May 15, 2024 Fiscal Year 2025 Administrator's Budget Session

[00:00:31]

>> WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND START. I AM THE DIRECTOR FOR OFFICE AND BUDGET. JULIE ANDREWS WHO IS THE ACCOUNTING ADMINISTRATOR IS ON HER WAY. THEY WERE COMING BACK FROM A MEETING , NOT A MEETING FOR US SO I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH A COUPLE OF ITEMS . BEFORE WE GET INTO THE PROCESS I EXPECT SHE'S GOING TO BE HERE IN THE NEXT 3 TO 5 MINUTES, AT WHICH TIME WE WILL JUMP RIGHT INTO IT . JUST A KIND OF REMIND EVERYONE, THIS IS THE REQUESTED BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 25 .

THE BUDGET BEGINS WHAT WE HAVE APPROPRIATED ULTIMATELY , IN OCTOBER. WE START THIS PROCESS IN MARCH. THIS IS REALLY A VERY INTERESTING PROCESS FOR US. THIS IS WADE SCHROEDER, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR. WE HAVE IT LOOKED AT ANYTHING YET. THIS IS A FUN TIME FOR US TO LISTEN TO WHERE THE DEPARTMENTS ARE COMING INTO THIS, WHAT THEY ARE REQUESTING, AND THIS IS ALL THIS IS RIGHT NOW. WHAT DEPARTMENTS NEED IN TERMS OF RESOURCES AND MAYBE WHAT THEY DON'T NEED. THIS IS MAYBE A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENTS AND THE ADMINISTRATION. ALL THE WHILE WE ARE LOOKING AT IT FROM AN ACCOUNTING PERSPECTIVE AND WE ARE BEHIND THE SCENES LOOKING AT IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE. THE FUNNEST PART FOR US IS TO PUT THAT TOGETHER. BUT WE ARE STILL LOOKING AT WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE. FOR INSTANCE, PROPERTY TAX AND TAXABLE VALUATION WON'T BE FINALIZED UNTIL JULY 1 SO WE ARE GOING ON ESTIMATES RIGHT NOW AND LOOKING TO SEE WHERE THE PROPERTY APPRAISER COMES IN WITH THOSE CERTIFIED VALUES BUT WE DON'T HAVE THOSE AS OF YET SO THEY CAN CHANGE. THEY CAN GO UP, THEY CAN GO DOWN. WE ARE ANTICIPATING AN INCREASE BUT AT WHAT LEVEL, WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL JULY 1. ON JUNE 1 WE WILL RECEIVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THAT NUMBER IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE BUT JULY 1 IS THE FINAL. WE CAN'T MAKE FINAL DECISIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COMMISSION UNTIL WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION. AS WELL, THIS IS PRIMARILY BCC DEPARTMENTS. ON JULY 1 WHICH IS -- SORRY, JUNE 1. 15 OR 16 DAYS FROM NOW .

PROPERTY APPRAISER, TAX COLLECTOR. THE SCHOOL BOARD IS NOT PART OF THIS. THERE ARE SEPARATE GOVERNING ENTITIES WITH THEIR OWN RATES , THIS IS JUST THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SO WE WILL RECEIVE ALL THIS INFORMATION IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH DEPARTMENTS SINCE MARCH AND AT SOME POINT IN THE NEXT -- WE WILL RECOMMEND THROUGH ADMINISTRATION IN JULY WHAT WE CALL A RECOMMENDED BUDGET TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. AND AT THAT POINT IT BECOMES THE COMMISSION'S BUDGET AND THERE IS STILL PLENTY OF TIME BETWEEN JULY AND SEPTEMBER TO MAKE CHANGES. WHATEVER WE ARE HEARING IN HERE TODAY IS NOT NECESSARILY WHAT GETS RECOMMENDED OR ULTIMATELY APPROVED. IT IS AN ONGOING PROCESS. WITH ALL OF THAT SAID, THE POINT OF THAT IS, THERE'S PLENTY OF TIME TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE BUDGET AND PLENTY OF TIME FOR THE PUBLIC TO WEIGH IN AND MAKE REQUESTS OF THE BUDGET. IT'S A LONG PROCESS FOR THAT REASON. IT'S NOT ALL JUST CAPTURED IN THESE WORKSHOPS . WE DID WORKSHOPS BEGINNING LAST FRIDAY, THEY ARE HALF-DAY EVERY DAY THIS WEEK .

JULIE ANDREWS HAS ASKED ABOUT ADVERTISING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME AND IT WILL BE PUBLICLY ADVERTISED . THE EIGHTH SESSION? I GUESS IT'S THE EIGHT SESSION THAT WILL BE SET UP A WEEK FROM FRIDAY, MAY 24 FROM 9:00 TO 11:00 AND THAT IS

[00:05:04]

>> SO LOOKING FOR THE BUDGET ITSELF , IT IS OVER A $1 BILLION OPERATION AND THERE IS A LOT OF NARRATIVE. I FIND THE DIALOGUE IS AN EASIER WAY TO UNDERSTAND THIS PROCESS VERSUS A LINE ITEM BUDGET. BUT IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE LINE ITEM BUDGET WE PUT THAT TOGETHER AND THAT CAN BE FOUND A COUPLE OF CLICKS IN ON THE HOMEPAGE . THERE IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE BUDGET PROCESS . I WILL FINISH UP, YOU CAN CLICK ON THE BUDGET, AND RIGHT ON THE BOTTOM IS THIS WORKBOOK. WE ARE NOT SPENDING A LOT OF TIME ON THIS WORK LOOK BY LINE ITEM. YOU CAN SEE IT BY WORKSHOP SESSIONS. LIKE TODAY WE ARE GOING TO START WITH TOURISM . IF YOU ARE INTERESTED DOWN TO THE LEVEL OF DETAIL WHERE WE THINK REVENUES ARE COMING IN FOR NEXT YEAR YOU CAN PARTICIPATE THAT WAY AS WELL . SO AGAIN, VERY OPEN DIALOGUE HERE TODAY BUT THE NITTY-GRITTY OF IT AS WE GET TO THE VERY STAGES OF THE BUDGET IT WILL BE PUBLISHED TO

[Tourism and Development Council]

WOULD BE TAURUS DEVELOPMENT. >> APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY.

IT'S TAKING AN HOUR AND I DON'T KNOW HOW-- GOT HERE

BEFORE I DID. >> HIT THE LITTLE SQUARE ON THAT PICTURE AFTER -- RIGHT THERE. HIT THAT. THERE YOU GO.

AND THEN YOU CAN MOVE THAT OUT OF THE WAY.

>> OUR EXPERT IS NOT HERE YET .

>> IT'S ALL YOURS. >> I'M GOING TO GET STARTED WITH-- I AM THE DIRECTOR OF TOURISM AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND I'M GOING TO OPEN UP WITH A LITTLE BIT OF AN OVERVIEW. THE TOURISM BUDGET FOR 2025. THE BUDGET FOR THIS DEPARTMENT IS BASED ON TAURUS DEVELOPMENT TAX REVENUE. TAX IS LEVIED ON SHORT TERM STAYS LESS THAN SIX MONTHS IN DURATION AND THIS TAX IS GOVERNED BY BOTH FLORIDA STATUTE AND COUNTY ORDINANCE 2021 . ST. JOHNS COUNTY IS CURRENTLY ELIGIBLE TO LEVY FIVE ST. JOHNS COUNTY IS CURRENTLY ELIGIBLE TO LEVY 5% AND WE DO LEVY 5%. SO THE REVENUE THAT IS RECOGNIZED OR THAT IS COLLECTED FROM THIS TASK DOES SPECIFICALLY HAVE TO BE UTILIZED FOR QUALIFYING TOURISM INTO THE EXPENSES. THE COUNTY IS REQUIRED TO HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE FOR HOW WE ARE GOING TO USE THOSE REVENUES AND THAT IS OUR ORDINANCE. OUR ORDINANCE ESTABLISHES FIVE CATEGORIES OF USE . CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT TAX REVENUE INCLUDED CATEGORY ONE WHICH

[00:10:02]

WE HAVE DONE A COUPL DIFFERENT THINGS DURING THESE FIVE-YEAR PERIODS . ONE IS THAT WE RECLASSIFY THE FOUR CENTS AND WE REALLOCATED THOSE ACROSS THOSE CATEGORIES . THAT IS WHAT IT TELLS US, AND THEN THE GREEN INDICATES THE YEARS AND WITH -- IN WHICH THE FIVE CENTS WAS LEVIED. SO UP UNTIL 22 IT WAS LEVIED . YOU CAN SEE LOOKING AT OUR GROWTH AND WE SEEM PRETTY BIG GROWTH WITH THE EXCEPTION OF FISCAL YEAR 20. SO WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE SCHOOL YEAR 20 WHICH WE ALL REMEMBER WAS COVID, AND AS A STATE WE DID ACTUALLY SHUT DOWN TOURISM FOR A THREE MONTH PERIOD SO OF COURSE COLLECTIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 WERE NOTABLY LESS. I DO HAVE A LITTLE ASTERISK FROM 2021 WHICH NOTES THAT I COMPARED GROWTH, I COMPARED THE TOTALS OF FISCAL YEAR 19 TO FISCAL YEAR 21. BECAUSE 20 WAS SUCH AN ANOMALY. YOU CAN SEE LOOKING ACROSS THE BOTTOM WE WERE VERY CONCERNED WHEN COVID CAME TO US ALL IN FISCAL YEAR 20 BECAUSE WHAT DID THAT ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE ? WE WERE VERY CONCERNED IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY. TURNS OUT THAT FLORIDA AND SAINT AUGUSTINE WERE REALLY WELL POSITIONED TO ACCOMMODATE OUT YOUR TOURISM AND HAVE THAT SOCIAL DISTANCING TO LET PEOPLE GET OUT AND ENJOY OUTDOOR SPACES LIKE THE BEACH OR OUR HISTORIC AREAS. SO WE ACTUALLY EXPERIENCED REALLY POSITIVE GROWTH AND THEN IN 23 THE GROWTH CAME BACK DOWN AND IS MUCH MORE IN LINE WITH A 4.5% GROWTH. AND THIS YEAR SO FAR WE ARE TRENDING AT ABOUT 5.1% GROWTH OVER 23. SO OVERALL, THINGS ARE REALLY POSITIVE. PART OF WHAT WE DO FOR MY DEPARTMENT IS BUDGET BASED OFF OF OUR PROJECTED REVENUE. FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR 24 AS PART OF THE ORIGINAL BUDGET, WE PROJECTED A 4% INCREASE IN REVENUE SO AT THIS MOMENT I AM ASKING THAT WE STICK WITH THAT 4%. WE ARE TRENDING A LITTLE BIT ABOVE THAT BUT ARE SEEING THAT THINGS ARE MOVING A LITTLE BIT SO 4% FOR THIS YEAR AND THAT I'M ALSO SUGGESTING WE SHOW OR ANTICIPATE A 4% GROWTH IN NEXT YEAR'S COLLECTIONS AS WELL. ASSUMING THAT WE HOLD BOTH OF THOSE THINGS AT 4% FOR 24 AND 4% REDUCTION FOR 25, WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT FISCAL YEAR 25 TAX REVENUE COLLECTIONS WILL BE JUST OVER $25 MILLION AND THAT $25 MILLION WILL BE ALLOCATED BETWEEN THOSE FIVE CATEGORIES AS IS DEFINED IN OUR ORDINANCE. THAT IS 2021 . HERE AT THE BOTTOM I HAVE THE SAME TABLE WE JUST RAN THROUGH AND REMINDS US THAT OUR OPINIONS ARE RESPECT ITALY SPLIT BETWEEN THESE CATEGORIES HERE . LOOKING AT THESE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES AND HOW WE UTILIZE FUNDING, DESTINATION MARKETING. AND IN THAT CATEGORY WHAT WE PAY FOR ,

[00:15:03]

CATEGORY THREE IS LEISURE AND RECREATION. THERE ARE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS ON THIS CATEGORY. LOOKING FORWARD TO FISCAL YEAR 25 WE ARE ANTICIPATING A NICE FUNDING ALLOCATION TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT AND WERE ANTICIPATING HAVING SOME MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR SOME BALLFIELD IMPROVEMENTS . THERE WILL BE SOME FUNDING FOR THE ARTIFICIAL REEF PROGRAM AND THEN-- AS WELL IS A POTENTIAL FOR FUNDING TO DEPLOY ADDITIONAL MATERIALS . THERE IS A SPORTS MARKETING GRANT PROGRAM WHICH IS A REOCCURRING PROGRAM THAT WE OFFER YEAR-OVER-YEAR FOR DIFFERENT GROUPS SO THEY WOULD BE BRINGING EVENTS INTO THE AREA TO ASSIST WITH GETTING THE WORD OUT FOR THAT. THERE IS SOME FUNDING FOR THAT SERVICE-- FOR DEBT , SOME CIP PROJECTS THAT WE PAID FOR , AND THEN SOME FUNDING IN THIS CATEGORY AS WELL FOR SUPPORT OF PARKS AND RECREATION STAFF WHO HELP MAKE ALL THESE THINGS ABOVE POSSIBLE. CATEGORY FOUR IS -- AND SPECIAL USES. IT HAS A WIDE VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES AND TASKS. WE HAVE THE DOWNTOWN CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER, THEN WE HAVE A THIRD INFORMATION CENTER OUT OF THE PEER. THIS CATEGORY IS ALSO USED TO PAY FOR THE NIGHTS FOR LIGHTS PROGRAM AS WELL AS FOURTH OF JULY FIREWORKS AND NEW YEAR'S FIREWORKS. THERE IS AN ALLOCATION FOR CULTURAL EVENTS HERE AS WELL . TPC SUPPORT, SO ANNUALLY WE REQUEST FUNDING. WE ALSO HAVE SEVERAL TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN THIS CATEGORY WHICH INVOLVES THINGS LIKE MASTER CLAIMS FOR ECOTOURISM OR THE FAIRGROUNDS AND THEN OF COURSE THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT STAFF WHICH, WE HAVE PRETTY LIMITED STAFF BUT ALL OF THE EXPENSES ARE COVERED IN THIS CATEGORY. AND THEN IN THE BEACH ASSETS CATEGORY, THIS IS PREDOMINANTLY USED TO FUND OPERATIONS WHETHER IT'S TRASH PICKUP, BOARDWALK MAINTENANCE, AND THE ACTUAL SAND ON THE BEACHES. WE HAVE OUR GENERAL SUGGESTED OR RECOMMENDED BUDGET WHICH IS PRESENTED TO THE TAURUS DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL AND THEY WILL BE TAKING UP REVIEW OF THAT BUDGET IN MAY. THE NEXT MEETING IS ON MONDAY AND THEN AGAIN IN JUNE. THEY DO ULTIMATELY MAKE A RECOMMENDATION FOR ANY SORT OF CHANGES TO THE INITIAL BUDGET AS WELL AS INTERNAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO APPROVE THE BUDGET WHEN IT IS COMPLETED.

THAT IS WHAT I HAVE IS KIND OF MY OVERVIEW.

[00:20:04]

>> DO YOU WANT TO HIGHLIGHT QUICK KEY CHANGES? I KNOW THE EXPENDITURE HAS TO BOND WITH THE REVENUE TO HAVE A BALANCE BUT DO YOU HAVE SORT OF A PROJECT IN PROJECTION BASED ON THE COLLECTIVE VOICE OF CRITICAL CHANGES THAT WE MIGHT

ANTICIPATE ? >> WE ARE ANTICIPATING -- WE ARE EXPECTING THAT $25 MILLION WHICH WILL GO UP BY ABOUT $1 MILLION. FOR THE MOST-- CAN WE BORROW THAT CLICKER? WE'VE GOT

A FROZEN SCREEN. >> SURE THEN, I GUESS YOU CAN

OR MAYBE I'M JUST PAUSED. >> GOT PAUSED. THERE WE GO.

>> THE PEOPLE WATCHING FROM BEFORE, --

>> THAT WAS PAUSE FOR A FEW MINUTES THOUGH. SO THAT ONE IS FINE. I'VE CLICKED THROUGH ALL OF THEM --. MAKE SURE THEY

DON'T TOUCH THE MOUSE. >> WE ARE EXPECTING TO SEE A PRETTY MEANINGFUL INCREASE SO IT IS ABOUT A 4% INCREASE.

UNDER THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE, CATEGORY ONE , THERE IS NOT ANY NEW FUNCTIONALITY. IT IS REALLY JUST AN INCREASE TO SUPPORT THE STATE FUNCTION SO THE FOUR SERVICES CONTRACT, I TENTATIVELY PUT AN 8% INCREASE FOR THEM SO KIND OF GIVING FOLKS -- INTO THESE OPERATIONAL CONTRACTS. WE DO HAVE A SEPARATE, FREESTANDING CONTRACT WITH THAT GROUP THAT DOES INDICATE HOW EXPENDITURES WILL BE INCREASED FOR-- I'M GOING TO CALL IT COST OF LIVING. FOR THESE CATEGORIES WHAT WE ARE DOING IT IS INCREASING, JUST EXISTING SERVICES AT ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO GROW THOSE AREAS. CATEGORY THREE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE ONGOING PROGRAMS . WE ARE ALWAYS DOING BALLFIELD IMPROVEMENTS AND ARTIFICIAL REEF PROGRAMS. PROJECTS ARE USUALLY IT'S A RUN $2 MILLION AND THAT WOULD BE NEW AND UNIQUE FOR THIS CATEGORY.

OTHERWISE EVERYTHING IS RELATIVELY IN LINE . THAT WOULD BE A NEWER ADDITION TO THIS CATEGORY AS WELL BUT EVERYTHING ELSE IS BUSINESS AS USUAL -- JUST TO CONTINUE TO GROW THOSE FUNCTIONS. SAME THING WITH CATEGORY FOUR. WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING PARTICULARLY NEW IN CATEGORY FOUR. WE'VE GOT SUPPORT FOR INFORMATION CENTER, HOLIDAY LIGHTS, WE'VE SEEN A REQUEST FROM -- THAT THEY WOULD LIKE SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING IN THE ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF $40,000. THIS ONE IS PRETTY MUCH IN LINE WITH LAST YEAR AND THE SAME THING WITH CATEGORY FIVE. THE ONGOING BEACH OPERATIONS EXPENDITURES , BATHROOMS, TRASH PICKUP. THE SAINT AUGUSTINE BEACH PROJECT HAS BEEN TRIED AND TRUE FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND THEN WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF THE OTHER ONES THAT WE HAVE PICKED IT UP IN RECENT YEARS AND WE GOT SOME FORWARD THINKING PLANS TO FUND

[00:25:05]

>> WE HAVE PROJECTS, THE SOUTH -- BEACH AND I BELIEVE IT IS A $400,000 A YEAR , OR WE'VE COMMITTED UP TO $400,000 A YEAR FOR THAT ONE-TIME PROJECT. THE DEBT SERVICE ON THAT -- I'M LOOKING FOR WHAT THAT ACRONYM IS.

>> MANAGEMENT? LET'S GO WITH THAT. THE COMMITTEE APPROVED UP TO $700,000 FOR THE PROGRAM MANUALLY. PART OF IT TOWARD THE ONE TIMER HE NOURISHMENT BUT IT IS ALSO A FIFTY-YEAR PROGRAM AND THOSE DOLLARS WOULD ACCUMULATE, WE SET ASIDE DOLLARS EACH YEAR TOWARD A RE-NOURISHMENT PROJECT. IN THAT CATEGORY , ONE OF THEM IS THE CORPUS POINT ACCESS. THE DRIVE ON ACCESS POINT THAT NECESSITATES SOME HARDENING AND THEN ANOTHER IS THE CRESCENT BEACH OVERFLOW PARKING PROJECT

AS WELL. >> THAT'S RELATED TO THE PROPERTY THAT WAS RECENTLY ACQUIRED FROM THE CRESCENT

BEACH PARKING LOT . >> EACH OF THESE CATEGORIES HAS ITS OWN RESPECTIVE RESERVE SO WE MAINTAIN THOSE DOLLARS AS THEY ARE APPROPRIATED AS TARA HAS SHOWN. WE MAINTAIN THOSE RESERVES THERE . SOMETIMES THERE IS A DISCUSSION ON THE OVERALL RESERVES BUT WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS LOOK AT EACH OF THEM RESPECT TO THEIR CATEGORIES.

>> MIGHT BE GOOD TO GO OVER MY ITEM . I KNOW THAT THE LINE ITEMS ARE PRETTY WELL DEFINED I SEE THAT YOUR REVENUE PROJECTION IS 5.3% GROWTH BASED ON THE REVENUE-- BUT OVERALL REVENUE IS 10.8 WHICH INCLUDES THE RESERVE CARRYFORWARD .

>> THESE ARE THE ASIC ASSUMPTIONS ON THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT PACKS ITSELF. I BELIEVE 4%, ABOUT $1 MILLION INCREASE WHAT WE ARE REALLY GOING TO FOCUS ON . CERTAINLY BECAUSE THERE IS WHAT IS CALLED A FUND BALANCE , THINK OF IT AS A SAVINGS ACCOUNT. WE ARE GOING TO ESTIMATE, WE ARE GOING TO BE A LITTLE CONSERVATIVE ON THAT AND INTEREST EARNINGS. THIS ISN'T INTEREST PAID OUT, IT'S INTEREST EARNINGS SO WE ARE GOING TO PROJECT THOSE AS WE MAINTAIN THAT BALANCE, SAVINGS.

WE ARE GOING TO SEE SOME INCREASE SO THAT'S WHY WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT OVERALL, WITH INTEREST EARNINGS IT LOOKS CLOSE TO $3 MILLION OR ALMOST 10% OVERALL FOR THE FUND ITSELF. CATEGORY ONE . YOU HAVE THE LINE ITEM.

>> SO CONTRACTUAL SERVICES INCLUDES THAT CORE SERVICES CONTRACT SO IN TOTAL, THOSE THINGS ARE PROJECTED TO ADD ABOUT $7.5 MILLION IN THIS BUDGET. I GOT SPECIFICALLY 3.2 AND ABOUT 4.2 GOING THROUGH MARKETING.

[00:30:03]

>> CORE SERVICES IS WHAT THE CCV DOES WITH VC V STAFF. OFF OF OLD MISSION ROAD, THEY HAVE A VARIETY OF STAFF THAT WORK THERE AND MANAGE SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS. SO FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, PROBABLY TO TALK . THEY'VE GOT A SALES TEAM THAT DOES BOTH LEISURE SALES AND COMMERCIAL SALES SO IF YOU ARE COMING INTO -- OR COMMISSION SALES, SORRY. WE WERE TO MAKE SURE YOU'VE GOT WHAT YOU NEED . MAXIMIZE YOUR BENEFIT AND ALSO MAXIMIZE ECONOMIC IMPACT FROM THAT EVENT. THERE IS A SERIES OF STAFF FOR WHAT'S GOING ON AND THEY KIND OF ARE THE SERVICE CENTER FOR TOURISM ACTIVITIES THAT TAKE PLACE OR COME OUT OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY. AND THEN 4.2 MARKETING.

>> MARKETING WOULD BE ACTUAL ADVERTISEMENT ITSELF LIKE ADS OR BILLBOARDS, I'M GOING TO SCORE THAT TANGIBLE --.

>> REAL QUICK , BRIEFLY, IN TERMS OF I KNOW YOU ARE GOING THROUGH A PROCUREMENT PROCESS BUT WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT?

>> WE PUT TOGETHER A WORKING GROUP THAT HAS A DRAFT SCOPE AND WORKING ON DOING WHATEVER MAGIC IT IS THAT PURCHASING DOES. ADVERTISING AT THE END OF THIS MONTH OR THE BEGINNING OF

NEXT MONTH. >> FOR THE MARKETING FIRM OR --

>> IT WILL ACTUALLY ADVERTISE THE SOLICITATION TO GET RFP .

>> I THOUGHT IT WAS A SELECTION COMMITTEE BUT THE COMMITTEE HAS NOT COME UP WITH ACTUAL SCOPING YET .

>> AND THERE IS A SCOPE THAT HAS BEEN SENT TO PURCHASING SO PURCHASING, THEY SCRUB IT, ASK QUESTIONS, MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR. I AM NOT EXACTLY SURE BUT THEY MAKE IT BEAUTIFUL AND ADVERTISE IT. THEY HAVE PUT TOGETHER SUGGESTED SCOPE AND IT HAS BEEN SENT TO PURCHASING WHO HAS HAD QUESTIONS ANSWERED FOR THEM AND THEY WILL SOLICIT IT. THEY WILL ADVERTISE IT

>> WE HAD A PROCUREMENT AND I THINK WE TRACKED IT BECAUSE OF

THE RESPONSE >> IT'S ACTUALLY THE THIRD BUT-- SORRY. THIS TIME WHAT WE DID WAS, WE HAD THE TDC SELECT A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS, THAT GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS HAS DILIGENTLY BEEN MEETING SINCE OCTOBER AND THEY ACTUALLY JUST MET EARLIER TODAY . THEY HAD A LIST OF FIVE ORIGINALLY EXPANDED TO SIX TASKS . THE ACTUAL SCOPE LANGUAGE. THEY WOULD SELECT AN EVALUATION OR MAKE A RECOMMENDATION OF WHO SHOULD BE ON THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE. THEY HAD THEM COMING UP WITH CRITERIA THAT WE WOULD USE , THOSE RECEIVED RESPONSES AND THEN COMING UP WITH THE LONG-TERM CRITERIA FOR HOW WHOEVER IS AWARDED THE CONTRACT WILL BE EVALUATED TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE ACTUALLY DOING A GOOD JOB . AND ALONG THE WAY THE TDC HAS ALSO ASKED THAT THIS GROUP COME UP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HOW THAT CONTRACT WILL BE MANAGED ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.

DIRECT INPUT ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO DO AND WHAT THEY WANT THINGS TO LOOK LIKE. THE WORKING GROUP HAS CREATED THE SCOPE AND PURCHASING IS , THE WORKING GROUP , THEY ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON THAT LONG-TERM EVALUATION CRITERIA.

THEY DISCUSS THE AGENCIES THAT THEY WANTED TO DIRECTLY SEND THE SOLICITATION TO SO IT WILL BE ADVERTISED THROUGH DEMANDS VISUALS . I CAN SEE ABOUT 25 ADDITIONAL AGENCIES THEY WANT

[00:35:03]

THIRD ITERATION . >> THE CONTRACT FOR MARKETING EXPIRED ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2023 SO IT WILL GO THROUGH OCTOBER 3, 2024. IS THERE ANY SHIFT? WE ARE LOOKING AT A MODIFICATION ON OUR MARKETING STRATEGY . THIS IS VERY MUCH JUST A PROCUREMENT PROCESS . SO I THINK WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS, WHEN WE GET A NEW AGENCY IN PLACE OR A NEW CONTRACT FOR MARKETING IN PLACE ONE OF THOSE INITIAL STEPS IS, WE WILL HAVE THIS AGENCY TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WE BEEN DOING AND MAKE SUGGESTIONS TO US ON HOW WE THINK THEY CAN IMPROVE. WE ARE NOT NECESSARILY CALLING FOR A NEW ADVERTISING APPROACH. BUT, WE ARE NOT TAKING IT OFF THE TABLE, EITHER. WE HAVE A MARKETING AGENCY, THE VC BE AND THEY DO THE MARKETING FOR US. THAT CONTRACT HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR QUITE A LONG TIME. I AM GOING TO SAY 12 YEARS OR SO, SO WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO GO OUT TO RP, WE HAVE TO DO A COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION FOR IT, WE DO NOW HAVE A FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT AND WE ARE IN THE FIRST YEAR, OF THOSE-- SO THAT IS KEEPING THE BCB AN ACTUAL BCB STAFF SO PEOPLE WHO COME INTO THE OFFICE AND DO WHAT I CALL CORE SERVICES , IT KEEPS THAT GOING . THAT WAS A SOURCE THAT WE AWARDED THEM SO THEY ARE IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THAT FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT. AND THEN THE MARKETING PIECE, IT COULD BE THAT WE GET A NEW AGENCY AND I THINK EITHER WAY WHAT WE WILL BE LOOKING FOR IS JUST AN ASSESSMENT OF THE MARKETING THAT WE DO AND LOOK FOR SOME RECOMMENDATIONS OF , HOW CAN WE MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE FRESH AND INTERESTING OR MAYBE WE ARE JUST LOOKING FOR THAT ASSESSMENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

>> I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE WE HAVE OUR BCB REPRESENTATIVES HERE AND ALSO A BCB REPRESENTATIVE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE. I WANTED TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCE , THAT THIS IS PROBABLY THE HIGHEST SERVICE LEVEL THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED MYSELF. AND SUSAN, THERE'S NOT A JOB THAT'S TOO SMALL OR TOO BIG. MAKING SURE THAT OUR VISITORS FELT WELCOMED SO I APPRECIATE YOUR COLLABORATION ON THAT. AS BIG OF THE STATE OF TOURISM YOU HAVE A SUCCESSFUL WEEKEND AND EVERY OTHER MONTH WE TALK ABOUT NEW IDEAS AND HOW WE CAN-- CULTURAL EXCHANGE. I REALLY JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I KNOW THAT THERE IS SOME ONGOING DISCUSSION ON TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT AND SORT OF ABOUT PRIORITIZATION AND STRATEGIC PLANNING AND PROBABLY HAVE SOME FEEDBACK THAT , WE MAY NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO TALK ABOUT ALL OF THAT BUT TARA CAN GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF OVERVIEW OF STRATEGICALLY WHAT WE CAN ANTICIPATE IN TERMS OF STRATEGIC PRIORITIZATION AND IN THE WORLD OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT. AND ALSO IN TERMS OF THE DIVIDE WITH FIVE PENNIES. I KNOW THAT THERE IS SOME ANECDOTAL CONVERSATIONS OF DO WE NEED TO REEVALUATE OR IS THIS A GOOD SPLIT? CAN YOU TOUCH ON THAT IN TERMS OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS?

>> SURE. WE WILL LOOK AT THAT SHORTLY. EARLIER I HAD SHOWN A TABLE GOING BACK TO THE SCHOOL YEAR OF 19 AND ONE THING I NOTED WAS THAT THIS SCHOOL YEAR, 20, WE REALLOCATED THE FOUR EXISTING PENNIES SO THE COUNTY HAD HAD FOUR PENNIES FOR QUITE A LONG TIME. MORE THAN A DECADE , AND WE HAD HAD THE

[00:40:10]

WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE, AND SINCE THE 2008 RECESSION WE HAVE SEEN YEAR OVER YEAR COST OF GROWTH WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE YEAR WHERE WE EXPERIENCED A HURRICANE. EARLY YEAR FISCAL 2017, AND THEN WE HAD I THINK NICOLE HIT US LATE IN THAT YEAR SO WE REALLY DIDN'T SEE ANY GROWTH BUT OTHER THAN THAT, SINCE 2008 WE'VE SEEN POSITIVE CONSISTENT GROWTH WITH THE HURRICANES AND THEN COVID. FISCAL YEAR 20, WE CAME UP WITH A FIFTH CATEGORY. RELATIVELY IN SHORT ORDER AFTER THAT WE ACTUALLY ALLOCATED THE FIFTH SENT AND MODIFIED THOSE CATEGORIES, WE MODIFIED THE DEFINITION OF CATEGORY THREE WHICH WAS LEISURE AND RECREATION AND CATEGORY FIVE WHICH HAD BEEN TOURISM ASSET IN FISCAL YEAR 2022. WE HAVE CHANGED OUR PENNIES AND ALLOCATIONS TWICE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. THAT IS CERTAINLY A LOT WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE PREVIOUS 12 YEARS WE HAD NOT TOUCHED IT AT ALL. AS FAR AS SHOULD WE REALLOCATE OR SHOULD WE NOT, THERE ARE LOTS OF OPINIONS ON THAT AND IT CAN BE SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY HASHES OUT IF WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD. 2022, 2023, 2024, THIS WILL BE OUR FOURTH YEAR WITH OUR CURRENT ALLOCATION . AS FAR AS THE STRATEGIC PLAN GOES, WE DID DO THAT IN 16 AND FINISHED IN 17. IT IS A HIGH-LEVEL STRATEGIC LAND BUT WERE SOMETHING -- BUT WAS SOMETHING WE WERE GOING TO REVISIT HERE AND OF DATE IT. THE BENCHMARKS ARE PRETTY LEVEL. IT TALKS ABOUT HAVING GROSS , IT TALKS ABOUT WHAT OUR OVERALL PRIORITIES ARE FOR HOW WE ARE GOING TO GET THAT GROWTH , SO I WOULD SAY IT'S NOT PARTICULARLY OUTDATED BECAUSE IT'S HIGH LEVEL BUT PROBABLY SOMETHING WE WANT TO LOOK AT AND MAKE SURE IT'S A PATH WE WANT TO BE ON. SO THE DISCUSSION FOR PENNY LOCATION, THAT IS ALWAYS A FUN ADVENTURE FOR ME SO THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO. I CAN COME UP WITH LOTS OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS, ALTERNATIVES AND ANALYSIS FOR

US. >> ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS ON MONDAY WHEN WE DO OUR FIRST VISIT INTO THE BUDGET IS HAVE 20,000' LOOKING DOWN WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE MARKETPLACE. OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS , AND IT HAS BECOME EVEN MORE APPARENT THE LAST TWO YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN HUGE GROWTH IN SUPPLY. MORE HOTEL ROOMS, MORE AIR B&BS. THE SUPPLY TODAY IS PROBABLY GREATER THAN IT WAS IN 2018.

THE DEMAND JUMPED UP IN 21 AND 22. IN 23, DEMAND IS STARTING TO SLIP. 24 IT SLIPPED EVEN MORE DRAMATICALLY. IT'S NOT ONLY HAPPENING HERE, IT'S HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA. WHAT HAS HAPPENED THIS YEAR WHICH DID NOT HAPPEN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, IS THAT WE ARE GETTING ON DEFLATION AND RATES. AVERAGE RATES ARE DROPPING. SO THE BIG WORRY IS, WILL SUPPLY GROW ? ARE ANY NEW HOTELS GOING TO BE BUILT IN THE NEXT YEAR? I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION. BUT, THE RATES ARE DROPPING AND THEY ARE DROPPING SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE MARKETPLACE THIS SUMMER . SO IF

[00:45:03]

SUPPLY , DEMAND CATCHES UP TO SUPPLY AND THEN THEY START BUILDING HOTELS AGAIN. WE ARE RIGHT AT THE POINT WHERE NEW HOTELS WILL NOT BE BUILT FOR A LONG WHILE AND LESS THEY ARE TIED INTO A SPECIFIC PROJECT WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION AND IF IT MAKES SENSE TO TAKE MONEY OUT OF RESERVE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COGNIZANT THAT THE TOP LINE IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

>> THAT'S GREAT . ANOTHER COUPLE PROGRAMS , THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONER COUNTY PRIORITY , WHAT IS INVESTMENT FROM 2025?

>> THAT WOULD BE HERE -- ACTUALLY ENTERED INTO A CONTRACT LAST FALL AND THE AMOUNTS FOR THOSE FUNCTIONS ARE SPELLED OUT IN THE CONTRACT AND TALKS ABOUT INCREASE YEAR-OVER-YEAR. SO THE AMPHITHEATER OPERATION AND THE-- OPERATION WE FUND AS A WHOLE AS WELL AS SING OUT LOUD AND -- THEY RECEIVED AN ALLOCATION FROM OUR BUDGET.

CATEGORY ONE, CATEGORY TWO AND CATEGORY FOUR. THAT IS THE --

>> THAT'S CORRECT AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THAT IN CATEGORY TWO.

>> THAT GOES TO THEM IN ITS ENTIRETY AND THEN CATEGORY FOUR IT DOES NOT GO TO THEM IN ENTIRETY. ROUGHLY 300,000 GOES

TO TDC SUPPORT. >> ONE IN CATEGORY ONE, ONE IN CATEGORY TWO, CATEGORY FOUR HAS 1.6 AND THAT IS A COMBINATION

OF SING OUT LOUD? >> WHAT COMPRISES THAT, HOW IT IS SPLIT ACROSS CATEGORIES IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN HOW THE COUNTY AGREED TO JUST THE OPERATIONS. TOURISM DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN GENERATED BECAUSE OF THE AMPHITHEATER SO THE AGREEMENT WAS TO PUT $800,000. IN ADDITION, THE DISCUSSION WOULD BE FOR THE SJC CE TO COME BACK WITH AN APPROPRIATION -- CONSIDERATION FOR THE JAZZ MUSIC FESTIVAL.

LAST YEAR IT WAS ABOUT $1.7 MILLION AND THEY WOULD COME BACK WITH A DISCUSSION OF WHAT THEY WOULD NEED.

>> SO THAT HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED YET?

>> I WOULD SAY CONTRACTUALLY AND THEY WOULD COME BACK EACH

[00:50:07]

YEAR FOR WHAT IT IS THEY NEED. >> CONTRACTUALLY WE ARE COMMITTED TO LAST YEAR'S LEVEL ?

>> IT COULD BE ADDITIONAL OR COULD BE LESS.

>> SO THERE WAS AN INCREASE, 1.7 THERE'S THE INDEX SO IT IS ROUGHLY ABOUT 3% INCREASE ABOVE THE PRIOR YEAR AND IT SETS FORTH WHAT WE ARE FOLLOWING FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE .

>> THE FINAL PORTION OF THIS IS THAT THE COUNTY AGREED TO BUDGET AN AMOUNT NOT TO AGREED-- NOT TO EXCEED $750,000. AND AT THE END OF THAT MAINTENANCE OF WHAT IS THE COUNTY OWNED ASSET, WHICH IS THE FACILITIES THEMSELVES.

>> THERE IS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT CONCERT HALL EXPANSION.

ARE WE LOOKING AT HANDING OUT REQUESTS FOR CAPITAL?

>> THERE WAS A PORTION, THE MINORITY OF THAT, JOY, IS ACTUALLY FUNDED THROUGH A GRANT UNDER ST. JOHNS COUNTY, A GRANT PROGRAM THAT THEY'VE RECEIVED. THOSE DOLLARS HAVE BEEN APPROPRIATED OVER TO THEM . THERE WAS ALSO CONSIDERATION WHICH WAS BROUGHT TO THE BOARD LAST AUGUST. ADDITIONAL FUNDING -- WE WOULD ALSO PROGRAM IN AND THAT WAS WHAT THE CONCERT HALL

PROJECT LOOKED LIKE. >> SO THAT APPROVED AMOUNT ,

ONE OF FIVE CATEGORIES? >> RIGHT NOW AS I MENTIONED EARLIER THIS IS ALL REQUESTED BUDGET. I JUST HAVE THAT IN THE GENERAL FUNDS OPERATION AND WE WILL GET THROUGH SUMMER DISCUSSIONS AND MAY INCORPORATE THAT INTO WHERE YOUR

RECOMMENDATION LIES. >> I REMEMBER THAT IF THAT IS A TDC COMPONENT, WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE PUT THAT IN THE

RIGHT SPOT. >> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> AT THIS TIME IT IS NOT REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET.

>> THAT'S RIGHT. >> ARE WE EXPECTING ONGOING CONVERSATION FOR THOSE EXPENDITURES OR IS THAT DEPENDENT ON THE UPDATED STRATEGIC LINE TO KIND OF GUIDE

THE BOARD -- REVENUE? >> WE DID IT THIS YEAR. IF YOU LOOK AT THE INCOMING REVENUE, THE NEW REVENUE, SO WHAT CAME IN OR WHAT WAS PROJECTED TO COME IN AND YOU LOOK AT PROJECTED EXPENSES FOR 24, WE ARE ACTUALLY SPENDING SLIGHTLY MORE MONEY THAN WE ARE BRINGING IN. SO IN THIS KIND OF

INITIAL-- >> EACH OF THESE HAS A RESERVE

THAT I WILL SHOW. >> EACH OF THEM HAS A RESERVE SO WHAT WE ARE DOING IS, THE NUMBERS PLUGGED INTO THE LINES, THEY ARE ABOVE THE INCOMING REVENUE. AS AN EXAMPLE, FOR CATEGORY ONE , WE ARE ANTICIPATING A NEW REVENUE OF $8,027,000 AND I HAVE A BUDGET HERE THAT TOTALS $8,556,000 SO WE ARE BUDGETING -- MY INITIAL REQUESTED BUDGET HERE IS $529,000 ABOVE OUR PROJECTED NEW REVENUES FOR FISCAL YEAR 25. KIND OF MY THOUGHT AS I WAS PUTTING TOGETHER THE INITIAL BUDGET FOR CONSIDERATION IS , WE ARE IN OUR REGULAR OPERATIONS, BUMPING UP THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY. SPENDING A LITTLE MORE MONEY THAN WE ARE BRINGING IN. BUT I DID NOT PROPOSE WE SPEND IT ALL IN FISCAL YEAR 25 BECAUSE THEN WHAT HAPPENS IS IN FISCAL YEAR 26, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE A

[00:55:02]

RESERVES . >> AND THAT RESERVE HAS AN ACCUMULATION TOWARD WHAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE -- WITH REGIONAL CLERKS THERE WOULD BE A PORTION FROM THAT BECAUSE AGAIN THESE WOULD HAVE AN ORNAMENT PORTION TO IT SO WE WOULD LOOK AT POTENTIALLY HAVING AN OFFSET . WE WANT TO WORK WITH PARKS AND RECREATION ABOUT MAINTAINING AND SETTING ASIDE ACCUMULATION TOWARDS AT LEAST A YEAR OF SERVICE AS WE LOOK AT REVENUES AND UNDERSTANDING THE BEHAVIORS.

>> THAT'S THE IDEA. THAT WE USE SOME OF THOSE RESERVES AND IN A WAY THAT IS PRODUCTIVE AND PROACTIVE BUT ARE ALSO MINDFUL THAT WE DON'T GET OURSELVES INTO A PLACE WHERE WE THEN HAVE TO RETRACT BECAUSE WE HAVE BLOWN THROUGH OR SPENT ALL OF

THE EXTRA MONEY THAT WE HAVE. >> JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALL CLEAR ABOUT THIS, THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT THAT YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN A RESERVE BELOW A CERTAIN LEVEL RIGHT?

>> THERE'S NOT. JESSE HAS GIVEN US A NICE PRESENTATION.

ESSENTIALLY, MY LAYMAN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT JESSE ELOQUENTLY SHARED WITH US IS THAT THERE IS REGULATION AT THE STATE LEVEL AND SOME REGULATION OF THE COUNTY LEVEL. ONE OF THEM SAYS THAT YOU SHOULD MAINTAIN AT LEAST A 2% RESERVE FOR JUST IN CASE. A RAINY DAY. 2% FOR A RAINY DAY AND ANOTHER ONE SAYS YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE MORE THAN 10% SAVED JUST FOR A RAINY DAY . SO IT'S NOT IN THE SENSE OF WE ARE GOING TO EASE OURSELVES IN. IT'S REALLY GUIDANCE OF THAT IS ON, I AM SAVING THIS MONEY FOR THE INTENT OF SAVING THIS MONEY.

NOT I AM SAVING THIS MONEY BECAUSE I MAKE ANTICIPATING EXPENSES DOWN THE ROAD OR BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO EASE OUR WAY INTO THIS. THERE IS GUIDANCE AT THE COUNTY AND STATE LEVEL ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY YOU SHOULD SAVE JUST FOR THE SAKE OF SAVING MONEY. THEY DID TALK ABOUT COMING UP WITH A PERCENTAGE RANGE BETWEEN 2% AND 10%. THEY DID NOT END UP DOING THAT. WE JUST WENT WITH 5%. 5% IS WHAT WE'VE USED HISTORICALLY IN PRIOR YEAR BUDGETS SO WE JUST KIND OF HELD THAT 5%, THAT RAINY DAY, SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS WE ARE JUST HOLDING THE 5% FOR THE SAKE OF HOLDING 5%.

>> TWO THINGS THAT I HEARD FOR EVERYONE TO BE AWARE OF, THE NEW MARKETING CONTRACT WHICH I BELIEVE WE ARE GOING TO BE APPROVING AT THE NEXT MEETING ?

>> IT HAS NOT BEEN SOLICITED YET.

>> THE PRINT SCOPE WE HAD LOOKED AT, AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN I THINK IT WAS A 4 1/2 MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET NUMBER. I SAW TWO OR THREE SO THERE'S A LITTLE DISCONNECTED THEIR WHICH I AM SURE WILL BE DISCUSSED . AND THE OTHER THING IS, THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION IN THE LAST MEETING OR THE ONE BEFORE, ABOUT USING AS MUCH OF THE RESERVES AS POSSIBLE TO EXPEDITE BRINGING THE MARKET BACK UP. THERE WAS NO DECISION BUT THERE WAS ALMOST EVERY TDC MEMBER HAD AN OPINION THAT WE SHOULD SPEND MORE OF THE MONEY. I THINK THAT WILL COME BACK UP IN BUDGET DISCUSSIONS THIS WEEK WHEN I THINK THERE IS A STRONG DESIRE TO SPEND IT AS SMART AS POSSIBLE. I THINK YOU WILL HAVE

[01:00:03]

>> GREAT. CHRISTINA, YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT ALSO THE POTENTIAL-- I DON'T KNOW OF THAT IS ACTUALLY INCORPORATED IN THIS REQUEST , STRENGTHENING THE GRANTS PROGRAM .

>> IT IS NOT REFLECTED IN THE REQUEST HERE. I HAVE RECOMMENDED THAT WE INCREASE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT OF THE GRANTS PROGRAM. THE CULTURAL EVENTS DIVISION IS GETTING FROM CATEGORY TWO, THAT MILLION DOLLARS. IT IS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN THE TOTAL FOR EVERY OTHER CULTURAL ORGANIZATION IN THE COUNTY. SO WE ARE UP TO 725 FOR GRANTS FOR ALL OTHER ORGANIZATIONS PRESENTING EVENTS YEAR ROUND. ONE THING THAT IS NOT DISCUSSED AND SOMETHING I PLAN TO PRESENT ON MONDAY IS A MINIMUM OF 25% OF THE MONEY FROM THAT GRANT PROGRAM IS GOING TOWARDS OUT OF AREA MARKETING. SO THE MARKETING BUDGET IS SUPPLEMENTED AND I AM HEARING INFORMATION THAT SHOWS THAT OUT OF THE ARTS CULTURAL AND HERITAGE CATEGORY, THE FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVE , CLOSE TO $1 MILLION IN MARKETING. AND IF WE INCREASE THE GRANT POOL THAT IS GOING TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FUNDING AS WELL WHICH RESPOND TO SOME OF THE REQUESTS FOR SOME OF THE OTHER TDC MEMBERS.

>> I COULDN'T REMEMBER. YOU HAD A PROPOSED PERCENTAGE. WHAT

IS THAT? >> I WOULD LIKE TO SEE $1

MILLION IN THE GRANT PROGRAM. >> WHICH IS A $275,000 ADVANCE?

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

>> I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT IF YOU LOOK BACK OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, AND AT THE LEVEL OF FUNDING WE ARE PROVIDING FOR GRANTS IN THE PAST, IT HAS NOT INCREASED AS QUICKLY AS FUNDING AND OTHER CATEGORIES AND WE'VE ALSO BROUGHT A LOT OF SPECIAL EVENTS ON BOARD. HASTINGS MAIN STREET CAME ON BOARD THIS YEAR THAT WE HAVE BEEN FUNDING OUT OF OUR BUDGET, BUT THEY ARE APPLYING FOR A GRANT THIS YEAR. SAINT AUGUSTINE, WHISKEY WINE AND WILDLIFE. ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE GROWING AND WE ARE ADDING MORE BIG EVETS WHICH IS WHY I'M ASKING FOR-- IN THAT

CATEGORY. >> I DON'T KNOW IF JESSE

COVERED THE ADDED SESSION FOR-- >> TO REITERATE , IF JESSE HAS ALREADY COVERED THAT, I KIND OF EXPLAINED THE REASONS. WE ARE GETTING REQUEST LIKE COMMUNITY PARTNERS , HASTING MAIN STREET, ORGANIZATIONS COMING FORWARD, THESE ARE ALL CRITICAL AND SERVING CRITICAL ROLES SO I WANTED TO SET ASIDE A SPECIAL SESSION JUST TO GO OVER THERE BUDGET REQUEST. OF COURSE NO COMMITMENT. WE JUST WANTED TO HEAR ALL OF THAT. SOME HAVE BEEN REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET REQUEST ALREADY BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE NONPROFIT, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE NONPROFIT BUT THEY PLAY A HUGE ROLE IN OUR OPERATIONS AND I WANTED TO SET ASIDE TIME. THAT MAY BE A TIME TO ALSO BRING THIS UP SO WE CAN

HEAR IT IN TOTALITY . >> TENTATIVELY MAY 24, A WEEK FROM FRIDAY WE ARE GOING TO START AT 9:00. I THINK IT WILL

[01:05:06]

>> I WILL BE IN CALIFORNIA ON THAT DATE, SO IF THERE IS ANOTHER DATE THE FOLLOWING WEEK THAT WOULD BE PRACTICAL FOR US.

>> THAT'S OKAY, CERTAINLY WE HAVE A SHORT WINDOW OF GETTING ALL THE REQUESTS AND RECOMMENDATION, FIRST SUMMARY TO OUR BOARD OF MEMBERS SO THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THEY REQUESTING AND THEN FROM THAT POINT ON, A LITTLE LESS THAN TWO MONTHS TO FORMULATE A RECOMMENDATION THAT IS BALANCED. EVEN IF YOU CAN ATTEND DURING THAT WINDOW WE CAN CERTAINLY GET REQUESTS IN WRITING AND INCORPORATE THAT IN

OUR SUMMARY. >> IN TERMS OF THOSE RESERVES , 5% , THREE WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT FROM A PARKS AND RECREATION TYPE OF APPROACH AND ACCUMULATING DOLLARS TOWARD PROJECTS THAT COULD BRING IN TOURISM DOLLARS, TOURNAMENTS AND THEN IN THE OTHER CATEGORY, PROBABLY IN THE CATEGORY WITH THE HIGHEST RESERVE IS, HAS BEEN CATEGORY FIVE. THERE ARE CERTAINLY INITIATIVES THAT ARE OUTSTANDING BUT WHEN THE CONVERSATION CAME UP , THERE WAS A DISCUSSION IN AGGREGATE SPECIFICALLY FOR 25 IT IS $6.4 MILLION FOR WHATEVER THAT IS WORTH. JUST ONE OF THE COMPLEXITIES OF THIS FUNDING.

>> CERTAINLY THAT IS AN AREA TO LOOK AT. WE DO HAVE SOME LARGE ANTICIPATED PROJECTS AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE ARMY CORPS PROJECT, THAT CERTAINLY IS A POLICY DECISION THAT THEY HAVE TO MAKE BUT A VAST AMOUNT OF NEEDS AND ALL OF THOSE CATEGORIES. WITH THAT SAID I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER

QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU, TARA.

>> THANK YOU.

INAUDIBLE ].

>> HELLO HELLO? THIS ONE OR THAT ONE?

>>

[Parks & Recreation]

[01:11:01]

>> ALL RIGHT. THIS IS THE PARKS AND RECREATION BUDGET PRESENTATION. RYAN KING THE DIRECTOR PARKS AND RECREATION, THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER TODAY. WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT IT. JOINING ME TODAY IS JAMIE, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF -- AND OUR BUSINESS MANAGER FOR PARKS AND RECREATION AND ADDITIONALLY JOINING US VIA ZOOM IS THE REST OF THE RECREATION MANAGEMENT TEAM. I WANT TO THINK THE ENTIRE TEAM FOR HELPING PUT TOGETHER THIS BUDGET PRESENTATION AND REALLY IN PARTICULAR, I THINK THESE TWO WHO REALLY PUT TOGETHER THE BUDGET PRESENTATION. ACCESS TO THE COUNTY'S NATURAL RESOURCES TO PROVIDE RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE COUNTY'S ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES. WE ARE A TEAM THAT TAKES OUR JOB PASSIONATELY AND PROUD AND WE ARE THRILLED TO BE SERVING ST. JOHNS COUNTY AND PROVIDING THE FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS THAT WE DO TODAY.

>> WE WANTED TO KIND OF BRING TO YOU THE VALUE OF PARKS AND RECREATION. YOU CAN SEE KIND OF THE NUMBERS OF WHAT WE HAVE HERE , 95 PARKS, 31 PLAYGROUNDS, 8 COMMUNITY CENTERS, 125 ATHLETIC FIELDS, 13 BOAT RAMPS, 42 MILES OF BEACHES AND OUR GOLF COURSE. BASED ON SOME STUDIES THAT YOU WILL SEE FOR NATIONAL PARKS AND RECREATION, PERSONAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. ST. JOHNS COUNTY HAS BEEN RANKED SECOND AND WE ATTRIBUTE A LOT OF THAT TO THE ABILITY FOR RESIDENTS TO GET OUTSIDE AND BE ACT OF. BUT ULTIMATELY THE VALUE OF PARKS ÚAND RECREATION IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY IS BROUGHT THROUGH ACCESS TO PARKS AND GREEN SPACES AND CORRELATES TO A REDUCTION IN STRESS AND SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION. FOR COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACES, STUDIES SHOW THAT 22 TIMES A YEAR RESIDENTS WILL GO VISIT PARKS WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES SO IT JUST SHOWS YOU THE VALUE OF HAVING PARKS AND OPEN SPACES THAT BENEFIT OUR RESIDENTS. PARKS AND RECREATION IS A LEADER IN SPORTS AND OPPORTUNITIES ESPECIALLY INTRODUCING CHILDREN TO NOT ONLY NEW ACTIVITIES AND SPORTS SUCH AS LACROSSE RUNNING, BASEBALL, SOFTBALL, SOCCER.

LOCAL PARKS AND RECREATION AGENCIES, THEIR EXPENDITURES SUPPORT ECONOMIC ACT HIPPITY AND JOB CREATION WITHIN COMMUNITIES AND WE ARE ONE OF THE LEADING SOURCES OF FIRST TIME JOBS FOR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS. YOU CAN LOOK AT THAT AS A POSITIVE OR A NEGATIVE AND ALSO PARKS AND RECREATION BOOSTS HOME VALUES AND PROPERTY TAX -- AS WELL. THE NEXT SLIDE IS OUR INDUSTRY STANDARDS. BASED ON THEIR STANDARDS , THEIR RECOMMENDATION OR THE AVERAGE CANTERA COMMUNITY HAS 2386 RESIDENTS PER PARK. THEY HAVE ABOUT 10.6 ACRES OF PARKLAND PER 1000 RESIDENTS AND ABOUT 8.9 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES PER 10,000 RESIDENTS. THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOWS YOU

[01:15:04]

>> THIS GRAPH DISPLAYS THE COMMITMENT FOR THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MADE OVER THE LAST TWO FISCAL YEARS. THIS DEPARTMENT CERTAINLY HAS SEEN PRINCIPAL GROWTH IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND CERTAINLY SEEN LEVELS OF SUPPORT FROM INCOME ADMINISTRATION , BOTH FISCALLY AND ADMINISTRATIVELY SO THERE HAS BEEN SOME EXPANSIVE GROWTH WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT AND IT IS WORTH NOTICING RECOGNIZING AND BRINGING UP LEVELS AND MEASURES THAT WILL PROVIDE THE RESOURCES AND THE FACILITIES THAT RESIDENTS ARE LOOKING FOR. SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS HAVE GROWN QUITE A BIT . THE MAINTENANCE DIVISION HAS GROWN 127%, BEACHES GREW 229 PRESENT. WHEN I FIRST STARTED WE HAD TWO BEACH MAINTENANCE TECHNICIANS FOR 42 MILES OF BEACH. WE ARE CURRENTLY AT FIVE TECHNICIANS AND WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE AT AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL THERE BUT TO SERVE THE 42 MILES OF BEACH WITH TWO STAFF MEMBERS WAS A CHALLENGE. IT CERTAINLY WAS LOOKED UPON FROM THE BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION AS SOMETHING TO INVEST IN AND WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE BOARD HAS SUPPORTED THAT THE LAST TWO

FISCAL YEARS. >> TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF OUR 2023 - 24 SUCCESSES WE HAVE THIS SLIDE BUT ALSO IN YOUR PACKETS YOU HAVE A COPY OF COMPLETED PROJECTS AND MOST NOTABLY WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR TEAM FOR SOME OF THE MAJOR SUCCESSES THAT THEY'VE HAD. WE'VE COMPLETED $3.2 MILLION IN INTERNAL OPERATING PROJECTS AND 16 1/2 MILLION WITH THE HELP OF PUBLIC WORKS AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.

IT JUST SHOWS THE DEDICATION THAT THE COMMISSION HAS HAD IN SUPPORTING PARKS AND RECREATION. $1.4 MILLION WAS INVESTED AND UPGRADED . WE ADDED A WEEKEND MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR TO ADDRESS ISSUES IMMEDIATELY WHICH HAS MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN RESPONSE TIME AND PUTTING EYES ON PARKS WHICH HAS BEEN BENEFICIAL. WE HAVE THE ADDITION OF A SUPERVISOR TO MANAGE COLLECTIONS THAT WE RECEIVED IN TOLLS EACH YEAR AND THE BEACH TECHNICIAN IN ADDITION, TO COVER 42 MILES OF EACH, WE HAVE ALSO MADE HUGE EFFORTS ON GRANTS AND RECEIVED $54,000 IN GRANTS FOR VETERAN PROGRAMS WHICH HAS BEEN A HUGE EXPANSION OF WHAT WE PROVIDE WHEN IT COMES TO THE PROGRAMMING TEAM. WE BROUGHT BACK THE JUST TRY IT KIDS TRIATHLON AND MOST NOTABLY THE REOPENING OF OUR GOLF COURSE IN 60,000 ROUNDS OF GOLF WITHIN 10 MONTHS OF OPERATION.

>> DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME OR WOULD YOU LIKE US

TO CONTINUE ON? >> DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS WE WERE ASKED TO REVIEW EXISTING SERVICE LEVELS AND ADDITIONAL SERVICE LEVELS. AT THIS POINT FOR PARKS AND RECREATION, WE MANAGE $24 MILLION IN OUR OPERATING BUDGET SUCCEEDING ABOUT $100 MILLION BETWEEN OUR SEVEN DIVISIONS. THE FOCUS HAS BEEN ON MAINTENANCE PRODUCTIVITY WITH RESTRUCTURING AND MAXIMIZING OUR EXISTING RESOURCES. WE VISUALIZE-- UTILIZE RESOURCE PROGRAMS TO MAKE SURE WE ARE MAXIMIZING EACH DOLLAR WITH COMMUNITY PROGRAM EVENTS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AN ASSET PROGRAM MANAGEMENT TO ASSIST WITH HOW WE ARE TRACKING AND ANALYZING DATA AND USAGE OF OUR ASSETS. FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICES, THE FOCUS IS ON FOUR REGIONAL PARKS AND HOW THEY ARE GOING TO IMPACT OUR OPERATIONS, COMMUNITY PARKS, MULTIPURPOSE SCALE EXPANSION AND HOW THAT WILL IMPACT NOT ONLY OPERATIONS BUT EXPANSION OF TEAM MEMBERS WHO MEET NATIONAL STANDARDS AND BE MORE PROACTIVE WITHIN THE

[01:20:01]

RIGHT DIRECTION . >> IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE WHERE PARKS AND RECREATION IS GOING TO BE FIVE YEARS FROM NOW AS WE START TO DEVELOP A BUDGET AND LOOKS AT-- AND LOOK AT GROWTH AND CHANGE. WITH THE BONDING PACKAGE COMING FORWARD WE HAVE A DEVELOPER - BUILT PARK THAT WOULD COME ONLINE AND INCREASE THE DEVELOPMENT OF COUNTYWIDE BOAT RAMP INITIATIVE AND TRAILS BEING UNDER THE MANAGEMENT OF THIS DEPARTMENT NOW. THE ADDITION OF THE TRAIL THAT IS A PARTNERSHIP TO ADD THE TRAILS FROM 207 INTO DOWNTOWN AND ALSO THE ADDITION OF MULTIPLE ASSETS , ONE IN PARTICULAR WE ARE HIGHLIGHTING IS A WORLD GOLF COMPLEX TO GO IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WOULD BE COMING ONLINE IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO. CERTAINLY AS WE PREPARED TO PRESENT THOSE CHALLENGES AND FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO MOVE FORWARD, WE ARE STARTING TO PUT TOGETHER THE DEPARTMENT AND THE EFFICIENCIES AND OPERATIONS SO WE CAN MANAGE THE OPERATION TODAY AND BE READY FOR THE FUTURE OPERATION. CHALLENGES FOR 2025 , FISCAL YEAR BUDGET .

I'M SURE EVERYONE IS FACING THE SAME CHALLENGE. THE NUMBER ONE CHALLENGE, COUNTY GROWTH AND WE WILL DISCUSS COUNTY GROWTH VERSUS PARKS GROWTH BUT AS IT CONTINUES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY IF YOU DRIVE BY THE BOAT RAMP ON SUNDAYS YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH USE THERE IS AND DEMAND FOR THE FACILITIES. ATHLETIC FIELDS HAVE AN INCREASED DEMAND AND HEAVY USE OF ATHLETIC FACILITIES. SUMMER CAMPS WERE FILLED WITH AN HOURS WITH THE LOTTERY SO THERE IS THE GROWTH THAT IS COMING WITH OUR FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE PRETTY STEADY TO WHERE WE'VE BEEN FOR THE LAST 14 YEARS AND WE WILL GO OVER THAT A LITTLE MORE FURTHER ON HERE AS WELL. STAFF AND TEAM HAS DONE A GOOD JOB OF COMING UP WITH A PLAN AND HOW WE ARE GOING TO MANAGE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE. THEY PUT TOGETHER WHAT WE CALL A PARK REPAIR REPLACE AND RENEW PROGRAM IN WHICH WE IDENTIFIED A LOT OF OUR ASSET. NUMBER ONE ARE THINGS IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT AND THE PRESENT THOSE TO ME THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS. WE NARROW THEM DOWN AND PRIORITIZE THEM. SO THIS PAST YEAR WE HAD APPROXIMATELY $6.5 MILLION IN CATEGORY ONE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND WE ARE BRINGING FORWARD APPROXIMATELY 1.9 WITHIN THAT. WE DID EVEN NARROW IT DOWN AND PRIORITIZE AFTER THAT AS WE CAME THROUGH BASED ON USAGE AND VALUE. JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS AGING. DAILY ON SHORES PARK IN 1978, RON PARKER PARK 1985. SAINT AUGUSTINE LITTLE LEAGUE BUILT IN 86. PLANTATION 96, DAVIS 99, VALENCIA 2005, RIVERTOWN 2007, RIVERTOWN 2020. A LOT OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE HAS BEEN IN PLACE AND HAS NOT SEEN MAJOR ENHANCEMENTS OVER THAT TIME PERIOD. WE ARE STARTING TO SEE THE WEAR AND TEAR. WE ARE ADDRESSING IT THROUGH OUR DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PROJECT WHICH WE HAVE BEEN DOING SO THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO TRY TO REFRESH THE PARKS AND MAKE THEM TO THE STANDARD THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE LOOKING FOR.

CHALLENGE NUMBER THREE IS STAFF RETENTION. THE COUNTY HAS DONE A GOOD JOB IN MY PERSONAL OPINION AS A DIRECTOR IN SALARY AND PAYROLL FOR THE LAST COUPLE YEARS TRYING TO STAY UP WITH

[01:25:04]

WE'VE SAID THIS RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE, THESE ARE GENERATIONAL CHANGES FOR THE COUNTY AND THEY NEED TO BE DONE RIGHT, THOROUGHLY THOUGHT THROUGH. THAT IS CERTAINLY PRIORITY AS WELL GOING THROUGH CAPITAL PROJECTS AND MAKING SURE THAT IF WE ARE MAKING $100 MILLION INVESTMENT, THAT WE DO IT RIGHT AND THAT INVESTMENT IS SOMETHING THE COUNTY CAN BE PROUD OF . 20 YEARS OR 30 YEARS FROM NOW IF THERE IS A DIRECTOR HERE SAYING PARKS ARE 20 - 30 YEARS OLD, THEY WERE GIVEN A GOOD LIFE AND IT'S TIME TO LOOK INTO REFRESHING IT. YOU ALREADY APPROVED PROJECTS THAT THE BOARD HAS DONE THROUGH OUR STAFF AND CONTINUING TO MOVE THOSE PROJECTS FORWARD. THE FIFTH CHALLENGE IS DIVERSIFIED FUNDING AND IN PARTICULAR THIS TAKES THE FOCUS OFF OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. WE LOOK TO MAXIMIZE NON-GENERAL FUND. YOU WILL SEE THE CAPITAL PROJECTS WE ARE PRESENTING AND PUTTING FORWARD REALLY IS UTILIZING THE PARK IMPACT FEES. THAT WILL BECOME A LITTLE MORE CHALLENGING IN A POSITIVE WAY FOR US MOVING FORWARD BUT SOME OF THOSE WILL BE USED TO PAY DOWN THE BONDING MOST LIKELY AS WE MOVE FORWARD. BUT FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS WE HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OF TRYING TO MAXIMIZE USE OF PARK IMPACT FEES TO ADD ASSETS AS WE MOVE FORWARD. FROM FISCAL YEAR 25, PERSONNEL REQUESTS. IT WOULD BRING US UP THREE FTES . I PUT A LITTLE ASTERISK ON THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE THREE VACANT POSITIONS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE BEING LOOKED AT TO BE UTILIZED FOR OTHER LOCATIONS WITHIN THE COUNTY SO WE WOULD UTILIZE THAT AND HAVE SIX BODIES COMING ON BOARD THE THREE POSITIONS HAVE BEEN APPROVED BUT ARE NOT FILLED AT THIS POINT IN TIME. IT SHOWS IN THE BUDGET THAT IT WILL ALLOCATE THOSE UNTIL THEY ACTUALLY GO THROUGH. THE NEW REQUEST ARE A SECOND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR PARKS AND RECREATION AS WE MOVE FORWARD , ONE OF THE KEY COMPONENTS IS BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT OUR STAFF IN MAKING SURE THAT OUR STAFF ARE ABLE TO STAY WITH CURRENT PROGRAMMING AND THEY ARE NOT FORGOTTEN ABOUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN OUR PROGRESSIONS AS WE EXPAND AS A DEPARTMENT. THAT WILL WILL ALLOW FOR THE ABILITY TO-- ADMINISTRATIVE NEEDS TO HANDLE OPERATION OF DEEDS AND THE DIVISION OF STRATEGIC PLANNING. IT WILL PROVIDE --. AS MORE PARKS ARE INCORPORATED , IT WILL PERSIST IN A REACTIONARY APPROACH RATHER THAN PROACTIVE IN EXPANDING SERVICES . THE SECOND POSITION IS A MAINTENANCE PARK CREW LEADER WHICH WOULD BE LOCATED AT THE MILL CREEK PARK SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN OCTOBER 2024 AND THIS WOULD BE THE STAFF MEMBER THAT IS ON THAT SITE AND MAINTAINS THAT SITE BASED OFF OF THE CORNERSTONE MODEL. IT WILL BE THE SAME STAFFING THAT WE DO AT CORNERSTONE. AND THEN THE THIRD NEW POSITION IS AN

[01:30:01]

PARKS AND RECREATION IS A SEVEN DAY OPERATION. RESIDENTS ARE GOING OUT TO FACILITIES AND UTILIZING THEM IN THE EVENINGS AND ON THE WEEKENDS, ET CETERA. RIGHT NOW IF YOU WERE TO CALL BEACH SERVICES ON FRIDAY AT 5:00 O'CLOCK WITH AN ISSUE AND LEAVE A VOICEMAIL AND WE GET IT ON MONDAY AT 9:00 A.M. THAT STAFF MEMBER WOULD BE FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY PROVIDING SEVEN DAY OPERATION OF CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR BEACH SERVICES. WE JUST BELIEVE THE GROWTH AND THE NEEDS MAKES US MORE PROACTIVE AS OPPOSED TO REACTIONARY THAT WE ARE RESOLVING THOSE ISSUES AND ABLE TO PUT THE APPROPRIATE RESOURCES IN PLACE ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY SO THE REST OF THE WEEKEND IS ENJOYED BY RESIDENTS RATHER THAN WE GET IT RESOLVED BY MONDAY AND WE'VE HAD ISSUES

THROUGH THE ENTIRE WEEKEND . >> THERE IS IMPORTANT INFORMATION I NEED TO DIGEST AND THOSE ARE THAT WE NEED TO EVALUATE THOSE. YOU HAVE 30 POSITIONS YOU ARE NOT GOING TO FILL AND THEREFORE WE MAY LOOK AT RE-APPROPRIATING THEM BUT BASED ON THIS REQUEST, IF YOU DO NOT HAVE VACANCIES --

>> THEY ARE CURRENTLY NOT FILLED. WE ARE LOOKING TO REPOSITION THEM TO OTHER POSITIONS.

>> YOU CAN'T GIVE THEM AWAY. >> WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR THREE NEW POSITIONS IF THEY WERE NOT GIVEN AWAY, AS OPPOSED

TO SIX. >> SO TEMPORARILY MOVING THEM.

THAT IS GOOD TO KNOW BECAUSE THEN WE SHOULD NOT RE-APPROPRIATE THEM BECAUSE YOU NEED THEM.

>> THEY ARE ASKING FOR SIX , THEY ONLY NEED THREE.

>> RIGHT BUT IF YOU GIVE AWAY THREE HE'S GOING TO ASK FOR MONEY. SO THOSE THREE POSITIONS THAT YOU IDENTIFIED WAS REALLY THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT MANAGEMENT, PARK INSPECTOR, AND

MAINTENANCE? >> CORRECT.

>> OKAY. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR. SO THAT ASSISTANT DIRECTOR PRIMARILY WILL BE OVERSEEING WHAT AREA?

>> WE WOULD LOOK TO BREAK IT DOWN BETWEEN FACILITIES AND

OPERATIONS. >> SO -- IS PRIMARILY

PROGRAMMING? >> I WOULD SAY OPERATIONS.

>> SO THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WILL TAKE SOME OPERATION BUT--

FACILITY? >> CORRECT. IT WILL ALLOW US TO BE MORE SUPPORTIVE TO OUR TEAM AND PROVIDE SOME OF THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE MORE THAN RYAN AND I ARE AT THIS POINT .

>> THE AMOUNT OF TOWN HALLS AND OPEN HOUSES AND THE AMOUNT OF THINGS YOU DO EVERY DAY. AND THEN AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT. WHAT ARE THE PRIMARY DUTIES?

>> CUSTOMER SERVICE. >> SO THAT'S ANSWER PHONE

CALLS AND-- >> YES. SPECIFIC FOR BEACH

SERVICES. >> IMPLEMENT PARK MANAGEMENT PLANS TO ASSIST WITH BRAND APPLICATIONS, INVASIVE SPECIES, LANDSCAPING BURNS . WE HAVE 6345 ACREAGE PARKS AND DEVELOPMENT IMPLEMENTATION OF MANAGEMENT PLANS IS A CHALLENGE. WE CURRENTLY HAVE MINIMAL OVERSIGHT AND TWO PRIME EXAMPLES ARE THE-- PRESERVE AND I THINK OF THIS QUITE OFTEN WHEN I SEE HOW THE STATE IS MANAGING THEIR PROPERTIES AND THE CONTROLLED BURNS THEY ARE MANAGING. THEY CLEARLY HAVE A MANAGEMENT PLAN AND THEY CLEARLY STAY ON TOP OF IT. WE HAVE NOT DONE A CONTROLLED BURN IN AN ETERNITY. WE ARE NOT DOING CONTROLLED BURNS TO CLARIFY. THEY WOULD MANAGE EITHER STATE SERVICES TO ASSIST WITH THAT. CONTRACTED SERVICES TO DO SO BUT WE GO THROUGH CURRENT MANAGEMENT PLANS, MAKE SURE THEY ARE CLEARLY SOMETHING WE CAN ACCOMPLISH AND MANAGE AND THEN OVERSEE THE MANAGEMENT OF THAT.

[01:35:04]

>> IS THAT IN COORDINATION WITH GROWTH MANAGEMENT

ENVIRONMENTAL? >> YES. 100%. MOST CONSERVATION PROPERTIES COME ON EITHER, IF THEY HAVE PUBLIC ACCESS THEY FALL UNDER PARKS AND RECREATION. PARKING TRAIL -- PARKING LOT WITH A TRAIL, PARKS AND RECREATION. IF IT DOESN'T HAVE ACCESS IT WOULD FALL UNDER ENVIRONMENTAL.

>> RIGHT NOW THE MAINTENANCE OF THOSE , WE HAVE MANAGEMENT PLANS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO ADOPT IT BUT WOULD THEY FALL UNDER PARKS AND RECREATION? THEY WOULD BE HANDLING MANAGEMENT PLANS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY ADOPT DID.

>> IN ADDITION TO PROPERTIES PURCHASED THROUGH FLORIDA COMMUNITIES TRUST . MANAGEMENT PLANS THAT NEED TO BE

MAINTAINED AND IMPLEMENTED. >> . INSPECTOR POSITIONS TO PRIORITIZE SAFETY, AND 31 PLAYGROUNDS , ALSO ADDITIONAL HELP ON TURF MAINTENANCE CREW AS WELL. THIS IS A MORE PROACTIVE THAN REACTIVE APPROACH FOR THE COUNTY AND WOULD REALLY HELP WITH TRYING TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CLAIMS THAT WE HAVE WITH RISK MANAGEMENT ON OUR FACILITIES AND TO BE ABLE TO BE AHEAD OF THE SITE. TRAINING STAFF TO TELL THEM WHAT THEY NEED TO BE LOOKING OUT FOR AND VISITING THOSE SITES AND BEING ABLE TO FALL THROUGH. CURRENTLY FACILITY MAINTENANCE DIVISION IS A MAJOR RESPONSIBILITY WITH THAT AND THEY RELY ON ONE SINGLE INDIVIDUAL TO INSPECT 90 PARKS THAT WE HAVE COUNTYWIDE. THIS WOULD HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE PRESSURE AND PROVIDE PROACTIVE MANAGEMENT TO THE

MAINTENANCE . >> WOULD BE A SIMILAR POSITION

TO FACILITIES? >> IT WOULD ALLOW ADDITIONAL EYEBALLS AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE YOU SEE A LOT OF THE INCIDENTS WITHIN OUR PROPERTIES. INSPECTIONS ARE A HUGE PART OF WHEN CLAIMS COME AGAINST US. THEY ARE REQUESTING OUR RECORDS IN BETWEEN MAINTENANCE AND PARKS AND RECREATION WE ARE TRYING TO PULL THAT TOGETHER WITH LARGE GAPS OF THE LAST TIME THE PARK WAS INSPECTED.

>> THE LAST IS -- WE RECENTLY BROUGHT IT DOWN TO THREE . IT WOULD BE GOING BACK TO THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE AND MAY NOT BE SET UP EXACTLY THE SAME BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF GROWTH . WHEN FOUR REGIONAL PARKS COME ON, TWIN CREEKS PARK ET CETERA, WE WOULD REALLY BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH AND IDENTIFY WHERE THAT PERSON COULD COME OUT AND ASSIST. IT REALLY IS PROVIDING THAT LEVEL OF SUPPORT TO BOOTS ON THE GROUND. MAINTENANCE WORKERS TO PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT TO THEM AND AS I SAID THAT IS GOING BACK TO A LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE PREVIOUSLY HAD FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO. THAT IS THE FTE RECOURSE.

>> SO AN OVERVIEW OF OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, EXISTING PROJECTS, PLANTATION PARK TURF FIELD, THE SHORELINE PROJECT CURRENTLY GOING ON. THE EXPANSION OF THE LAST UNLIT FIELD, DISTRICT 2 WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF EXPANDING PARKING AND RESTROOMS /CONCESSIONS . MILL CREEK PARK WHICH IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, DISTRICT 3 YOU HAVE THE CRESCENT BEACH WALK OVER AND THE PURCHASE OF THE RESTAURANT THAT WE WILL BE ADDING ADDITIONAL PARKING SPACES WITH. SHORE DRIVE TRAIL , DISTRICT 4 , WE COMPLETED THE CORNERSTONE PLAYGROUND , PALM VALLEY WEST WAS ALSO COMPLETED THIS FISCAL YEAR. DISTRICT 5 YOU HAVE YOUR NORTH BEACH PARK, THE LLANO BEACH WHICH WE ARE HOPING WILL BE DONE IN THE NEXT 4 TO 6 BEACH AND SAN SEBASTIAN BOAT RAMP WHICH HAS BEEN PURCHASED. REASON WHY WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THESE IS BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT 25 SOME DISTRICTS ARE NOT REPRESENTED WHICH DOESN'T MEAN WE AREN'T FOCUSING ON THEM BUT THAT THEY ARE READY HAVE ONGOING

[01:40:02]

DISTRICT 3 WE HAVE ADDITIONAL PARK AMENITIES FOR TREATY PARK.

SHORE DRIVE RESILIENCY STUDY , CRESCENT BEACH OVERFLOW PARKING THAT WE WILL BE IMPLEMENTING NOW THAT WE OWN THE PARCEL.

DISTRICT 4 IS $2 MILLION ALLOCATED TO-- SHORES WHICH, WE HAD A GREAT MEETING AND EXCITED ABOUT THE PLAN WE PUT IN PLACE.

DISTRICT 5 WE HAVE A MASTER PLAN THAT WILL COMBINE WITH A PEER PARK MASTER PLAN THAT WAS DONE. WE DID WORK WITH ADAM'S TEAM TO APPLY FOR A GRANT ON THAT AS WELL. NORTH SHORE PARK AND RON PARKER PARK WE ARE DOING SOME DRAINAGE STUDIES.

HALF OF THE YEAR OR SOMETIMES MORE THAN THAT THOSE PARKS ARE UNDERWATER SO IT'S FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS HOW DO WE MAXIMIZE THAT PARK BY ADDRESSING THE DRAINAGE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE? VOLANO FLOATING DOCK STUDY. WE HAVE CONFLICT BETWEEN COMMERCIAL USE AND CAN ASSESS AND DETERMINE CAN WE ADD AN ADDITIONAL FLOATING DOCK AND SEPARATE THE TWO TYPES OF USAGE? AND AS RYAN SAID, DIVERSIFICATION OF FUNDING.

GENERAL FUND IS $178,000, IMPACT FEES, $4 MILLION. WE ARE ASKING TO ALLOCATE -- I FEEL LIKE THAT WAS WRONG. AND TDT $2.2 MILLION WE ARE ALLOCATING TO PROJECTS AS WELL .

QUESTIONS? >> ANY QUESTIONS OR CONTINUE

ON? >> CONTINUE ON.

>> SO NOW WE ROLL OUR SLEEVES UP INTO EACH OF THE BUDGETS.

EXCIMER CREATION IS BROKEN DOWN UPON MULTIPLE DIFFERENT BUDGETS INCLUDING RECREATION PROGRAMMING, MAINTENANCE, BEACHES AND TOLL ROADS, THE PIER AND THE GOLF COURSE.

RECREATION PROGRAMMING IS PRIMARILY IN THE PARKS AND RECREATION ADMINISTRATION INCORPORATED WITHIN THIS BUDGET. WITHIN THE BUDGET YOU CAN SEE WE DID BREAK DOWN HOW THE FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED BETWEEN PERSONNEL ALLOCATING CAPITAL AND THEN THE-- TO THE PARK FOUNDATION THERE AS WELL. SOME OF THE KEY DIFFERENCES IN THE BUDGET IS THE IMPACT OF THE DOLLAR RAISE FOR TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES. THE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO SEEING GROWTH IN OPERATIONS AND SPECIAL EVENTS FOR EXPANDING PROGRAMMING AS WE MOVE FORWARD. ONE MAJOR CHANGE WITHIN FISCAL YEAR 25 FROM FISCAL YEAR 24 , PERCENTAGE INCREASES IN CONTRACTS AND PERCENTAGE INCREASES IN THE TRADITIONAL THINGS, SUCH AS INSURANCE, ET CETERA.

>> FOR THE PARKS FOUNDATION, REMIND ME. I THOUGHT -- IS THAT

A REQUEST TO BE CONTINUED? >> THEIR PRESENTATION DISPLAYED ON IT ANNUAL BASIS SHOWED A FIVE-YEAR PLAN .

>> SO 120,000 . >> WOULD THAT BE YEAR THREE A

YEAR FOUR? >> I WOULD HAVE TO VERIFY BUT I AM THINKING FOUR. THE PARK MAINTENANCE BUDGET . THIS SAW MAJOR GROWTH FROM FISCAL YEAR 21 TO FISCAL YEAR 24. VERY IMPORTANT THING TO START OF THE CONVERSATION WITH IS THAT YOU SEE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FISCAL YEAR 24 AND 25 BUT INCLUDED IN THAT IS A $3.5 MILLION GRANT FOR THE SAN SEBASTIAN BOAT RAMP. THAT IS A DIRECT OPERATING COST OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND AND HOW IT IS ALLOCATED HERE. FROM 4.8 TO 7.8, OUR GENERAL FUND REQUEST IS ACTUALLY DOWN FROM WHAT IT

[01:45:02]

REPLACE REFRESH AND RENEW PROGRAM . WE UTILIZE A LOT OF CONTRACTUAL SERVICES FOR CLEANING, RESTROOMS, UTILITIES ET CETERA AND WE ALSO DID A LARGE INCREASE IN PARK MAXIMIZATION WHICH IS FUNDING USED TO ADD TO THE PARK FEATURES. $250,000 OF THAT IS FOR DREDGING OF BOAT RAMPS.

$600,000 OF THAT IS FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE TRAILS AT ALPINE GROVES PARK BUILT IN 2005. THAT TRAIL -- TO RIP UP AND REPLACE THAT TRAIL AT THIS POINT IN TIME SO WE CLASSIFY THAT IN THAT BUDGET LINE. INGS WE BEEN TAKING ON. FACILITY MAINTENANCE HAVE ALWAYS WORKED WITH THE DEPARTMENT BEING ABLE TO MANAGE OUR FACILITIES. WE HAVE TAKEN BACK SOME OWNERSHIP OF PARK RESPONSIBILITY OVER THE YEARS. WE TOOK BACK FENCING A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND THAT WAS WITHIN THE PARKS BECAUSE FACILITY MAINTENANCE WOULD PRIORITIZE WHERE THE FUNDING WAS GOING AND YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT ROOFS AND FOUNDATIONS AND MAJOR COMPONENTS TO COUNTY BUILDINGS OR THE OUTFIELD FENCE AT DAVIS PARK. THE OUTFIELD FENCE WAS NEVER GOING TO GET DONE UNDER THAT CIRCUMSTANCE SO WE CREATED THE PROGRAM THAT ENABLED US TO PUT IT WITHIN OUR BUDGET AND FOR US TO QUALIFY WHERE THE NEEDS WERE FOR OUR PARK INFRASTRUCTURES TO DO SO.

WE ARE TAKING ON EVEN MORE AND WE ARE GOING TO BRING ON BASKETBALL AND TENNIS COURTS, SO SURFACING OF THOSE WILL BE MANAGED BY OUR DEPARTMENT. ADDITIONAL REPORTS WITHIN OUR BUDGET. WE ARE WORKING THROUGH A FUTURE PLAN AS TO PARKING LOTS, WHERE DO THEY LAND. THE PLANTATION PARKING LOT IN OUR OPINION HAS BEEN LEFT OFF THE RADAR THIS LONG, WE HAVE A PRICE QUOTE. IT'S $430,000 AND WE PUT IT IN BECAUSE IT IS IN THAT MUCH NEED FOR REPAIR AND WE WANT TO MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION AT THIS POINT IN TIME. WE ARE REALLY HAPPY WITH WHAT OUR BUDGET IS AND IT HAS GIVEN US THE ABILITY TO GET IN AND MAINTAIN AND REFRESH FACILITIES, GO THROUGH AN UPGRADE FENCING AND NETTING ET CETERA AS WE GO THROUGH THE PARKS -- I KNOW YOU WORK WITH FACILITIES ALONG THE VERTICAL BUILDINGS IN THE PARKS. ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH THOSE NUMBERS

ALSO? >> THE BUDGET HAS GROWN AGAIN .

>> WE HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET. >> THEY WORKED WITH OUR DEPARTMENT AND THAT PARTNERSHIP HAS BEEN GREAT. AGAIN WE HAVE 95 PARCELS GOING OUT LOOKING AT INFRASTRUCTURE OF DECKING, RESTROOMS, WE HAVE SO MANY BUILDINGS AND VERTICAL CONSTRUCTION THAT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR BUT THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OF-- SAME AS OUR BALLFIELDS. WE WANT TO BE KEPT TO A NICE QUALITY LEVEL. I'M WE ARE NOT FENWAY PARK AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE-- YOU ARE NOT TALKING PRO LEVEL OR HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL BUT WE WANT TO HAVE A CERTAINLY QUALITY AND THE TEAM REALLY DOES ASSIST IN PROVIDING.

>> SO THE FACILITY MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITIES , STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES ARE STILL THE SAME EXCEPT YOU ARE THINKING OF FENCING AND SOME OF THE STUFF THAT MAYBE MORE EFFICIENT.

>> WE BEEN TAKING -- THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND THE BUDGET HAS BEEN ABLE TO SHOW IT AND ADJUST. IT'S MORE THE VERTICAL CONSTRUCTION IS THE FACILITY MAINTENANCE. OTHER THINGS WOULD BE LIKE THE BIRD ISLAND BOARDWALK. THEIR EXPERTISE IS AT A GOOD LEVEL FOR THAT AND FENCING AND NETTING AND A LOT OF THOSE THINGS-- YES. WE CAN MANAGE THAT AND TAKE THAT OFF

OF THEIR WORKLOAD THERE. >> WE ARE USED TO SEEING THEM

[01:50:06]

CARVING THOSE OUT . >> SO WHEN WE SEE THE FACILITY

MAINTENANCE BUDGET-- >> YOU MAY AND MAY NOT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR OVERALL FACILITY PLAN IS. EACH YEAR

IT'S BEEN DIFFERENT. >> I WILL RECOGNIZE BEFORE WE GO ON, THE EFFORTS OF JAMIE APPLYING FOR THE FTC GRANT. WE ARE CURRENTLY NUMBER ONE ON THE RANKING FOR THAT WHICH WOULD BE A $3.5 MILLION MISSION AND THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE GRANT COMPONENT. BUT AGAIN STRONG EFFORTS FROM JAMIE AND NATHAN AND TIM CONNOR AND THE TEAM PUTTING TOGETHER TO APPLY FOR THAT AND GO FORWARD. I WILL NOT SEE WHO BUT SOMEONE TOLD US WE STOOD NO CHANCE OF GETTING THOSE AND JAMIE CAME OUT RANKED

NUMBER ONE IN THE STATE. >> THAT'S AMAZING AND THAT'S

$3.5 MILLION WE GET TO SAVE. >> -- BUDGET IS A PRETTY STEADY LINE AND THIS IS THE CONTRACT WITH THE YMCA TO MANAGE OPERATIONS AND ALSO HAS SOME LINE ITEMS TO MANAGE THE INFRASTRUCTURE BECAUSE FACILITY MAINTENANCE DOES MANAGE THE INFRASTRUCTURE. THE BEACH OPERATION IS ANOTHER ONE THAT WE SAW GREAT GROWTH IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND PRIORITIZING BEACHES AND THE VALUE OF THAT TO THE COUNTY. WE PUT OURSELVES IN AN APPROPRIATE PLACE. IT SHOWS A PRETTY GOOD SPIKE BUT THAT SPIKE IS DRIVEN BY $300,000 INCLUDED FOR THE TROLLEY SERVICE AND THAT IS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL BEACH ACCESS WITHIN THAT AREA. WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE COASTAL DIVISIONS ON THAT AND IF WE ARE NOT MOVING FORWARD WE DON'T NEED THOSE LINE ITEMS AND THAT EXPENDITURE WE WOULD NOT NEED TO EXPEND THOSE LINE ITEMS.

>> YOU GUYS ARE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW AND IT'S PART OF THE COASTAL FUNDING FOR THE B TREE NOURISHMENT. BEACH READ

NOURISHMENT. >> AS YOU OPEN UP ACCESS POINTS IT PROVIDES BENEFIT FOR THE COUNTY FOR GRANTS FOR REIMBURSEMENT, REIMBURSEMENT QU NORTH AND THE QUARTER MILE TO THE SOUTH OF THOSE ACCESS POINTS. IT WOULD ACCOMPLISH GETTING RESIDENTS AND VISITORS OUT TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS FOR BEACH ACCESS AND ADDITIONALLY WOULD PROVIDE THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR GRANTS AND REIMBURSEMENT THAT WE BELIEVE FROM OUR EARLY NUMBERS WILL FAR EXCEED THE ANNUAL INVESTMENT FROM THE

COUNTY. >> IS THAT 300,000 --

>> IT IS IN BEACH SERVICES RIGHT NOW.

>> SO GENERAL FUND? >> IT WOULD BE A TDC. SO THAT

IS BEING REQUESTED ? >> GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS AND WORKING WITH CONSULTANTS ON FEASIBILITY AND JUST EARLY DISCUSSIONS. I'M TRYING TO GET THE PRICE QUOTES TO GET IT .

>> I THINK WE ARE ABOUT 6 TO 8 WEEKS UNTIL WE HAVE REALLY GOOD

INFORMATION. >> WOULD THIS ALLEVIATE THE

PARKING SITUATION? >> WE ARE LOOKING AT ALL OF THOSE THINGS, EVERY OPTION TO HAVE AN ACCESS POINT EVERY HALF-MILE FOR MAXIMIZING GRANTS .

>> I THINK THAT WOULD BE AMAZING . PARKING IS REALLY EVERY DAY A MAJOR ISSUE AND SHORT OF MAKING SOME MAJOR CAPITAL INVESTMENTS ON THE PARKING LOT ACQUISITIONS --

>> WE ARE HOPING TO SPREAD OUT PARKING WHERE IT'S AVAILABLE AND PUT PEOPLE WHERE THEY CAN ACCESS BEACHES WHERE THEY WANT.

>> AND THIS WILL LOWER THE SHARES FOR THE ARMY CORPS

PROJECT? >> ONE OF THE INITIAL BENEFITS.

>> IT COULD EASILY OUTWEIGH THAT $300,000. THIS REALLY IS A FLATLINE BUDGET. WE ALSO REPOSITIONED ONE FTE FROM THIS

[01:55:02]

SIMULTANEOUSLY IT WILL ALSO ALLOW US TO KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE COME ONTO THE BEACH BY VEHICLE DURING THAT DAY. YOU WILL NOT KNOW HOW MANY LEFT OR HOW MANY WALKED ONTO THE BEACH BUT WE WILL KNOW THE VEHICLE COUNT THAT DROVE ONTO THE BEACH AND BE ABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS WITH THOSE NUMBERS. WE WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO GO BACK AND QUANTIFY AS WE GO THROUGH AND IDENTIFY BUSY WEEKENDS, TELL YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE ON THE BEACH. WE CANNOT TELL YOU THAT TODAY BUT THAT'S OUR GOAL.

PROBABLY WON'T HAPPEN THIS SUMMER. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING THAT HAPPEN BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE ELEMENTS WE ARE INCORPORATING IN THIS BUDGET. ADDITIONALLY THERE IS THE ONE DOLLAR INCREASE TO STAY ABOVE THAT MINIMUM WAGE. WE DID ADD THE SERVICE CHARGES WHICH ARE CREDIT CARD FEES BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT HAD THOSE PREVIOUSLY SO AS WE DO GO TO A SOFTWARE-BASED SYSTEM YOU NATURALLY WILL HAVE TO PAY THE CREDIT CARD FEES. SAFETY WISE, OPERATIONALLY, GOING OUT OF THE CASH SYSTEM, THERE'S $1.2 MILLION COLLECTED AT THE BEACH.

I WOULD MUCH RATHER HAVE THAT IN CREDIT CARD STATEMENTS THAN CASH SO IT IS REALLY A GOOD MOVE GOING IN THE RIGHT

DIRECTION. >> THE PIER IS A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THE START OF THIS FISCAL YEAR IT HAS THREE QUARTERS OF $1 MILLION. THIS IS THE OPERATION WITHIN THE GIFT SHOP , IT PAYS FOR STAFFING THAT IS INVOLVED, IT PAYS FOR DAILY OPERATION EXPENSES. IT WILL NOT PAY FOR A PIER REPLACEMENT, BUT IT DOES PROVIDE RESOURCES INCLUDING THE OPERATING BUDGET FOR ELECTRICAL UPGRADES . THAT IS REALLY FOR THE WEDNESDAY MARKETS AND THE MUSIC SERIES THAT TAKES PLACE THERE AND TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES FOR THE COMMUNITY COMING OUT OF THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND. THEY OPERATE A GOOD, EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT BUSINESS MODEL . NOT FOCUSED ON MAKING MONEY BUT ARE FOCUSED ON STAYING IN THE BLACK .

>> THEY RECENTLY HAD A DIVER GO IN AND DO A STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS

ON THE PIER. HOW DOES IT LOOK? >> THE REPORT HAS NOT COME

BACK. >> THE FACILITY IS LYING TO US

AND DOESN'T WANT TO TELL US. >> IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE WOBBLY

BUT IT'S SAFE RIGHT NOW. >> WE ARE ABOUT TO SEE THAT TIME PERIOD WHERE IT'S PRETTY MUCH COVERED BY SAND . WE WILL BE COMING THROUGH AS THAT PROJECT MOVES OVER THERE.

>> WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE TROLLEYS IN THAT AREA , ARE THERE ANY --? INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE SALEM PARK AT PHASE 3. WE DID TWO LEVELS OF PARKING NOT PARKING LOT AND PHASE 3 IS AMENITIES AND RESTROOMS SO THAT IS WITHIN THAT REGION AND THAT WOULD BE

NEW. >> IT WILL BE EXPANDED SERVICES. NORTH BEACH HAS RESTROOMS BUT IT WOULD BE EXPANDED SERVICE AT THAT LOCATION AND BEYOND THAT THERE ISN'T. FUNDED AS A -- AND WORKING THROUGH THE EARLY

STAGES OF DESIGN . >> GOLF IS ALSO A SPECIAL

[02:00:13]

THERE IS CERTAINLY A LEVEL OF PLAY THAT STARTS TO PUSH MAINTENANCE SO IT'S NOT A BAD THING. WES IS CERTAINLY PUTTING IN THE BUDGET AND ABILITY TO STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE

MAINTENANCE OF THE SITE >> AND THAT'S INCLUDED IN THE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM? STILL MAKING A SOLID RESERVE.

>> WHENEVER IT'S APPROPRIATE , WE ARE ON TO YEAR TWO AFTER THE RENOVATION? SO BEFORE WE MAKE A DECISION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH REINVESTMENT WE HAD A FINANCIAL MODELING BEFORE YOU CAME ON BOARD. JAMIE WAS HERE BUT WE HAD A MODEL TO SHOW THE INVESTMENT WOULD BE OF BENEFIT TO LOWER THE MAINTENANCE AND THEN A LONG-TERM MANAGEABLE FINANCIAL MODEL. AT SOME POINT CAN WE LOOK AT THAT AND SEE IF IT'S HAPPENING?

>> ABSOLUTELY. I DON'T KNOW YET. I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WERE ASKING ME TO PULL THAT UP RIGHT NOW.

>> I'M CURIOUS AND I'M SURE THE BOARD WOULD BE CURIOUS TO KNOW IF THE INVESTMENT DOES REACH THE FINANCIAL STATE WE

ARE HOPING FOR. >> I WILL SPEAK ON THE PLAYABILITY OF RECREATION. AND I HAPPEN TO LIVE THERE, THE COURSE AFTER RAIN IS BEING UTILIZE WHEREAS IT WAS CLOSE FOR MULTIPLE DAYS USUALLY AFTER RAIN. THEY ARE GETTING BACK ON THAT FACILITY PRETTY QUICK AND A MAJOR COMPONENT OF THAT CONSTRUCTION WAS REPAIRING AND FIXING THE DRAINAGE.

>> AND PLAYABILITY IS A LOT BETTER. THE BIGGEST RETURN IS WES TUCKER IS STILL HERE. SHE IS OUR BIGGEST ASSET.

>> 100% . THE GOLF BUDGETS PRESENTED ON THE CHARTS IS GOLF ADMIN. I DIDN'T DO ONE FOR GOLF CARTS BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE IT'S A PRETTY FLAT . IT HAS A ONE DOLLAR INCREASE FOR STAFF TO -- BUT IT DOES HAVE AN INCREASE BASED ON THE INCREASE FOR TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES. ADDITIONALLY, INCREASE IN SERVICE CHARGES BECAUSE THERE'S MORE PLAY SO MORE USAGE OF CREDIT CARDS SO WE ARE PAYING CREDIT CARD FEES , NOT HIGHER RATES BUT MORE FEES BECAUSE WE ARE HAVING MORE REVENUES COME THROUGH. THEY ALSO BUMPED UP THE BUILDING MAINTENANCE BUDGET WHICH INCLUDES ADDITIONAL CARPET CLEANINGS, PRESSURE WASHING TO KEEP THE FACILITY LOOKING THE WAY THAT IT DOES SO THAT IT LOOKS THE WAY THAT IT DOES FOR SOME TIME AND HE HAS ADDED NOISE REDUCTION PANELS TO THE RESTAURANT BECAUSE THE RESTAURANT IS A TOUGH SPACE TO GATHER AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE HOPING FOR. TO PEOPLE COME IN AND GATHER AS OPPOSED TO BEING LOUD AND ECHOING. SO HE HAS PUT THAT DOWN AS A REQUEST. $11,000 IN MERCHANDISE SALES IS SOMETHING THEY WOULD PUT BACK ON THE REVENUE SIDE BASED ON THE GROWTH OF THE PRO SHOP AND WOULD INCREASE DEMAND OF

MERCHANDISE . >> ARE THEY GROSS SALES?

>> THAT IS EXPENDITURE. >> GOT IT , OKAY. WHAT ABOUT THE RESTAURANT ? DO WE HAVE TO GO BACK OUT TO PROCURE A FOOD

[02:05:06]

VENDOR? >> WE'VE MADE SOME ADVANCEMENTS TO THE RESTAURANT SITE RIGHT NOW.

>> WHILE WE ARE OUT FOR A NEW VENDOR WE ARE REPLACING THE -- AND THE RACETRACK SO WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO SHUT DOWN TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES SO ULTIMATELY GOING OUT FOR A NEW VENDOR AND COMPLETING MAINTENANCE WILL MAKE THE MOST SENSE AND IF IT'S NOT OUT IT'S GOING TO BE OUT BY THE

END OF THIS MONTH. >> ADDITIONALLY ON GOLF IS GOLF MAINTENANCE. ONE NEW TEMPORARY STAFFING MEMBER. AN INCREASE IN SUPPLIES INCLUDES CHEMICALS -- THAT GOES WITH THE PLAN OF STAYING UP WITH MAINTENANCE. MAINTENANCE IN EQUIPMENT INCLUDING A NEW FAIRWAY MOWER, AND REALLY AGAIN IT ACTUALLY WENT DOWN . THOSE ARE ALL OF THE BUDGET LINE ITEMS. REALLY LOOKING TO CLOSE ON THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES AND JUST DISCUSSING THE CHALLENGES THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS HAD CONTINUING TO STAY UP WITH THE GROWTH AND USE A UTILIZING THE NUMBERS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT . 2010 UNTIL CURRENT IS 186,000 TO 320,000 RESIDENTS IN THE COUNTY. SIMULTANEOUSLY DURING THAT TIME PERIOD FROM 2010 ST. JOHNS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT EXPANDED FROM 39 TO 51 SCHOOLS WHICH WILL BE 12 NEW SCHOOLS BY THE OPENING OF THIS FALL COMING UP WITHIN THAT TIME PERIOD.

PARKS AND RECREATION HAS INCREASED BY SIX PROPERTIES DURING THAT TIME PERIOD , REALLY OF WHICH TO OUR PARKS, ONE IS RIVERTOWN AND THE OTHER ONE WILL BE MILLCREEK PARK OPENING IN OCTOBER. THOSE WILL BE THE TWO PARKS THAT OPENED.

WE HAVE PALM VALLEY WEST BOAT RAMP THAT HAD BEEN OPENED IN MCCULLOCH CREEK DURING THAT TIME PERIOD. BUT THE RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND THE PUBLIC PARK SPACE OPPORTUNITIES CERTAINY HAVE LAGGED BEHIND POPULATION GROWTH. TYPICALLY PARKS AND RECREATION IT CAN ONLY BE -- TO WHAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE. AND THAT TIME PERIOD VERSUS THE GROWTH OF THE PARKS OVER THAT TIME PERIOD SHOW THERE ARE CERTAINLY CHALLENGES WITHIN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE THIS TIME.

ADDITIONALLY AS WE GO THROUGH , 2024 STRATEGIC PLAN AND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN , YOU SEE THE RESIDENTS , AND THEIR DESIRE FOR PARKS AND RECREATION. HERE ARE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT I PULLED FROM EARLY SURVEY RESULTS. RESIDENTS WERE ASKED TO STATE THE MOST IMPORTANT PRIORITIES FOR THE FUTURE OF THE COUNTY. THE NUMBER ONE RESPONSE WAS INCREASE PRESERVATION OF BEACH AND-- WITH A 95% RESPONSE ON THAT WHICH, OUR TEAM IS NOT SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT BUT IS INVOLVED IN THE COMPONENTS OF MANAGEMENT OF BEACH WAYS AND WATERWAY ACCESS FOR BOAT RAMPS. SECOND QUESTION , RESIDENTS WERE ASKED IF THEY WANTED TO SEE MORE DEVELOPMENT GROWTH FOR CERTAIN AREAS AND A 71% RESPONSE . BEACH AND COASTAL RESERVES 71% RESPONSE AND FAMILY-ORIENTED ACT TO BE THESE . AGAIN, OUR DEPARTMENT IS NOT SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF THOSE BUT IS HIGHLY INVOLVED AND MATCHES WHAT OUR MISSION IS . RESIDENTS WERE ASKED , WHAT FIVE ITEMS SHOULD RECEIVE AN INCREASE IN FUNDING? COASTAL AND BEACH PRESERVATION, AND PARKS AND OPEN SPACE. AND AGAIN, RECOGNIZING THAT THE DEMANDS FROM RESIDENTS TO SEE THAT INCREASED. RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES , BEACH ACCESS, PARKING, ET CETERA. THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PRELIMINARY SURVEY RESULTS. THE PRESENTATION I WENT TO, NUMBER ONE WAS THE PRESERVE, TO CONSERVE THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. OUR

[02:10:03]

MULTIPLE OF THESE HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH OUR DEPARTMENT OR THE DEPARTMENT IS INVOLVED IN MULTIPLE OF THESE CATEGORIES.

BEACHES WAS NUMBER ONE, WATERWAYS AND WATERFRONT NUMBER 4 , WE STILL HAVE SOME INVOLVEMENT IN HISTORIC SITES.

QUALITY-OF-LIFE NUMBER SIX. SCENIC BEAUTY NUMBER SEVEN.

NATURAL RESOURCES AND PARKS NUMBER 8. OUTDOOR RECREATION NUMBER 9 , SENSE OF COMMUNITY NUMBER 10. TO ME A LOT OF THOSE SCREEN TO THE HEART OF PARKS AND RECREATION AND TO WHAT THAT VALUE CAN BRING. I AM A STRONG BELIEVER THAT OUR DEPARTMENT RINGS QUALITY-OF-LIFE TO THE COMMUNITY AND IS ABLE TO CREATE THOSE ENVIRONMENTS WHERE THE COMMUNITY CAN ENJOY THEIR FRIENDS, THEIR FAMILY, THEIR DOWNTIME, AND HAVE THOSE ELEMENTS . REASONS WHY THEY LOVE LIVING IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. WE SHOULD BE A BIG PART OF THAT. WE PUT TOGETHER A BUDGET THAT WE THINK REPRESENTS THAT WELL AND LOOK FORWARD TO

ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. >> BETTER THAN UTILITY AND

PUBLIC WORKS ALMOST. I LOVE IT. >> THANK YOU BOTH.

>> ALL DETAILS FROM SPECIAL REVENUE TO GENERAL PROGRAMMING TO FACILITY TO DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, TO CHALLENGES, TO PRIORITIES. IT'S AMAZING. GOOD JOB. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE

TO START. >> I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S

GOOD OR BAD. >> I WILL START WITH YOU . ONE OF THE THINGS WE RECOGNIZE IS THE NATIONAL STANDARDS, WE ARE NOT TRYING TO GET TO 8.9 FTES. I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS RESPONSIBLE AND REASONABLE GROWTH. WHEN YOU SEE THOSE NUMBERS IT INVOLVES A LOT OF MUNICIPALITIES. I CAME FROM A MUNICIPAL SETTING WHERE I WAS IN A COMMUNITY OF 17,000 RESIDENTS AND HAD 30 FTES. IT IS CERTAINLY DIFFERENT WHEN YOU ARE TALKING INCORPORATED LOCATIONS VERSUS UNINCORPORATED. WE UNDERSTAND THAT BUT , IT MERITS THE ABILITIES OF THE CURRENT STAFF TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE COUNTYWIDE AND SPREAD THAT OUT. WHILE WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE GETTING UP TO 8.9 WE ARE SAYING 3.6 IS CHALLENGING FOR US --

>> IS THAT WHERE WE ARE NOW? >> CURRENTLY, YES. WE DON'T WANT TO OBNOXIOUSLY UTILIZE THE NATIONAL STANDARDS TO OUR BENEFIT BUT WE RECOGNIZE THAT IT SHOWCASES THE ABILITY OF OUR TEAM TO BE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE. BUT ALSO WE ARE LOOKING AT RESPONSIBLE GROWTH TO SLIGHTLY BRING THAT LEVEL UP AND AS WE GO THROUGH THE GROWTH WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE COMING BACK AND TRYING TO GET TO 8.9 AND RECOGNIZE THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH DILIGENTLY TO BE ABLE TO PUT FORWARD A RESPONSIBLE

BUDGET REQUESTS. >> YOU HAD TOUCHED AT A HIGH LEVEL YOUR FIVE CHALLENGES. STAFF RETENTION, CAPITAL PROJECTS WHICH IS VERY EXPENSIVE SO IT'S NOT ONLY THE CHALLENGE TO PICK OFF THOSE PROJECTS BUT MAKING SURE THAT YOUR STAFF SUPPORT IS ADEQUATE TO MAKE SURE THOSE PROJECTS ARE CARRIED ON ADEQUATELY. AND OF COURSE THE FUNDING WHICH I AM VERY MUCH APPRECIATIVE THAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR DIVERSIFIED FUNDING BUT THERE IS A FUNDING MECHANISM THAT CAN BACK IT UP.

I THINK IT WAS YOU THAT SAID YOU ARE NOT HERE TO MAKE PROFIT. YOU ARE HERE TO OFFER A SERVICE. SO CERTAINLY FUNDING IS DEFINITELY A CONSIDERATION EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T COME HERE TO MAKE MONEY AND PROFIT. WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE POSITIVE QUALITY-OF-LIFE. BUT FEE SCHEDULE IS ALSO A CRITICAL

[02:15:05]

>> CERTAINLY IT'S NOT A PRIMARY CONSIDERATION BUT I THINK JESTING, WHEN WE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER OUR FINANCING OPTIONS FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER, ONE OF THE BIG QUESTIONS I THINK, RESIDENTS ARE INTERESTED TO KNOW HOW ARE WE PAYING WHATEVER NUMBER THAT IS? I KNOW WE INDICATED LARGELY IT WILL BE IMPACT FEE THAT WE HAVE ACCUMULATED AND ARE CONTINUING ACCUMULATING. AND ALSO THAT HAVE SENT REMITTED FROM THE STATE, ONCE WE COMPLETE THE ANALYSIS-- FIRST OF ALL I APPRECIATE YOU DOING THIS PROACTIVELY, EVALUATING USAGE. THAT CAN ALS BE PROGRAMMED BECAUSE THAT IS KIND OF THE OUTLET OF, PART OF WHY THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS ITSELF TO RECOUP SOME OF THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT. IS THERE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO-- THAT AS WELL AS FEED TO BE PART OF THE

FINANCING MODEL? >> THERE WILL BE A PRO FORMA PUT TOGETHER FOR THE BOARD SO I CAN WORK WITH RYAN AND JAMIE ABOUT HOW THAT PORTION IS OFFSET BY THE VARIOUS FEES.

>> I APPRECIATE THE CURVE TO SCALE FOR RECREATIONAL WHICH IS JUST RESIDENTS WANTING TO HAVE GIRLS AND BOYS KICKING THE BALL AROUND AND THAT NEEDS TO BE AFFORDABLE . BUT THERE IS EXPECTATION THAT IT'S GOING TO COST THE PARENTS, AND I THINK THE PARENTS ARE PREPARED TO MAKE THAT KIND OF INVESTMENT.

MORE PREPARED FOR RECREATIONAL USES SO I APPRECIATE IT .

>> I WOULD SAY NATIONALLY WE ARE A GREAT VALUE. THE CHALLENGE GOES WITH OUR SURROUNDING COUNTIES. WE ARE PROBABLY ON THE HIGHER END BUT IT IS NOT EXPENSIVE AND WHETHER THAT'S PROGRAMMING, FACILITY ARE PARTNERS WE ARE VERY AFFORDABLE AND GOING ACROSS NATIONAL STANDARDS I WOULD SAY WE ARE DRASTICALLY LOWER. SOME OF THE CHALLENGES COME WITH -- AND VOLUSIA AND DUVALL WE ARE TYPICALLY THE HIGHER END SO THE FIRST REACTION -- THEY ARE ONLY CHARGING ME THIS MUCH VERSUS ST. JOHNS COUNTY. YOU ARE ON THE CHALLENGE OF, OUR REGIONAL FEE STRUCTURE AND HOW FAR THE BOARD WANTS TO BE ABLE TO PUSH IT COMPARABLE TO OUR SURROUNDING COUNTIES . THERE'S NOT STANDARDS FOR THOSE BUT WHEN WE SPOKE WITH OUR PEERS AT TEXAS, TENNESSEE, MASSACHUSETTS, WHEREVER WE ARE TALKING TO OUR PEERS FROM, AND FEES FOR PARTNER GROUPS. USER FEES, FACILITY RENTAL FEES, PROGRAMMING FEES, ET CETERA.

>> I THINK THE CONSIDERATION , AND AGAIN THESE HAVE TO BE DONE NOT ONLY THE MARKET RATE BUT ALSO OUR ABILITY TO UPKEEP THE

[02:20:09]

PARK ? >> WE HAVE COST ESTIMATES FOR THE NEW ONES WHICH MAY BE THE BEST WAY TO EXPLAIN IT. FOR MILLCREEK ON YEAR ONE, IT IS APPROXIMATELY $250,000 AND SHOULD COME DOWN BECAUSE THERE IS SOME CAPITAL THAT COMES OUT OF THE GATE. THAT CAPITAL IS PROBABLY, BALLPARK 60 - 75 OF THAT 250 AND THAT IS MILLCREEK PARK.

>> WE HAVE THEM FOR EACH OF THE REGIONAL PARKS SO WE HAVE A MODEL OUT FOR THOSE AND IS INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET THIS

YEAR. >> WHAT ABOUT STAFFING? FOUR PARKS, FIVE PARKS , IF WE INCLUDE DAVIS PARK , COMING ONLINE IN TWO YEARS. ARE WE EXPECTING AND REQUESTING-- FOR OTHER YEARS TO MAINTAIN THOSE PARKS?

>> CORRECT . 14 AND THAT INCLUDES TWIN CREEKS? THAT INCLUDES THE DEVELOPMENT AROUND TWIN CREEKS WHICH HAS--

>> 14 FTES FOR ALL FOUR . >> THAT IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THOSE PARKS. WE ARE PUTTING IN THE SUPERVISOR FOR THAT COMPONENT WITHIN THIS BUDGET REQUEST.

>> OKAY. AND THAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE $250,000 ROUGH?

>> FOR MILLCREEK THAT DOES INCLUDE -- LET ME MAKE SURE.

>> PARK . SO IT'S ABOUT 1 MILLION, WHAT YOU PRESENTED ON

THE BOARD. >> I RECEIVED THOSE NUMBERS

FROM PARKS AND RECREATION. >> AND COST ASSESSMENTS INCLUDES CAPITAL THAT WOULD BE OUT OF THE GATES FOR THOSE SITES. SO 1.6 I BELIEVE FOR THAT . AFTER YEAR ONE YOU

DON'T NEED A NEW TRACTOR. >> YOU ARE ONLY FUNDING IT THROUGH THE VEHICLE REPLACEMENT PLAN.

>> VERY GOOD. YOUR REPRESENTATION OF THE PRESENTATION IS SO COMPREHENSIVE . NOT JUST FOR JESSE TO COME BACK WITH THE NEW JERSEY ON THE GOLF COURSE FINANCING MODEL. BECAUSE I'M CURIOUS-- WHAT WE SAID THAT WE WERE GOING TO LOOK AT, SO I AM JUST CURIOUS IF WE ACCOMPLISHED WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO BE THANK YOU FOR THE

PARTICIPATION. >> I HIGHLIGHT, I KEEP GOING BACK TO THE SLIDE THAT SAYS YOUR CAPITAL PROGRAM IS PRIMARILY THROUGH IMPACT FEES AND TDT WHICH IS FANTASTIC.

THERE IS SO MUCH DISCUSSION THAT I THINK THE PUBLIC -- WHO KNOWS OF THAT'S A GOOD OR A BAD THING BUT I THINK THEIR PRIORITIZATION ON USING OTHER DOLLARS, TOURISM DOLLARS AND IMPACT FEES THROUGH DEVELOPMENT. GETTING THOSE

INVESTMENTS IS AWESOME. >> I DO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL QUESTION WHICH I ASKED TO DEPARTMENTS FOLLOWING SIMILAR RETENTION CHALLENGES. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT WE CAN DO

TO SUPPORT STAFF ? >> I HAVE SEEN POSITIVES IN WORKPLACE CULTURE. THAT 100% HELPS . I DO BELIEVE THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THE BOARD HAS MADE A COMMITMENT TOWARD TRYING TO BRING THOSE LOWER POSITIONS, TO NOT FEEL THE IMPACT OF INFLATION AS MUCH. AS THE DOLLAR HAS BEEN MOVING UP AND

[02:25:01]

DOWN ALL OVER THE PLACE -- >> THIS IS A TOPIC WE HAVE NOT REALLY DISCUSSED NOT EVEN INTERNALLY. IN TERMS OF LAST YEAR WE TALKED ABOUT A TWO-YEAR APPROACH THAT WAS NOT MITIGATED PRIOR TO THAT SO LAST YEAR THE BOARD SUPPORTED A 7% INCREASE.

AND THIS IS NOT SCIENTIFIC. WE ARE GOING TO DO SOME MODELING WITH INDEXING AND EVERYTHING ELSE TO COME TO A RECOMMENDATION. BUT FROM STAFF PERSPECTIVE, WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON WHAT'S GOING ON? AS WE SEE AN INTERNAL CHALLENGE WHERE WE SEED DIFFERENT POSITIONS AT DIFFERENT PAY GRADES --

>> WHAT TYPE OF PROVISIONS ARE THOSE?

>> ENTRY-LEVEL POSITIONS , THEY HAD SIMILAR POSITIONS THAT ARE 10 SO RIGHT OFF THE BAT WE ARE AT A DISADVANTAGE AND AS SOON AS THE FACILITIES OPEN FOR THE GROUNDSKEEPERS POSITIONS, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH HR SO IT'S BEEN A CONVERSATION WE BEEN HAVING. ADDITIONALLY WE DON'T HAVE A WAY FOR LOWER POSITIONS TO GROW SO WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT A CERTIFICATION PROGRAM. THEY CAN GET A BUMP IF THEY GET THIS CERTIFICATION OR MULTIPLE CERTIFICATIONS WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES OFFER . WORKING ON WAYS TO INCENTIVIZE BUT I WOULD SAY THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES WHEN YOU HAVE A SIMILAR POSITION THAT IS TWO PAY GRADES HIGHER THAN WHAT WE HAVE. IT'S AN INSTANT PROBLEM.

>> SO HYPOTHETICALLY, WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO CHOOSE A OR B BUT IF WE ARE ABLE TO LOOK AT PRIORITIZING NEEDS, UP TO A LEVEL WHERE IT'S COMPETITIVE EVEN IN OUR OWN ORGANIZATION, WE HAD A SIMILAR CONVERSATION WITH OUR ANIMAL CONTROL TECHNICIAN. THEY GO TO CODE ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE A SIMILAR TYPE OF JOB WAS A DIFFERENCE IN PAY. IF WE FOCUS ON ADDRESSING THAT ISSUE, IS THERE A PRIORITIZATION? DO WE WANT TO ADDRESS THIS AND LOOK AT THE NEW POSITION IF WE HAVE A

LIMITED RESOURCE? >> MOST OF THEM ARE WORKING TO AN ADDITIONAL LEVEL OF SERVICE COMPONENT. PARKS AND RECREATION. I'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION, I DO NOT REALIZE WE HAD THAT KIND OF -- BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND

ENTRY-LEVEL. >> THE OTHER DEPARTMENT APPRECIATES THAT THEY BRING THEM IN AND TRAIN BECAUSE THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS GET GREAT EMPLOYEES. BUT IT IS A CHALLENGE BECAUSE WE SEE THEM ALL THE TIME AT THOSE ENTRY-LEVEL JOBS. I'M GLAD YOU ARE LOOKING AT IT, I DO THINK A CAREER PATH, INCENTIVE-BASED WOULD HELP TREMENDOUSLY . AND IT HELPS THAT RETENTION. AND ALSO,

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.