Jun 20, 2022 Tourist Development Council

[Items 1 - 3]

[00:00:27]

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, WELCOME TO THE JUNE MEETING OF THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL. I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WILL BE LED BRING DANNY BARENBERG.

>> 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 LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

>> THANK YOU, DANNY. NOW, DENA, THE ROLL CALL, PL

PLEASE. >> BAIROLL

[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

>> OF THE AGENDA, APPROVAL OF TODAY'S AGENDA.

>> SO MOVE. >> SECOND.

[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

>> DO WE HAVE TO CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THAT? NO? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE AGENDA. ITEM NO. 5, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MAY MEETING. ANY COMMENTS? I HAVE A SINGLE CORRECTION, ALTHOUGH IT IS SMALL.

THE LAST LINE OF THE MINUTES HAS MY NAME SPELLED WRONG.

IT IS BERENBERG. THAT CORRECTION CAN BE MADE.

>> ANY OTHER CORRECTIONS? WE HAVE A MOTION?

>> I WILL MAKES A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS AMENDED.

>> SECOND. >> MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

>> AYE. >> OPPOSED.

ITEM NO. 6. >> AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD WILL HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS THAT ARE NOT ON THE REGULAR AGENDA. REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS WILL HAVE THEIR OWN PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. ANY PERSON WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD SHOULD COME TO THE PODIUM AND STATE HIS OR HER NAME AND ADDRESS. EACH PERSON WILL BE PROVIDED THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND SHALL COMPLY WITH THE BOARD'S RULES OF DECORUM. WHICH ARE, COMMENTS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE BOARD AS A WHOLE AND NOT TO INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONER AND NOT INCLUDE A DEMAND FOR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE FROM THE BOARD. NO PERSON MAY ADDRESS THE BOARD WITH BE PERSONAL, IMPERTINENT OR SLANDEROUS REMARKS OR BOISTEROUS BEHAVIOR. FINALLY, I WOULD ASK THAT ANY SPEAKER THAT PRESENTS ANY OVERHEAD MATERIALS, PLEASE

[7. TDC BOARD MEMBER RECOMMENDATIONS]

>> SEEING NONE. WE WILL GO TO ITEM NO. 7.

TERA. >> ALL RIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON.

SO JUST AS A QUICK REMINDER, WE ARE TAKING UP TDC BOARD MEMBER RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A SECOND TIME.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR TODAY IS A RECOMMENDATION FOR AN APPOINTMENT FROM THE TDC TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

WE DO CURRENTLY HAVE AN UPCOMING VACANCY WHICH IS HELD BY MR. BARENBERG. BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE FLORIDA STATUTE IS WRITTEN, THIS POSITION OR THE SEAT CAN BE HELD

[00:05:03]

THE BOARD EXPRESSED INTEREST IN FURTHER CONSIDERING THREE APPLICANTS. THOSE THREE APPLICANTS ARE HIGHLIGHTED HERE IN YELLOW. MY OFFICE DID REACH OUT TO THESE THREE INDIVIDUALS. I BELIEVE EVERYONE IS IN ATTENDANCE TODAY AND THEY ARE HERE TO PRESENT A BRIEF BIO TO THE TDC AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL HAVE.

JUST AS A REMINDER, YOU ARE STILL ABLE TO RECOMMEND ANYBODY ON THIS LIST. THESE ARE STILL ALL VALID APPLICATIONS SO ALTHOUGH THERE WAS INTEREST EXPRESSED IN THE THREE INDIVIDUALS HIGHLIGHTED YELLOW.

IF AT THE END OF TODAY, YOU ARE STILL ABLE TO RECOMMEND ANYBODY ON THIS COMPLETE LIST. AND WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO IS ASK EVERYBODY TO COME UP, GIVE THEIR BIO.

YOU ARE WELCOME TO ASK THEM QUESTIONS.

THEN WE TAKE ALL NOMINATIONS AND BEFORE THERE'S A VOTE.

SO ALL NOMINATIONS WILL GO AND THEN WE WILL TAKE A VOTE.

>> THANK YOU. SO GOING IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER BY YOUR LAST NAME, THAT WOULD JAN MARIE CHESTERTON AS OUR

FIRST SPEAKER, WELCOME. >> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT MY BACKGROUND AND MY QUALIFICATIONS. AGAIN, MY NAME IS JAN CHESTERTON. 11 YEARS AGO I BOUGHT A CONDO DOWN ON CRESCENT BEACH. USED AS A VACATION RENTAL UNTIL I RETIRED. SIX YEARS AGO, I RETIRED AND BOUGHT A HOME AND MOVED HERE FULL TIME.

I RETIRED AFTER 20 YEARS AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE NEW YORK STATE HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM ASSOCIATION.

THAT'S A NONPROFIT TRADE ASSOCIATION REPRESENTING HOTELS, MOTELS, ZOOS, MUSEUMS, HISTORICAL SITES AND SUCH.

OUR PRIMARY GOAL IS TO SERVE AS A RESOURCE FOR OUR MEMBERS RESEARCHING LEGISLATION, REGULATIONS, KEEPING THEM IN COMPLIANCE AND SERVING AS A RESOURCE.

WE ARE ALSO AN ADVOCACY GROUP. AS A NONPROFIT, WE COULD ADVOCATE AND LOBBY. I WAS THE REGISTER LOBBYIST OF THE ORGANIZATION. WE LOBBIED BOTH REGULATORY AND LEGISLATIVE AGENCIES BOTH STATEWIDE AND NATIONAL.

AGAIN, FOR USER FRIENDLY BUSBUSINESS, FRIENDLY TYPES OF LEGISLATION TO COULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE BUSINESSES.

ALSO AS A NONPROFIT, WE DID NOT DEPEND ON ANY OUTSIDE FUNDING SO WE WERE NOT BEHOLDEN TO ANY ONE ENTITY TO OUR FUNDS, GIVINGS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOBBY FOR AND PROMOTE TOURISM MARKETING.

WE LOBBIED FOR MATCHING FUNDS FOR THE STATE, FOR COUNTIES, REGIONS AND INDIVIDUAL MUNICIPALITIES.

WHILE WE DID NOT MANAGE THAT PROGRAM, THAT WAS MANAGED BY THE STATE. WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO LOBBY THE STATE FOR ITSELF TO ENCOURAGE IT TO CONTRIBUTE AND CONTINUE TO FUND THE I LOVE NEW YORK PROGRAM.

I'M CONVERSANT WITH BED TAX, I'M CONVERSANT WITH MATCHING FUNDS.

I UNDERSTAND THE ROI INVESTING IN MARKETING.

I UNDERSTAND THE VISITORS SPEND AND RETURN ON INVESTMENT, PARTICULARLY TO THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES.

AGAIN, I KNOW THE NATURE OF THIS COUNTY AND AGAIN I HAVE ONLY BEEN HERE SIX YEARS, BUT I DO UNDERSTAND AND RECOGNIZE AND RESPECT THE HISTORICAL VALUE AND WHAT IT IS TO DO TO MAINTAIN THAT FINE BALANCE. FROM WHERE I COME FROM, THERE'S A SAYING THAT SAYS OFTENTIMES IT IS NOT OVERDEVELOPED IT IS DMOWNLD LISHED. UNDER DEMOLISHED. YOU HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL ON THAT. AGAIN, I AM ENJOYING RETIREMENT.

I SAW THIS OPENING AND I THOUGHT PERHAPS IT MIGHT BE TIME TO CIRCLE BACK AND SHARE MY EXPERTISE AND GIVE SOME OF MY EXPERIENCE BACK. I THINK IT IS A GREAT COUNTY.

I THINK THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE.

MY NEW HOME, MY NEW COMMUNITY. IF I CAN SERVE IN ANY WAY, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO SO. IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I

MIGHT BE ABLE TO ANSWER. >> I'M GOING TO MAKE AN ASSUMPTION THAT THE ASSOCIATION THAT YOU RAN DIDN'T REPRESENT RESTAURANTS BECAUSE THERE IS NO R IN THE TITLE.

THAT MAKES FLORIDA UNIQUE FROM THE INVOLVEMENT FROM THE

[00:10:01]

RESTAURANT INDUSTRY AS WELL. >> THAT IS CORRECT.

WE WORKED IN CONJUNCTION AND IN COALITION WITH NEW YORK STATE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION. BUT WE WERE DEFINITELY SEPARATED, UNLIKE FLORIDA THAT IS COMBINED.

THAT'S TRUE. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, QUESTION, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE SOME CONNECTIONS TO TALLAHASSEE IN OUR EARLIER DISCUSSIONS. COULD YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT

ABOUT THAT, PLEASE. >> WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED A HOME DOWN HERE, I REACHED OUT TO MY COUNTERPART IN TALLAHASSEE WHERE THE FLORIDA LODGING AND RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION, RESTAURANT AND LODGING ASSOCIATION.

THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THERE, I SPOKE WITH HER, WE ALL WORK TOGETHER. THERE'S 50 STATES AND EVERYONE HAS A LODGING ASSOCIATION OR LODGING RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION.

SOY REACHED OUT TO MY COUNTER COUNTERPART IN TALLAHASSEE.

I WAS MOVING DOWN HERE, WHAT'S THE TEMPERAMENT OF THE INDUSTRY, SO ON SO FORTH, OTHER THAN ORLANDO.

SHE WAS KIND ENOUGH TO INTRODUCE ME TO RICHARD GOLDMAN AND WE MET AND HE GAVE ME THE BLOW BY BLOW OF THE INDUSTRY HERE AND THE COUNTY AND CITY AND WHERE HE CAME FROM.

TOLD ME NOT TO BE SCARED, JUMP RIGHT IN THERE.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT, I'M RETIRED.

BUT I HAVE CIRCLED BACK AND HERE I AM.

WHAT THEY DO IN TALLAHASSEE IS WHAT I DID IN ALBANY.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK OF FLORIDA'S TALLAHASSEE TREATMENT

OF THE INDUSTRY? >> WELL, THAT'S A TOUGH QUESTION. I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT I FOLLOW CLOSER THE COUNTY D DOINGS THAN TALLAHASSEE DOINGS, NOTWITHSTANDING THE GOVERNOR. I KEEP AN EYE ON WHAT YOU ARE DOING. ALL POLITICS ARE LOCAL, SO WHAT HAPPENS HERE IN THE COUNTY AND CITY, I FOLLOW AND I FEEL POSITIVE ABOUT. BUT I DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF COMMENT, UNFORTUNATELY, ABOUT WHAT GOES ON IN TALLAHASSEE.

HOW IS THAT FOR BEING BIPA BIPARTISAN?

>> SO DO YOU KNOW ENOUGH, IF YOU WERE READING THE TEA LEAVES, TO SAY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN TOURISM IN THE COUNTY THEN IN THE NEXT MAYBE YEAR, NEXT FEW MONTHS? WHAT DO YOU SEE IN THE FUTURE, IF YOU HAD A MAGIC WAND AND

COULD PREDICT THE FUTURE. >> ONE MORE TIME.

I HAVE BEEN RETIRED FOR SIX YEARS.

I'VE REALLY TAKEN MY EYE OFF THE BALL.

IN PREPARATION FOR THIS DISCUSSION, I DID GO ONLINE AND RESEARCH SOME OF THE MOST RECENT RESEARCH STUDIES DONE BY TALLAHASSEE AND ALSO DONE BY OTHER TOURISM INDUSTRY IMPACT REPORTS, JUST SO THAT I COULD GET MY VERBIAGE BACK AND TALK NOT SO MUCH LIKE A BEACH COMBER BUT LIKE AN ACTUAL PROFESSIONAL.

SOME OF THE REPORTS THAT I HAVE SEEN PARTICULARLY IN THE FIRST QUARTER, TALKING ABOUT OCCUPANCY AND RATES.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S A DEMAND. THERE'S A DEMAND AND IT IS DRIVING THE RATES FROM THE LODGING PERSPECTIVE.

BUT THEN TEN DAYS YOU HAVE GOT SOME HORRIFIC ECONOMY CONVERSATIONS GOING ON AROUND THE COUNTRY.

SO WHAT'S THAT GOING TO DO? ARE YOU ISOLATED OR INSULATED HERE? I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T HAVE A MAGIC WAND. IF I DID, I MAY HAVE STAYED

WHERE I WAS BUT I AM RETIRED. >> I THINK THAT'S A GREAT

ANSWER, THANKS. >> OTHER QUESTIONS?

>> THANK YOU AGAIN. AND IF MY ALPH ALPHABET SKILLS E STILL WORKING, IRVING KASS IS THE NEXT APPLICANT.

>> THE I OR THE K, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

>> I'M SORRY. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, IRVING KASS, 887 GARRISON DRIVE. I THINK MOST EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM KNOWS ME FROM OWNING THE ST. GEORGE INN.

BUT WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW IS MY 30 SOME ODD YEARS PRIORITY THAT.

SO I'M GOING TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY BACKGROUND BEFORE I QUOTE/UNQUOTE RETIRED AND BOUGHT A SMALL HOTEL.

I GRADUATED IN 1977 FROM FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY AND WAS HIRED BY HYATT HOTELS AS MANAGEMENT TRAINEE.

I STARTED AT HYATT REGENCY O'HARE.

AT THE TIME, THERE WERE THREE HYATT WITH ATRIUMS. NEW CONCEPT DESIGNED BY JOHN PORTMAN, ONE IN ATLANTA, ONE IN SAN FRANCISCO, AND ONE IN CHICAGO.

HYATT AS A HOTEL COMPANY ONLY HAD 30 HOTELS AT THE TIME.

IT BECAME A VERY INNOVATIVE TIME OF THE HOTEL BUSINESS AND I WORKED AT TWO OF THE ATRIUM HOTELS.

[00:15:01]

I REMEMBER MY SECOND YEAR THERE, WE HIT THE INCENTIVE BONUS PERIOD IN MAY ON A FISCAL YEAR BUDGET.

ANNUAL CALENDAR YEAR BUDGET, WE HIT IT IN MAY.

THAT'S HOW SUCCESSFUL THE PROPERTY WAS.

220-DOLLAR RATE, 95% OCCUPANCY IN 1980.

PRETTY REMARKABLE. ALSO WITH HYATT, HYATT BECAME THE COMPANY THAT BASICALLY PUT QUALITY FOOD AND BEVERAGE IN HOTELS AND REVOLUTIONIZED THE HOTEL BUSINESS TO REALLY DRIVE IN FOOD AND BEVERAGE. I WAS DEEPLY INVOLVED WITH THE CORPORATE CHEF AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE LEADERS IN THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE SIDE OF THE BUSINESS.

AFTER TEN YEARS, I DECIDED TO RETURN TO FLORIDA.

I LEFT HYATT. I HAVE BEEN AN EXECUTIVE IN BOTH LOS ANGELES AND IFNED YAP POLICE.

INDIANAPOLIS. I MOVED BACK TO FLORIDA AND TOOK A JOB AS RESIDENT MANAGER OF THE BONA VENTURE RESORT IN FT.

LAUDERDALE. AT THE TIME, THIS WAS 1986, WE WERE RATED BY ROBIN LEACH, IF ANYONE IN THIS ROOM REMEMBER WHO HE IS, TOP TEN SPA IN THE WORLD. WE WERE REALLY CUTTING EDGE.

SPAS WERE A VERY UNIQUE THING IN THE HOTEL BUSINESS AT THE TIME.

WE HAD A DIFFICULT TIME CONVINCING A MEETING PLANNER THEY SHOULD HAVE A SPA EVENT FOR THEIR GROUPS.

IT WAS MOSTLY A DESTINATION SPA WITH PEOPLE COMING IN FOR THE WEEK, SIMILAR TO CANYON RANCH OR GOLDEN DOOR, OTHER TOP SPAS.

VERY INVOLVED IN SETTING UP MEDICAL PROGRAMS. WE HAD FULL DIETICIANS ON STAFF. IT WAS REALLY TOP-NOTCH.

ALSO, WHILE I WAS THERE, I HELPED DEVELOP SPAS FOR THE CRUISE LINE INDUSTRY. THEY CAME TO US, SOUGHT US OUT AND WE DID STUFF WITH HOLLAND AMERICA AND WITH CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES. ALSO HELPED DEVELOP C CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES HOTEL COMPANY IN THE BAHAMAS.

FURTHER DOWN, AFTER I LEFT THE BONA VENTURE RESORT, I BECAME THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE DORAL BEACH HOTEL.

ARE NOT AT THAT TIME, WE WERE CONSIDERED THE TOP RESORT PROPERTY ON MIAMI BEACH. WE HAD ABOUT 500 INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES THAT WE WORKED WITH F.I.T.

THAT WAS THE TYPE OF CUSTOMER YOU WOULD FIND THERE, WE HAD GREAT RELATIONSHIPS AND WE RAN DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, BIG F.I.T.S, ABOUT 90% OCCUPANCY ALL SUMMER FROM ALL OVER SOUTH AMERICA AND EUROPE. WE HAD ALFREDOS, THE ORIGINAL OF ROME, FIVE STAR ITALIAN RESTAURANT THAT I OPERATED.

YOU MIGHT BE FAMILIAR WITH IT, THE OTHER ONE IN FLORIDA WAS AT EPCOT CENTER. BUT WE RAN A FIVE-STAR RESTAURANT THAT WAS UNDER MY DIRECTION.

WHILE I WAS THERE, I WAS THE VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE MIAMI AND BEACHES LODGING ASSOCIATION. I ALSO WORKED TO SELL THE PROPERTY FROM THE CASKELLS TO ANOTHER GROUP THAT BOUGHT THE ASSET. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DORAL BEACH.

WHEN I LEFT THERE, I JOINED KSL RECREATION.

KSL RECREATION IS AFFILIATED WITH KKR AT THE TIME THE LARGEST FEE PAYER VENTURE CAPITALIST IN THE WORLD AND BEST KNOWN FOR THEIR LEVERAGE BUYOUT OF RJR IN NABISCO BACK IN THE '80S.

I WORKED IN THEIR HOTEL DIVISION.

WE LOOKED AT ACQUIRING PROPERTIES ALL OVER THE WORLD.

I WORKED ON PROJECTS IN SCOTLAND, HAWAII, CALIFORNIA,

[00:20:03]

WE BUILT A CLUBHOUSE. WE BUILT THE GOLF COURSE WITH GARY PLAYER. JACK NICKLAUS GOLF COURSE THERE.

WE HAD A DEVELOPMENT COMPANY. WE HAD 2400 ACRES OF LAND WHERE WE BUILT HOMES. I HAD A REAL ESTATE DIVISION UNDER ME. WE ALSO MANAGED 17 HOMEOWNERS' ASSOCIATIONS AND I WAS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF A WATER COMPANY, LUCKY ME, WHICH DIDN'T SOUND VERY HARD UNTIL SOMETHING BROKE.

SO THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A BACKGROUND THERE.

WHEN I WAS AT THE DORAL GOLF RESORT AND SPA, I RE REBUILT THE BLUE COURSE AND GOLD COURSE. I WAS INVOLVE IN THE SPA THAT SURPASSED BONA VENTURE AS THE TOP SPA IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

WE CONVERTED THE HOTEL AND RENOVATED AND BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE STANDARD THAT IT HAD BEEN IN WITH A MULTIHUNDRED THOUSAND MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF RENOVATIONS.

MAKING US COMPETITIVE WITH, AT THE TIME, THE BREAKERS IN BOCA.

I HELPED TURN THE PROFITABILITY OF THAT HOTEL FROM NEGATIVE 3 MILLION TO 19 MILLION IN TWO YEARS.

AT THE TIME IT WAS SOLD, IT WAS AT 42 MILLION.

AND THEN IT WENT WAY DOWN AND REBOUGHT AND THAT'S A WHOLE ANOTHER STORY. I WAS WITH KSL FOR FIVE YEARS.

THE COMPANY DID QUITE WELL. STARTED ON 252 MILLION-DOLLAR INVESTMENT. IT WAS SOLD TEN YEARS LATER FOR 2.7 BILLION. SIMILAR TO WHAT A BLACKSTONE OR DIFFERENT COMPANIES THAT YOU HEAR NOW IN THE NEWS.

AND THEN IN 2001 -- 2002, WE MOVED TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

I I HADI HAD TO WI TOYED WITH WO DO.

I BOUGHT THE ST. JOHNS INN AND OPERATING THAT AS FAIRLY SUCCESSFUL FOUR-STAR BOUTIQUE HOTEL.

7 YEARS AGO, WE ADDED A WINE BAR AND IT HAS TURNED INTO A VERY SUCCESSFUL WINE BAR. REMEMBER INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE A PRETTY GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE MARKET. THAT'S IT.

>> ANY QUESTIONS? >> SO WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE NEXT YEAR IN TOURISM, IRVING?

>> UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS NOT AS ROSIE AS WE ALL THINK IT IS GOING TO BE. IT STARTED HAPPENING ABOUT FIVE MONTHS AGO. BUT THE MARKET HAS RESET BACK TO WHERE IT WAS IN 2019. IT IS HAPPENING IN CONJUNCTION WITH ALL THE SUDDEN YOU CAN GO TO CANADA.

YOU CAN GO ON CRUISES. YOU CAN GO -- I JUST CAME BACK FROM SAN FRANCISCO. NOT ONE PERSON ASKED ME TO WEAR A MASK. YOU BASICALLY CAN GO TO EUROPE AGAIN. SO THE ALTERNATIVES ARE THERE AND THE PLEASANT SURPRISE WE ALL SAW IN OCCUPANCY A YEAR AGO, THE DEMAND MASS SIGNIFICAN HAS SIGNY DROPPED.

TALKING WITH PEOPLE, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH EXPEDIA IN BOOKING ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, THEY ARE SEEING A MUCH LIGHTER DEMAND FOR BOTH FLORIDA AND SPECIFICALLY THIS MARKET COMPARED TO A YEAR AGO. RATES ARE STILL HOLDING PRETTY WELL BUT STARTING TO SOFTEN. THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE ON BEACHES ARE TENDING TO DO A LITTLE BIT BETTER IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA THAN INLAND. ALL THESE THINGS ARE NATURAL COVID-TYPE SITUATIONS. BUT WE ARE NOT THE ONLY GAME IN

[00:25:01]

NOT T THAT 2019 WAS A TERRIBLE TIME, BUT IT IS NOT 2021 FROM A

BUSINESS VOLUME >> OTHER QUESTIONS?

>> MR. CHAIRMAN, IRVING, YOU RECENTLY ACCEPTED ANOTHER APPOINTMENT TO A DIFFERENT COUNTY BOARD.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT? >> I CAN TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT. I WILL KNOW A LOT MORE AFTER 10 O'CLOCK TOMORROW MORNING WHEN WE HAVE OUR FIRST MEETING.

BUT I AM ON THE AMPHITHEATER ADVISORY BOARD.

WE ARE LOOKING TO GIVE DIRECTION TO THE COUNTY OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AND PLANS FOR THE AMPHITHEATER GOING FORWARD OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND FEW YEARS GOING FORWARD.

BUT SPECIFICALLY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AND WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES, I WON'T KNOW UNTIL TOMORROW MORNING.

>> I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WATCHED OUR LAST MEETING, TERA PRESENTED A PLAN OR A THOUGHT ABOUT CREATING A VIP GROUP TO REVIEW -- TERA, HELP ME, HERE. YOU ARE CERTAINLY AWARE OF.

>> ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE WORKING GROUP FOR MARKETING? I HAD DISCUSSED WITH THE TDC AN IDEA OF, AS WE MOVE FORWARD FOR THE RFPS FOR FISCAL YEAR 24 AND BEYOND, THAT WE CONSIDER HAVING A WORKING GROUP THAT IS MADE UP OF THE CULTURAL COUNCIL, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, MYSELF, SOMEBODY FROM THE CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE, ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH AND REPRESENT OF PONTE VEDRE TO

DISCUSS MARKETING. >> I WOULD GUESS THAT IS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE THOUGHTS OF THE NEW RFP.

>> CORRECT. >> AND DOING EVERYTHING.

>> YOUR THOUGHTS? >> MY THOUGHT IS I THINK YOU HAVE TO DELVE INTO WHAT IS THE RIGHT SET UP FIRST AND THEN TRUST THE PEOPLE THAT YOU PUT IN THAT SETUP, THAT YOU HAVE HIRED.

YOU HAVE CREATED THE RIGHT PROCESS AND RIGHT PEOPLE.

AND THEN WHO YOU HAVE PUT IN THERE, TRUST THAT YOU PUTS THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN. SO IT IS REALLY HARD TO SAY IF THAT VIP BOARD MAKES SENSE WHEN I'M NOT LOOKING AT THE UNDERLYING SETUP OF WHAT'S THE SMARTEST PROCESS TO BE THERE.

BUT WHAT I BELIEVE IS, MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHAT A GOOD ONE LOOKS LIKE AND BE FORWARD THINKING AND BE REALLY SMART OF WHAT THE MARKET IS REALLY TELLING YOU FROM A DATA-DRIVEN POINT OF VIEW. A LOT OF PEOPLE GET HUNG UP ON PRETTY PICTURES AND WHAT SOUNDS GOOD.

BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, SOME PEOPLE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW. WHAT SOUNDS GOOD IS ACTUALLY NOT AS GOOD AS IT IS A GREAT PRESENTATION.

I WOULD ALSO BE CAREFUL IN THE PROCESS TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE THAT KNOW WHAT A GOOD ONE LOOKS LIKE.

>> WOULD THAT BE BETTER SERVED WITH YOU ON IT?

>> I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.

ARE YOU GOING TO ASK ME IF I HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE, COMPETENT, YES, I AM, BUT THAT IS NOT UP TO ME TO DECIDE WHO IS THERE OR NOT. BUT I HAVE DONE THAT BEFORE.

>> OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.

AND NOW, REGINA GAYLE PHILIPS. WELCOME.

>> THANK YOU, GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M REGINA GAYLE PHILIPS, CURRENTLY I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE LINCOLNVILLE MUSEUM AND CULTURAL CENTER. MY BACKGROUND IS FIRST OF ALL, I'M A NATIVE OF FLORIDA, WAS BORN HERE, RAISED IN THE NEXT COUNTY AND I HAVE FAMILY TIES THAT GO BACK HUNDRED YEARS, MORE THAN A HUNDRED YEARS IN THIS COUNTY.

SO I HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME HERE AS A CHILD GROWING UP AT THE BEACH HERE, AT BUTLER BEACH THAT WAS SEGREGATED AT THE TIME AS WELL AS IN THE NORTHWEST SECTION OF THE COUNTY WHERE MY GRANDPARENTS LIVE. I JUST WANTED TO START BY

[00:30:03]

I WILL PROBABLY JUST TALK TO Y YOU.

EARLY IN MY YEARS, I WAS A JOURNALIST AND I COVERED A LOT OF DIFFERENT STORIES OF VARIOUS TYPES AND SPENT SOME TIME IN DAYTONA BEACH AND IN GAINESVILLE AND IN JACKSONVILLE WRITING.

AND THEN LATER GOT MARRIED AND WORKED IN SOME OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES PART TIME. I CAME TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY TO RETIRE AND BUILD A RETIREMENT HOME WHICH I DID ON THE ST.

JOHNS RIVER. MY INTENTION WAS TO ENJOY THAT AND USE THAT AS A PLACE THAT I WOULD GO AND TRAVEL THE WORLD WHICH I HAVE DONE A LOT ALSO AND ENJOYED IT.

THAT CAME TO A SCREECHING HALT WHEN MY HUSBAND DECIDED HE WANTED TO DO SOME OTHER THINGS. WE HAVE BOTH SERVED IN THIS COMMUNITY. WE BOTH SERVED ON THE HOUSING AND FINANCE COMMISSION FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

I WAS INVOLVED WITH THE ORIGINAL VISIONS COUNCIL FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY THAT STARTED IN THE EARLY 200S.

I WAS ON THAT BOARD. AT THE SAME TIME, I WENT TO CULINARY SCHOOL. FIRST COAST TECH HERE, WHICH I GRADUATED AND DID QUITE A BIT OF STUFF HERE IN THE COMMUNITY RELATED TO THAT. ALSO WORKED ON THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY COUNCIL AS WELL THAT WAS HERE IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

WE MOVED TO MY HUSBAND'S HOMETOWN IN ALABAMA FOR A PERIOD OF SIX YEARS AND THEN MOVED BACK HERE IN 2010.

SINCE THAT TIME, WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A NUMBER OF THINGS IN THIS COMMUNITY. I CAME HERE AND SAW THAT A LOT OF PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE BUT A LOT OF PROGRESS WAS STILL NEEDED. AND I SERVED FIRST AS A VOLUNTEER FOR THE LINCOLNVILLE MUSEUM AND SAW THAT IT WAS A PLACE IN IN COMMUNITY THAT HAD A LOT OF HISTORY AND CULTURE THAT REALLY WAS NOT BEING WELL PRESERVED.

SO I SET OUT ON A MISSION TO HELP THAT TO HAPPEN.

WE GOT A LOT OF NATIONAL ATTENTION FROM THE INSTITUTION OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES, WHICH IS NOT A VERY EASY GRANT FIRST TIME OUT TO GET. WE GOT THE GRANT FROM THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE FOR PRESERVATION OF THAT BUILDING WHICH WE ARE JUST COMPLETING AND WE HAVE ALSO JUST FINISHED ANOTHER GRANT FROM THE -- BEEN AWARDED A GRANT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE. THAT SHOWS THE COMMUNITY WORKING WITH US TO DO THINGS. BUT THE REASON WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT I DO THAT IS BECAUSE ST. JOHNS COUNTY HAS A RICH AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY THAT HAS NOT TRULY BEEN TOLD.

I DON'T HAVE HOTEL BACKGROUND. I DO HAVE SOME RESTAURANT BACKGROUND. I OWN MY OWN CATERING BUSINESS.

I WORK WITH MY HUSBAND IN HIS INSURANCE BUSINESS DURING THE TIME OF THE AFTERMATH OF THE HURRICANE ANDREW WITH A LOT OF FILING OF CLAIMS AND A LOT OF PAPERWORK THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT AS WELL AS CUSTOMER SER SERVICE.

HAVING SOME DIEFT DIVERSITY IN E TOURISM COUNCIL, WE HAVE COME TO THAT TIME. FEW YEARS AGO THIS COUNCIL EMBARKED ON A CAMPAIGN TO INCLUDE HISPANIC MARKETING AS A PART OF YOUR PLAN OF HOW YOU WOULD BRING HISPANIC GUESTS TO THIS COMMUNITY. IT HAS BEEN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL. WHERE WE ARE NOW IS, ACCORDING TO SOME OF THE MOST RECENT TDC MEMBERS THAT THEY PRESENTED LAST MONTH AT THE TOURISM EVENT, OF THE HISTORY AND CULTURE VISITORS, THAT'S NOW A MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT COME TO THIS COUNTY, 13% OF THEM WERE AFRICAN AMERICAN.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT TO OUR MUSEUM, 73% OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT CAME IN IN THE LAST YEAR ARE FROM OUT OF THIS COUNTY.

SOME STAY IN HOTELS. SOME STAY IN B&BS, SOME STAY IN VACATION RENTALS. SOME MAY STAY WITH FAMILY MEMBERS. THEY ALL DINE OUT.

THEY ALL SPEND MONEY IN OUR OUTLETS WHICH BRINGS MONEY INTO THE COUNTY. THEY SPEND MONEY IN OUR DOWNTOWN HISTORIC DISTRICT AS WELL. I THINK THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SERVE ON THIS BOARD BECAUSE I THINK YOU NEED TO HEAR MORE DIVERSE. WE HAVE GREAT REPRESENTATION OF THE HOTELS AND WE ALL KNOW HOW TO CRUNCH NUMBERS.

WE CAN READ THE STATS, READ THE REPORTS, SPEND TIME STUDYING THOSE TO SEE WHERE WE NEED TO PUT OUR ATTENTION.

I THINK BRINGING DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW OF HOW TO ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE IN A MARKET THAT IS ON THE VERGE OF BECOMING A BULL MARKET THAT IS GOING TOWARD A DOWNTURN, HOW DO WE DO THAT IN A WAY THAT WILL HELP OUR LOCAL TOURISM DOLLARS TO CONTINUE TO GROW? PART OF THAT IS BY ATTRACTING

[00:35:01]

WE HAVE MADE SUCH INROADS. I HAVE SEEN AFRICAN AMERICANS AS EXTRAS WALKING BY, SITTING IN A HOTEL.

THERE IS NO FOCUS ON BRINGING THAT KIND OF DIVERSITY TO OUR COMMUNITY. EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE ARE COMING AND THEY ARE SPENDING MONEY AND MORE WILL COME AND MORE WILL SPEND. SO THAT'S WHY I FEEL IT IS NECESSARY TO HAVE A VOICE SUCH AS MY OWN ON THIS COUNCIL BECAUSE ILT L I WILL LOOK FOR WS THAT WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

I WILL WORK WITH THE STAFF AND WHOMEVER TO TRY AND SEE, HOW DO WE MAKE SOMETHING DIFFERENT HAPPEN.

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO COME TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

WE SAW THAT EVEN IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC.

YES, THERE ARE NEW OPPORTUNITIES OPENING UP.

BUT THERE ALSO IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE, LARGE SEGMENT UNTIL THE MARKIN THEMARKET THAT WANT TO C. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE HERITAGE TOURISM COMPANY THAT HAS CONNECTIONS WITH AN ENT NINTERNATIONAL COMPANY THAT WE WILL WORK WITH TO BRING TOURISTS IN THIS AREA INTERESTED IN CULTURAL HISTORY AS WELL AS THEY ARE GOING TO STAY IN THE HOTELS, VISIT THE BEACHES.

THEY ARE GOING TO DO ALL THE THINGS THAT OTHER TOURISTS DO.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS PART OF OUR -- OTHER PART OF WHAT A TDC DOES, BECAUSE WE WANT TO DEVELOP TOURISTS, NOT JUST TO COME AND GO PARTY AND DO THINGS BUT ALSO TO COME AND ABSORB OUR HISTORY AND SHARE THAT HISTORY WITH OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY THAT THEY WILL GO BACK TO. THANK YOU.

>> QUESTIONS? >> SO I'M GOING TO ASK MY SAME QUESTION. WHAT'S YOUR SPIN ON WHAT THE FUTURE OF TOURISM LOOKS LIKE MAYBE IN THE NEXT YEAR?

>> I THINK THAT PEOPLE WILL TAKE AT LEAST ONE MAJOR VACATION WITH THEIR FAMILY. PEOPLE ARE -- THEY HAVE BEEN PENT UP FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING.

YES, THEY GO ON TOURS. THEY STILL HAVE TO SPEND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS BEFORE THEY GET ON THE SHIP JUST TO TAKE A TEST TO SAY THEY TESTED NEGATIVE.

IT IS NOT LIKE THAT INDUSTRY IS FULLY OPEN.

THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE TO GO INTO THAT BEFORE THEY MAKE THAT DECISION. SO PEOPLE WILL COME ON VACATIONS THAT THEY CAN DO ON A SHORT-TERM, MAYBE FOR A LONG WEEKEND OR THREE, FOUR-DAY VACATION WITH THEIR FAMILY.

AND WE JUST HAVE TO FIND WAYS TO ATTRACT THAT SEGMENT IN THE MARKET THAT WANTS TO SEE MORE OF THE HERITAGE TOURISM INSTEAD OF JUST COMING. BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN DOING STAYCATIONS AT THE BEACH. DOING STAYCATIONS WHERE THEY HAVE SPENT MONEY ON HOME. HOME IMPROVEMENTS. THEY WANT TO GET OUT AND SEE HISTORY AND CULTURE IN THE OLDEST CITY HAS TO OFFER.

I THINK THAT IT WE PROMOTE IT THAT WAY IN TERMS OF, WE HAVE A PART OF HISTORY. THIS YEAR IS THE FIRST TIME THAT ST. AUGUSTINE, WITH A WEALTH OF CIVIL RIGHTS HISTORY, IS BEING PROMOTED AS CIVIL RIGHTS DESTINATION.

I HAD PEOPLE FOR A JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION, THIS IS A STORY THAT NEEDS TO BE TOLD. WE ARE THE OLDEST CITY IN THE NATION. OLDEST CIVIL RIGHTS HISTORY IN THE NATION. PEOPLE WILL PAY TO COME AND EXPERIENCE THAT. I HAVE GONE TO ALABAMA AND SEE HOW PEOPLE COMING TO TO THE MUSEUM THERE.

IT TELLS THE STORY OF LYNCHING IN AMERICA.

YOU WOULD THINK THAT WOULD NOT BE SOMETHING PEOPLE WANT TO SEE, BUT THE MONTGOMERY ALABAMA TOURISM HAS EXPERIENCED A GREAT INCREASE AS A RESULT OF THAT. PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW HISTORY.

THEY WANT TO VISIT THAT HISTORY. THEY WANT TO WALK THE STREETS WHERE PEOPLE THAT THEY HAVE READ ABOUT IN HISTORY BOOKS, WHERE

THEY WALKED. >> DANNY.

>> YES, I'M TAKEN BY YOUR COMMENT THAT THINGS ARE GETTING DONE. I REMEMBER THE LAST TIME YOU APPEARED BEFORE US AND KIND OF ALERTED US TO THAT.

THE TDC ASKED THE RICHARD AND CHRISTINA TO LOOK INTO THIS AND THEY HAVE. I WAS AT JUNETEENTH, AND THEY WERE THERE. IT IS GREAT TO SEE.

THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVEN'T RECEIVED THIS, CHRISTINA IS

[00:40:01]

IFROM HER.I'M GOING TO READ SOMT SHOCKED ME.

IT SHOULDN'T SHOCK ME, BUT IT DID.

IN THE BLACK HISTORY SECTION OF THIS BOOK, THE LAST LINE OF THE FIRST PARAGRAPH, LAST WORDS, ST. AUGUSTINE IS THE BIRTH PLACE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY. I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.

TALKING TO KATHY ABOUT IT, WELL, YOU DUMMY, OF COURSE.

BUT IT IS NOT WELL KNOWN. THIS COMES WITH A QUESTION.

I'M WANDERING, I'M SORRY. HOW DO YOU SEE THE DEPTH OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MARKET FOR OUR COMMUNITY? YOU TALKED ABOUT OTHER MARKETS. HOW ABOUT US? YOU'RE REPRESENTING ONE OF THE GREAT INSTITUTIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY, LITTLE KNOWN, BUT GREAT.

HOW DO YOU SEE THE MARKET? >> I SEE IT GROWING.

FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE FORT MSAI, ACROSS THE STREET.

THEY ARE ABOUT TO BUILD A REPLICA FORT.

I CAME FROM AN EXCAVATION LAST WEEK WITH SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE ARCHAEOLOGISTS, NOT JUST OUR LOCAL MARINE ARCHAEOLOGISTS, BUT ALSO ARCHAEOLOGISTS FROM TEXAS AND OTHER PLACES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THEY BROUGHT A GROUP OF STUDENTS HERE FOR THE SUMMER.

A LOT OF THEM WERE AFRICAN AMERICAN AND HISPANIC STUDENTS FOR THE FIRST TIME THEY ARE DEVELOPING THAT PART OF OUR HISTORY. AND THEY ARE DEVELOPING AN INTEREST IN YOUNG ARE PEOPLE. THEETHEY ARE GRADUATES, GETTING READY TO GO TO GRADUATE SCHOOL. EVENT LIREVENTUALLY THEY WILL BS IN THE FIELD. I THINK WE HAD, AT OUR LUNCHEON THE OTHER DAY, A PERSON PASSING THROUGH, SHE IS AN ANTHROPOLOGIST. SHE CAME THROUGH, ON HER WAY MOVING FROM SOUTH FLORIDA TO CHARLESTON, MADE A TRIP HERE AND THEN WROTE BACK TO ME THIS MORNING TO TALK ABOUT THE MUSEUM THAT SHE VISIT VISITED THERE. SHE HAS VISITED OUR MUSEUM TWICE AND MADE DONATIONS OF ARTIFACTS. THESE KIND OF THINGS, AS WE TELL THE STORY, LAST WEEK WE WERE A FEATURE, NOT JUST THE MUSEUM, BUT ST. AUGUSTINE AMONG THE 12 BEST DESTINATIONS FOR JUNETEENTH IN U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT. I THINK THAT KIND OF EXPOSURE, THE EXPOSURE THAT WE GET, WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST YEAR IS WE HAVE BEEN INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN SOME OF THE WRITERS GROUPS COMING HERE TO EARN MARKETING THAT DOESN'T COST ANYTHING OTHER THAN A LITTLE BIT OF HOSPITALITY.

SO THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, I THINK, WE CAN DO MORE OF TO CREATE A BRANDING FOR ST. AUGUSTINE THAT SAYS THIS IS A PLACE THAT IS DIVERSE, IT IS INCLUSIVE.

IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN. IT HAS A LONG HISTORY.

IF YOU TALK TO OUR FORMER CITY ARCHAEOLOGIST, C KATHY DEGAN AND SOME OF THE STORIES THAT SHE CAN SHARE WITH YOU ABOUT THE DIVERSITY OF THIS COMMUNITY IN THE 1700S, 1800S, IT PUTS THE REST OF AMERICA TO SHAME. THOSE ARE STORIES THAT WE SIT ON. WE BURY THEM AND THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO SHARE.

SO WHEN WE HAVE OUR HISTORY FESTIVAL, THAT WAS A GREAT SUCCESS, THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR.

WE HAD HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHO CAME, DIDN'T DO A WHOLE LOT OF MARKETING. ALL THE PROGRAMS WERE AVAILABLE PRIMARILY FOR FREE. THOSE ARE THE THINGS PEOPLE WILL COME OUT TO SEE. THE SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THIS COMMUNITY TO VR HAVE MORE THINS LIKE THAT.

THE IDEA IS TO PULL THEM TOGETHER, TO COORDINATE THAT SO THAT THE HISTORY JUST SILT THERE.

SIT THERE. IT IS A RAINY DAY, I CAN COME TO THE MUSEUM. COME TO THE MUSEUM ON A SUNNY DAY AND FEEL THE AIR CONDITIONING WHILE YOU ARE SOAKING UP KNOWLEDGE AND THEN GO TO THE BEACH.

THAT'S THE WAY I THINK, WE CAN JUST DO THE COMBINATION, THIS IS WHY YOU WANT TO COME HERE. YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS OUT ON KNOWING HOW THIS COUNTRY GOT STARTED.

OUR HISTORY IN ST. AUGUSTINE HAS BEEN FROM A HISPANIC OR SPANISH PERSPECTIVE. WHEN I GO TO CONFERENCES AND STUFF ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, AND I DO, AND I WILL BE PRESENTING AT ONE IN AUGUST OF THIS YEAR, I TELL THEM ABOUT ST. AUGUSTINE, THEIR RESPONSE IS, YEAH, WE KNOW BUT, BECAUSE THE HISTORY IS BEING SPUN FROM AN ENGLISH PERSPECTIVE.

OUR HISTORY HAS SPANISH, AFRICAN AMERICAN, INDIGENOUS ROOTS.

THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE IS REDOING HOW THEY ARE TELLING THE STORY OF ST. AUGUSTINE. AND WE WANT TO TEN TO WORK WITH ALL THE PEOPLE, ALL THE DIFFERENT ENTITIES HE HERE TO BD

[00:45:04]

IT IS A GROUP WE PULL TOGETHER OF INSTITUTIONS, MUSEUMS AND FLAGLER COLLEGE AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO DO A YEAR-LONG EXHIBIT AND SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE THAT JUST BOUGHT OUT, THESE ARE THE THINGS IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY HISTORY, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WERE FREE. WHAT IF WE HAD MONEY TO PROMOTE THAT OUTSIDE OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY? WE COULD DO SO MUCH. BUT I THINK YOU HAVE TO START WITH AN IDEA AND A DESIRE TO DO THAT.

YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE CREATIVE IN HOW YOU GET PEOPLE TO COME HERE. THE HOTELS WILL BE FILLED IF WE GET PEOPLE TO COME FOR ACTIVITIES.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK I.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO OUR NEXT LIST OF ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THIS WILL BE TO ASK FOR NOMINATIONS FROM THE BOARD, REMEMBERING THAT THERE ARE OTHER NAMES UP THERE IF YOU SO DESIRE AS TERA REMINDED US. THEN WHEN WE ARE FINISHED WITH NOMINATIONS, WE WILL HAVE DISCUSSION ABOUT THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN NOMINATED. AND THEN WE WE WILL CALL FOR MOTION. AND THEN PUBLIC COMMENT.

AND THEN VOTE. IN THAT ORDER.

UNLESS ANYBODY QUESTIONS THAT. I THINK THAT'S THE ORDER WE WILL GO IN. TERA.

>> CAN I QUICKLY ASK, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO HAS SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION WHO IS ON THE LIST.

RAISE Y YOUR HAND. JUST CHECKING.

>> MR. CHAIRMAN, I WOULD LIKE TO TOMORROW NATURE GAYLE PHILIPS

FOR MY SEAT, FORMERLY MY SEAT. >> SECOND?

>> I WILL SECOND. >> ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? WE HAVE TO GET ALL THE NOMINATIONS FIRST.

>> OTHER NOMINATIONS? >> MR. CHAIRMAN, I WILL NOMINATE IRVING KASS. I DO WANT TO SAY, I WILL SAY THIS LATER, TOO, ALL THREE APPLICANTS ARE VERY GOOD.

SHAME WE DON'T HAVE THREE OPENINGS.

BUT I WILL NOMINATE IRVING KASS. >> SECOND?

[INAUDIBLE]. >> SO ACTUALLY -- WELL, FIRST CALL IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS.

>> ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? [INAUDIBLE].

>> I THINK YOU CLOSE IT. I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE TO VOTE.

>> [INAUDIBLE]. >> I WILL START OFF.

CHAIRMAN'S PREROGATIVE. I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER THAT WE ARE STUNNINGLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THREE OUTSTANDING CANDIDATES. I'M NOT SURE WHETHER WE CAN SAY IT IS A TRIBUTE TO THE INTEREST OR IT IS A TRIBUTE TO THE POSSIBILITIES OF THIS WORKING GROUP.

BUT I HAVE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME.

I CAN'T REMEMBER HAVING THREE OUTSTANDING CANDIDATES COME AND PRESENT BEFORE US. IT IS TOUGH TO VOTE NOW FOR ONE OF TWO. THE TWO TOMORROW NATURE NOMINATE OUTSTANDING. HOWEVER, A STATEMENT TO SHARE THAT I FEEL IT IS MY OBLIGATION TO BE HERE TO REPRESENT THE TOURISM INDUSTRY AS A MEMBER OF THAT INDUSTRY AND AS A BENEFICIARY OF THE SUCCESSFUL MARKETING AND ADVERTISING ACTIONS THAT MANY OF US HAVE ENJOYED FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS AT LEAST AND THOSE ACTIONS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED WITH BED TAX DOLLARS. I NOW AM CONCERNED THAT WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING MAY BE IN JEOPARDY IN TERMS OF HOW WE

[00:50:01]

SO I SECOND THE NOMINATION BUT I AM A SUPPORTER OF IRVING.

HE IS A TDC TAX COLLECTOR, HAS A GREAT DEAL OF KNOWLEDGE AND RECENT EXPERIENCE WITH THE COMPLICATED ISSUES OF FUNDING THE MARKETING AND ADVERTISING OF THIS DESTINATION.

SO MY OPINION, WE NEED A PERSON SERVING ON THE COUNCIL WHO, SIMILAR TO ME, OPERATES A SMALL BUSINESS IN THIS DESTINATION AND WE, I KNOW I DO, DEPEND GREATLY ON THE SUCCESS OF THE MARKETING OF THIS ORGANIZATION. I DON'T HAVE A FLAG.

I DON'T HAVE A BIG MARKETING BUDGET.

LIKE MOST OF THE TOURISM BUSINESSES IN THIS DESTINATION, WE DON'T HAVE THAT. WE DEPEND ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY OBJECT WORD OF MOUTH, DOING A GOOD JOB WHILE WE HAVE OUR CUSTOMERS, AND WHAT THE VCB MARKETING AGENCY AND THE CULTURAL COUNCIL DO FOR US IN THAT REALM.

I'M NERVOUS ABOUT WHAT MAY BE HAPPENING TO THAT.

THEREFORE, I AM IN SUPPORT OF US ELECTING IRVING KASS TO THE SOON

TO BE VACANT POSITION. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I CAN ELABORATE ON THAT ALSO. I COME FROM A BUSINESS BACKGROUND. WE MADE IT THROUGH A RECESSION ON OUR MONEY. WE MADE IT THROUGH THE CHANGES IN THE ECONOMY. THE QUESTION IS ASKED WHAT WE SAW IN THE NEXT YEAR. MR. KASS HAS BEEN THROUGH IT, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IN THE NEXT YEAR, THAT CONCERN ME AS THE BUSINESS SIDE OF IT, HOW IT IS MANAGED BECAUSE THERE'S FACTORS OUT THERE THAT CAN GET REALLY TOUGH.

ACTUALLY, THERE WAS AN ARTICLE TODAY THAT TALKED ABOUT HOW TOURISTS ARE BEING A LITTLE PUNISHED FOR THE SLOW TIMES IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. ELEELEVATED RATES, ELEVATED EVERYTHING. SO REALLY TO ME IT IS A BUSINESS DECISION, HOW WE MOVE FORWARD, WHAT REPRESENTATION I WOULD LIKE TO SEE. AS MIKE SAYS, NOTHING AGAINST THE OTHER TWO APPLICANTS, VERY GOOD FOR WHAT THEY DO, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE BEEN ON THE BUSINESS SIDE OF IT ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TIME. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

>> I WANT TO THROW SOME THOUGHTS OUT FOR MAYBE JUST TO PLAY DEVILS ADVOCATE. I DON'T DISAGREE WITH ANYTHING THAT THE COMMISSIONER OR THAT OUR HONORABLE CHAIRMAN HAS SAID.

I AGREE, IT IS A BUSINESS THING. WHEN I LOOK AT THE AUDIENCE OF THE LIGHTHOUSE AND PEOPLE COMING TO ATTRACTIONS AND PEOPLE TO SEEK CULTURE AND INDUSTRY, I SEE DIVERSITY IN A WAY THAT I HAVEN'T SEEN IT BEFORE EVER. I THINK THAT THE NEEDS OF THAT AUDIENCE HAVE CHANGED A LOT. I DON'T KNOW IF IT HAS BEEN MEASURED. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US MEASURE IT. FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE, I LIKE TO THINK I AM A GOOD BUSINESS PERSON, AND NOBODY IS BETTER THAN IRVING, BUT GAYLE SPEAKING TO THE AUDIENCE WE HAVE NOW. I THINK IT IS A REALLY POWERFUL THING AND I DO THINK WE NEED REPRESENTATION, NO MATTER WHO WE ELECT UP HERE, I THINK WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THAT IN OUR AUDIENCE AND WE DO NEED TO LOOK AND TELL THOSE STORIES IN A POWERFUL WAY. SO I'M HAPPY WITH EITHER OF THESE PEOPLE BOTH OF WHOM I CONSIDER FRIENDS.

AND BOTH ARE SMART AS A WHIP AND I JUST WANT TO SAY ON GAYLE'S BEHALF, SOMEBODY NEEDS TO SPEAK UP FOR THEM, THAT THAT -- RUNNING A MUSEUM IS A BUSINESS. IT IS NOT JUST A BUSINESS OF ONE TYPE. IT IS A BUSINESS OF SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPE ROLES. HOTELS ARE LIKE THAT, TOO, I GET IT. TALK ABOUT BEING TOUGH.

TAKING A SMALL MUSEUM AND TURNING IT INTO SOMETHING GLOWING, I WANT TO COMMEND YOU, GAYLE, FOR THE LINCOLNVILLE MUSEUM. I WAS THERE THIS WEEKEND.

IT WAS FABULOUS. NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, YOU HAVE

[00:55:04]

A LOT TO BE PROUD OF. >> I FEEL I SHOULD MAKE A BRIEF COMMENT. GAYLE HAS ALL KINDS OF CREDENTIALS AND FLOYD AND GAYLE HAVE BROUGHT AN ATTRACTION PRETTY MUCH WITHOUT OUR HELP UP UNTIL RECENTLY.

GAYLE PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO HAVE DIVERSITY ON THIS BOARD. SHE SPOKE ABOUT THAT AND I WILL SPEAK ABOUT IT. IRVING AND I HAVE SERVED ON THIS BOARD AND HE EMINENTLY QUALIFIED.

BUT GAYLE BRINGS SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING THAT I FEEL IS VERY IMPORTANT. NOT ONLY FOR ST. JOHNS BUT FOR THE WHOLE NATION. I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE DIVERSITY. WE NEED TO HAVE INCLUSION.

IT IS PRETTY HARD TO JUDGE FOR GAYLE AND FLOYD AND THE REST OF OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT THINGS WE DON'T KNOW.

AT THE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION OVER THE WEEKEND, I HEARD THINGS I DIDN'T KNOW. I READ IN CHRISTINA'S MARKETING -- SORRY TO STEAL YOUR THUNDER, I READ IN THINGS I DIDN'T KNOW AND I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN.

BUT WE WON'T KNOW UNLESS WE SAY, WE HAVE TO INCLUDE, WE HAVE TO HAVE DIVERSITY. SO THAT'S WHY I NOMINATED GAYLE.

NOT AN EASY NOMINATION BECAUSE THE OTHER TWO APPLICANTS THAT WE SEE TODAY, BOTH ARE EMINENTLY QUALIFIED.

BOTH SERVE WITH GREAT ADVANTAGE TO US.

BUT YOU HAVE SOMETHING UNIQUE, GAYLE.

AND THAT'S WHY I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR YOU.

THANK YOU. >> I CERTAINLY AGREE WITH BOTH OF MY COLLEAGUES TO MY RIGHT ABOUT THE QUALIFICATIONS AND ABILITIES OF GAYLE. I JUST WANT TO EXPAND A LITTLE BIT ON THE COMMISSIONER USED THE WORD BUSINESS, IRVING, SO DID KATHY, BUSINESS PERSON, YES, BUT ALSO VERY ASTUTE AT THE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AND POLITICS OF THIS ARENA.

THAT'S WHAT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT GOING FORWARD.

THAT THINGS COULD CHANGE DUE TO POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT ALTERATIONS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE SUCCESS THAT WE HAVE ENJOYED.

THAT'S WHERE I THINK HE HAS EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS THAT WILL, RIGHT NOW, AT THIS TIME, MAY BE VALUABLE.

TWO YEARS FROM NOW, MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN THE SAME.

BUT NOW I THINK THAT THAT'S A SKILL SET THAT WE NEED AS WE WORK OUR WAY THROUGH SOME OF WHAT IS BEING DISCUSSED OUT THERE. OTHER COMMENTS?

>> I'LL BE HAPPY TO JUMP IN. I'M LISTENING TO EVERYBODY.

REALLY GOOD POINTS WERE MADE. I THINK THAT WE HAVE SOME GREAT CHOICES, WHICH IS WONDERFUL NEWS.

I APPRECIATED THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE EVER HAD THE PRESENTATIONS, WHICH I LIKE. I THINK IT WILL GIVE A STRONGER CASE WHEN WE SEND THIS TO THE BCC AS RECOMMENDATION.

WE ARE NOT MAKING THE FINAL DECISION, IT IS THE BCC THAT MAKE THE FINAL DECISION. WE HOPE WE CAN COUNT ON THAT OUR REPRESENTATIVE WILL CARRY THAT RECOMMENDATION TO THE BCC.

I LOVE THE WORK THAT LINCOLNVILLE MUSEUM HAS BEEN DOING. I THINK IT IS FABULOUS.

I THINK IT SAYS A LOT THAT THEY HAVE REALLY BEEN WORKING WITH THE WRITERS GROUP, INDEPENDENTLY BRINGING THEIR OWN ATTENTION TO THE MUSEUM. I THINK THEY UNDERSTAND MARKETING. I THINK THAT I AGREE THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS MORE ON AFRICAN AMERICAN PART OF OUR HISTORY IN THE ST. AUGUSTINE STORY. IT JUST WILL KEEP OUR VISITORS, I THINK IT WILL KEEP OUR IDEAS FRESH.

IF ANYTHING THAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD IN THIS REPEATEDLY IS THAT TO ATTRACT THE NEW GENERATION OF MILLENNIALS, THAT COHORT AND THE FOLLOWING GENERATIONS, WE NEED TO KEEP OUR STORY FRESH.

WE NEED TO BE TELLING NEW THINGS AND BRINGING NEW IDEAS FORWARD.

THAT'S NOT THAT IRVING DOESN'T HAVE NEW IDEAS.

HIS BACKGROUND AND HIS KNOWLEDGE IS SUBURB ON BUSINESSES.

HIS EXPERIENCE HERE WITH THIS BOARD.

SO IT IS A HARD DECISION FOR ME. BUT I FEEL LIKE I WANT TO FALL

[01:00:05]

SO I AM SUPPORT GAYLE PHILIPS. THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE COMING OUT AND SPENDING THEIR TIME ON THIS HOLIDAY DAY TO TALK TO US.

>> MR. CHAIRMAN, I WILL CALL THE QUESTION.

>> SO I BELIEVE THE POLICY IS WE TAKE THE VOTE IN THE ORDER THAT THE NOMINATIONS WERE RECEIVED. IS THAT CORRECT?

>> THAT IS CORRECT. >> SO MISS PHILIPS WAS NOMINATED FIRST AND MR. KASS NOMINATED SECT.

WE SHOULD CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

>> I CURRENTLY AM A MARKETING CONSULTANT FOR THE RADISSON HOTEL HERE IN ST. AUGUSTINE. I SPENT TEN YEARS AS A GM OF THE HILTON HERE. AND HAVE SERVED ON VCB AND CHAIRMAN OF VCB. I SAY THAT NOT TO BRAG ABOUT MYSELF BUT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND AND I COULD GO INTO MY DUVAL COUNTY SERVICES.

THE FACTS OF LIFE HERE ARE IRVING KASS IS YOUR BEST OPTION AT THIS TIME. WHAT I DON'T THINK SOME OF YOU ARE REALIZING IS THAT WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE ECONOMY RIGHT NOW, THE HOTEL INDUSTRY IS GOING TO DEAL WITH SOME VERY CHALLENGING ISSUES. OCCUPANCY, HOTEL RATE, THINGS -- THEY SEEM TO BE CYCLE CAL. AL.

THE FIRST ONE WAS IN '78. YOU NEED SOMEBODY LIKE IRVING KASS BECAUSE HE HAS GONE THE BACKGROUND AND THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU WILL FACE. THEE CHALLENGES ARE GOING TO REDUCE YOUR COLLECTIONS CRRABLY. CONSIDERABLY.

I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST THE OTHER YOUNG LADY.

BUT I DON'T THINK SHE IS THE RIGHT PERSON AT THE RIGHT TIME.

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? YES, SIR.

YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. >> MY NAME IS FLOYD PHILIPS.

I HAVE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT GAYLE PHILIPS HAPPENS TO BE MY WIFE. COUPLE THINGS THAT SHE FAILED TO MENTION, SHE HAS BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS OWNER.

SHE WAS IN THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS IN TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA, HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL CAREER IN THAT REAN.

ARENA. AS YOU KNOW, THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS IS PERHAPS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST IN THE COUNTRY.

SHE WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AT IT. WHEN SHE RETIRED, EVERYONE BECAME VERY UPSET BECAUSE THEY KNEW THEY WOULD MISS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THAT ORGANIZATION. GAYLE PHILIPS, IN MY OPINION, IS THE VERY BEST PERSON FOR THE JOB AT THIS TIME.

YOU KNOW, YESTERDAY IS GONE, TOMORROW MAY NEVER COME.

BUT RIGHT NOW IS WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH.

THE LACK OF DIVERSITY IN THIS COMMUNITY, IN MOST ORGANIZATIONS, IS CRITICAL AND FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WE ALL LIVE IN BUBBLES. I CAN SAY FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THAT WE ALL SHOULD OCCUPY AND EXPERIENCE THE VERY BEST THAT WE CAN NO MATTER WHERE WE ARE.

THIS IS WHY WE DO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO AT THE LINCOLNVILLE MUSEUM WITH EXCELLENCE. WE STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE IN ALL THAT WE DO. WE TEACH YOUNG PEOPLE.

WE TAKE ON INTERNS. WE DO THESE THINGS BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT. THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN ALL ENJOY THE THINGS THAT PROMOTE AN EXCELLENT QUALITY OF LIFE FOR

[01:05:05]

AND WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT. WE HAVE TO BE TRANSPARENT.

22 YEARS AGO, THERE ABOUT, WHEN WE DID THE VISION STUDY IN ST.

JOHNS COUNTY, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WAS WE WANTED TO PRESENT AND CREATE A GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED.

SO FOR A MOMENT JUST TO THINK ABOUT THE HOTEL INDUSTRY, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO COME TO ST. AUGUSTINE.

THE NUMBERS ARE WHAT THEY ARE AND THEY ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE. SO IN ORDER TO ACCELERATE THAT PROCESS, WE HAVE TO HAVE NEW IDEAS, NEW BLOOD, NEW INTERESTS.

SO I THINK GAYLE PHILIPS IS THE PERSON FOR THIS POSITION AT THIS TIME IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. >> ANYONE ELSE? YOU HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE. YOU KNOW THE DRILL.

>> JI, DIANE MATARAZA. I COULD NOT AGREE WITH MORE WITH THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE CANDIDATES.

I LIKE TO THINK THAT I RAILROADS GOING TO STAY CLOSE WHETHER HE IS ON THE COMMISSION OR NOT. HE IS ONE OF THE PEOPLE I RESPECT MOST. BUT I LEAN TOWARD WHAT KATHY AND DANNY AND COMMISSIONER NANCY SIKES-KLINE HAS STATED IN TERMS OF NEW CONTENT, LEANING FORWARD, TO INCLUDE INFORMATION THAT SETS US APART FROM OTHER PLACES IN THE COUNTRY.

I HAVE DONE NATIONAL CONSULTING WORK.

I'M CURRENTLY WORKING WITH A PRESERVATION GROUP NOW IN PHILADELPHIA THAT IS WORKING INTERNATIONALLY AND PEOPLE ARE SCRAMBLING FOR FIRST VOICE EXPERTISE AND CONTENT IN PLANNING WHAT NEW EXPERIENCES COULD BE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

I'M ALSO DOING WORK IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, IN WINTER PARK, AND THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE SCRAMBLING TO BRE BRING IN ALLIES OF FIRST VOICES WITH THE EXPERTISE THAT WE HAVE SITTING IN THIS ROOM.

TO NOT PUT GAYLE ON THIS COMMISSION AT THIS TIME I THINK WOULD BE A VERY GRAVE OVERSIGHT. I THINK THAT WE HAD AN ASSET HERE, WE SHOULD BE CELEBRATING THAT AND DOING EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN TO PUT HER UP ON OUR SHOULDERS AND LISTEN TO WHAT SHE HAS TO OFFER BECAUSE IT CAN SET THIS COMMUNITY APART IN WAYS THAT WILL BE NATIONALLY AND I THINK INTERNATIONALLY RECO RECOGNIZED. SHE IS A PRECIOUS ASSET.

I HOPE YOU WILL HER CANNING DOGS SI.

CANDIDACY. THANK YOU.

A. THAT YOU, ANYONE ELSE? PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.

AND WE ARE BACK TO THE MOTION NANCY, IS THAT A MOTION?

NO? >> I CALL THE QUESTION.

>> SO WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND?

>> MR. BARENBERG CALL THE QUESTION.

THEN WE HAD PUBLIC COMMENT. WE TAKE UP A VOTE FOR NOMINATIONS NOTICE ORDER THEY WERE RECEIVED.

IT WOULD BE VOTE ON THE NOMINATION FOR MISS PHILIPS FOLLOWED BY A VOTE OF FOR MR. KASS.

>> ROLL CALL VOTE HAS BEEN REQUESTED.

>> SO I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT. MR. CHAIRMAN, WHEN WE VOTE WE ARE VOTING ON GAYLE FIRST. IF THAT MOTION PASSES, DO WE VOTE ON IRVING AS WELL AFTER THAT? OR DO WE NOT? HOW DOES THAT WORK?

>> SO I BELIEVE THE WAY THAT IT WORKS, CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG, IF YOU HAVE PREVAILING VOTE ON FIRST NOMINEE, YOU DO NOT TAKE ANY FURTHER VOTES. YOU HAVE A WINNING VOTE.

IF YOU HAVE A FAILING VOTE, YOU MOVE TO THE SECOND.

[01:10:02]

>> SO ROLL CALL, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF GAYLE REGINA PHILIPS.

>> DANIE BARENBERG. >> IF FAVOR.

>> JOE FINNEGAN. >> NO.

>> KATHY FLEMING. >> AYE.

>> NANCY SIKES-KLINE. >> YES.

COMMISSIONER WALDRON. >> NO.

>> SO YOU HAVE THREE YESES AND FIVE, THAT GIVES YOU A

PREVAILING VOTE. >> SO GAYLE HAS BEEN VOTED AS OUR NOMINEE TO SAY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

CONGRATULATIONS. WE WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION TODAY AND PARTICULARLY THE THREE NOMINEES FOR COMING, STANDING BEFORE US AND FOR GOOD DIALOGUE WITH THE AUDIENCE AS WELL. THANK YOU.

>> SO WHAT WE WILL DO NEXT, I WILL WRITE A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION ON YOUR BEHALF AND SUBMIT IT TO OUR MANAGE MANY MANAGEMENTTO PUT IT ON THE FEW C FOR OUR NEXT MEETING.

THIS MAY BE DANNY'S LAST MEE MEETING.

IF WE ARE NOT SUCCESSFUL, WE WILL SEE DANNY ONE MORE TIME.

>> I THINK WE HAVE SAID SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST YEAR, THIS MAY

BE DANNY'S LAST MEETING. >> HE IS VERY PERSISTENT.

[8. CULTURAL COUNCIL FY23 PROMOTION PLAN PRESENTATION]

>> I BELIEVE IT WILL BE THE LAST MEETING IN JULY BUT IT MAY BE THE FIRST MEETING IN AUGUST. AUGUST WILL BE OUR NEXT MEETING.

>> SO WE ARE NOW TO AGENDA ITEM NO. 8.

CULTURAL COUNCIL PROMOTION PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 23.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M GOING TO APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE. I'M A LITTLE UNDER THE WEATHER, SO I DON'T HAVE MY NORMAL POWER OF VOICE.

SO EEM I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH S FAIRLY QUICKLY.

FORTUNATELY, DANNY HAS STARTED MY PRESENTATION FOR ME.

THAT WILL HELP. YOU HAD THE PLAN IN YOUR PACKET AND WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT AT PREVIOUS MEETINGS.

THE POWERPOINT I EVER IS A REDUCED VERSION OF THE PLAN AND IT INCLUDES A FEW ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS THAT I DID NOT SHARE IN THE PLAN ITSELF. SO WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, OUR OBJECTIVE. TO SUPPORT TO MAKE ST. JOHNS COUNTY PREMIER VACATION AND BUSINESS LEISURE DESTINATION IN FLORIDA. AND THAT IS OUR OBJECTIVE AS WELL, TO STRENGTHEN THAT PROGRAM TO ELEVATE OUR MARKET POSITION.

TO DO THAT, WE HAVE ESTABLISHED A FEW DIFFERENT GOALS.

WE ARE GOING TO UTILIZE EXISTING ST. JOHNS COUNTY CULTURAL ASSETS. I WILL TALK ABOUT THOSE SHORTLY.

WE WANT TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN NEW VISITORS IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY, INCLUDING THE TYPES OF VISITORS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DURING THE NOMINATION PROCESS FOR THE NEW TDC MEMBER.

, WE WANT TO INCREASE YOUR ROUND TOURISM, INCREASE TOURISM THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY SO THAT SOME OF THE UNDER UTILIZED BUT ALSO VERY IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE COUNTY AND STORIES WE HAVE TO TELL ARE HIGHLIGHTED. WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY TO CREATE NEW SPECIAL EVENTS AND PROGRAMMING TO SUPPORT THOSE GELS.

GOALS. IN THAT WAY WE ARE DIFFERENT FROM THE VCB. I WANT TO STEP BACK, OUR GOAL AT THE CULTURAL COUNCIL, MUCH SMALLER BUDGET AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF RESPONSIBILITIES, IS TO COMPLEMENT THE WORK OF THE VCB TO COORDINATE WITH THEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

IN OUR PLARNT PLAN, YOU WILL USH MORE FOCUSED ON TARTED AREAS. T.

WE HAVE TO DES STRETCH OUR SMALR POTS OF MONEY FACTOR.

WE WANT TO ESTABLISH ST. JOHNS COUNTY AS IMPORTNT CULL TIEWRM L DESTINATION IN THE U.S. THAT GOES BACK TO THE CONVERSATION WE HAD. WE ARE AN INCREDIBLE DESTINATION. THE VK VCB HAS DONE AN AMAZING.

[01:15:02]

WE HAVE. ALTHOUGH OUR PLAN FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR DOESN'T INCLUDE A LOT OF INTERNATIONAL WORK, THANKS TO THE CONTINUING ISSUES RELATED TO COVID AND TRAVEL, THAT IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO BE PURSUING FOR THE FUTURE.

SO HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE STORIES CULTURAL COUNCIL WILL CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT IN OUR MARKETING EFFORTS, WE FOCUS ON THE EARLY HISTORY OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY, THE ST. AUGUSTINE AS AMERICA'S OLDEST CITIEST CITY AND WE HAVE GONE THROUGH A NUMBER OF THE MANY, MANY CULTURAL ASSETS WE HAVE TO HIGHLIGHT. ONE OF THE IMPORTANT PERIODS OF TIME THAT'S PARTICULARLY TIMELY NOW WITH THE INTERNATIONAL INTEREST IN THE GILDED AGE, THANKS TO TELEVISION AND OTHER PROMOTION OF THAT PERIOD, ARE OUR OUTSTANDING GILDED AGE ASSETS BROUGHT HERE STARTING WITH HENRY FLAGLER.

BLACK HISTORY, WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHY THAT IS SO IMPORTANT. ST. JOHNS COUNTY IS THE BIRTH PLACE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY.

WE HAVE HAD AFRICAN AFR AFRICAS COUNTY SINCE THE EARLIEST DAYS OF THE SPANISH PERIOD AND THE EVENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED HERE AS A WHOLE ARE AS SIGNIFICANT AS THOSE THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN ANY OTHER COMMUNITY IN THE UNITED STATES.

I JUST CAME BACK FROM WASHINGTON AND VISITED THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MUSEUM THERE AND I WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT THERE WAS NOT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED HERE IN ST.

JOHNS COUNTY. I HAVE ADDED THAT TO MY LIST OF THINGS TO WORK ON TO TRY TO INCLUDE SOME MORE EXHIBITS ABOUT OUR HISTORY IN THAT MUSEUM BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING ABOUT FORT MOSAIX, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SITES IN AMERICAN HISTORY. THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED DURING THE CIVIL RIGHTS ERA, THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION, WERE CRITICAL TO THE PASSAGE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT. THIS IS ONE AREA WE ARE REALLY GOING TO INTENSIFY OUR FOCUS ON. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THAT THE LAST COUPLE YEARS. BLACK HISTORICAL HERITAGE SITES WE PLAN TO PROMOTE. OUR CULTURAL LANDSCAPES TIE INTO HISTORY AND WHILE WE TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT AT A PREVIOUS MEETING, WHETHER THAT WAS APPROPRIATE FOR US TO PROMOTE, BUT IT IS PART OF OUR STORY AND WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY, LITERARY HISTORY, EVEN OUR MARITIME HISTORY, OUR HISPANIC HISTORY WOWL WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THOSE CULTURAL LANDSCAPES. ALSO ALSO ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE INCREASE VISITORS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY BY ENCOURAGING THEM TO GET OUT AND SEE PLACES IN MORE REMOTE PARTS OF THE COUNTY. WE HAVE IMPORTANT AGRICULTURAL OUTSTANDING CULINARY SCENE. LITERARY HERITAGE IS ANOTHER AREA WE INTEND TO LEVERAGE THIS YEAR WITH PEOPLE LIKE STETSON KENNEDY AND OTHERS, WE ARE ALSO ADDING A STRONGER FOCUS ON GAMBLE ROGERS. THAT'S ONE WITH WAY TO I AM PIMPLEMENTTHE MUSIC TOURISM STU. LOOKING AT REALLY ELEVATED MR. ROGERS' STATUS. FOR ANYONE WHO IS WATCHING WHO ISN'T FAMILIAR, HE IS A RORLD FAMOUS MUSICIAN WHO LIVED IN ST.

JOHNS COUNTY AND IS RENOWNED, REVERED BY MANY OF OUR MOST FAMOUS PERFORMERS NOW. THERE'S A FESTIVAL THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. GROWING SOME YEARS, BECOMING SMALLER OTHERS. IT IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO PROMOTE. SO WE ARE WORKING ON EXPANDING

THAT EVENT. >>> OUR CULTURAL BRAND PROMISE THROUGHOUT OUR MARKETING IS ONLY IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY CAN YOU EXPERIENCE FIVE CENTURIES OF DIVERSE, AUTHENTIC HERITAGE AND CULTURAL ASSETS WITH AN OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF FIRSTS AND ONLY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HOUSED AMONG EXPANSIVE CULTURAL LANDSCAPES, BEAUTIFUL BEACHES AND FRIENDLY FLORIDA HOSPITALITY. OUR TARGET MARKET, AS WE HAVE DISCUSSED BEFORE, IS PRIMARILY BABY BOOMERS AND MILLENNIALS.

ALTHOUGH CERTAINLY THE GENERATION THAT BRIDGES MILLENNIALS AND BABY BOOMERS ARE INTERESTED IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY AND DO RESPOND TO MUCH OF OUR MARKETING EFFORTS.

OUR PRIMARY TARGET GEOGRAPHIC MARKET ARE A NATIONAL MARKET.

WE DO THINK WE NEED TO WORK TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF OUR CULTURAL ASSETS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, WHICH PARTICULAR

[01:20:02]

WE DON'T THINK IT IS THAT TIME YET.

OUR MARKETING STRATEGIES, I'M GOING TO REVIEW SOME OF THE THINGS WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST YEAR SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT WE ARE PLANNING TO DO IN THE NEXT YEAR.

SO LAST YEAR, I START OUT WITH A REMINDER THAT ONE OF OUR ROLES, AND IT IS PART OF OUR TOURISM PROGRAM, IS THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE ARTS CULTURAL HERITAGE GRANT PROGRAM.

THOSE GRANTS ARE INTENDED TO FUND PROGRAMMING AND EVENTS THAT BRING TOURISTS HERE AND ALSO A LARGE MARKETING BUDGET.

EACH OF THOSE GRANTS IS REQUIRES THAT THE GRANTEE SPENT 25% OF THE FUNDS ON MARKETING. THAT IS PART OF OUR PLAN.

ALTHOUGH I DON'T TALK ABOUT IT A LOT.

THAT IS ONE THING THE CULTURAL COUNCIL DOES.

WE DEVELOPED OUR MARKETING PLAN. THE FIRST NEW EVENT WE WORKED ON BRINGING HERE TO ST. AUGUSTINE FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL, WE STARTED DEVELOPING THE MARKETING MATERIALS LIKE THE CULTURAL GUIDE YOU HAVE SEEN. LAST YEAR WE WORKED WITH THE ST.

AUGUSTINE MUSIC FESTIVAL TO LAUNCH THE FIRST OFFICIAL JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY AND I WILL TALK ABOUT WHY THAT WAS IMPORTANT IN A MINUTE.

WE PROVIDED SUPPORT FOR SINGING OUT LOUD FESTIVAL TO CONTINUE.

WE HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY THIS YEAR, AGAIN, WE CONTINUED ART CULTURAL HERITAGE GRANTS. COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL THINGS STARTING LAST YEAR, MY SECOND YEAR WITH THE CULTURAL COUNCIL, WE MADE SURE WE ATTENDED ALL OF THE GRANT FUNDED EVENTS AND VISITED EVERY PROGRAM AND REVIEWED THOSE.

>> THANK YOU. >> IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW WHAT OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE GOING SPO SUPPORT.

GOING TO SUPPORT.

WE ALSO STARTED PROVIDING ADDITIONAL GRANT WRITING SUPPORT TO THE ORGANIZATIONS WE WORK WITH NOT APPLYING FOR THE TDC GRANTS BUT TO HELP THEM APPLY FOR STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS AND HAVE HAD OUTSTANDING SUCCESS WITH THAT.

THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN THESE YEARS THAT OUR GRANT POOL HAS DECLINED. IT IS STILL FOR THIS NEXT YEAR NOT UP TO WHAT I THINK IT SHOULD BE.

SO OUR ABILITY TO HELP OUR CULTURAL ORGANIZES GO OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY TO GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING HAS BEEN VERY IMPORTANT.

SO I'M NOT GOING TO READ EVERYTHING ON THIS LIST THAT YOU SEE HERE. THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PAST YEAR.

MAYBE I WILL POINT THESE OUT. THEY ARE PRETTY BIG.

WE LAUNCHED THE NEW CULTURAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN, PUBLISHING AND DISTRIBUTING OUR CULTURAL TOURISM GUIDE.

A DOCUMENT WE GET DAILY EMAILS, LETTERS AND CALLING ABOUT.

WE HELPED TO DEVELOP SOME NEW MUSIC TOURS FOR BLACK HITION TORE MONTHS. BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

WE OBTAINED A NATIONAL REGULAR LISTING FOR ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH HOTEL AT LEVEL OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. THAT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT IS GOING TO BE PART OF THE WORK WE PLAN TO DO NEXT YEAR IN CONTINUING TO PROMOTE CIVIL RIGHTS HISTORY OF THIS AREA.

WE ALSO WERE SUCCESSFUL IN OBTAINING TWO SIGNIFICANT GRANTS RELATED TO THAT BEACH HOTEL FROM THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND NATIONAL TRUST THAT WILL HELP US WITH THE NEW PERMANENT CIVIL RIGHTS EXHIBITION THERE. WE ALSO RECEIVED A $500,000 GRANT FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA TO HELP RESTORE THAT BUILDING.

WE LAUNCHED THE ST. AUGUSTINE POET FEST, START OF OUR LITERARY PROGRAM. WE OPENED A CULTURAL VENUE.

WE ARE HAVING LOTS OF NEW PROGRAMMING.

BOTH FOR LOCALS AND BUSINESS. WE FINALLY FILMED THE EPISODE OF SAMANTHA BROWN'S PLACES TO LOVE. PREMIER IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY OF NEXT YEAR. WE HELPED TO EXPAND THE ST.

AUGUSTINE FESTIVAL WITH NEW DOWNTOWN EVENTS.

WE HELPED TO SUPPORT THE SECOND ANNUAL JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION, MUCH LARGER AND INCLUDED A NUMBER OF EVENTS IN ADDITION TO THE CONCERT. AND WAS QUITE SUCCESSFUL.

AS GAYLE MENTIONED, OUR PUBLIC RELATIONS TEAM WAS ABLE TO WORK WITH U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT TO PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT LED TTHEM TO INCLUDING IT IN THEIR LIST OF PLACES TO CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH. WE STARTED WORK ON NEW CULINARY EVENT. WE EXPANDING THE G GULLAH F

[01:25:14]

I MENTIONED SAMANTHA BROWN. THE ANNUAL GUIDE TO THE U.S.

CIVIL RIGHTS TRAIL. JUST LAST MONTH THE NEW YORK TEAMS FEATURED ST. AUGUSTINE IN THEIR SUNDAY PRINT DIGITAL AND E BLAST FOCUSING ON THE ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE AND ST. AUGUSTINE MUSIC FESTIVAL.

WE WORKED WITH NATIONAL TRUST TO PUBLISH AN ONLINE GUIDE TO ST.

JOHNS COUNTY. OUR SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS INCREASED BY MORE THAN 50% IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS.

OUR OPT-IN NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS INCREASED BY MORE THAN A HUNDRED PERCENT. WE DELIVERED 60,000 COPIES OF THE CULTURAL GUIDE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES FOCUSING ON AREAS WITH THE FLIGHTS, DIRECT FLIGHTS TO JACKSONVILLE AND ST.

AUGUSTINE. THE ART AND PUBLIC SPACES WAS HONORED AS OUTSTANDING PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION BY THE FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF PUBLIC ART PROFESSIONALS.

WE WERE NAME THE FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF LIBRARIES BUSINESS PARTNER OF THE YEAR FOR OUR COLLABORATION WITH ST. JOHNS LIBRARY AND MARKETING FOR THOSE PROGRAMS. AND BACK TO THAT GRANT WRITING ASSISTANCE, IT HAS SUPPORTED ABOUT TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN STATE AND NATIONAL FUNDING FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS.

THOSE ARE ONLY THE GRANTS THAT WE DID COLLABORATE WITH ORGANIZES AND PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR.

OUR ORGANIZATIONS HAVE RECEIVED ADDITIONAL FUNDS BEYOND THAT TWO AND A HALF MILLION. SO FOR NEXT YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THE WORK WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST TWO YEARS.

THE ARTS CULTURE AND HERITAGE GRANT PROGRAM, WE WILL CONTINUE TO ATTEND ALL OF THE EVENTS. WE ARE CONTINUING TO PROVIDE THAT GRANT WRITING SUPPORT. WE WILL HOST ADD DIG AL ADDITIOL PROGRAMMING AT THE WATER WORKS. WE PLAN TO WORK ON DEVELOPING A LITERARY TRAIL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, DEVELOPING OUR CIVIL RIGHTS EXHIBIT AND APP AT THE BEACH BUT ALSO WORK WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO PROMOTE CIVIL RIGHTS HISTORY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. IN OCTOBER, WE WILL LAUNCH THE NEW GAMBLE ROGERS FESTIVAL. IN NOVEMBER, IF THE WORK WE ARE DOING NOW IS SUCCESSFUL, WE WILL PRESENT WIT WHISKEY, WINE AND WILDLIFE. AND A GULLAH FESTIVAL.

N JANIN JANUARY, WE HOPE TO PRET NEW.

APRIL IS ST. AUGUSTINE POET FEST.

MAY, FOOD AND WINE RETURNS FOR THE THIRD YEAR.

JUNE, WE HOPE TO EXPAND THE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION.

AND REALLY HAVE AN ENTIRE WEEK OR TWO WEEKS OF EVENTS TO HIGHLIGHT JUNETEENTH AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS HISTORY IN THIS COUNTY THAT LED TO THE PASSAGE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT. SO OUR ADVERTISING PLAN, THE GOAL IS TO MAXIMIZE OUR RELATIVELY SMALL ADVERTISING BUDGET WITH E-MAIL, DIGITAL AND PRINT ADVERTISING PLACEMENTS IN MEDIA OUTLETS THAT CATER TO CULTURAL TRAVELERS.

WE HAVE LISTED AND HAVE TALKED MANY TIMES ABOUT THE TYPES OF PUBLICATIONS WE ARE WORKING W WITH.

THE ACTIONS ARE TO NOT CREATE BUT TO IMPLEMENT OUR PAID MEDIA PLAN BASED ON THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE AND OW MARKETING CAMPAIGNS TO SUPPORT THAT PLAN AND CULTURAL PRODUCTS.

AND TO WORK WITH ALL OF OUR GRANTEES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHO DON'T RECEIVE GRANTS ON CAMPAIGNS TO PROMOTE THE CULTURAL EVENTS THEY ARE PRODUCING.

OOUR PLAN INCLUDES PUBLIC RELATIONS PLAN.

WE HAVE EXCELLENT NATIONAL ATTENTION AND SOCIAL MEDIA PLAN THAT ALSO HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH SOME PRETTY DRAMATIC INCREASES IN ENGAGEMENT AND FOLLOWERS.

OUR BUDGET, WE DISCUSSED IN THE LAST MEETING, YOU CAN SEE THAT IT IS FAIRLY DETAILED AND BROKEN DOWN BETWEEN THE FEES WE

[01:30:04]

YOU WILL NOTICE THERE'S A SUBTOTAL.

OUR CONT CONTRACT WITH THE COUNY DOES NOT INCLUDE THE FUNDS IN THE GRANTS. SO WHEN WE APPLY OUR OVERHEAD CAP, WE DON'T INCLUDE THOSE FUNDS.

BUT THE TOTAL AMOUNT IN THE BUDGET FOR ARTS, CULTURAL AND HERITAGE IS 1.831 MILLION. I WILL GO BACK AND REMIND EVERYONE THAT I DO THINK WE NEED TO INCREASE THAT GRANT LINE ITEM WHICH IS AT 450,000. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM OUR CATEGORY FOR GRANT FUNDING IN THE FUTURE.

SO ANY QUESTIONS? >> MR. CHAIRMAN, LET ME TORCH YOU JUST A LITTLE BIT, CHRISTINA, WITH TWO WORDS.

THE NORTH OF THE COUNTY AND THE WEST OF THE COUNTY.

AS I SAID, I'M TORTURING YOU, YOU HAVE SO MUCH ON YOUR PLATE.

I HOPE YOU WILL KEEP THAT IN MIND.

I KNOW IT IS DIFFICULT. BUT IT IS KIND OF ABSENT FROM

THIS. >> WELL, TU L IF YOU LOOK AT THE CULTURAL LANDSCAPE SECTION, I RUSHED THROUGH IT, WE ARE WORKING WITH STETSON KENNEDY FOUNDATION, PART OF THE LITERARY TRAIL. THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADDITIONAL EVENTS IN ALPINE GROVES.

THE GULLAH, BRI BRINGING VISITOS OUT TO THAT PART OF THE CFORT.

COMFORT. COUNTY.

WE WORK WITH A1A, THE A1A ALL AMERICAN ROAD WHICH BRINGS IN ALL OF THE COUNTY. IN FACT, WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF EXPOSURE THROUGH THE A1A BIWAY . WE ARE TRYING BUT WE ARE ALWAYS OPEN FOR MORE EVENTS. I DID HAVE A MEETING WITH THE FRIENDS OF THE PONTE VEDRE ARE, SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO IN A.

>> I HAD TO ASK. >> I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION.

I SEEM TO RECALL LAST YEAR THAT YOU HAD SAID YOU WERE GOING TO BE WORKING ON A RECOGNITION OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS SITES IN LINCOLNVILLE. I KNOW THE WALKING TOUR.

WHAT FORM IS THAT TAKING NOW? >> SO THE ACCORD FREEDOM TRAIL STILL EXISTS. THEY HAVE BOTH THE HISTORIC MARKERS ON ALL OF THE SITES AND THEY HAVE AN APP WHICH WE HAVE HELPED THEM FUND THROUGH THE GRANT PROGRAM AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM TO UPDATE THEIR MATERIALS.

WE DO NOT HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL PLANS.

WE CERTAINLY ARE WORKING TO RECOGNIZE THE SITES THROUGH OUR PUBLIC RELATIONS EFFORTS AND MARKETING.

THEY WERE PART OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS TRAIL GUIDE THAT WAS PUBLISHED. BUT UNLESS I'M FORGETTING SOMETHING, I DON'T RECALL AN EFFORT BY US TO INSTALL MARKERS

OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE. >> I WASN'T SURE EXACTLY WHAT THE PLAN WAS. SO THANK YOU FOR FILLING IN THE GAPS. I THINK THAT YOU ALSO MENTIONED, IT IS NOT IN MY BOOK, BUT IT WAS IN YOUR POWERPOINT, THAT YOU ARE DOING AN EXHIBIT. PUTTING TOGETHER AN EXHIBIT?

>> YES. THAT WOULD BE AT THE ST.

AUGUSTINE BEACH HOTEL AT THE BEACH.

WE RECEIVED GRANTS FROM THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND NATIONAL TRUST TO DO AN OUTDOOR EXHIBIT TO COMMEMORATE THE WAIT-INS THAT LED UP TO THE PASSAGE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT.

>> I WAS INTERESTED IN HEARING MORE ABOUT THAT.

>> WE JUST SIGNED THE CONTRACT FOR THE DESIGNER OF THE EXHIBIT.

IT IS GOING TO BE CHALLENGING BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION ON THE

OCEAN FRONT. >> THAT IS A SPECTACULAR ADDITION TO THE BEACHES. I KNOW THAT THERE IS MORE CIVIL RIGHTS HI HISTORY IN OUR BEACHE. SADLY, I'M BEING TOLD WE MAY LOSE ONE OF THEM. THE HOUSE DOWN THIS BUTLER BEACH THAT WAS KIND OF A HIDEOUT AND GOT SHOT UP WHEN MARTIN LUTHER KING WAS IN TOWN. I UNDERSTAND THE PROPERTY OWNER

[01:35:03]

NOW THEY ARE INTENDING TO DEMOLISH IT.

I GUESS I AM BRINGING THAT UP BECAUSE I AM UPSET ABOUT IT.

I HATE TO LOSE OUR GREAT -- THESE SPECIAL PLACES.

BUT I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE WORKING ON THE BEACH HISTORY.

MANY PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND OR DON'T KNOW WHEN WE LEARNED A LITTLE BIT AT THE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION DOWN AT THE LINCOLNVILLE MUSEUM THIS WEEKEND, THAT THESE MARCHES OCCURRED EVERY DAY IN ST. AUGUSTINE DURING CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. THAT THAT SUMMER.

AND THAT IS NOT THE CASE IN MANY OF THE OTHER CITIES.

IT WAS A RESTAURANT WAIT-IN. A RSTAURANT SITTING.

IT WAS A POOL WAIT-IN. IT WAS A BEACH WAIT-IN.

IT WAS MARCH INTO THE PLAZA. IT IS FASCINATING HISTORY.

I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THAT PARTICULAR ASPECT OF IT BROUGHT OUT. THANK YOU.

>> THIS .THIS IS WHAT WAS HOPIN. >> THANK YOU.

I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THE STORIES ABOUT THE PROPERTY AT THE BEACH THAT YOU MENTIONED. I HAVE HAD SOME COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER. THAT IS UPSETTING THAT THAT PROPERTY MIGHT BE DEMOLISHED. JUST A FOLLOW-UP, THE CIVIL RIGHTS HISTORY AND PROMOTING THE CIVIL RIGHTS TRAIL IS A WAY TO BRING IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY.

WE DO HAVE SUCH RICH BLACK HISTORY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY WITH ARMSTRONG BEING THE END OF THE GULLAH QUARTER, SOMETHING THE PARK SERVICE IS PROMOTING WIDELY.

>> I THINK A LOT OF TIMES, WHEN I SERVED ON THE HISTORICAL RESOURCE REVIEW BOARD, I THINK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THE HISTORY OF ST. AUGUSTINE IS SPREAD THROUGHOUT IN ALL PERIODS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTY.

AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY, SPANISH COLONIAL HISTORY, IT IS SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. WE HAVE A LOT OF STORIES TO TELL. WE HAVE TO GET TO THEM.

>> THAT'S ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES AS WE HAVE SO MANY TO TELL.

WE HAVE TO DECIDE WHICH ONES TO FOCUS ON.

>> A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE. >> I CAN ELABORATE ON PIECE OF PROPERTY. THERE WAS SETBACK ISSUES.

THEY WANT TO BUILD A THREE-STORY HOUSE ABOVE IT.

IT WOULD BE NICE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO SECURE WHAT AN HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS ARE AND DEVELOP THEM. THERE IS A LITTLE MORE TO -- CULTURAL RESOURCE REVIEW BOARD. THEY CAN STILL APPEAL TO THE

BOARD. >> SO IF IT IS A MATTER OF BEING ABLE TO DOCUMENT WHAT'S THERE AND THEN ALSO SALVAGE PLAN REALLY. WHICH I KNOW IN THE CITY, WHEN THINGS ARE D DEMOLISHED, THAT'S DSTANDARD COMMUNICATION.

>> THANK YOU. >> OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

COUNCIL MEMBERS? >> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. DO WE CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IF

WE ARE TAKING NO ACTION? >> NO, YOU DON'T NEED TO.

>> IF YOU WOULD SO KIND AS TO TAKE ACTION, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. IF YOU ALL FEEL THAT THE CULTURAL COUNCIL IS MOVING FORWARD APPROPRIATELY, IF WE CAN JUST GET AFFIRMATIVE VOTE, THAT WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROMOTION PLAN, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

>> SO MOVE. >> SECOND.

>> MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED TO ACCEPT AND APPROVE

[9. VCB FY23 PROMOTION PLAN PRESENTATION]

IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE WE VOTE? OKAY. LET'S ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE

MOTION? >> AYE.

>> MOTION IS APPROVED. MOVE TO ITEM NO. 9.

[01:40:02]

VCB PROMOTION PLAN. >> GOOD AFTERNOON EV EVERYBODY.

RICHARD GOALMAN. GOLDMAN. WHAT I'M GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU, SOMETHING YOU HAVE SEEN, HOPEFULLY HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO READ. WE HAVE MADE IT LESS THAN HALF AS LONG AS OUR PREVIOUS PROGRAMS.

WE LISTENED AND -- >> THAT'S A GOOD BEGINNING.

>> AND HEARD THAT THAT WAS WHAT YOU WANTED, THAT'S WHAT WE DID.

WHAT WE WILL DO HERE IS BASICALLY JUST GO OVER SOME OF THE ITEMS IN THERE. IT WILL BE A SUMMARY OF THE ITEMS IN THE PLAN, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS ASO WE CAN GIVE YOU THE KIND OF INFORMATION YOU NEED TO MAKE A DECISION FOR US TO CARRY ON. I'M ASSUMING LEFT IS NEXT.

RIGHT. SO OUR MISSION STATEMENT, VERY, VERY SIMILAR AND IN PARALLEL WITH THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL'S MARKETING PLAN HAS AS THE MISSION OF OUR ORGANIZATION IS TO BRAND AND MARKET THE DESTINATION GLOBALLY AS A PREMIER LEISURE, CONVENTION AND BUSINESS DESTINATION TO COMMUNICATE THE AREA'S ASSETS AND INHERENT BENEFITS TO CONSUMERS, MEETING PLANNERS, TRAVEL TRADE, MEDIA, LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND CONSTITUENTS AND TO FACILITATE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR VARIOUS BUSINESSES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MARKETING IN THAT FRAMEWORK. THE BRAND PROGRAMS THAT OUR BOARD SEES FOR THIS DESTINATION IS FOR THE INTELLIGENT AND CURIOUS LEISURE TRAVELERS WHO PREFER OUT OF THE ORDINARY, UNCONTRIVED DESTINATIONS, EASILY ACCESSIBLE FROM HOME.

FLORIDA'S HISTORIC COAST IS UNIQUE LITTLE SEA SIDE HIDE-AWAY THAT CONTINUES -- COMBINES AUTHENTIC OLD WORLD CHARM AND LUXURIOUS NEW WORLD AMENITIES WITH FLORIDA'S TIMELESS NATURAL BEAUTY, DELIVERING AN UNSPHEKD D EXPERIENCE THAT OPENS THE EYES, MIND, AND HEART IN DIFFERENT WAYS EACH TIME YOU VISIT.

THE FIRST THREE COLUMNS ARE COLUMNS PULLED OR INFORMATION PULLED FROM THE COUNTY TOURISM DEVELOPMENT PLAN, STRATEGIC PLAN. DIVERSIFIESING THE RANGE AND EXPERIENCES AVAILABLE TO VISITORS.

LEVERAGING TOURISM INVESTMENTS TO IMPROVE THE OVERALL ECONOMIC CONDITION OF THE COUNTY, WE MENTION IN THERE SPORTS CAPITAL, TARGET INDUSTRY CONVENTIONS AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

OUR MISSION IS, OF COURSE, TO MAINTAIN A HIGH LEVEL OF BRAND AWARENESS AND FEEDER MARKET SENSITIVITY.

MEANING THAT WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR FEEDER MARKETS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING THE ANDANALYTICS AND THOSE DESTINATS OF MARKETS.

ON THE FAR RIGHT, YOU SEE REALLY THE STRATEGIES THAT WE ARE INVOKING TO HELP ACCOMPLISH THOSE THINGS.

COUPLE OF EXM EXAMPLES, WE SPOND AND SUPPORTED ADVERTISING FIRST PXG WOMEN'S MATCH PLAY GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS LAST YEAR.

THAT WILL BE RETURNING. WE ALSO HOSTED LAST YEAR THE -- WITH THE NORTH FLORIDA REGIONAL AIRPORT, WE HOSTED AN AIRPORT OR AIRLINE SERVICE DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE WHICH LED TO ELITE AIRWAYS CHOOSING OUR DESTINATION TO ADD FLIGHTS FROM TO AND FROM NEW YORK AREA AND PORTLAND, MAINE.

WE SUPPORTED ADVERTISING FOR THE ST. AUGUSTINE FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL. THESE ARE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES.

AND THROUGH A RELATIONSHIP THAT I HAD WITH MY COLLEAGUE IN CLAY COUNTY, TEDDY WAS ABLE TO POINT SOME FOLKS AT TEDDY TO UTILIZE THE FAIRGROUNDS. THEY WERE HAVING, IN CLAY COUNTY, CHALLENGES ACCOMMODATING GROUPS.

SO WE CONNECTED THOSE FOLKS AND WE ARE, AS COUNTY BENEFITING.

[01:45:06]

THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO AND BE PREPARED TO COUNTER WITH OUR ADVERTISING AND MARKETING EFFORTS. THAT SAID, THE DATA TELLS US THAT DESTINATIONS ANALYSTS WHO MONITOR TRAVELER SENTIMENT, ALMOST 88% STILL HAVE TRAVEL PLANS OF POTENTIAL TRAVEL PLANS.

81% FEEL VERY EXCITED ABOUT TRAVEL.

AND AT LEAST 86% ARE IN THE READY TO TRAVEL MODE.

THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU RECALL OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, IT WAS A RELATIVELY SMALL MINORITY OF FOLKS READY TO GO.

THEY HAD CONSIDERINGS. THEY WANTED TO TRAVEL.

BUT THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT COVID.

SO WERE LIMITED IN THEIR INTEREST IN TRAVEL.

WE MENTIONED ABOUT THE GAS PRICES AND THEIR IMPACT ON FOLKS' WILLINGNESS TO TRAVEL. AND I THINK -- DO WE HAVE A LASER POINTER? DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.

SO AT ANY RATE, THE GOOD NEWS, PEOPLE, TRAVELERS BELIEVE THAT SPENDING ON TRAVEL IS A HIGH BUDGET PRIORITY.

THE CHALLENGING NEWS IS THAT INFLATION, ESPECIALLY GAS

PRICES, ARE A DRAG. >> RICHARD, IS THAT GOOD FOR US

OR BAD FOR US LO LOCALLY? >> THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION, DANNY. IN FACT, IT CAN BE GOOD FOR US IN OUR TRADITIONAL SOURCE MARKETS.

WE HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING FLYING MARKETS.

THE GOOD NEWS BOTH ELITE AND BREEZE, OPENING UP ADDITIONAL INBOUND MARKETS FOR US ARE -- I HATE TO SAY BUDGET, THEY ARE LOW PRICED OPTIONS FOR FOLKS. SO WE THINK THAT WITH THEIR HELP AND WITH OUR MARKETING SUPPORT, WE WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO GET AIR TRAVEL IN BUT IT MEANS THAT THE ATLANTAS, THE ORLANDO, TAMPA, ST. PETE WILL REMAIN KEY DRIVE MARKETS FOR US.

THIS SLIDE INDICATES SOMETHING THAT SHOULD CAUSE EVERYONE GREAT CONCERN. THE THING ABOUT RECESSIONS, THE THING ABOUT -- IS THAT WE ARE A CONSUMER ECONOMY.

IF CONSUMERS THINK THAT THINGS ARE GOING TO BE TOUGH, THEY ARE INCLINED TO CREATE THAT AS A DRAWBACK ON THEIR SPENDING, WHICH THEN, AGAIN, DAMAGES THE ECONOMY.

BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, THE MAJORITY FEEL LIKE WE ARE IN FOR A RECESSION. NOW, THAT SAID, I READ AN ARTICLE THIS MORNING ABOUT SMALL BUSINESSES BEING VERY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE ECONOMY AND THEIR VISIONS FOR THEIR BUSINESS IN THE NEXT YEAR. SO IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE KIND OF I DIDN I D YIN AND YANGS ON . JUST GIVES YOU ANOTHER SENSE, ANOTHER INDICATOR THAT AMERICANS TRAVEL, THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT INFLATION. IN FACT, 23% HAVE ACTUALLY CANCELED UP COMING TRIP. NOT ALL THEIR TRIPS BUT THEY

[01:50:02]

THEY ARE STILL GOING TO TRAVEL. THIS DATA SUGGESTIONS A MAJORITY WILL SIMPLY SHORTEN THEIR TRIPS OR THE DISTANCE THAT THEY TRAVEL. AGAIN, THAT COULD PLAY TO OUR ADVANTAGE AS WE ARE PRIMARILY A DRIVE MARKET.

THE REASON WHY YOU SAW SLIGHT DIFFERENCE IN THE DATA, THIS ONE 60%, THE OTHER 58.2%, THIS IS FROM AN APRIL STUDY.

THE OTHER WAS A MARCH STUDY. BOTH OF THEM FROM DESTINATION ANALYSTS. SO WE ARE MONITORING THE CONDITIONS ON A WEEK TO WEEK BASIS.

THIS SLIDE REALLY IS GIVING US A TENSE FOR WHERE WE ARE RELATIVE TO FLORIDA. FLORIDA WAS VERY FORTUNATE IN THAT WE HAVE THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WANTED TO DO BACK IN 2021 AND 2020 WHEN THEY BEGAN TO CONSIDER TRAVEL.

WE, IN OUR DESTINATION HERE IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY, HAD ALL OF THE BOXES CHECKED. WE WERE LOW DENSITY.

WE HAD PLENTY OF BEECHTION. BEACHES.

WE HAD GREAT DINING THAT COULD BE CONSUMED OUTDOORS.

A LOT OF THOSE THINGS WERE WHAT PEOPLE WANTED.

WE GOT THAT WORD OUT. THANKS TO THE COUNTY COMMISSION FOR PRESENTING US WITH MONEY TO CONTINUE THE BUDGET, WE WERE ABLE TO CHANGE THE MESSAGING, SPEAK TO THOSE ITEMS AND BEGINNING IN JULY OF 2020, BEGAN RECULTIVATING BUSINESS.

WE BEGAN TO CAPTURE THAT. IN MARCH OF 2021, ONE YEAR AFTER COVID SHUT DOWN THE COUNTRY, WE HAD MET OUR 2019 PERFORMANCE IN OUR HOTELS. THAT RECOVER WAS MONTHS AHEAD OF THE STATE OF FLOR FLORIDA AND SL AHEAD OF THE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE.

SO WE WERE FORTUNATE IN WHAT WE HAD.

WE WERE FORTUNATE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE.

WE WERE FORTUNATE THAT WE WERE GIVEN THE RESOURCES TO DO THAT.

IN THE MEETINGS CATEGORY, THINGS ARE HAPPENING FOR SLOWLY.

THERE IS STILL CONCERN OVER TRAVEL.

EVEN THOUGH 60% OF MEETING PLANNERS SAY THEY ARE GOING TO DO MEETINGS, THEY ARE GOING TO DO THEM MORE AS HYBRID OR SHORTER DISTANCE TRAVEL. SO THOSE ARE SOME CONCERNS THAT OUR TEAM HAS BUT THEY ARE ENCOUNTERING ENTHUSIASM AT THE TRADE SHOWS THEY ATTEND. I WILL BE SHARING A LITTLE MORE ABOUT ENTHUSIASM ON THIS SLIDE. THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET, I KNOW IT SOUNDS LIKE TERRIBLE, THAT WHEN WE SAY THAT THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET HAS IMPROVED FROM A NEGATIVE 78 SITUATION TO A NEGATIVE 51 PERCENT SITUATION, BUT IT IS -- IT HAS BEEN IMPROVING. THE FACT THAT AMERICANS CAN NOW RETURN WITHOUT A TEST FROM THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET IS SOMETHING THAT'S AN INDICATOR TO INBOUND TRAVELERS THAT THEY CAN COME. THE NEGATIVE AS EXPECT OF THAT, DANNY, TO YOUR POINT OF WHAT GIVES SOMETIMES TAKES, IS THAT MARKET IS OPENING UP. AS IRVING MENTIONED, IF I CAN NOW GO TO THE PLACES I COULDN'T GO BEFORE, THEN THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO DO. BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN TO FLORIDA.

WE HAVE BEEN TO LOCAL DESTINATIONS.

WE ARE OPTIMISTIC, HOWEVER, THAT WITH THE MESSAGING THAT WE ARE PRESENTING, THAT OUR VISITORS, WE HAVE HAD TESTING.

WE HAVE HAD SAMPLING FROM FOLKS WHO NEVER CONSIDERED US IN THE PAST. WE WERE GIVEN THE FIELD, AS SMALL AS OUR BUDGET IS, WE WERE GIVEN THE FIELD IN 20 AND PARTS OF 2021 TO COMMUNICATE ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS WE HAVE HERE IN OUR DESTINATION AND WE INITIATED PEOPLE IN THOSE.

NEW PEOPLE. SO OUR -- BECAUSE WE ARE MARKETING OPTIMISTS, WE BELIEVE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO REPLACE SOME OF THOSE WHO ARE SAYING, BEEN THERE, GOING SOMEPLACE ELSE. WITH THOSE WHO SAY, THAT WAS A REALLY GREAT PLACE. THERE WAS MORE THERE TO DO THAN I COULD DO IN FOUR DAYS, FIVE DAYS.

THAT IS ALSO A KEY ELEMENT OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS.

SO WE HAVE HIGH HOPES. I JUST RETURNED FROM IPW WITH MY WELL AND THE TOUR OPERATORS, THE INTERNATIONAL TOUR OPERATORS ARE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT RETURNING. THE PENT-UP DEMAND THAT WE

[01:55:02]

THAT'S THE CO CORE FOR INTERNATIONAL, FLIGHTS HAVE TO BE AVAILABLE. CADZCANADAS AND MEXICANS W CAN .

BUT AIR IS FOR OUR INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL.

THAT'S A PICTURE. THIS IS, PERHAPS, THE MOST IMPORTANT SLIDE YOU WILL SEE IN THE SITUATION ANALYSIS.

IT GIVES YOU A SENSE FOR WHERE, IN LIKE COMPARISONS, WHERE OUR BUDGET IS RELATIVE TO OUR COMP SET.

CRAZY $85 MILLION FOR VISIT ORLANDO.

YOU CAN SEE THAT VISIT JACKSONVILLE HAS 34%, THIRD HIGHER BUDGET. AND BY THE WAY, THESE ARE FOR LIKE THINGS. THESE ARE NOT INFRASTRUCTURE.

THIS IS MARKETING OPERATIONS ON THE OVERHEAD SIDE AND MARKETING OPERATIONS ON THE PROMOTION SIDE.

AND SO WE ARE DEALING, AND HAVING DEALING, WITH A MORE DIFFICULT POSITION. I AM VERY PROUD OF THE PERFORMANCE OF THE TEAM AND OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND OUR TSTAKEHOLDERS FOR PERFORMING AT THE LEVELS THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PERFORM AT A SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER BUDGET THAN THE COMP SET.

OUR APPOINTMENTS WERE FILLED AT IPW.

NOT OUR COMPETITORS WHO ARE ARRANGED IN THE SAME LOBING AS S US WERE FILLED. WE ARE DOING THE RIGHT THINGS OUT THERE. THAT GIVES YOU A SENSE OF OUR COMPETITIVE POSITIONS. AND REMINDING THAT THOSE FOLKS ARE GOING TO BE COMPETING VERY, VERY HEAVILY FOR THOSE VISITORS.

SO LOOKING AT WHAT FOLKS ARE LOOKING FOR.

WHAT POTENTIAL TRAVELERS ARE LOOKING FOR.

IT COMES AS NO SURPRISE THAT FOLKS ARE LOOKING FOR NEW EXPERIENCES FOR TRAVEL. THE GREAT NEWS FOR US IS THAT WE BELIEVE, OUR DESTINATION HAS WONDERFUL T TAPESTRY OF EXPERIENCES. YOU HEARD CULTURAL ONES.

THERE ARE ALSO SPORTS. THERE ARE ALSO OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES THAT ARE NEW THAT WE CAN PRESENT AND CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS WHO MAY HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE TO COME BACK AND HAVE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DANNY KNOWS AND TERA AND DENA WERE PRESENT AT THE TOURISM ADVISORY WORKSHOP WAS WE ALL LEARNED THAT WE WERE -- THAT WE HAD A BIO LUMINANCE TOUR AVAILABLE.

WELL, THAT WAS VERY UNIQUE AND WE KNOW THROUGH OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH OUTDOOR TOUR OPERATORS THAT THAT'S A VERY ATTRACTIVE ITEM. BY APRIL WE HAD A MESSAGE UP.

WE ARE NOW MARKETING THE BIO LUMINANCE TOUR.

IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE ANOTHER TOUR OPERATOR.

BUT THE POINT IS, WE ARE ABLE TO MOVE VERY QUICKLY AND WE WILL LISTEN WHEN WE HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY.

THIS JUST GIVES US SOME REMINDER OF SOME OF THE CHALLENGES.

WE ARE NOT EXPECTING THE BOOKING WINDOW TO EXPAND.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE USED TO SEE WAS, AS DEMAND INCREASED AND AVAILABILITY DECREASED, PEOPLE HAD TO BOOK THEIR VISITS FURTHER IN ADVANCE. WE ARE NOT SEEING THAT BECAUSE OF THE UNCERTAINTY OVER GAS PRICES AND THE PEOPLE'S DESIRE TO PLAN A LITTLE MORE CAREFULLY, SPEND THEIR DOLLARS A LITTLE MORE CAREFULLY. BECAUSE OF THAT, THEY ARE STILL LOOKING AT BOOKING WINDOWS INSIDE OF 60 DAYS, SO WE CAN EXPECT THAT THAT IS GOING TO BE BENEFITING US.

IT MEANS WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO DEMAND ON A MONTHLY BASIS, WEEKLY BASIS, AS OFTEN AS WE POSSIBLY CAN SO WE CAN RESPOND WITH DEMAND GENERATING COMMUNICATIONS.

THIS SLIDE SIMPLY REFLECTS THE HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE 2016 BRAND

[02:00:05]

YOU RECALL THAT WHAT THIS SAID BACK THEN WAS THAT AS NEW AS WE WERE IN THE MARKETPLACE AT THAT TIME, WE HAD VERY HIGH AWARENESS. SAVANNAH AND CHARLESTON, HISTORICAL BEACH LOCATIONS, WERE ABOUT THE SAME AS US AND WE ACTUALLY EXCEEDED THEM IN ONE OF THE METRICS.

BUT IT IS TIME TO DO THIS AGAIN. NOW TIME HAS PASSED.

WE HAVE HAD THE FIELD. I SUSPECT OUR AWARENESS IS EVEN HIGHER THAN THE 92.5% THERE. BUT, AGAIN, WE NEED TO BE KEEPING TRACK OF THAT AND REACHING OUT AND CONDUCTING THOSE STUDIES. BUT THE TAKE-AWAY IS THAT FLORIDA HISTORIC COAST IS A VALID AND POWERFUL POSITIONING AND THAT THE WORK WE ARE DOING IS RESONATING WITH OUR VISITORS.

OKAY, SO LET'S LOOK AT BUDGET. WE ARE ABOUT 10 PERCENT HIGHER TOTAL BUDGET FIGURE. 58% OF THAT BUDGET IS GOING INTO THE ADVERTISING CATEGORY. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CHART ON THE NEXT PAGE, YOU WILL SEE THAT THE AMOUNT OF IS ACTUALLY HIGHER, PROPORTION IS SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN 2022.

PART OF THAT IS THE FACT THAT WE ARE MOVING SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS BACK INTO AREAS LIKE PUBLIC RELATIONS, SALES, PR OF 35%, SALES UP 51%. WEB DEVELOP M DEVELOPMENT, BECAE GOING TO RESKIN, KEEPING THE MESSAGE NEW, THAT'S A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE, ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.

AND THEN FULFILLMENT CATEGORY, WE'RE GOING TO DO JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE WE HAVE A COLLATERAL PIECE WE ARE PUBLISHING. AREA OF REDUCTION IS RESEARCH.

THAT'S BECAUSE WE WILL BE EXECUTING AN ECONOMIC IMPACT SURVEYOR STUDY THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE OUT OF THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. SO WE WERE ABLE TO REALLOCATE THAT FOR NEXT YEAR. SO THIS GIVES US A SENSE, COMPARISON. YOU HAVE THE PERCENT OF THE TOTAL. YOU HAVE THE CATEGORY.

JUST REMINDING FOR YOU MATHEMATICIANS THERE, THE MEETINGS AND TRAVEL INDUSTRIAL LOW INDUSTRYALLOCATION, THAT ISE ADVERTISING, YOU CAN'T ADD THEM STRAIGHT LINE, BUT THAT IS PART OF THE ADVERTISING. A FEW YEARS AGO WE WERE ASKED TO BREAK THAT OUT. WE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT EVER SINCE. THAT GIVES YOU A SENSE.

TARGETING OVERHEAD TO BE 23% AND OUR TOTAL MARKETING RELATED ROW PROMOTION SPENDING ABOUT 77%. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO NOW IS, SOMEBODY WHO IS PERHAPS A LITTLE MORE EXPERTISE THAN I IS BRING DAVID CRANE, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF THE ACCOUNT SERVICE AT PETER MAYER ADVERTISING, WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR MESSAGING FOR THIS COMING YEAR AND OUR RECENT PAST MESSAGING. KEEP IN MIND, YOU ARE ONLY SEEING LITTLE PIECES. YOU ARE NOT SEEING ANY OF THE TARGETED PRINT WORK THAT WE DID THAT FOCUSED ON AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE OR HISPANIC. YOU ARE JUST GETTING A SENSE FOE THEFORTHE CAMPAIGN MESSAGING. I WOULD LIKE TO CALL UP DAVID

CRANE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.

MY NAME IS DAVID UKRAINE. CRANE, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA. I'M NOT GOING TO -- MY FRIENDS WHO SAW ME DANCE, I'M NOT GOING TO DANCE TODAY.

SKIP ROPE ACROSS THE STAGE. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES, IT HAS BEEN A COUPLE OF YEARS SINCE I HAVE SEEN SOME OF YOU, AND JUST REINTRODUCE YOU DO PETER MAYER.

WHILE YOU HAVE FIVE CENTURIES, WE HAVE FIVE DECADES IN THE TRAVEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY. FROM EVERYTHING FROM ASHEVILLE TOURISM TO KENNEDY SPACE CENTER TO ARTIC ARLINGTON, TEXAS, DOLLD ATTRACTION. WHAT WE THOUGHT TODAY WAS GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF TASTE OF SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS FOR OUR TRAVEL AND TOURISM,

[02:05:03]

GET READY, I HOPE IT IS NOT TOO LOUD.

♪ >> THE SLIDE, THE MAP, SHOWS WE HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED AND GRATEFUL FOR A LOT OF CLIENTS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. INTEREST ONE COAST TO THE OTHER.

WE ARE CERTAINLY GRATEFUL TO BE WORKING WITH YOU GUYS AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS TELL A LITTLE BIT OF A STORY TO GET US BACK TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY WITH REGARDS TO ST. AUGUSTINE.

AS RETCH RICHARD MENTIONED, WET SLIDES TO MAKE THIS SHORT.

I HAVE ADDED THEM ALL BACK. SO WE SPENT 2019 AND 2020 DEALING WITH A LOT. WE HAD COVID NO. 1.

WE HAD A BUNCH OF HURRICANES APPROACH THE COAST.

WE HAVE COVID NO. 2. BUT I THINK OUR RESILIENCE AND PIVOTING AND USING DATA AND STATISTICS AND WORKING WITH EVERYONE HERE IT IS VCB, RICH AFTERWARD AND HIS TEAM WE WERE ABLE TO PIVOT AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE MARKETS, HOW CONSUMER BEHAVIOR WAS CHANGING AND HOW WE CAN ADAPT AND MOVE FORWARD AS WE ENTERED INTO 2021.

SO WHEN WE CAME BACK TO 2021, THINGS WHY GETTING A WHREB LITTT BETTER. AMERICA WAS OPENING BACK UP.

IT IS TIME TO REDUCE TRAVEL INTERNATIONALLY.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE TIMING OF THAT BRAND POSITION WAS REALLY PERFECT. BUS THBECAUSE THE WORLD WAS JUST OPENING BACK UP BUT PEOPLE WERE CAUTIOUS.

THEY ARE LOOKING TO TRAVEL AND STAY CLOSE TO HOME.

INSTEAD OF ME TRYING TO TELL YOU THE STORY BEHIND THE STRATEGY, WE PUT TOGETHER A LITTLE VIDEO THAT IS GOING TO EXPLAIN THE STRATEGY OF HOW TRAVEL ENT NAINTERNATIONALLY WAS PERFECT.

[02:10:43]

THE BRAND POSITIONING. >> POSITIONING.

>> CAN SOMEONE HELP ME?

>> SO WHILE, OF COURSE, THE MESSAGING WAS REALLY IMPORTANT, THE RESULTS IS REALLY WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR.

SO LOOK AT THE NUMBERS. WHEN WE RAN A STI.

I JUMPED OFF THE STAGE AND RAN OVER TO THE SCREEN, THIS IS SOMETHING WE AND YOU HAD BE PROUD OF.

THE WORLD WAS REALLY IN -- EXPERIENCING SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. AND PEOPLE WERE -- DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO MANAGE IT. TRAVEL BEHAVIOR WAS CHANGING.

I ALWAYS LIKEN US TO THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD.

WE KEPT PIVOTING. WE KEPT USING DATA.

WE PAUSED WHAT WE WERE DOING, AND STARTED EVALUATING WHAT WAS HAPPENING OUT THERE. THEN PEOPLE WERE STARTING TO SAY, YOU KNOW, MIGHT WANT TO VENTURE OUT BUT THE BEHAVIOR WAS CHANGING. WE CHANGED OUR MESSAGE TO REACT TO THOSE CHANGING BEHAVIORS. LOOK WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

IN FISCAL 22, AS THE MARCH, WE HAVE EXCEEDED DEMAND OF ALL THREE YEARS. NOT ONLY THERE, OUR ADR IS SOME OF THE HIGHEST THAT WE HAVE SEEN.

SO THINGS ARE LOOKING GOOD. HOWEVER, THERE IS STILL A LOT NOR WMORE WORK TO DO. WE ARE PREPARED TO ACT NOW.

IF I WERE UP HERE AND INTERVIEWING FOR THE POSITION, DANNY'S POSITION, AND YOU ASKED THE QUESTION TO ALL OF THE CANDIDATES AND SAID WHAT'S HAPPENING OUT THERE AND WHAT DO YOU SEE THE FUTURE, I WOULD SAY SCHIZOPHRENIA.

IT IS A LITTLE BIT ALL OVER THE PLACE.

THAT'S REALLY GOOD NEWS. THEN THERE IS WELL, MAYBE.

BUT THEN THERE IS REALLY GOOD NEWS.

I WILL TAKE YOU THROUGH THAT STORY.

IF YOU REMEMBER WHEN WE FIRST STARTED, WE IDENTIFIED FOUR DIFFERENT PHASES. FIRST ONE WAS THE WEIGHT, BRACING FOR WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS SO WE STOPPED OUR MARKETING AND ADVERTISING, EXCEPT OUR EARNED AND OWN, LET NOT SPEND GOOD MONEY AFTER BAD UNTIL WE UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE MARKETPLACE. THEN WE SAW THIS ACCLIMATE PHASE WHERE THEY WERE ADJUSTING. TO A PARTIALLY OPEN AMERICA. COVID RESTRICTIONS AND SAFETY MEASURES. PEOPLE WERE SAYING, THEY MIGHT WANT TO VENTURE OUT. WE STARTED OUR MESSAGING AGAINFUL THEN WE KNOW ENTERED BACK IN 2020, EARLY 2021, THE CONSIDERATION PHASE BECAUSE NOW THINGS WERE GETTING MORE AND MORE OPEN, PEOPLE WERE NOW EXPERIENCING MORE WITH THEIR TRAVEL PLANNING AND NOW AS WE MOVE INTO THIS YEAR AND INTO NEXT YEAR, IT IS THE ESCAPE PHASE.

TRAVEL INDUSTRY IN AMERICA IS FULLY OPEN.

BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING OUT THERE? SO I'M GOING TO R REITERATE SOME STATISTICS. THIS IS WHAT I MEAN BY STATISTICS FREN I CAN'T. SKITS YEN FROM A. STATISTSCHIZOPHRENIA.

YOU ARE STARTING TO TRAVEL AGAIN.

[02:15:01]

TWO-THIRDS OF AMERICAN TRAVELERS FEEL THAT COVID IS NO LONGER GOING TO HAVE A MEANINGFUL IMPACT IN THEIR LIVES.

SO GOOD STUFF. REAL GOOD STUFF OF THE PENT-UP DEMAND. I'M FEELING REALLY GOOD.

WE ARE SEEING SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. HOWEVER, THIS IS THE FINANCIAL REALITIES ARE STILL LOOMING FOR TRAVELERS AND HOW THEY ARE GOING TO COPE WITH THAT. ALMOST 60% OF AMERICAN TRAVELERS BELIEVE THERE IS AN ECONOMIC RECESSION THAT'S COMING.

SO THEY ARE KIND OF LOOKING AT THAT AND BRACING FOR THAT.

ALMOST 40% AGREE THAT MY PRICES HAVE KEPT THEM FROM TRAVELING RECENTLY. WE HAVE SEEN PRICES GO UP IN THE GROCERY STORES AND CERTAINLY WITH GAS.

60% TAKING FEWER TRIPS. IF THOSE GAS PRICES KEEP GOING UP, IT IS GOING TO GET MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE TO TRAVEL.

THAT IS NOT JUST DRIVE, THAT IS ALSO FLY.

HOWEVER, TRAVELERS AREN'T LETTING THAT -- LETTING ALL OF THAT STOP THEM. I LIKE TO SAY YET.

42% OF AMERICAN TRAVELERS BELIEVE THEY WILL BE BETTER OFF FINANCIALLY NEXT YEAR. THAT'S A BIG PERCENT.

61% OF TRAVELERS WILL MAKE LEISURE TRAVEL IS PRIORITY.

THAT'S THE PENT-UP DEMAND. THEY ARE TRYING TO BALANCE POCKETBOOK AND HIGHER PRICES, BUT SO TIRED OF STAYING HOME, THEY ARE READY TO GO BACK OUT. 80%, PLUS 80%, IN THE PAST MONTH ALONE OF AMERICAN TRAVELERS DID SOME SORT OF TRIP DREAMING AND PLANNING. SO WE ARE SEEING THAT.

SO OUR GOAL, OUR RESPONSIBILITY WITH YOU ALL AND EVERYONE IN THE ROOM IS TO ALWAYS STAY IN TUNE WITH THE DATA.

WHAT IS HAPPENING OUT THERE AND HOW IS IT CHANGING CONSUMERS BEHAVIOR. AS THEY CHANGE THEIR DECISION MAKING, WE CHANGE THE WAY WE REACH THEM, THE WAY WE MESSAGE THEM, SO THAT WE MAKE SURE WE ARE RESONATING WITH THOSE CHANGES. AGAIN, I CAME UP WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA BEFORE I WALKED UP HERE.

THIS SLIDE ALSO, LOOK AT THIS SLIDE, LOOK AHEAD, TRAVELERS ADOPTING NEW HABITS. AND BR BEHAVIORS.

THERE IS NO SYSTEM HERE. THEY ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE.

23% WILL TAKE TRIPS SHORTER IN LENGTH.

17% WILL TAKE INTE TRIPS LONGERN LENGTH.

57% WILL MORE CAREFUL PLAN THEIR TRIP DETAILS.

3% LESS. SO WHAT THIS IS TELLING US, IS THAT THEY ARE A LITTLE BIT ALL OVER THE PLACE.

NO ONE SIGNIFICANT TREND. WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS MAKE SURE WE ARE ON TOP OF IT, TACK AT TAN OUR MESSAGING.

FOLKS COMING FROM THE DRIVE MARKETS, KEY FE FEEDER MARKETS,D FOLKS FURTHER OUT AND FLY MARKETS.

WHAT DO WE WANT TO DO IN FISCAL 23? FEED TRAVELERS EXCITEMENT WITH CONTENT THAT INSPIRES THEM TO DREAM OF ST. AUGUSTINE. THAT'S THE HIGH UMBRELLA.

WE WANT TO FEED THEM MESSAGE AND CONTENT THAT SAYS, WOW, I WANT TO GO THERE. WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE REACHING TRAVELERS AT EVERY STAGE OF THEIR PLANNING PROCESS, HELPING THEM PLAN THE TRIP THAT FULFILLS THEIR DESIRES.

WE KNOW AS CONSUMER BEHAVIOR CHANGES, THE WAY THEY ARE CONSUMING MEDIA AND PLANNING THEIR TRIPS CHANGE, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE THERE AT THE RIGHT TIME AT THE RIGHT PLACE.

THEN FINALLY, WE WANT TO PUSH OUR BRAND PLATFORM FORWARD, ST.

AUGUSTINE PONTE VEDRA SHOULD BE ON TOP OF THE LIST.

WE HAVE THIS TRAVEL INTRANATIONALLY CAMPAIGN.

THAT CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE.

WE HAVE SEEN THE NUMBERS. WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO SEE WHAT'S CHANGING IN THE MARKETPLACE AND CHANGING BEHAVIORS AND WE NEED TO EVOLVE OUR MESSAGING AS WE MOVE INTO FISCAL 23. OUR OPTIMISM FOR THE FUTURE IS AS STRONG AS EVER. WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE NEXT CHAPTER FOR THIS DESTINATION. WITH THAT, I BRING OF JORDY L LOFT. I WILL READ THE TOP FOUR OBJECTIVES. FIRST, TO CAPTURE THE DESTINATIONS MAGICAL ETHOS AWANDAFFIRM THE TOP DESTINATION.

THESE ARE THE PILLARS THAT WE DEVELOPED OR PLAN AGAINST.

SECOND ONE, BUILD AWARENESS AND DESIRABILITY OF AN EXPE

[02:20:04]

WE KNOW OUR WEEKENDS ARE FANTASTIC.

WE WANT PEOPLE TO STAY LONGER BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH TO DO HERE THAN JUST SPEND A WEEKEND IN ST. AUGUSTINE PONTE VEDRA.

WE WANT TO REACH AND ENCOURAGE VISITATION FROM A MORE SOPHISTICATED TRAVELER. WE ARE NOT WALKING AWAY FROM TARGET MARKETS, BUT WE HAVE SEEN OUR ADR RISE.

THE OTHER THING DISCUSSED HERE SHE HAS GONE, BUT, YES, I THINK DEI EFFORTS AS WE MOVE INTO THE FUTURE ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT IN THIS DESTINATION. WE SHOULD START THINKING OF PLANNING FOR THAT. THAT'S MORE THAN JUST ADVERTISING. ADVERTISING IS JUST THE BAND-AID OF IT. IT IS HOW WE ACT AS A DESTINATION AND HOW WE ARE INCLUSIVE TO ALL AND SHOULD CONTINUE TO BUILD THAT MESSAGE WAS MOVE FORWARD.

FINALLY, TO SHARPEN BRAND DIFFERENTIATION A WITH AN ENDURE AND OWNABLE CREATIVE PLATFORM. JORDY LOFT.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. NICE TO BE BACK.

SO I'M GOING TO CUT RIGHT TO THE CHASE.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT FOR KIFISCAL YEAR, WHAT IS THE MEDIA MIX. YOU SEE IT RIGHT HERE.

IT IS TRULY A MEDIA MIX BECAUSE OUR TARGET AUDIENCE STILL USE VARIOUS COMBINATIONS OF MEDIA. WHAT I WANT TO POINT OUT AND STRESS IS THAT THE MEDIA IS GOING TO BE GROUNDED IN RESEARCH. IN THE MEDIA LANDSCAPE, THE TEAM BACK AT THE AGENCY HAS BEEN HARD AT WORK OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS PUTTING TOGETHER HOW THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS USING MEDIA RIGHT NOW. WHAT ARE THE TRENDS? WHAT ARE THE NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO CAPITALIZE ON TO MAKE OUR DOLLARS SING AND MAKE OUR MESSAGING RESONATE THROUGH THE CLUTTER AND COMPETITION THAT RICHARD SHOWED YOU EARLIER.

THAT'S PART OF THE GOAL THERE, TOO.

WE ALSO WANT TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT HOW DOES OUR TARGET AUDIENCE USE MEDIA? ARE THEY HEAVIER USERS OF PRINT? HEAVIER USERS OF DIGITAL? 50EU78 I'M GOING TO BE VERY HON, THIS PLAN IS GOING TO EMPHASIZE DIGITAL MEDIA.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO SACRIFICE TRADITIONAL.

WE BELIEVE AT THE AGENCY THAT THERE IS A PLACE FOR TRADITIONAL. THE RESEARCH BEARS IT OUT.

BUT EVERYBODY KNOWS AND HAS HEARD ALL OF THE RESEARCH THAT HAS COME OUT ABOUT HOW PRINT READERSHIP IS GOING DOU DOWN.

TRADITIONAL VIEWER TELEVISION IS GOING DOWNFU DOWN.

OPTIONS ARE DIGITAL. IT ALLOWS US TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES TO REACH OUR TARGET AUDIENCES EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THOSE TARGET AUDIENCE. IN A NUTSHELL, WE HAVE COINED OUR KEY TARGET AUDIENCE AT THE AGENCY, THE PURPOSE PURSUERS.

I WILL TELL YOU MORE ABOUT THEM IN A SECOND.

THERE ARE TWO COMPONENTS TO PURCHASE PURSUERS.

THE YOUNGER COMPONENTS. FOUR OUR PURPOSES, MILLENNIAL FAMILIES. THEN THE MORE MATURE PURPOSE PURSUING, MADE UP PRIMARILY OF BABY BOOMERS.

LET'S LOOK AT WHAT THEY ARE. I WILL START OFF WITH THE MILLENNIAL. WE, AT THE AGENCY, PUTTING TOGETHER OUR TARGET AUDIENCES, WE LIKE TO PUT A NAME AND WE LIKE TO PUT A FACE SO WE CAN WRAP OUR BRAINS, WRAP OUR ENERGY AROUND THESE PEOPLE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT'S MAKING THEM TICK. WHAT MOTIVATES THEM TO TRAVEL.

HOW WILL THEY TRAVEL? WHAT WOULD THEY DO IN THEIR TRAVEL? SO OUR MILLENNIAL SEGMENT, OUR FAMILY, YOUNG FAMILY. WE HAVE CALLED THEM SARAH AND MIKE. THEY HAVE A HIGH INCOME LEVEL.

WHEN THEY ARE TRAVELING, THEY ARE TRAVELING WITH THEIR CHILDREN. THEY ARE OUT THERE LOOKING FOR EXPERIENCES, NOT ONLY TO GET THE KIDS IN THE WATER, TO GET THE KIDS OF ON THE BEACH, BUT ENRICG EXPERIENCES FOR THE KIDS TO LEARN. I THINK WE CHECK A LOT OF THOSE BOXES HERE IN OUR DESTINATION. AND LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BABY BOOMERS, MATURE PURPOSE PURSUERS, HIGHER INCOME LEVEL.

KEY TO THEM, THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AND MEANS TO STAY LONGER. SO WHAT THEY WOULD BE COMING FOR THEIR TRAVELING FOR HISTORY, FOR ENRICHMENT.

THEY WOULD BE GOING TO THE MUSEUMS HERE, GOING OUT TO THE RESTAURANTS. A DIFFERENT PERSONA.

SO WE CAN REACH BOTH OF THESE GROUPS THROUGH OUR ADVERTISING

[02:25:03]

LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE TARGET AUDIENCE, THAT'S JUST A GENERAL OVERVIEW. BUT AT THE AGENCY AND AT VCB, WE RECOGNIZE THERE ARE SUB TARGETS IN WHICH WE WILL DO WITH THE MEDIA PLAN WE WILL BRING FORWARD.

S WE HAVE HEARD THE OPPORTUNITYO DDIVERSIFY OUR ADVERTISING PLAN.

PUTTING MORE MONEY TOWARD TARGETED AUDIENCES.

THE HISPANIC AND AFRICAN AMERICAN OPPORTUNITIES.

I WILL SLOW YOU IN A SLIDE OR TWO HOW WE ARE GOING AFTER THAT MARKET. ALSO A BE TO BE COMPONENT.

THE TRAVEL AGENTS, TOUR OPERATORS TO TOUTED THE DESTINATION TO ATTRIBUTES THAT BRING SMALL CONVENTIONS, CONFERENCES TO OUR DESTINATION. LOOK AT THESE NICHE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE CAN ADDRESS WITH OUR MEDIA AND WE WILL BE ADDRESSING THAT. MOST OF THESE CAN BE ADDRESSED PRIMARILY THROUGH DIGITAL MEDIA. BUT ALSO OPPORTUNITIES WITH TARGETED PRINT OR TARGETED RADIO STATION OR TELEVISION NETWORK THAT MIGHT APPEAL TO A PARTICULAR GROUP.

YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THEM THAT ARE OUT THERE.

WE HAVE DONE, I BELIEVE, EFFECTIVE JOB REACHING THEM.

ALWAYS MORE WORK TO DO AND MORE OPPORTUNITIES.

SO WE WILL BE ADDRESSING CULINARY TRAVELERS, THE HERITAGE TRAVELERS. WE WILL EXPAND THIS YEAR AND INCLUDE LUXURY TRAVEL, HIGHER END INDIVIDUAL WHO MIGHT HAVE DIFFERENT MEDIA MIXES THAT WE CAN CONNECT WITH.

ALL OF THIS WILL BE WORKING WITH, WITHIN THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE. AGAIN, MAINLY, THIS WILL BE A DIGITAL PLAY AND SOCIAL MEDIA PLAY WITH SOME OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE ARE RESEARCHING RIGHT NOW WHEN WE COME BACK IN A FEW MONTHS WITH THE FINAL NEGOTIATED MEDIA PLAN, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE THAT WE HAVE COME UP WITH. LET'S TALK ABOUT WHERE THE ADVERTISING IS GOING TO BE. WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ALL OF THE LEGACY AS WELL AS THE NEW DIRECT AIRLINE LAYOUTS WITH MEDIA. AGAIN, THIS IS MAINLY IN THE PERFORM OF PAID SEARCH ADVERTISING AND DIGITAL ADVERTISING. WE IDENTIFY THE ROUTES.

LOOK AT RESEARCH AND DETERMINE WHICH ROUTES HAVE THE BEST POTENTIAL FOR RETURN ON INVESTMENT AND REACH OUT AND LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT ST. AUGUSTINE PONTE VEDRA IS JUST A DIRECT PLANE RIDE AWAY TO GET TO THE DESTINATION.

TO STOP ON THIS SLIDE, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DRIVE MARKET RICHARD ALLUDED TO EARLIER IN THE PRESENTATION.

WE LOOK AT A LOT OF RESEARCH TO COME UP WITH THIS LIST.

THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR, WE WENT BEYOND TRADITIONAL DRIVE MARKETS, THE MIAMI, FORT LAUDERDALE, TAMPA, ST.

PETERSBURG, ORLANDO. WEECH WEEWE WERE ABLE TO ADD CH, WASHINGTON, D.C.. THOSE WERE MARKETS THAT OFFERED GOOD LIFT INTO THE REGION, WITH THE AIR TRAVEL THAT WAS COMING IN. SO HOW DO WE CHOOSE MARKETS, TAKE MONEY AND DECIDE WHICH OF THE MARKETS WOULD BE THE BEST TOE TENSION MANY WE WILL LOOK AT VISA INSIGHTS AND WHERE PEOPLE ARE SPENDING MONEY, WHERE HAVE THEY COME FROM.

WE LOOK AT THE CONS TRYING OF THE T TARGET AUDIENCES.

WE CAN LOOK AT WHAT PART OF THE POPULATION FITS OUR DEMOGRAPHY.

HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST US TO GO INTO THOSE MARKETS? WE CAN GET INSIGHTS FROM WHERE PEOPLE ARE CERTIFIED PUBLIC CERTIFSEARCHING.AMONG A LOT OF . SO THE TAKE-AWAY IS THAT WHEN WE CHOOSE THE MARKETS AND COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION, WE LOOK AT A NUMBER OF FACTORS FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES, OF COURSE, WORKING WITH THE TEAM AT THE VCB.

LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MEDIA, IN A NUTSHELL, OBJECTIVES ARE TO MOVE PEOPLE FROM THE TOP OF THE FUNNEL TO THE BOTTOM OF FUNNEL.

WHAT I MEAN BY THAT, GENERATE TOP LINE AWARENESS.

WE WANT TO GET PEOPLE TO MOTIVATE THEM, WHEN THEY ARE FURTHER DOWN THE FUNNEL AND MAKING THEIR DECISIONS ON WHERE TO GO, WHEN TO GO, ET CETERA, WE WANT TO BE THERE RAISING OUR

[02:30:01]

OF COURSE, THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO GET PEOPLE TO OUR WEBSITE, GET THEM TO ENGAGE ON THE WEBSITE, SEE WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER HERE AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET HEADS IN BEDS AND GET VISITATION GROWTH. NOT ONLY NEW VISITORS, RETURNEES. OF COURSE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, NEW AIRPORT, NEW AIRLINE ROUTES WE WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT. YOU CAN SEE THE STRATEGIES HERE.

A FEW TO TALK ABOUT ARE THE FULL FINAL ENGAGEMENT, WE WILL HAVE MEDIA AT ALL HUMAN TOUCH POINTS WHEN PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO THINK ABOUT TRAVEL TO WHEN THEY ARE ALMOST READY TO PULL THE TRIGGER AND BOOK THE TRAVEL. WE WILL LOOK AT WHAT HAS WORKED IN THE PAST AND EMPHASIZE THAT. BUT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE DON'T WANT TO BE STAGNANT WITH OUR MEDIA PLAN.

WE WANT TO ALWAYS LOOK FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES, TEST NEW OPPORTUNITIES, TEST NEW MARKETS BECAUSE IN MY OPINION, IN THE AGENCY'S OPINION, THAT IS THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP GROWING AND KEEP MOVING THE NEEDLE FORWARD AND FORWARD.

THEN LIKE EVERY YEAR, WE ARE COMING UP WITH OPPORTUNITIES THAT GIVE OUR LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS HERE A CHANCE TO PIGGYBACK ON OUR ADVERTISING AND GET INVOLVED IN CERTAIN NICHE PUBLICATIONS, CERTAIN PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED TO GO AFTER THE VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF WHAT WE OFFER AS A DESTINATION.

AGAIN, NICHE TARGETING WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.

AND GOING INTO THE FLY MARKETS. THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, HOW ARE WE GOING TO JUDGE SUCCESS? OBVIOUSLY, FROM A MEDIA PERSPECTIVE, WE WANT TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE IN-HOUSE AND ANALYTICS TEAM. WE HAVE REGULAR MEETINGS WITH THEM. REGULAR MEETINGS WITH RICH AFTRICHARDAND HIS TEAM AT THE V. WHICH CREATIVE IS WORKING BETTER. WE HEADLINE IS WORKING BETTER.

WE ARE ADJUSTING OUR PLAN ACCORDINGLY IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE AT THE END OF THE DAY WE ARE EXCEEDING THE DOLES THAT WEE HAVE SET FORTH. THE BIG AND ANALYTIC IS ENGAGEMT RATE. GETTING BEAM TO O PEOPLE TO OUR, SPENDING TIME THERE. TAKING ACTIONS.

RAISING THEIR HAND TO SIGN UP FOR A E-NEWSLETTER, DOWNLOAD A TRAVEL PLANNER. THAT'S WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR.

IN OUR EXPERIENCE, ALL THE YEARS THAT WE HAVE HANDLED DESTINATION ACCOUNTS, THAT IS A GOOD METRIC FOR US TO SEE FROM A MEDIA PERSPECTIVE THAT PEOPLE MIGHT BE PLANNING A TRIP AND REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT DOING THAT. OF COURSE, WE WANT TO MOVE THE NEEDLE AND IMPROVE OUR PERFORMANCE THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

WE WANT TO COMPARE OURSELVES TO BENCHMARK IN THE TRAVEL IND INDUSTRY. THEN YOU CAN SEE THE OTHER MEDIA THAT IS OUT THERE, WE DON'T JUST MEASURE DIGITAL MEDIA, WE BE LOOK AT THE PERFORMANCE OF TELEVISION, VIDEO, AND SEARCH.

SHARE THIS ON A MONTHLY BASIS AND QUARTERLY BASIS TO REPORT ON THIS. OBVIOUSLY, WE INTEGRATE SMITH TRAVEL REPORTS AND INFORMATION THAT WOULD GIVE US INSIGHT ON HOW WELL THE HOTELS ARE DOING WITH THE ADRS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. THAT'S WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.

WE ARE HARD AT WORK IN NEGOTIATING AND PUTTING THE FINAL TOUCHES ON THIS PLAN. I WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER IN AWP ANTICIPATION OF CG BACK SOMETIME IN AUGUST WITH THE FINAL PLAN. THIS GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE WE ARE HEADED. MAY I ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU, JORDY.

SO THAT'S THE ADVERTISING PORTION.

WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE SEVERAL OTHER SEGMENTS.

BUT THE METRICS ARE SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE COME TO EXPECT FROM US. WE ARE BUILD PLANS.

WE BUILD GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AND THEN WE MEASURE OR PERFORMANCE AGAINST THOSE. THAT'S HOW WE KNOW WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING.

WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE NEED MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT.

[02:35:03]

THIS IS A LIVING EXPERIENCE FOR OUR PEOPLE.

WE ARE LOOKING AT TARGETING HUGE NUMBERS IN TERMS OF IMPRESSIONS.

I KNOW IMPRESSIONS ARE A GROSS MEASURE, BUT THAT'S THE CURRENCY THAT WE DEAL IN. YOU SEE THAT WE ARE TARGETING 25 BILLION IMPRESSIONS IN THE FISCAL YEAR.

WE ARE HOPING TO HOST 50 OR NO TARGETED JOURNALISTS AND INFLUENCERS, SEE WHAT THE FOCUS IS.

LUXURY, OUTDOOR, FOOD, AND HERITAGE.

WE ARE ALSO LOOKING TO HOST THREE IN-MARKET MEDIA TOURS FOR MEETINGS FOCUS OR FOOD HERITAGE LUXURY AND GROUPS.

WE ARE MANAGING OUR MESSAGING TOWARD THE AUDIENCE THAT WE ARE EXPECTING AND THAT CAN AFFORD OUR PRODUCTS.

WHO ARE ALSO MORE LIKELY TO STAY LONGERRER LONGER AND PURCHASE M.

WHEN YOU LK AT O LOOK AT OUR SOL MEDIA, 526,000.

TWITTER FOLLOWERS UP ABOUT 3 POURS TO 13,800.

INSTAGRAM, WHICH IS A MAJOR GROWTH CATEGORY PLATFORM, ESPECIALLY FOR MILLENNIALS, AS IS TIKTOK AND WEE WE WILL BE BRINGING MORE TIKTOK PROGRAMS AND REELS WILL BECOME PART OF OUR STRATEGY, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A BENCHMARK ON TIKTOK, WE ARE NOT GIVING A GOAL STRATEGY. INSTAGRAM GROWTH IS 11 PERCENT.

YOUTUBE LIFETIME VIEWS. WE HAVE AN EXTENSIVE CHANNEL.

LOOK AT SOME OF THE VIDEOS WE ARE CARRYING THERE AND TELL THE STORY, 440,000, UP 14% FROM THE LAST ACTUAL PERFORMANCE IN 2021.

WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT INCREASING OUR HISPANIC MEDIA IMPRESSIONS BY 23%. SO THOSE ARE SOME GROSS MEASURES FOR THE OUR COMMUNICATIONS AND EARNED MEDIA SITE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JORDY MENTIONED WAS THE WEBSITE AS A MEANS OF DIRECTING PEOPLE TO FIND OUT WHAT THERE IS TO DO IN THE DESTINATION. I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT. OUR WEBSITE IS COMPLETELY SEARCHABLE. LITTLE MAGNIFYING GLASS AT EVERY PAGE. CLICK ON THAT, ASK AWAY.

IF YOU WERE TO ASK AWAY, AFRICAN AMERICAN OR BLACK HISTORY, YOU SEE AT LEAST EIGHT STORIES. THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE BUSINESSES LIKE GAYLE AND FLOYD WHICH ARE LISTED AS PROFILES.

BUT THERE'S A GREAT DEAL IN THAT WEBSITE THAT OUR VISITORS CAN FIND. AND ARE VERY, VERY SOPHISTICATED. MILLENNIAL VISITORS KNOW THEIR WAY AROUND WEBSITES. WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND GET A SENSE FOR WHAT IS HAPPENING OUT THERE.

WE ALSO, AS PART OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM, WE GENERATE ACCOLADES -- FOR SOME REASON IT IS NOT ADVANCING.

LAST YEAR -- THIS YEAR, I'M GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE ACCOLADES THAT HAVE BEEN GENERATED JUST THIS YEAR.

USA TODAY NAMED ST. AUGUSTINE'S HARBOR ONE OF THE TEN BEST URBAN PADDLE TRAILS. REMEMBER WE TALKED ABOUT TRYING TO BRING MORE WATER-RELATED ACTIVITIES IN.

[02:40:02]

THAT MESSAGE PUT OUT TO THEIR READERS AND WE WERE VOTED IN THE TOP TEN. SOUTHERN LIVING, WE WERE RANKED 5 OUT OF 20 FOR THE SOUTH'S BEST BEACH TOWNS.

TRIP ADVISER MENTIONED ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH AS NO. 14 AMONG THE TRAVELER CHOICE AWARDS AS FOR THE TOP 25 BEACHES IN THE UNITED STATES. AND THIS JUST IN, THURSDAY OF LAST WEEK, WE, ST. AUGUSTINE AND THE ST. AUGUSTINE EXPERIENCES TOUR OPERATION WAS NAMED BY THE USERS OF TRIP ADVISER AS THE NO.

1 FOOD, WINE AND COCKTAIL TOUR IN THE WORLD.

THAT'S FROM THE ICER OF TRIP USP ADVISER.

THOSE FOLKS WERE ABLE TO SAY, WE HAD SUCH A GREAT EXPERIENCE, WE ARE RECOMMENDING IT. AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF. THE GROWTH OF OUR CULINARY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN SUBSTANTIAL. LASESLAST YEAR, CONDE NAST TRAVR NAMED ST. AUGUSTINE NEAR THE TOP OF THE LIST OF 26 MOST BEAUTIFUL TOWNS IN AMERICA. TRAVEL AND LEISURE ONLINE NAMED ST. AUGUSTINE ONE OF THE 11 BEST SMALL TOWNS IN AMERICA FOR ITS LOCAL ARTS, CRAFTS, HISTORY, BEACHES, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.

TRIP ADVISER NAMED, IN JANUARY OF 2021, SO THIS IS EVEN BEFORE THE VACCINES WERE RELEASED, ST. AUGUSTINE WAS LISTED AS NO. 2 TRENDING DESTINING IN THE U.S. TRENDING DESTINATION IN THE U.S.

AND NO. 5 IN THE WORLD FOR PLACES PEOPLE WANTED TO GO WHEN THEY FELT COMFORTABLE TRAVELING. THIS IS THIS IS WHERE THE RUBBER HIT THE ROAD FOR US GETTING OUT THERE EARLY WITH THE MESSAGING.

IN 2021, GOLF MAGAZINE AWARDED PONTE VEDRA OCEAN COURSE THE RENOVATED PRIVATE COURSE OF THE YEAR.

SO THAT LOVE, THOSE EXPERIENCES ARE GETTING OUT THERE AND PEOPLE ARE DISCOVERING THE VALUE AND QUALITIES OF OUR DESTINATION.

WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR VCRM EFFORTS, INCLUDING OUR WEBSITE, OUR KEY PERFORMANCE METRICS ARE TO MAINTAIN A CLICK-THROUGH RATE BETWEEN 20 AND 25%. THE PREVIOUS ACTUAL CLICK-THROUGH WAS 18 PERCENT IN 2021.

SO WE ARE STRIVING TO IMPROVE ON OUR PERFORMANCE IN EACH CATEGORY. WE ALSO LOOK TO ACHIEVE AN AVERAGE CLICK-THROUGH RATE OF 4% AND AVERAGE ON TIME SITE, ON OUR WEBSITE, TIME OF 3 MINUTES. THOSE ARE SUBSTANTIALLY AHEAD OF THE INDUSTRY STANDARDS FOR DESTININGS.

DESTINATIONS. IF I'M SELLING A PRODUCT, I DO BETTER THAN THAT. FOR A DESTINATION, THOSE ARE VERY HIGH NUMBERS. ON OUR WEBSITE, WEB DEVELOPMENT SIDE, WE ARE LOOKING AT CAPTURING 790,000 WEB VISITS THROUGH ORGANIC SEARCH. THAT'S 20 PERCENT HIGHER THAN WAN ASTHAN WAS ACHIEVED IN 2021. 175,000 REFERRALS TO STAKEHOLDER WEBSITES AND TARGETING SCROLL DEPTHS.

JORDY MENTIONED ENGAGEMENT ON THE WEBSITE.

BUT SCROLL DEPTHS IS A COOL MEASURE WHERE YOU CAN TELL HOW LONG OR HOW MUCH OF A PAGE A USER IS LOOKING AT.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE CALL SCROLL DEPTH.

31% OF OUR USERS OF OUR WEBSITE SCROLL 50% OR MORE OF OUR PAGES.

SO THAT'S THE TARGET THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO MAINTAIN.

SO THAT'S OUR MISSION. WE MENTIONED ALSO FOR FISCAL 23,

[02:45:04]

PROMOTIONS AND STRATEGIC ALLIANCES WE BELIEVE IN.

OVER THE TOP PROGRAMS, WHETHER THEY ARE TIED TO A MEDIA BUY OR WHETHER THEY ARE BASED ON GENERAL SOLICITATION, OUR STAKEHOLDERS SUPPORT US WITH OFFERING PRODUCT FOR SWEEPSTAKES AND OTHER KINDS OF PROMOTIONAL SUPPORT.

THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF PROGRAMS WE ARE LOOKING AT.

BUT WE ARE LOOKING TO SECURE A MINIMUM OF $2 MILLION IN MEDIA VALUE, 60% MORE THAN WHAT WE ACTUALLY GENERATED IN 2021 AND THAT'S BASED ON A 25:1 RETURN ON INVESTMENTS.

DOLLARS IN, DOLLARS WE PAY, VERSUS MEDIA VALUE OUT IS WHAT THAT FIGURE IS. THAT'S A 25% INCREASE OVER 21:WE ARE LOOKING AT DEVELOPING AT LEAST FOUR THEMED PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGNS. SOME OF THOSE TARGETED TIMES THAT WE HIT WITH THESE ARE EASY SEASON, THE FE PERIOD IN SEPTEMR AND LATE AUGUST, WHEN IT IS OUR SLOWEST TIME.

NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, SPRING AND SUMMER, AND THE FACT THAT WE WOULD LEVERAGE THE PRIMARY MEDIA BUYS AT THOSE TIMES IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER. WE'RE GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN VISIT FLORIDA PROMOTIONS. THEY LIKE US BECAUSE WE SAY YES.

THEY LIKE US BECAUSE WE ARE A VERY EXPERIENCED AT PROVIDING PROMOTIONS AND OUR STAKEHOLDERS ARE EXCITED AT PARTICIPATING.

SO WE ARE A FAVORED PLAYER WITH VISIT FLORIDA AND WE HOPE TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. OUR MINIMUM GOAL ARE THREE PROMOTIONS FOR THE YEAR. WE HAVE EXCEEDED THAT EACH YEAR.

FINALLY, AS I MENTIONED ON THE BUDGET, WE ARE INCREASING OUR SPEND IN PROMOTIONS SO THAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH EVEN MORE.

WE TALK ABOUT IN-MARKET FILMING OPPORTUNITIES.

THERE ARE TWO, MINIMUM OF TWO THAT WE ARE TARGETING.

JUST TO GIVE YOU A VISION, PETER GREENBURG OPERATES ONE OF THE MORE WELL KNOWN TRAVEL SHOWS ON CBS NEWS.

HE WRITES FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES.

WE ARE -- THE PROGRAM THAT WE ARE MOST INTERESTED IN AND ARE IN DISCUSSIONS WITH HIM ARE THE TRAVEL DETECTIVE SERIES THAT'S KNOWN AS HIDDEN GEMS. HE HAS EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THE DESTINATION AND WE ARE CULTIVATING AND CONTINUING TO NEGOTIATE A PROGRAM WITH HIM. SO WE EXPECT TO PRESENT THAT.

HIDDEN GEMS IS VERY ATTRACTIVE BECAUSE, ESPECIALLY WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN SPECIALIZED TRAVEL, BECAUSE THEY GET TO LEARN ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE NOT TYPICAL.

AND THAT'S WHAT PETER'S SHOW HIDDEN GEMS FOCUSES ON.

WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO DRIVING THAT.

IN OUR SALES DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE LEISURE SALES WHICH INCLUDES TRAVEL INDUSTRY, TRAVEL AGENTS, TOUR OPERATORS.

WE ARE TARGETING COUPLES, ORGANIZED MOTOR COACHES, PACKAGE TOURS. ON OUR CONFERENCE SALE SIDE, THE FOCUS IS ON CORPORATE. LARGE CORPORATES AND ASSOCIATION MEETINGS. THEN WE ALSO HAVE A SPECIALIZED SALESPERSON WHO CHASES EXECUTIVE GROUP, SPORTS, REUNIONS, MILITARY REUNIONS, SOCIAL EVENTS AND WEDDINGS.

COMBCOACCOMMODATING WITH PLACESO SPEND THE NIGHT AND PLACES TO EAT. OUR KEY PERFORMANCE MEASURES

[02:50:04]

THAT'S ABOUT 40% OVER 2021'S ACCOMPLISHMENT.

THE LEADS SENT TO HOTEL STAKEHOLDERS WILL BE 443.

THAT'S 36% MORE. SOLICITATION GOALS IS FLAT BECAUSE IT IS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE TO GENERATE MORE THAN 170 SOLICITATIONS A MONTH. SO WE ARE NOT DOING -- WE ARE NOT SENDING OUT WILLY NILLY EVERY LEAD BECAUSE WE HAVE IT.

WE ARE CAREFULLY REPORTING STAKEHOLDERS, ONLY THAT WOULD QUALIFY AND BENEFIT THE DESTINATION.

FINALLY, BRAND RESEARCH RESOURCES.

MANY OF YOU RECEIVE THE RESEARCH REPORTS.

DANNY, THANKS FOR ASKING FOR ME TO INCLUDE THE GLOSSARY.

IT IS IN THERE NOW. WE INCLUDE IT IN OUR MONTHLY REPORTS. WE ARE ALSO INCLUDING IT IN OUR REPORTS TO STAKEHOLDERS NOW AS WELL.

SO IT WAS A GOOD IDEA. WE REPORT ON SMITH TRAVEL.

WE COMBINE THAT WITH ALL THE RECOMMENDS, WHICH IS VACATION RENTAL DATA. WE CONDUCT, I CONDUCT A SURVEY OF BED BREAKFASTS, AS WELL AS THE ATTRACTIONS.

ORLANORDINARILY WE ARE A TEAM. I SUPPORT MY TEAM VERY WELL.

BUT THOSE TWO ENTITIES, THE BED AND BREAKFASTS AND ATTRACTIONS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE SEEING THEIR DATA.

IT BECAME A TRUST ISSUE. BEST WAY TO CONTROL THAT WAS FOR ONE PERSON TO RECEIVE THAT INFORMATION, AND THAT'S ME.

SO I ROFO REPORT ON THAT ALSO MONTHLY.

WE ALSO HAVE A VISITOR PROFILE STUDY THAT THE TEC AND TERA HAS PRODUCED AND WE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

WE HAVE SINCE, 2015, BEEN COLLECTING VISA DESTINATION INSIGHTS. THE BEAUTY OF THAT IS THERE ARE HUGE NUMBERS OF TRANSACTIONS AND WE CAN FILTER IT FOR FOLKS WHO COME SPEND IN OUR DESTINATION BUT DO NOT LIVE IN OUR DESTINATION. SO WE ARE CLEARLY REPORTING ON VISITORS. SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT SOURCE OF DATA AND JORDY MENTIONED THAT WE USE THAT IN SELECTING OUR MARKETS. ALSO ANOTHER CATEGORY CALLED INSIGHTS WHICH REPORTS ON 30 DAY PAST AFTE AND 60 DAY FORWARD.

THAT TELLS US WHETHER WE ARE MOVING THE NEEDLE.

SEERCH SEEAND SO BY MAINTAININGE PROGRAMS, WE ALSO HAVE SOME SECONDARY RESEARCH WE FOLLOW WITH THE STATE OF THE AMERICAN TRAVELER. DESTINATION A ANALYSTS, WE PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THAT AND REPORT ON IT.

AND ON OUR MEETING PLANNERS, BUSINESS TRAVEL INDEX AND OUR MEETINGS TODAY SURVEY TELL US WHAT MEETING PLANNERS ARE LOOKING FOR. THE KPIS ON THIS, THE REALLY ARE SIMPLY MAKING SURE WE CONTINUE TO DO IT.

AS WE FIND NEW THINGS TO REPORT ON, NEW DATA THAT IS BETTER INFORMED, WE WILL BRING THAT TO THE PARTY AS WELL.

THAT BRING US BACK TO TO THE BUDGET.

AND JUST A REMINDER OF HOW THE DOLLARS GET SPENT AND I WILL LEAVE THAT CHART UP IN CASE YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.

OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE COVERED HERE TODAY.

>> ANY QUESTIONS? >> RICHARD, HOW ARE WE GOING TO

GET TO 82 MILLION-DOLLAR BUDGET? >> MOST OF MY CAREER HAS BEEN WORKING WITH BUSINESSES WITH SMALLER ACCOUNTS.

I FEEL I'M BEING KICKED UNDER THE TABLE.

TRUTH IS, IT IS MUCH MORE CHALLENGING TO DO GOOD WORK WITH

[02:55:03]

WHEN YOU HAVE A SMALLER BUDGET, YOU HAVE TO WORK IT.

WE FIND THE INTELLECTUAL CHALLENGE IN THE SMALLER BUDGET.

WE REALLY COULD -- WE WOULD STILL BE A WHOLE LOT SMALLER IF WE WERE TWICE AS LARGE. I'M NOT ASKING FOR MORE MONEY.

I'M JUST SAYING THAT EVEN WITH TWICE THE BUDGET, WE WOULD STILL BE AT THE LOWER END OF THE SPECTRUM OF OUR COMP SET.

>> IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS.

>> WE ARE REALLY BAD, I KNOW THAT YOU SEE A LOT OF THIS.

WE ARE REALLY LOUSY AT TELLING OUR STORIES BUT THERE IS SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME PERSONALLY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THROUGH MY DUTIES ON THE FLORIDA STATE PARKS FOUNDATION.

IT HAS BEEN OVER A YEAR NOW. I KNEW, BECAUSE I HAVE HAD KIDS TELL ME, ASK ME, WHERE THE HELL -- THEY DIDN'T SAY HELL.

WHERE THE HECK IS THE FORT. SO I SUGGESTED TO MY COLLEAGUES ON THE FOUNDATION THAT WE NEED TO HELP FIND MONEY FOR BUILDING A FORT. SO THE $900,000 GRANT THAT'S BOTH FEDERAL AND STATE DOLLARS THAT IS NOW SUPPLEMENTED BY LOCAL BUSINESSES, WONDERFUL CONCERTS THAT WERE HOSTED AND THE COUNTY'S CONTRIBUTIONS CAME FROM THE GRANT WRITTEN BY THE FOUNDATION. AND I'M VERY EXCITED AT WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE AND I HOPE SOME OF YOU HAVE THE CHANCE, BECAUSE THE MEETINGS ARE OPEN, TO SEE WHAT THE STATE PARKS ARE DOING, THE CONSTRUCTION, THE PLANNING, THE PRESERVATION DEBATES, NANCY, OVER IS THERE A TOWER, WILL THE TOWER BE ACCESSIBLE.

LOTS OF WONDERFUL QUESTIONS THAT HOPEFULLY WON'T INTERFERE WITH THE ACTUAL BUILDING OF THE ACTUAL FORT.

I WANTED TO SHARE THAT ITEM BECAUSE IT IS SO MEANINGFUL TO

US. >> I WOULD LIKE TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS. THAT'S GOING TO BE A FABULOUS WAY. IT IS COMING OUT OF THE GROUND LIKE THAT, HE HE EXPRESSES SOMEG HARD TO ARTICULATE TO THE PUBLIC UNLESS IT IS ACTUALLY THERE. CONGRATULATIONS.

>> THANK YOU. .

>> TERA, DO WE HAVE OUR 5 O'CLOCK HARD STOP? DO WE NEED ANY ACTION ON THESE ITEMS FROM THE VCB.

>> SIMILAR TO HOW YOU APPROVED THE CULTURAL COUNCIL, YOU WILL

APPROVE THE VCB. >> ON THE AGENDA, YOU ARE SHOWING ACTION ON PROMOTION PLAN AND ON THE BUDGET, TWO SEPARATE.

>> YES. SO YOU ALL DID AN ITEM TO

[10. FY23 BUDGET]

IF YOU WILL DO THAT FOR THE VCB, AND THEN THE BUDGET THIRD.

>> I MOVE THAT APPROVE THE FY 23 VCB PROMOTION PLAN AS PRESENTED.

>> SECOND. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

>> AYE. >> I MOVE WE APPROVE THE BUDGET

RECOMMENDATION -- >> HOLD ON, WE RUN THROUGH BUDGET SEPARATE. SO FISCAL YEAR 23 BUDGET, WE HAVE A HARD STOP. WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE AT 5.

SO I WAS GOING TO COVER IT QUICKLY ANYWAYS.

HERE WE HAVE CATEGORY ONE AND TWO, LARGELY WHAT YOU HAVE JUST HEARD HERE FROM CHRISTINA AND FROM RICHARD.

WE HAVE A VCB CONTRACT GOING INTO FISCAL YEAR 23 PROPOSED AT $5.2 MILLION AND SOME CHANGE. THAT'S ABOUT 10% INCREASE FROM FISCAL YEAR 21. THERE IS ALSO AN ALLOCATION IN

[03:00:02]

WE HAVE THOSE ACH GRANTS AT $450,000.

THERE'S $450,000 THAT ARE IN THAT CATEGORY FOR SPECIAL EVENTS, THAT IS A COMBINATION OF SING OUT LOUD AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL EVENTS THAT ARE CURATED BY THE CULTURAL COUNCIL.

THEN WE HAVE THE AMPHITHEATER OPERATION SUPPORT WHICH GOES TOWARD JUST THAT, THE GENERAL AMPHITHEATER OPERATIONS.

INDIRECT ADMIN FEE FOR THE COUNTY.

THAT BRINGS TOTAL BUDGET AS CURRENTLY PROPOSED TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONER AT JUST OVER $2.4 MILLION.

QUESTIONS ON THIS SLIDE? CATEGORY 3, LEISURE AND RECREATION. THIS CATEGORY LOOKS DIFFERENT THAN THE LAST TIME I PRESENTED BUDGET.

LAST TIME WAS BEFORE THE FIFTH CENT WAS LEVIED.

WE DID PULL OUT BEACH EXPEN DID EXPENDITURES AND PUT THOSE IN CATEGORY 5. THIS IS SPECIFICALLY NONBEACH ORIENTED LEISURE AND RECREATION EXPENSES.

YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXPENSES WHICH I HAVE LUMPED TOGETHER HERE IN ADMIN AND OPERATING EXPENSES.

A VARIETY OF THINGS LIKE COMMUNICATION EXPENSES, STAFFING EXPENSES, GASOLINE, THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND THEN OUR SPORTS MARKETING AND ADVERTISING PROGRAM WHICH IS $331,800. TRAVEL AND TRAINING, TOTAL OF 6,000. WE DO HAVE BOAT RAMP MAINTENANCE IDENTIFIED AT $250,000, WHICH IS A VARIETY OF PROJECTS.

A LOT OF THOSE WILL BE IDENTIFIED AS THEY COME UP BECAUSE IT IS THE MAINTENANCE AS IT IS NEEDED.

BALL FIELD MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS COME IN AT $250,000.

ARTIFICIAL REEF PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY FUNDED AT $200,000.

THEN SIZABLE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, $1.9 MILLION, AND INDIRECT ADMIN FEES $42,000. THOSE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, I'M SURE YOU ARE CURIOUS, INCLUDE DISC GOLF COURSE DEVELOPMENT, OUT THERE AT THE FAIRGROUNDS.

PLANTATION PARK BIEWL FEEL BALLD IMPROVEMENTS AND CALHOUN BALL

FIELD IMPROVEMENTS. >> HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO LAST

YEAR OR THIS YEAR? >> FOR THIS CATEGORY, THIS IS THE CATEGORY THAT IS A LITTLE BIT HARD TO MAKE THAT COMPARISON TO LAST YEAR OR THIS YEAR BECAUSE IT IS THE CATEGORY THAT WE -- IT IS THE CATEGORY THAT TOOK THE MOST MEANINGFUL CHANGES WHEN WE IMPLEMENTED THE FIFTH CENT.

BUT IT IS AN INCREASE IN FUNDING FOR BOAT RAMP MAINTENANCE, BALL FIELD MAINTENANCE, ARTIFICIAL REEF AND THEN A SIZABLE, SIGNIFICANT INCREASE FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.

SPORTS TOURISM TOOK A BIG INCREASE BUT WE INCREASED IT IN

THIS FISCAL YEAR. >> CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT

ABOUT THE ART ARTIFICIAL REEF. >> AN ONGOING PROGRAM THE COUNTY HAS HAD. THIS IS AND I KNOW CREASE IN IN.

THE COUNTY HAS ONE ARTIFICIAL REEF PROGRAM.

THIS FUNDING WOULD DO TWO THINGS, WE ARE THIS YEAR IMPLEMENTING AN ARTIFICIAL REEF MONITORING PROGRAM REQUIRED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. IT ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE TO DEPLOY MATERIALS SO THAT WE CAN EXPAND THE ARTIFICIAL REEF PROGRAM. THE EXISTING REEF PERMIT DOES EXPIRE IN OCTOBER. WE ARE LOOKING TO EXTEND THAT EXISTING PERMIT AS WELL AS OPEN A SECOND PERMIT.

>> HAS ANYONE EVER EXPLORED REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THE ARTIFICIAL REEF? IS IT JUST, PURELY EXPENSE SIDE?

>> DO YOU HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT A REVENUE OPPORTUNITY MY

INCLUDE IN. >?>> FOR EXAMPLE, PEOPLE PUT THR

[03:05:04]

>> YEAH, THERE IS. I WILL STEP INTO -- CONSTITUTIONALLY THERE IS A LIMITATION ON USING PUBLIC FACILITIES FOR PRIVATE GAINS. WHEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THE

BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN, OR >> WHO WOULD BE PRIVATE THAT

WOULD BE GAINING? >> SOMEBODY IS PAYING FOR THAT.

THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE BURIALS, BURIED INTO THE REEF, THERE IS A FEE FOR THAT TO BE BURIED INTO THE REEF.

SO IT IS A PROFITABLE BUSINESS. THE COUNTY IS NOT RUNNING ANY OF THOSE PROGRAMS. IF WE SO CHOSE TO DO SO, WE PROBABLY COULD. BUT AS FAR AS SOMEBODY PROFITING

OFF OF IT. >> ON THIS SLIDE, I HAVE CATEGORY 4 AND CATEGORY 5. CATEGORY 5 IS OUR CATCH-ALL.

WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS GOING ON IN THIS CATEGORY.

I LUMPED A BUNCH OF THOSE TOGETHER INTO THE ADMIN AND OPERATING EXPENSES. THIS IS STAFF, MINE AND DENA'S STAFF. THINGS LIKE TELEPHONE, INTERNET SERVICE. WE HAVE ONE VEHICLE FOR THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT. ALL THE FEES THAT COME ALONG WITH THAT. WE HAVE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. THERE ARE A VARIETY OF PROJECTS IN HERE. THINGS THAT ARE OPTIONS TO US.

A LOT OF TIMES WHAT I DO FOR THE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, AS IDEAS COME OUT, WE USE THIS POAN FOR THAT.

MONEY FOR THAT. THERE ARE PLACE HOLDERS BUT THEY ARE FLEXIBLE. CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, THIS WOULD BE A KIND OF A NEW ITEM HERE IN THIS LINE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS TALKING TO THE CITY ABOUT WAS THEY ARE LOOKING TO START UP CIRCULATING SYSTEM FOR PEOPLE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DOT.

THAT HAS A COST FOR THEM. THEY WERE LOOKING TO PUT IN A PORTION OF THAT MONEY AND ASKING THAT WE PUT IN A HUNDRED THOUSAND OF THAT MONEY AS WELL. THAT'S PART OF THAT 250,000.

THEN THE OTHER PART OF THAT MONEY IS THE FUNDING THAT WE PROVIDE THEM FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS SHUTTLES CURRENTLY.

AMPHITHEATER BLEACHER PAY OFF, WE SEE INCREASES.

THIS IS A PAY OFF OF THE BLEACHERS WEE.

WE ARE RENTING THEM. WHEN WE COME TO THE END OF OUR RENTAL PERIOD, WE HAVE TO RENT THEM SOME MORE OR BUY THEM.

WE ASKED THE BLEACHER RENTAL COMPANY FOR THE COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS FOR ALL THOSE THING. IT IS IN THE COUNTY'S BEST INTEREST FINANCIALLY TO PURCHASE THOSE AND SO THAT WOULD BE OUR PAY-OFF, WE WOULD THEN OWN THE BLEACHERS AT THE AMPHITHEATER.

LOCAL RETAIL RESTAURANT INCENTIVE PROGRAM.

I WILL DISCUSS THIS MORE AS WE GO THROUGH THE YEAR, THIS IS SOMETHING WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DEVELOP.

THIS IS AN IDEA, LOOKING AT SOME OF THE CHANGES WE HAVE BEEN SEEING SPECIFICALLY IN THE DOWNTOWN ST. AUGUSTINE AREA, ALSO THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, SOME TYPE OF A PROGRAM THAT REALLY HELPS TO PROMOTE AND INCENTIVIZE NEW UNIQUE BUSINESSES TO OUR AREA SO THAT WE DON'T BECOME INUNDATED WITH MORE OF THESE LARGE RETAIL CHAINS THAT ARE POPPING UP HERE AND THERE.

NIGHTS OF LIGHTS FUNDING, THAT'S CONSISTENT AT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. TPC, THE PLAYER CHAMPIONSHIP, THE ALLOCATION THAT WE PROVIDE FOR THEM FOR MARKETING AND PROMOTIONS. SPECIAL EVENTS, THIS IS PRIMARILY FOR SING OUT LOUD. ADVERTISING, A VARIETY OF SMALL THINGS THAT WE DO WITH ADVERTISING MONEY.

LARGELY, WE PUT A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY IN HERE SO IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT COMES UP THROUGH THE YEAR, A LOT OF TIMES IT IS THROUGH VISIT FLORIDA, A FIRE SALE, VISIT FLORIDA, IF YOU CAN GET US SOMETHING BY THE END THE DAY TOMORROW, YOU GET 70% DISCOUNT. WE USE THAT AND A PORTION OF THAT GOES TOWARD SUPPORTING SING OUT LOUD.

AND TRAVEL AND MEMBERSHIP FEES FOR OUR OFFICE IS $1,800.

AND WE USE THAT TO COVER THE ARTS CULTURAL HERITAGE FUNDING

[03:10:08]

THE ONE C THAT CHANGED THE MOST WAS CATEGORY 3.

THE ONE THAT CHANGED SECOND MOST WAS CATEGORY 5.

THIS IS OUR BEACH EXPENSES. BEFORE IT WAS CALLED TOURISM ASSETS. WE HAD A VARIETY OF THINGS FUNDED OUT OF THERE. SO DUNE WALK OVER.

AND THEN OTHER BEACH PROJECTS. OTHER BEACH PROJECTS INCLUDE THINGS LIKE MOSTLY OR BEACH SAND PROJECTS BUT ALSO SOME OF THE TRASH PICKUP FOR THE BEACHES, REST ROOM CLEANINGS FOR THE BEACHES, THINGS LIKE THAT. QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE TWO SL SLIDES? THESE TWO CATEGORIES.

>> TERA, DO I HAVE A REC THAT THE REC DEPARTMENT PAYS INTO

THIS, TOO? >> THEY DO NOT.

THEY PAY THE RECREATION PARKS, PARKS FUNDS A BIG PORTION OF BEACH EXPENSES BUT THEY DON'T PUT ANY MONEY INTO BEACH ASSETS CATEGORY. BUT THEY PAY FOR ALL OF THE TOLL BOOTH EXPENSES, ALL OF THE PERMITTING EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. ANY TYPE OF LIFE GUARD, LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPENSES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH BEACH USE COMES OUT OF RECREATION LEISURE SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

SO THEY DO -- THAT'S GENERAL FUND MONEY.

THAT GOES TO SUPPORTING THE BEACH BUT IT DOESN'T GO INTO CATEGORY 5. YOU DON'T SEE ANY THAT FOUNDING HERE. SO BASICALY ALL WE ARE LOOKING FOR HERE IS A RECOMMENDATION OF SUPPORT OR IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS OR WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING CHANGED, LET ME KNOW,

I CAN TAKE THAT BACK. >> IS THIS -- WHEN WE APPROVE THIS, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? IT GOES TO THE BCC OR IT GETS PUT

INTO THEIR BUDGET. >> YEAH, SO WE ARE IN THE MIDST.

THE COUNTY STARTS THE BUDGETING PROCESS BACK IN MARCH AND SO WE ARE SOMEWHERE IN THAT BUDGET PROCESS.

THE STAFF HAS HAD OUR ADMINISTRATIVE BUNDLE THE WORKSHOPS. SO THERE'S BEEN A PRESENTATION OF THIS BUDGET. ULTIMATELY IT GETS PRESENTED TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT TIMES AND THEY WEIGH IN ON IT AND VOTE ON IT IN SEPTEMBER. SO LAST YEAR WE PASSED THE FIFTH CENT, DID THAT IN JULY, YOU GAVE US SOME INPUT AND WE TWEAKED AND MADE SOME CHANGES. SO CHANGES CAN BE MADE BUT WE ARE -- THE BALL IS ROLLING. SO WE ARE SOMEWHERE IN THE

MIDDLE OF THE PROCESS. >> ONLY THING THAT I HEARD TODAY, SPECIFIC REQUESTS, WAS THE ACH GRANTS FOR MORE FUNDING, ARTS AND CULTURE AND HERITAGE GRANTS.

I DIDN'T HEAR A SPECIFIC NUMBER ON THAT, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO ALWAYS SEE THAT NUMBER HIGHER. AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT WOULD COME FROM. BUT THAT'S NOT A MOTION.

IT'S A NOTE. PERHAPS 500,000 INSTEAD OF 450.

THAT WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION. >> WHICH CATEGORY.

>> CATEGORY 2. >> AM I CORRECT?

>> [INAUDIBLE]. >> THERE YOU GO.

MOVE $50,000 FROM SPECIAL EVENTS TO ACH GRANTS CATEGORY.

MAKE THAT 500 AND 400. >> DOES THAT CHANGE SPECIAL

[03:15:10]

EVENTS? >> IT WOULD.

SO WE HAVE GOT TWO THINGS THAT ARE FUNDED OUT OF THERE.

IT IS 300,000 GOING TO SING OUT LOUD AND 150 GOING TO THE EVENTS THAT ARE CURATED BY THE CULTURAL COUNCIL.

SO IF WE DO THAT, I WOULD HAVE TO SIT DOWN WITH GABE AMPHITHEATER AND CHRISTINA AND FIGURE OUT THE IMPACTS.

NEITHER ONE OF THOSE THINGS ARE ACTUALLY MY THINGS.

>> OKAY, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU WANT US TO APPROVE.

BUT APPROVE IT AS PRESENTED AND THEN HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD? IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE

NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSION. >> YEAH.

SO I THINK WE CAN ABOUT THIS IN A WHOLE VARIETY OF WAYS.

CERTAINLY, YOU CAN GIVE DIRECTIONS OF THINGS FOR STAFF TO WORK ON. I WOULD SAY, ALTHOUGH THAT IS A VALID INPUT, THAT THAT IS NOT A MAJOR CONCERN OR MAJOR CHANGE.

THAT IS A FAIRLY SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY IN A PRETTY LARGE BUDGET.

I GUESS THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU CAN GIVE DIRECTION THAT WE FIGURE THAT OUT.

YOU CAN SUGGEST IT. YOU CAN CHOOSE TO APPROVE THE BUDGET, GIVING STAFF TO LOOK INTO THAT FURTHER.

OR YOU CAN CHOOSE NOT TO APPROVE THE BUDGET.

WHAT I GUESS. >> CAN YOU BRING US BACK TO US IN AUGUST? I COULD.

>> AT OUR AUGUST MEETING. >> IF YOU ARE MAKING LARGE CHANGES, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT $50,000 WITHIN ONE CATEGORY.

>> IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT TO ME. >> IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THE MULTIMILLION DOLLAR BUDGET. SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS A SMALL CHANGE. I GIVE YOU, IT IS A LOT OF MONEY FOR INDIVIDUAL SITTING HERE. IN THE BUDGET, SMALL TWEAK AND SMALL CHANGE. SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANYTHING BIG, WE WOULD NEED TO FIGURE THAT OUT NOW, IF THERE'S ANY BIG CHANGE.

IF THERE ARE SMALL CHANGES, WE CAN BRING IT BACK.

>> THAT IS THE ONLY SUGGESTION I HAVE HEARD HERE TODAY, TO INCREASE IN GRANT CATEGORY. I DON'T HAVE ANY CHANGES MYSELF.

I'M BRINGING THAT POINT FORWARD. AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE, I'M HAPPY TO -- DOES THIS NEED TO BE -- IT NEEDS TO BE APPROVED TODAY.

>> SO YOU ARE MAKING A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL.

THAT'S WHY I SAY, IF THERE IS A BIG CHANGE, THE EARLIER WE DO IT THE BETTER. IF YOU GIVE A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE IN AUGUST, A SMALL CHANGE OF MOVING $50,000.

IF WE ARE GOING TO BRING IT BACK IN AUGUST AND SOMEBODY IS GOING

TO BLOW THE TOP OFF OF THINGS. >> I HAVE YOU NOT HEARD MUCH PUBLIC INPUT ON IT. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE DISCUSSED IT IN PUBLIC. SO I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE THERE IS OR THERE ISN'T. I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THE WAY IT IS. I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT ADDITIONAL $50,000 BE INCREASED IN THE ACH GRANTS.

AND REDUCED FROM WHATEVER OTHER CATEGORY YOU SEE FIT.

HOW ABOUT THAT. >> VERY GOOD.

NOTED. >> I WOULD BE WILLING TO MAKE

THAT IN A MOTION. >> I WILL SECOND THE MOTION.

>> UNLESS THERE IS PUBLIC INPUT WE NEED TO TAKE RIGHT NOW.

>> SO WE SHOULD DEFINITELY GET PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE THERE IS A

VOTE. >> ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE MOTION WHICH HAS BEEN SECONDED TO INCREASE THAT LINE ITEM ACH GRANTS BY $50,000, FUNDS TO BE MOVED FROM WITHIN THAT CATEGORY TO MAKE THAT INCREASE POSSIBLE.

ANY COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.

WE CAN VOTE ON THIS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE

MOTION. >> AYE.

>> OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES.

>> [INAUDIBLE]. >> OVER ALL APPROVAL.

>> I WILL MAKE THAT MOTION. >> SECOND.

>> MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE OVERALL

[11. MONTHLY REPORTS PROVIDED IN PACKETS]

ALL IN FAVOR. >> AYE.

[03:20:05]

>> OPPOSED? WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED FROM US?

[12. MEMBER COMMENTS]

>> I THINK THAT'S IT. ALSO WE HAVE HERE WITH OUR JUST COUPLE MO MOMENTS LEFT. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF SUMMARY SLIDES FROM THE VCB, BUT THOSE ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKETS.

YOU CAN TAKE YOUR WHOLE BINDER WITH YOU IF YOU WOULD LIKE.

THINGS ARE STILL DOING -- WE ARE STILL DOING VERY WELL.

MEMBER COMMENTS? THEN WE WOULD HAVE MEMBER

COMMENTS. >> ANY MEMBER COMMENTS?

>> MY COMMENT IS THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE WITH YOU ALL. I AM DELIGHTED THAT MY POSITION WILL GO TO A HIGHLY CONFIDENT INDIVIDUAL.

I WANT YA'LL TO KNOW THAT IT WAS A HONOR TO SERVE.

>> I THINK I SPEAK FOR EVERYONE HERE NOW AND THOSE WHO HAVE

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.