY, WE WERE ABLE TO, MOVING INTO
[00:45:05]
WHAT WE KNEW WHAT IS GOING TO BE A VERY SLOW YEAR FROM A BUDGET STANDPOINT, THAT IS THIS YEAR, 2021, WE GOT PERMISSION FROM THE COUNTY TO CARRY FORWARD THOSE FUNDS FROM 2020 INTO 2021.THOSE FUNDS ARE BEING EXPENDED FOR THE PURPOSES OF MARKETING.
WE DIDN'T GET RAISES THE. WE DIDN'T BUY FURNITURE.
IT WENT INTO THE MARKETING OF THE DESTINATION.
AND WE'RE COMING INTO THE LAST MONTH, AS MS. MEEKS MENTIONED, SO IN TERMS OF EXACTLY HOW MUCH OF THOSE DOLLARS VERSUS THE 3.9, I COULDN'T TELL YOU EXACTLY WHICH DOLLARS WERE WHICH, BUT WE WILL COME IN VERY CLOSE TO HAVING SPENT THE ENTIRE BUDGET, WHICH FOR THIS YEAR, FISCAL '21, THE 3.9 AND THE 8.7 MADE IT, 870
>> I APPRECIATE THAT. THAT'S HELPFUL INFORMATION, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF WHAT THE INDUSTRY HAS GONE THROUGH.
AND IF I REMEMBER CREDIBLE, AND I NEED SOMEBODY TO HELP ME GO BACK AND RECOLLECT, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PAID BACK AND THEN WAS FORGIVEN.
IS THAT ACCURATE? >> THAT'S CORRECT.
WE HAD SHARED WITH THE COUNTY A PAYBACK SCHEME OVER THE COURSE
OF FIVE YEARS. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> COMMISSIONER WAL DRON. >> JUST A QUICK QUESTION, SAME KIND OF QUESTIONS. SO REALLY YOUR BUDGET LAST YEAR WAS 4.77. YOU CARRIED 800,000 OVER.
>> IT WAS 3.9. >> PLUS YOU HAD 800,000.
>> THAT'S CORRECT. >> WHICH IS 4.77.
THIS YEAR WHAT'S ON THE PAPER IS 4.742.
SO -- >> THE BUDGET I WAS GIVEN IS
4 -- ARE WE TALKING ABOUT 2022? >> 2022.
>> I WAS GIVEN $4,442,000. >> THAT'S RECOMMENDED.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO RECOMMEND IT OR TENTATIVE.
>> SO IF I MAY PLEASE CLARIFY THAT.
SO WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS YOU SEE IT'S CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, 53120 AND THE WAY THAT I'M GOING TO SAY STAFF, THE WAY THAT STAFF HAS IT BROKEN DOWN WITH WITH $4,442,000 BEING ALLOCATED TO THE VCB CONTRACT AND $300,000 GOING TO THE CULTURAL COUNCIL
SO THAT'S COMING OUT THERE. ALL RIGHT.
COMMISSIONER DEAN, MY ONLEY CONCERN IS THE TDC HURT BOTH OF THEIR PROGRAMS, WHAT WE'RE PLANNING TO DO.
THEY VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES.
THE BOARD CAN DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO BUT THAT BOARD LISTENED TO ALL THE PRESENTATIONS. AND AT SOME POINT I THINK WE DO OWE SOME OF OUR ADVISORY BOARDS TIME.
THEY SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS.
IT'S UP TO WHAT THE BOARD WANTS TO DO.
I UNDERSTAND THAT. >> LET ME -- I HAVE TO SAY, THEN, IF I MAY THAT I -- ALL OF OUR ADVISORY BOARDS, I REALLY RESPECT AND ADMIRE THAT THEY ARE VOLUNTEER NON-PAYING JOBS AND PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE VCB AS WELL AS THE TDC AS WELL AS THE LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD AS WELL AS THE -- I CAN GO DOWN THE LIST. I'M NOT -- I DIDN'T MAKE THIS RECOMMENDATION OR MOTION LIGHTLY BECAUSE I REALLY DO RESPECT THE TDC AND THE WORK THEY DO, AND I KNOW YOU SERVE ON IT.
>> YES. >> BUT I JUST FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT WE DON'T NEED TWO DIFFERENT ARMS DOING WHAT I CONSIDER THE SAME THING. THEY SHOULD JUST WORK WEEK I THINK, VCB HAS THE EXPERIENCE AND THE WHEREWITHAL AND THEY CAN HELP THE CULTURAL ARTS COUNCIL ACHIEVE THEIR GOAL WITHOUT SETTING UP A WHOLE NEW SHOP. THAT'S JUST MY POSITION.
>> YES, SIR. I UNDERSTAND THAT.
>> THANK YOU. I ACTUALLY HAVE A QUESTION.
I'M CURIOUS -- I'M NOT SURE, MAYBE, COMMISSIONER WAL DRON WEEK YOU CAN ANSWER THIS -- WAS THIS ISSUE RAISED WHEN THIS WAS BROUGHT TO THE TDC, THIS IDEA THAT WE BASE CLIFF HAVE TWO DIFFERENT ENTITIES IN THE COUNTY DOING ESSENTIALLY THE SAME? WAS THAT ISSUED RAISED OR CONSIDERED?
>> I THINK WE JUST LISTENED TO TARA MAKE.
>> THESE ARE LONGSTANDING CONTRACTS THIS.
E. THEY WERE PUT IN PLACE AROUND 2010. WE CURCHT TWO ENTITIES THAT DO MARKETING FOR US FOR TOURISM. THEY ARE THE VCB AND THE CULTURAL COUNCIL BUT THE CULTURAL COUNCIL HAS WAS HE STABBED ABOUT TWO YEARS AFTER THE VCB TO BE MORE SPECIFICALLY
[00:50:05]
GEARED TOWARDS EXPARTS CULTURAL MARKETING BUT WE DO CURRENTLY HAVE A STRUCTURE THAT GIVES US TWO MARKETING AGENCIES WITH TWO INDEPENDENT OPHTH AND TWO INDEPENDENT STAFF WHO ARE PURSUING TWO DIFFERENT MARKETING CAMPAIGNS.>> SO THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING AT THIS POINT.
>> CORRECT. >> WHAT LED TO THIS REQUEST? IS THIS A NORMAL OCCURRENCE WHERE THIS IS BROUGHT UP IN
SO EACH THOSE AGENCIES HAVE A CONTRACT.
THE CONTRACTS ARE VERY SIMILAR. BOTH CONTRACTS REQUIRE THAT THEY BRING A PROMOTION PLAN TO THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL EACH YEAR, AND THEN THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL REVIEWS THE PROMOTION PLANS, MAKES ANY INPUT, ANY SUGGESTIONS, ANY CHANGES THAT THEY WOULD LIKE, AND THEN GIVES THOSE ENTITIES AN OPPORTUNITY TO AM COME BACK AND RE-PRESENT THEIR PLANSZ.
THIS YEAR WE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF SKEW WITH ALL OF THE.
THE PROMOTION PLANS WERE PRESENTED IN JUNE, AND THE END OF THOSE TWO PRESENTATIONS THE EK DIRECTION CAME FROM THE TDC FOR APPLY ADDITIONAL MARKETING DOLLARS TO THE CULTURAL COUNCIL'S MARKETING PLAN BECAUSE THAT MARKETING PLAN SPOKES TOWARDS THINGS THAT THE TDC HAS MORE INTERESTED IN.
SCIENTIFIC PI CULTURAL COUNCIL CITED SINGS SUCH AS A HIGHER SPEND TOURIST, BRINGING TOURISTS IN DURING THE WEEK A OPPOSED TO THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, AND THOSE WERE TWO THINGS THAT THE TDC KEYED IN ON AND REITERATED AS THINGS THEY WERE
INTERESTED IN. >> LET ME ASK YOU THIS.
WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE AND BACKGROUND WITH THE TDC, IS THIS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE MADE THIS RECOMMENDATION?
>> I'VE BEEN HERE FIVE AND A HALF YEARS AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE BEEN HERE THAT THEY HAVE MADE THAT RECOMMENDATION.
>> THAT OPENS UP A LOT OF DIFFERENT QUESTIONS, BUT MRS. MEEKS, WHAT ARE THE ALLOCATIONS IN REGARD TO, TO THE SPENDING FROM THE CULTURAL FROM THE BCB SIDE.
WHAT ARE THOSE EXPENDITURES, TRADITIONALLY THE LAST FEW
YEARS? >> TYPES OF EXPENDITURES OR
DOLLAR AMOUNTS? >> DOLLAR AMOUNTS.
>> DOLLAR AMOUNTS. SO GOING INTO THIS UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR, WE HAVE 4.4, $4.4 MILLION ALLOCATED TO THE BCB AND WE HAVE $1.39 MILLION ALLOCATED TO THE CULTURAL COUNCIL. FOR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YIERT DEPENDS IF YOU'RE GOING CONSIDER THAT $800,000 CARRY IS FORNTD.
IF YOU CONSIDER THAT 8 ONE THOUSAND CARRY FORWARD THE BCB IS ABOUT 4 MEANT $7 MILLION AND THE CULTURAL COUNCIL'S BUDGET IS ABOUT -- $4.7 MILLION AND THE CULTURAL COUNCIL'S BUDGET IS ABOUT $813,000. .
>> IS THAT ADEQUATE? >> THAT WOULD BE NICE.
LIKED A HISTORICAL PREMISE WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
>> FY 20 FOR THE CULTURAL COUNCIL WAS 1.19.
AND FY 20 FOR THE BCB WAS 5.286.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SMITH. ANY FURTHER COMMENT? WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
AT THIS POINT EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE HEARD FROM SOME OF THE
PUBLIC ON THIS. >> WE'LL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT I GUESS ON MY MOTION AND SECOND IS WHAT WE'RE LIMITING IT TO.
>> BACK AGAIN, VIRGINIA WETSTONE.
DO I NEED TO REPEAT ALL THAT AGAIN? OKAY. CHAIRMAN OF THE VISITOR AND CONVENTION BUREAU. JUST TO CLARIFY, I THINK THE BULK OF THE PROBLEM HERE IS YOU HAVE TWO CONTRACTS.
THE BCB AND THE CULTURAL COUNCIL.
MY OPINION AFTER TREADING CONTRACTS, THE CULTURAL COUNCIL'S CONTRACT NEEDS TO BE AMENDED AND CHANGED.
YOU NEED ONE MESSAGE TO MARKET THIS COUNTY, ONE MESSAGE, NOT TWO. YOU'RE GOING TO GET TWO MESSAGES IS WHAT'S GOING ON. THE BCB SHOULD BE THE ONLY SOURCE FOR DESTINATION MARKETING IN THE COUNTY.
THE CULTURAL COUNCIL SHOULD BE THE ONE THAT DEVELOPS CULTURAL SITES, DEVELOPS THE HERITAGE SITES, MARKETS SPECIAL EVENTS, BUT NOT MARKETS THE DESTINATION.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY THAT YOU'RE
[00:55:02]
SENDING OUT ONE PRECISE MESSAGE TO POTENTIAL VISITORS.WE DOAN OUTSTANDING JOB. SOMEONE MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THAT WEEKDAY BUSINESS. WE MARKET FOR WEEKDAY BUSINESS.
I'M IN THE HOTEL BUSINESS. I KNOW WE MARKET FOR THE WEEKDAY BUSINESS. WE'RE MARKETING, WE'RE BRINGING MORE UPSCALE VISITORS. LOOK AT THE QUALITY OF THE HOTELS THAT ARE BEING DEVELOPED IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY.
YOU'VE GOT THE RENAISSANCE. YOU HAVE THE CASA MONICA THAT'S COMING IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. YOU HAVE HOMEWOOD SUITES.
THE ADR, WHICH IS THE AVERAGE DAILY RATE FOR HOTELS, HAS DRAMATICALLY INCREASED IN THIS COUNTY.
THIS USED TO BE A VERY CHEAP DESTINATION TO TRAVEL TO.
IT IS NO LONGER AN INEXPENSIVE AND CHEAP DESTINATION TO TRAVEL TO, WHICH TELLS YOU THAT THE VISITOR AND CONVENTION BUREAU IS DOING ITS JOB AS TO WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
THE OTHER THING IS YOU TALK ABOUT THE $2 MILLION.
I CAN TELL YOU, I'M IN MULTIPLE TOURISM BUSINESS: HOTELS, RESTAURANT, ATTRACTIONS, RETAIL STORE.
WE HAVE BEEN OFF THE CHARTS IN SALES, ESPECIALLY IN MAY, JUNE, JULY HAVE BEEN RECORD BREAKING FOR OUR BUSINESS AND FOR MANY BUSINESSES. WE HAD A MEETING LAST MONTH.
THEY HAVE BEEN -- THEY'VE BEEN OFF THE CHARTS.
SO THE $2 MILLION THAT YOU ADVANCED US, WE'RE EXTREMELY GRAIFT FOR. THE TOURIST BUSINESSES I CAN TELL YOU ARE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR.
ST. AUGUSTINE, ST. JOHNS COUNTY HAS SET RECORDS OVER OTHER FLORIDA DESTINATIONS. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT?
ITCHED. >> RICHARD GOLDMAN WITH THE VIRTSZ AND CONVENTION BUREAU. YOU KNOW THE ADDRESS.
WE ARE NOT HERE COMMONLY TO DISAGREE WITH THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL. I ANTOINETTE TO UNDERSTAND THAT FOR THE MOST PART THEY REPRESENT THE TOURISM INDUSTRY.
IN THE CASE OF THE JUNE MEETING TO WHICH WE REFER, SEVERAL MISCHARACTERIZATIONS WERE MADE BY THE CULTURAL COUNCIL'S CONSULTANT. THE REFERENCE TO THE FACT TO THEIR PERCEPTION THAT WE DIDN'T MARKET TO MID-WEEK BUSINESS.
THE THE MID-WEEK BUSINESS HAS INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY.
WE HAVE THOSE FIGURES. I CAN SHARE THEM WITH YOU.
THEY ARE IN THE SMITH TRAVEL DATA THAT WE REPORT ON EVERY MONTH. THE COMMENT WAS MADE THAT WE ARE NOT MARKETING THE FLY MARKETS. I HAVE DATA THAT I'VE SHARED WITH EACH OF YOU THAT DEMONSTRATES THAT CHICAGO, ATLANTA, NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA HAVE ALL INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. SO WE ARE MARKETING TO THEM.
WE ALSO HEARD THAT WE ARE ONLY MARKETING TO FOLKS WHO ARE NOT SOPHISTICATED AND NOT WORTHY OF OUR DESTINATION.
THAT'S SIMPLY NOT TRUE. OUR DESTINATION HAS IMPROVED ITS LEVEL OF PRODUCTIVE AS A RESULT OF THE MARKET.
THE MARKET FORCES DRIVEN BY THE DEMAND THAT WE GENERATE, THE COMMUNICATION THAT WE DO IN PRESENTING THE MARKETPLACE, OUR DESTINATION, AND THE LEVEL SOPHISTICATION HAS INCREASED AND THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SPEND MORE MONEY WAS INCREASED.
THE IDEA THAT THE PRODUCT CAN BE ADJUSTED WITHOUT MAJOR INVESTMENT BY THE COMMUNITY, AND WE THINK THAT'S WHAT THE CULTURAL COUNCIL IS VERY GOOD AT.
WE THINK THAT THEIR COMMITMENTS TO HELP THOSE ENTITIES THAT WISH TO BE MORE IMPORTANT, WISH TO BE OPEN SEVEN DAYS INSTEAD OF THREE DAYS, THAT'S A GOOD USE OF THOSE FUNDS, AND IT ALLOWS US TO MARKET THOSE DESTINATIONS, MARKET THOSE EXPERIENCES AS THEY ARE CREATED. BUT REMOVING FUNDS FROM THE DESTINATION DEMAND GENT RATING ENTITY WHICH IS THE VISITORS AND CONVENTION BUREAU, TAKES AWAY FROM THEIR OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUCCESS. IT WILL REDUCE THE TDT DOLLARS COLLECTED AND THE IMPACT FOR THE USE OF THOSE DOLLARS, WHETHER IT'S FOR PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT, FOR RECREATIONAL USES OR FOR THE CONTINUED MARKETING OF THE DESTINATION.
[01:00:03]
THANK YOU. >> NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.
FOR CASA MONICA RESORT AND SPOT, 99 -- THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK TO A COUPLE OF POINTS.
FIRST TO REITERATE THE SUCCESS THAT WE HAVE SEEN FROM THE BCB.
I DO SERVE ON THAT BOARD AS THE SECRETARY.
BUT ALSO WE'VE SEEN RECORD BREAKING MONTHS THESE LAST FEW MONTHS. I THINK WE HAVE TO SPEAK TO THAT SUCCESS. AND I ALSO WANTED TO MAKE PINT OF HOW IMPORTANT AND CRITICAL THITS THAT WE REMAIN COMPETITIVE AGAINST OTHER DESTINATIONS. SO WHAT MIGHT SEEM LIKE A LARGE SUMMER OF MONEY IS RELATIVELY SMALL COMPARED TO SOME OTHER MARKETS THAT I'VE BEEN IN AND I JUST THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE HOLD ONTO EVERY DOLLAR AND UTILIZE IT FOR THE BEST PURPOSES. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS MOTION? PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS MOTION
MOTIONN==.. >> THANK YOU, MR. VICE CHAIR.
WE'RE GOING TO GO TO COMIRS WHITEHURST.
>> RYU THANK YOU. I WANTED TO ADD VERY QUICKLY THAT WHEN WE HAD THE SECOND READING OF THE FIFTH FOR THE BED TAX, I THOUGHT THE ALLOCATION WAS SORT OF THE CONCESSION FROM THE BCB TO GIVE 10% TO THE CULTURAL COUNCIL FOR THE PURPOSES OF MARKETING AND THAT THE BCB WOULD THEN GET IN CATEGORY 1 THE REMAINING 10%. AND I KNOW THAT THROUGHOUT THIS CALENDAR YEAR THIS FIFTH PENNY HAS BEEN SORT OF FINE-TUNED AND I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO VOICES ALL OVER THE COUNTY TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE THE ALLOCATION OF THIS FIFTH PENNY COME FROM BUT AT EVERY CURRENT IT SEEMED LIKE THE BCB WAS THE ONE MAKING THE CONCESSION. IT STARTED AT 50% AND SORT OF GOT WHITTLED DOWN TO AT THE VERY END 10% AND THEY STILL SUPPORTED IT UNTIL THE VERY END. SO FOR THOSE REASONS I'D LIKE TO SEE THE BCB GET THAT 10% FROM THE FIFTH PENNY AND THAT'S SORT OF WHERE MY HEAD IS ON THIS ISSUE.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. >> THANK YOU.
WE'RE GOING TO GO TO MR. MCCORMICK NEXT.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, COMMISSIONERS.
CLARIFICATION, AGAIN, WHAT YOU WILL HAVE BEFORE YOU I MENTIONED THAT YOUR THREE BUDGET-RELATED MOTIONS, THE SECOND OF WHICH WILL BE THE ACTUAL TENTATIVE BUDGET WHICH HAS A FIGURE FOR TOURIST DEVELOPMENT, THE 21 MILLION, ET CETERA, AS THE BOARD HAS BEEN DISCUSSING THIS AND HEARING PUBLIC COMMENT, I'VE SPOKEN WITH MS. MEEKS, THAT $21,763,810 IS BROKEN DOWN IN THE ACTUAL BUDGET BOOKS THAT THE COMMISSION HAD RECEIVED FOR A LINE ITEM, IN OTHER WORDS, THAT 21 PLUS MILLION IS MADE UP OF I A NUMBER OF LINE ITEMS AND ONE OF THEM IS DESTINATION MARKETING REQUESTED BUDGET. AND OF THAT, PART OF THAT IS CONTRACTUAL SERVICES WHICH INCLUDES A FIGURE FOR BCB AND CULTURAL COUNCIL CONTRACTS, AGAIN, FOR THE DESTINATION MARKETING REQUESTED BUDGET. SO I THINK THE EFFECT OF COMMISSIONER DEAN'S REQUEST WOULD BE THAT DOLLAR FIGURE WILL NOT CHANGE, BUT WHAT IS SORT OF THE COMPONENTS OF THAT BETWEEN THE BCB AND THE CULTURAL COUNCIL, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, MS. MEEKS, BUT IT WOULD HAVE THE EFFECT OF TRANSFERRING $300,000 FROM THE CULTURAL COUNCIL CONTRACT TO THE BCB CONTRACT. IS THAT YOUR UNDERSTANDING? RIGHT. SO THAT WOULD BE THE EFFECT.
>> RIGHT. THAT'S AS I UNDERSTAND IT, AND THAT'S THAT CAPTURES MY MOTION EXACTLY.
THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION. >> COMMISSIONER, I APPRECIATE YOU RAISING THIS ISSUE BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR TO US ADDRESS. I DO THINK THERE IS SOME CONFUSION. OBVIOUSLY ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO THIS PROCESS WAS PUT IN PLACE WITH TWO DIFFERENT CONTRACTS.
I HAVEN'T REVIEWED THESE CONTRACTS, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE A LARGER PROBLEM WHERE THERE IS SOME CONFUSION AND SOME MAYBE FAILURE TO DEFINE ROLES. I DON'T KNOW.
BUT I THINK AS A BROADER ISSUE WE PROBABLY NEED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT A LITTLE BIT SORRY SEE IF THERE'S SOME GUIDELINS THAT CAN BE PROVIDED. I DO AGREE I THINK HAVING TWO DIFFERENT DESTINATION MARKETING, MAYBE THAT'S BEEN LOST OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, SO I THINK IT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT'S WORTH THIS BOARD RE LOOKING AT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR TO US BE A AISLE. SOME OF THESE DWREEMENTS PROBABLY MADE A LOT OF SENSE TEN YEARS AGO BUT MARKETING CONDITIONS HAVE CHANGED, OUR COMMUNITY HAS CHANGED, OUR NEEDS HAVE CHANGED, SO THERE ARE PROBABLY DAYS WE NEED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT BUT THAT'S A DIFFERENT DISCUSSION FOR DIFFERENTIATE TIME BUT I THINK WE SHOULD MAYBE KEEP THAT ON OUR RADAR, SO DO WE WE HAVE A MOTN THAT'S BEEN MADE BY COMMISSIONER DEAN AND WE HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER HURST.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DR WHITEHURST?
[01:05:03]
IS THERE ANY FURTHER ÚDISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE. THAT PASSES 4-1.>> RIGHT. SO, MR. CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS, THAT WILL BE CONSTRUED AS DIRECTING STAFF TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES. WHETHER THERE HAS TO BE ANY SORT OF CONTRACT CHANGE THAT ACTUALLY HAS TO BE ADOPTED BY THE BOARD, WE WOULD BRING THAT BACK, BUT THAT IS THE DIRECTION TO THE
STAFF TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES. >> OKAY.
THANK YOU. BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER, I WANT TO TURN TO COMMISSIONER WAL DRON.
>> I JUST WANT TO SAY I VOTED AGAINST THE MOTION BECAUSE OF
WHAT THE TDC RECOMMENDED. >> THANK YOU, SIR.
>> YES, SIR. MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE NOW PAST THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION OF THE HEARING.
WE'RE GOING TO GO ON TO OUR FIRST CONSIDERATION TONIGHT, AND THAT IS THE ADOPTION OF THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE RESOLUTION. THAT IS IN YOUR PACKETS.
AND THE MOTION IS UP HERE. IT'S A EMISSION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2021 AND IT WILL BE ESTABLISHING THE FISCAL YEAR 2022 TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE AS SET BY THE BACKPACK BCB.
IT'S OPEN FOR THE COMMISSION'S CONSIDERATION.
>> OKAY. SO WHY DON'T WE DO THIS.
LET'S SEE IF THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND.
THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
HOW DO WE DO THIS, PATRICK? >> YOU'VE DONE PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT WILL COVER ESSENTIALLY ALL THREE.
>> THANK YOU. SO LET'S SEE IF THERE'S A MOTION
>> SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER WALD RON.
>> WE HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WALDRON AND A
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER DEAN. >> AND THE MOTION IS TO ADOPT THE PRESENTED RESOLUTION PRESENTING THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE AS PROVIDED IN YOUR AGENDA PACKAGE AND MADE AVAILABLE TO
THE PUBLIC ONLINE. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. SO IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONER SMITH.
>> IS THE THIS DOES INCLUDE THE ROLLED BACK RATE THAT CAN BE DISCUSSED OR VOTED ON THE 21ST AS WELL.
>> JE. THE ROLLED BACK RATE CAN STILL BE CONSIDERED ON THE 21ST. CHEARK EVERYBODY THAT'S
CORRECT. >> DO WE NEED TO READ OFF ALL OF THESE ARE AS THEY'VE BEEN PRESENTED?
>> IF THE MOTION IS TO ADOPT THE PROPOSED RELUTION WITH THE STATED FIGURES, THAT IS THE MOTION.
>> OKAY. SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER WALD RON, A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER DEAN.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE. >> I'M SORRY.
DO WE NOT TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT? >> WE ALREADY DID PUBLIC
YOU THAT PASSES 5-0. >> VERY GOOD.
BACK TO THE POWERPOINT. THE NEXT MOTION IS THERE.
IT'S A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2021 A MOVING PROVING THE TENTATIVE FISCAL YEAR 2022 BUDGET OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY, FLORIDA.
I'LL READ THE REMAINING, USING THE CERTIFIED TAXABLE VALUE OF $36,613,000,000.934308 GENERATING AN ESTIMATED $235,000,000.884708 IN TAXES AND RESULTING IN A TOTAL BUDGET OF $1,298,000,000.36820. AND EACH OF THOSE SPRENGTIVE FUNDS ARE PROVIDED ON THE RESOLUTION AND THE BREAKDOWN OF
THE TOTAL BUDGET. >> SO MOVED.
>> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER WALDRON AND A I SECOND BY COMMISSIONER --
>> IF I COULD, CHAIR, INTERJECT.
THE MOTION YOU JUST ADOPTED WITH THE MILLAGE RATE WAS RESOLUTION 2021-384. IF YOU ADOPT THE BUDGET RESOLUTION AS PRESENTED BY MR. DUNN AND MOVED AND SECONDED, THAT WOULD BE RESOLUTION NUMBER 2021-38.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER WALDRON, A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER DEAN.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE. I. THAT PASSES 5-0.
>> AND THE FINAL MOTION THIS EVENING IS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE OF THE FINAL HEARING.
THE RECOMMENDATION IS FOR SEPTEMBER 21ST, WHICH IS THE NEXT -- THE EVENING OF AT 5:0 TBHNT COUNTY AUDITORIUM FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE FISCAL YEAR -- THE FINAL FISCAL YEAR 20 BUDGET RATES AND. THAT IS THE DATE OF THE REGULAR
[01:10:02]
SCHEDULED BCC MEETING SO THAT WOULD BE AT 5:01 THAT MEETING.>> OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER SMITH, AND I'LL GIVE IT TO COMMISSIONER -- WE'RE GOING TO GIVE IT TO YOU,
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.