[Items 1 - 3]
          [00:00:02]
          >>> GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL TODAY'S TOURISTY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL MEETING 
          >> THE ROLL CALL PLEASE. 
          >> 
          [4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
          AGENDA. DO I HEAR? >> SO MOVED. 
          >> SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR? APPROVAL OF THE 
          [5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
          MINUTES. >> SO MOVED. 
          >> SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR? 
          [6. PUBLIC COMMENT]
          >> PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ANYTHING NOT ON TODAY'S AGENDA ? 
          >> I HAVE TO DO MY LITTLE READ. AT THIS TIME THE BOARD WILL HEAR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS NOT SCHEDULED FOR ACTION ON TODAY'S AGENDA WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD PLEASE COME TO ONE OF THE THREE PODIUMS STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS EACH PERSON WILL BE PROVIDED THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND WE ASK YOU SPEAK DIRECTLY INTO THE MICROPHONE, SPEAKERS WILL COMPLY WITH THE BOARD'S RULES OF CIVILITY AND DECORUM SPEAKERS MAY NOT DEMAND IMMEDIATE RESPONSE FROM THE BOARD, NO PERSON WILL ADDRESS THE BOARD WITH PERSONAL SLANDEROUS REMARKS OR WITH A BOISTEROUS BEHAVIOR. MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE WILL REFRAIN FROM ANY DISRUPTIVE DEMONSTRATION OF APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF ANY COMMENT, ANY PERSON WHO FAILS ANY PERSON THAT FAILS TO COMPLY WITH THESE RULES WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE AUDITORIUM. ANY SPEAKER THAT WILL PRESENT MATERIALS PLEASE UTILIZE CENTER PODIUM PAPER MATERIALS CAN BE PLACED FOR OUR OVERHEAD CAMERAS TO DISPLAY AND A LAPTOP WILL BE SET UP FOR THE USB PRESENTATION. AFTER PRESENTING PLEASE PROVIDE MATERIALS TO THE STAFF CLERK OF THE COURT TO BE ENTERED INTO THE 
          PUBLIC RECORD. THANK YOU. >> I THINK THEY HAVE UPDATED. 
          >> A LITTLE LONGER THIS TIME. >> OKAY STREET COMMUNITIES COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR. I WANTED TO TAKE A MINUTE TO SAY THANK YOU. ROBUST CONVERSATION STARTED BACK IN FEBRUARY OR MARCH OF THIS YEAR AND WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY AND I WANT TO SAY ON BEHALF OF THE CITY THANK YOU FOR STARTING THE CONVERSATION AND FOR HELPING US WITH THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, AS WELL AS GETTING FUNDING ASSISTANCE I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF EVERYONE A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS FOR LIGHT UP NIGHT SATURDAY NIGHT TO KICK OFF NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. STOPPING BY, WE DO A VERY BRIEF RECEPTION FOR THE LIGHT UP NIGHT HONOREES AND IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THEM TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE COLLABORATION. 
          WE SENT THE INVITATION TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO JOIN US FOR THE CEREMONY AND CHAIR JOSEPH AND COMMISSIONER TAYLOR WERE ABLE TO JOIN US AND BE PRESENT AND I THINK THEY ENJOYED AND GOT A TASTE OF WHAT IT FEELS LIKE DOWN IN THE GAZEBO WITH US FOR THE FRONT ROW SEAT FOR THE LIGHTING OF THE PLAZA AND THE TREE AND THEN WANTED TO THANK ALL OF YOU AS WELL AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE FINANCIAL COMMITMENT SO FAR I WANT TO SHARE WE HAVE A REALLY GREAT PRELUDE IN THE MEDIA COVERAGE OVER THE WEEKEND AS WELL AND SOCIAL MEDIA SENTIMENT HAS BEEN POSITIVE WHICH WE ARE HAPPY ABOUT AND IN PARTICULAR THE MOBILE APP SEVERAL OF THE NEW STATIONS NOT ONLY PROMOTED THE MOBILE APP BUT THEY DID ONLINE , ON CAMERA DEMOS OF HOW TO TAP AND SEE THE PARKING AND LOOK AT THE BATHROOMS SO I WANTED TO SAY 
          [00:05:01]
THANK YOU ANDI WILL LET THE MAYOR FOLLOW-UP WITH ANYTHING. I JUST DID NOT WANT TO SEE TODAY COME AND GO AND I MISSED IT, BY THE WAY. I WAS NOT HERE BECAUSE OF THE CHANGE IN THE DATE BY ALL INDICATORS IT WAS A GREAT SUCCESS STARTING OFF, FUNNIEST THING I HEARD IN THE STAFF MEETING PEOPLE WERE ASKING WHAT WAS HAPPENING TODAY GOING TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE AND SAFETY SAYING WE WERE COMING DOWN BECAUSE IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN SAINT AUGUSTINE AND I CANNOT BELIEVE PEOPLE DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS GOOD OR BAD BUT IT WAS CERTAINLY FUNNY THAT IS ALL THANK YOU. 
          >> THANK YOU FOR THE INDULGENCE TO FOLLOW UP TO WHAT MELISSA SAID. I WAS NOT THERE BUT MY SON WAS GETTING MARRIED SO YES. IT WAS WONDERFUL. I HAVE GOT VERY GOOD FEEDBACK TODAY AND WE ALL HAD HOSTESS JITTERS AHEAD OF TIME WITH SOME NEGATIVE MEDIA A LITTLE BIT ON THIS OR THAT. I THINK EVERYBODY ENJOYED THE NIGHT AND THINGS WENT RELATIVELY SMOOTHLY AND I HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE AND I DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU AGAIN. WE LAID OURSELVES AT YOUR FEET AND YOU REALLY CAME THROUGH FOR US. I KNOW IT WAS NOT EASY, BUT WE ARE GRATEFUL, FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND, ESPECIALLY WITH THE BCC , A HEARTFELT THANK YOU. HANG IN THERE AND BE PATIENT THAT'S 
          ALL. >> I WAS IN THE HEART OF IT AND WE DID OUR FUNDRAISER AND I CAN TELL YOU IF THIS IS AN INDICATION OF HOW WE ARE GOING TO GO IT IS A GOOD FIRST START BECAUSE THE PLAZA I WOULD SAY WAS UP ABOUT 15% COMPARED TO LAST YEAR LOOKING AT IT FROM THE BALCONY AND IT WAS A GOOD CROWD AND EVERYBODY WAS HAPPY ABOUT IT AND THE UNLOAD WHICH IS WHERE THE BIG PROBLEM WAS, THE UNLOAD SEEMED TO GO SMOOTH. I DID NOT HAVE ANYBODY RIDING THROUGH MY YARD THIS YEAR WHICH WAS NICE SO I THINK THE PLAN THEY HAVE IN PLACE IS WORKING FOR DAY ONE AT 
          LEAST. SO, GOOD JOB. >> WE ARE ON DAY THREE BY THE 
          WAY. >> DAY ONE WASN'T STRESSFUL. 
          >> ANY OTHER COMMENTS ABOUT NIGHTS OF LIGHTS? ALL RIGHT. ANY 
          OTHER? MICHAEL. >> MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM, 140 SAINT AUGUSTINE HERE REPRESENTING THE VILLANO BEACH MAIN STREET COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION. CONTRACTING AGENCY FOR THE COUNTY , TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS HERE TODAY TO MAKE A REQUEST FOR FUNDING FIREWORKS FOR NEW YEAR'S EVE. WE HAVE DONE THIS IN THE PAST AND WE HAD GOTTEN MONEY THROUGH OUR CRA FUNDING ACCOUNT THAT WE LEARNED LAST MONTH IS NOT AVAILABLE THIS YEAR. WE HAVE ALL THE PERMITTING DONE EVERYTHING IS READY TO GO, BEING APPROVED BY THE BOARD TOMORROW WE JUST LOST FUNDING SO WE LOOK TO GET $25,000 TO DO THE FIREWORKS SHOW NEW YEAR'S EVE DECEMBER 31 9:30 P.M. AFTER THE ONE AT THE BEACH FOR VILLANO BEACH WITH HOTELS THERE AND DOWNTOWN SO WITH PEOPLE THROUGH THE CITY TRYING TO GET TO THE BEACH. 
          IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS I AM OPEN. THANK YOU. 
          >> MAYOR, I MEAN CHAIR, THROUGH THE CHAIR CAN YOU SAY AGAIN WHAT 
          FUNDING IT WAS YOU LOST? >> CRA FUNDING WE HAD CRA FUNDING LAST YEAR COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT THAT WE USED FOR THE FIREWORKS LAST YEAR ALONG WITH SPONSORSHIPS AND WE LEARNED LAST MONTH WITH THE NEW BUDGET THE FUNDING CAN NO LONGER BE 
          USED FOR FIREWORKS. >> WAS IT A STATE LAW THAT CHANGED? I AM CONFUSED WHY CRA LEFT? I WAS NOT AWARE ANY OF THE CRA BILLS THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE HAD WERE ACTUALLY PASSED THROUGH. SO I AM KIND OF CONFUSED. MAYBE WE CAN CIRCLE 
          BACK. TO GET AN IDEA. >> THROUGH THE CHAIR, LOOKING AT 
          [00:10:04]
THE LAST YEAR BUDGET I WOULD HAVE TO DO RESEARCH BECAUSE I DON'T SEE SPECIFICALLY WHERE THAT WAS FUNDED THROUGH THE CRA. 
          IN JANUARY OF NEXT YEAR. FOR THE MAIN STREETS OR THROUGH THE CRA? 
          >> MAIN STREET WAS PART OF THE CULTURAL GRANT THAT THE 
          GOVERNMENT VETOED. >> WE HAVE FUNDING TO THE 
          COUNTY. >> THROUGH THE STATE YOU LOST 
          IT? >> TO THE COUNTY. 
          >> TO THE COUNTY I WISH WE COULD HAVE PICKED IT UP. 
          >> I LOOK AT THIS AND I APPRECIATE YOU COMING FORWARD. 
          THIS TIES INTO WHAT WE WILL HAVE ON THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM , BUT WE SPENT A GOOD PART OF THE LAST YEAR DISCUSSING THE GRANT PROGRAMS NOT JUST DOING AD HOC LISTENING TO REQUEST FOR FUNDING BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT IN A VACUUM , VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA BUT WHEN YOU PUT IT IN THE BUCKET YOU START LOOKING AT IT SO WHEN I HEARD YOU BRING THIS UP IT CAME TO ME THAT THIS SHOULD BE A GRANT REQUEST AND THAT IS WHERE IT'S THE APPROPRIATE THING SO I HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME WE JUST FINISHED SETTING THE BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR TO ENTERTAIN SOMETHING FOR TWO MONTHS FROM NOW. IT DOES NOT SEEM TO MAKE SENSE. 
          >> THE DOWNSIDE WE AS IN HOTELS HAVE BEEN PROMOTING THIS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS TO HAVE THE FUNDING PULLED THE MONTH BEFORE IS GOING TO NEGATIVELY IMPACT VISITOR EXPECTATIONS. 
          >> THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL HAS A TOUGH BUDGET AND I UNDERSTAND , THIS YEAR WE BUDGETED 4.5% GROWTH IN REVENUE. 
          WE WERE DOWN .2% SO BASICALLY WE HAD HALF $1 MILLION SHORTFALL. 
          NO ONE HAS BROUGHT HALF 1 MILLION BECAUSE WE GOT FUNDING CUT. SO YOU HAVE TO BE REALISTIC ON DOLLARS. I THINK IT IS A VERY GOOD THING. LOOK TODAY ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE MIAMI HERALD, AN ARTICLE ABOUT HOW THE HOTEL OWNER IN MIAMI RENTED TIME SQUARE BILLBOARDS . ON BEHALF OF OF MIAMI BEACH. THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO APPROACH THINGS AND YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IT, BUT I'M HAVING A HARD TIME DOING A ONE-OFF , NOT THAT IT IS NOT A GREAT PROGRAM, BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF SOMEONE COMES WITH AN IDEA AND WE SHOULD DROP EVERYTHING AND FIND A WAY TO SOLVE THE BUDGET VERSUS IF IT IS A REALLY SMART STRATEGIC IDEA IT SHOULD BE LOOKED AT AS PART OF NEXT YEAR'S GOAL AND MAYBE WE RETHINK FIREWORKS AND INSTEAD OF US WANTING TO DO JUST THE FOURTH OF JULY AND THE BEACH FIREWORKS MAYBE THE FIREWORKS CATEGORY MAKES IT STRATEGICALLY TO GROW. THAT'S THE MORE APPROPRIATE WAY TO LOOK AT IT, BUT THAT TAKES A LOT OF DISCUSSION NOT IT SHOULD 
          COME UNDER ALL FIREWORKS. >> WE COULD HAVE DONE IT THROUGH THE TD GRANT PROCESS BUT AT THE TIME WE HAD FUNDING. THE BUDGET 
          STARTED LAST MONTH WE REALIZED. >> THROUGH THE CHAIR I WOULD LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION. SO THE BUDGET PROCESS STARTS IN MARCH OR APRIL. YOU DID NOT FIND OUT UNTIL THE BUDGET WAS ACTUALLY IMPROVED? THERE WAS FIRST READING IN SEPTEMBER AND I DID NOT SEE ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE BUDGET SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER SO I AM CONCERNED ON WHEN THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED. ALL OF A SUDDEN LAST-MINUTE PULLED OUT THAT DOES NOT SOUND LIKE SOMETHING YOU KNOW I KIND OF KEEP AN EYE ON THE BUDGET AND I DID NOT SEE MAJOR CHANGES COMING OUT FROM THAT FIRST READING OF SEPTEMBER TO THIS POINT AND YOU SAY CAME THROUGH CRA, BUT DOES MAIN STREET HAVE THEIR OWN ACCOUNT? IT WAS PAID OUT OF MAIN STREET AND FUNDING FROM THE CRA TO MAIN STREET WAS LOST? I'M TRYING TO GRASP WHERE THE FUNDING. 
          >> WE HAVE A BUCKET OF MONEY FROM THE COUNTY, THE FUNDING FROM THE FIREWORKS CAN NO LONGER BE USED SO IT PAYS FOR WHAT WE CAN USE THE FUNDING FOR IT WAS RESTRICTED AND WE HAD A SET 
          [00:15:03]
AMOUNT REDUCED AND WE DID NOT LEARN WHAT THE SPECIFICS WERE 
          UNTIL THE CRA MEETING. >> NO ONE WENT TO THE SEPTEMBER 
          MEETING? >> IT WAS A BUCKET OF MONEY WITH 
          NO SPECIFIC BREAKDOWN. >> JESSE I AM LOOKING AT YOU FOR 
          CLARIFICATION. >> I APOLOGIZE I AM SHOPPING IN TWO PLACES. LAST YEAR, FOR POINT OF REFERENCE, THE VILLANO MAIN STREET WAS FUNDED THROUGH THE CRA DETERMINED THAT WAS NOT THE MOST APPROPRIATE PLACE TO FIND THAT FROM SO SINCE WE HAVE CHANGED THAT APPROPRIATION BUT I DON'T SEE WHERE THE APPROPRIATION WAS LOWERED. IN FACT THERE IS A CONTRACT WITH MAIN STREET, NOT CRA FUNDING THIS IS MAIN STREET SO I CONTRACT WAS APPROVED WITH MAIN STREET EARLIER THIS YEAR BASED ON THE APPROVED BUDGET. I BELIEVE ACTUALLY I DON'T KNOW THE DOLLAR AMOUNT I WOULD HAVE TO PULL IT UP. 
          >> 56,000. >> LAST YEAR'S CONTRACT. OKAY LAST YEAR I THOUGHT WAS 58,000 RIGHT? 
          >> 58,000 WITH A ROLLOVER. >> A ROLLOVER THEN THE 
          ADDITIONAL CONTRACT AMOUNT. >> THE CONTRACT CHANGED . 
          >> IF THERE WAS A ROLLOVER. OKAY, WHILE WE GO THROUGH THIS 
          MEETING I WILL TAKE A LOOK HERE. >> PART OF THE CONFUSION WAS WE MOVED DEPARTMENTS FROM HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES WHICH OVERSAW US TO A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT. AND THE PERSON IN CHARGE IS LAST DAY WAS SEPTEMBER SO IT WAS A LOT OF TRYING TO FIND OUT WHO IS IN CHARGE GOING BACK AND FORTH SO SITTING DOWN WITH THE COUNTY OFFICIALS AND WE LEARNED NO LONGER AVAILABLE. 
          >> MY HEART ACHE IS WHY ARE WE FINDING OUT ABOUT IT NOW AND IF IT WAS MY BUDGET I WOULD KNOW OKAY IF IT IS THERE OR NOT AND I MEAN 58,000 OR 25,000 GETS CUT THAT IS A HUGE CHUNK. 35? YOU'RE 
          ASKING FOR 25? >> 25 FOR THE FIREWORKS. 
          >> THIS LATE IN THE GAME I AM FEELING THE SAME WAY YOU ARE , BUT I WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT MORE DETAILS OF HOW THIS 
          HAPPENED. >> MR. CHAIR THIS DOES NOT SOUND LIKE ANY ERROR ON THEI PART OR ANY LAPSE OF RESPONSIBILITY ON THEIR PART AND I FEEL A DIFFERENT SENTIMENT VERY MUCH THIS LATE IN THE GAME WE ADVERTISED AN EVENT AND BUSINESSES ARE DEPENDING ON THAT EVENT HAPPENING NOW, THEY ARE ON THEIR KNEES ASKING CAN YOU HELP US GET THROUGH THIS THIS YEAR? THEY HAVE NEVER COME TO US BEFORE AND DONE THIS. THIS, TO ME SOUNDS LIKE IT IS SOMETHING , YOU KNOW WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THINGS CASE-BY-CASE AND WE TRY TO DO THAT, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THIS MIGHT BE THE CASE, THIS LATE IN THE GAME THEY ARE NOT AT FAULT, SOMETHING HAPPENED HERE OR WE DON'T KNOW BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING SLIPPED AND DID NOT GET INTO THE NEW BUDGET OR AIMING WE HAD A RULING FROM STAFF HERE WHERE WE WERE TOLD WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO USE THE MONEY FOR BATHROOMS BECAUSE OF A NEW RULE OR DECISION SO I AM REALLY SYMPATHETIC TO YOU. SO I CANNOT AGREE WITH YOU MR. CHAIR RESPECTFULLY, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU TRY TO MAKE A RECMMENDATION. IF IT IS TIME SENT TO THE BCC TO ASK THEM TO FIND , I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT WOULD COME FROM, THE BUDGET IS TIGHT , IT IS TIGHT. 
          >> THERE IS AN AGENDA ITEM TOMORROW. NOT FOR THE FUNDING, BUT THE FINAL APPROVAL CLOSING UP AND EVERYTHING ELSE THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PRIOR TO THAT WITH THE 
          PERMITTING. >> BEFORE WE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION I WOULD LIKE TO GET MORE INFORMATION FROM JESSE. 
          DEFINITELY HELPING OUT HOTELS SO I WANT TO HELP YOU OUT , BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE CONSISTENT WITH MESSAGING LIKE IRVING IS SAYING. IF WE CAN COME BACK TO THIS . 
          >> IF WE CAN BRING IT BACK AT THE END OF THE MEETING WE CAN 
          [00:20:02]
CIRCLE BACK I WILL LOOK AT WHAT WAS FUNDED FOR LAST YEAR, THE EXPENSE LAST YEAR AND I SEE THIS YEAR THE CONTRACT WAS 64,000. 
          >> I DON'T WANT YOU TO RUSH RIGHT NOW. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION WE LOOK BEFORE MEMBER COMMENTS IF THE BOARD IS GOOD WITH THAT AND WE LOOK AT THIS THAT WAY WE GET THE DETAILS AND YOU'RE NOT COMPLETELY RUSHED. TRYING TO THROW IT TOGETHER. DOES THAT WORK FOR YOU? IF WE HAVE A CONSENSUS I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION. 
          >> DO YOU NEED ME TO HANG AROUND? 
          >> MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL. >> IN ONE HOUR FROM NOW NOT A BAD SALARY. 
          >> ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT NOT ON THE AGENDA? OR PREVIOUSLY NOT ON THE AGENDA? HEARING NONE PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED. 
          [7. SIGNATURE SEASONS FRAMEWORK INITIATIVE DISCUSSION]
SIGNATURE SEASON FRAMEWORK. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR A FEW YEARS NOW AND PLEASE BEFORE I GO INTO IT I WANT TO LOOK FOR A MOMENT MACRO ON THIS. AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING FIVE PERIODS THAT MAY ACTUALLY BECOME SIX PERIODS. DURING THE YEAR AND IF YOU LOOK FROM 10,000 FEET WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS ALMOST BUILDING A CREST OF THE BRAND OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY. AND HOW FOR EXAMPLE SEEING OUT LOUD IF WE LEVERAGE THAT PROPERTY AND THINK IT'S THERE HOW DO WE START BECOMING AUSTIN AND HOW DOES THE BRAND OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY IN MUSIC INTERTWINE , HOW DOES THE BRAND OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY AND LIGHT INTERTWINE WITH NIGHTS OF LIGHTS AND HOLIDAY AND FAMILY TRADITION AND THERE ARE OTHER PERIODS THAT ARE IN THERE AND IF WE CAN WRAP ALL FIVE INTO A MACRO BRAND AND REALLY HAVE A CONSISTENT MESSAGING THROUGHOUT ALL ORGANIZATIONS , WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO MAKE THE SIGNATURE SEASON ACTUALLY BE A REAL CATALYST FOR BOTH DRIVING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT , ATTRACTING HIGH END COMPANIES TO WANT TO MOVE THEIR CORPORATIONS TO OUR AREA AND ATTRACT GREAT NEW RESIDENTS WHO ARE GOING TO FILL THE JOBS AND ATTRACT VISITORS TO OUR COUNTY. ALL DONE IN A VERY RESPECTFUL AND PROFESSIONAL MANNER THAT REALLY HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF THE BEST THINGS OF THE COUNTY. THIS IS THE START OF PROBABLY A FIVE-YEAR PROCESS AND THE FIRST YEAR WILL BE A LOT OF COLLABORATION AND WE TEND TO FORGET HOW LONG IT TAKES . SING OUT LOUD WHICH IS A SUBSTANTIAL BRAND THE FIRST YEAR WAS 2016. WE THINK THAT IT WAS A COUPLE YEARS AGO BUT IT HAS BEEN NINE YEARS. SO LET ME START GOING THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION THIS IS JUST OKAY THE PURPOSE , THIS INITIATIVE PROPOSES THE DEVELOPMENT OF FIVE SIGNIFICANT BRAND EVENT PERIODS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, EACH SIGNATURE SEASON WILL BE CURATED TO ELEVATE ST. JOHNS COUNTY IDENTITY, STRENGTHEN DESTINATION BRAND AND DELIVER CONSISTENT WORLD-CLASS GUEST EXPERIENCE. THE MISSION OF THE SIGNATURE SEASON INITIATIVE IS TO EXPLORE THE BEST WAY TO SUPPORT COORDINATE AND EVALUATE ESSENTIAL ASPECTS OF THE EVENT DEVELOPMENT INCUBATION PLANNING PRODUCTION FINANCING AND MARKETING THROUGH COMMUNITY INPUT AND COLLABORATION WITH EXISTING ORGANIZATIONS THE INITIATIVE WILL IDENTIFY HOW TO ENHANCE EXISTING EVENTS AND CREATE NEW PROGRAMMING THAT MEETS THE HIGHEST STANDARD OF QUALITY, SAFETY AND VISITOR EXPERIENCE. THIS WORK WILL BE GUIDED BY BROAD COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH THE VISITORS AND CONVENTION BUREAU, THE CULTURAL COUNCIL, ST. JOHN'S CULTURAL EVENTS INC. AND TOURISM 
          [00:25:02]
LEADERSHIP, THIS APPROACH ENSURES MUNICATION, PROMOTION AND PROGRAMMING REFLECT AND STRENGTHENS UNITED DESTINATION BRAND. BY FOCUSING ON SIGNATURE SEASONS AND BUILDING STRONGER INCLUSIVE OWNERSHIPS ST. JOHNS COUNTY WILL CONTINUE TO POSITION ITSELF AS A LEADER IN WORLD-CLASS DESTINATION EXPERIENCES. COLLABORATION AND FRAMEWORK AND ALIGNMENT. DURING THE DEVELOPMENT PHASE THE SIGNATURE SEASON INITIATIVE WILL RELY ON INPUT AND FEEDBACK FROM COMMUNITY AND KEY PARTNERS INCLUDING ST. JOHNS COUNTY CULTURAL EVENTS, CONVENTION BUREAU CULTURAL COUNCIL OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY, LOCAL EVENT ORGANIZERS AND NONPROFITS, COUNTY CITY AND BEACH ADMINISTRATION TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PHASE IS NOT TO ALTER OR AFFECT EXISTING COUNTY AGREEMENTS CONTRACTS OR GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES INSTEAD IT IS TO ENSURE SIGNATURE SEASONS ARE DEVELOPED IN A MANNER THAT SUPPORTS ENHANCES AND ALIGNS WITH CURRENT AGREEMENTS AND OPERATIONS. NO CHANGES WILL BE PROPOSED WITHOUT COMPREHENSIVE CONSULTATION AND INPUT FROM EFFECTED PARTIES, INITIATIVES WILL WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO ENSURE MESSAGING, BRANDING, LOGISTICS AND PROGRAMMING SUPPORT THE COUNTY BROAD DESTINATION STRATEGY. EVENT DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM STABILIZATION. EACH OF THE SIGNATURE SEASONS ENVISIONS TO SPEND APPROXIMATELY 70 DAYS PRODUCING SUSTAINED OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO ENJOY CURATED PROGRAMMING THIS STUCTURE IS DESIGNED TO STABILIZE TOURISM BY SPREADING DEMAND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR REDUCING RELIANCE ON PEAK PERIODS. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF EVENTS THAT TAKE PLACE COUNTYWIDE AS THE INITIATIVE ADVANCES, EXISTING EVENTS WILL BE EVALUATED FOR POTENTIAL ALIGNMENT WITH EACH SIGNATURE SEASON WITH A GOAL OF AMPLIFYING VISIBILITY , STRENGTHENING MARKETING AND ENHANCING OVERALL CONSISTENCY. THIS PROCESS WILL BE FULLY COLLABORATIVE AND WILL NOT ALTER HOW CURRENT PARTNERS PLAN OR OPERATE EVENTS. INSTEAD THE GOAL IS TO POSITION EVENTS WITHIN A UNIFIED MARKETING AND BRANDING FRAMEWORK THAT BENEFITS ALL STAKEHOLDERS. THESE ARE THE DRAFT SEASONS AMERICAN LEGACY AND HERITAGE LOVE OF THE ARTS, LIVING THE OUTDOORS, SEEING OUT LOUD HISPANIC HERITAGE ALIVE AND NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. THE CALENDAR IS MID JANUARY THROUGH MARCH FOR THE HERITAGE. APRIL THROUGH JUNE FOR THE ARTS, JULY AND AUGUST FOR OUTDOORS, SEEING OUT LOUD HISTORIC CULTURAL HISPANIC CULTURE WILL BE SEPTEMBER THROUGH NOVEMBER WITH NIGHTS OF LIGHTS AT ITS CURRENT TIMEFRAME. AMERICAN LEGACY AND HERITAGE, ST. JOHNS COUNTY WILL COME ALIVE WITH HISTORY, CULTURE, MUSIC AND COMMUNITY BY WEAVING TOGETHER THE MLK CELEBRATION JAZZ AND BLUES SERIES, AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH WE CREATE A POWERFUL SEASON OF PROGRAMMING THAT HONORS DIVERSE STORIES SHAPING THE COUNTY LINKING COMMEMORATIONS UNDER ONE UMBRELLA ELEVATES VISIBILITY, DEEPENS PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND CELEBRATES THE LEGACY OF HERITAGE LOVE OF THE ARTS HOME TO EXTRA ORDINARY ARTISTS MUSICIANS AND CRATERS ALONG WITH CULTURAL HISTORY THAT DESERVES TO BE CELEBRATED. THIS SEASON WILL HIGHLIGHT THE VIBRANT ARTS SCENES GALLERIES PERFORMANCES, FESTIVALS AND HERITAGE EVENTS BY HONORING THE TRADITION THAT SHAPED OUR COMMUNITY BY DESIGNING PROGRAMS THAT WELCOME AND INSPIRE YOUNGER AUDIENCES WE WILL CULTIVATE THE NEXT GENERATION OF ART LOVERS AND ENSURE CREATIVE LEGACY THRIVES WELL INTO THE FUTURE. LIVING THE OUTDOORS FROM THE RIVER TO THE TRAIL OUR COUNTY OFFERS A WEALTH OF NATURAL BEAUTY AND OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES, THIS SEASON WILL SHOWCASE UNIQUE LANDSCAPES, ESTUARIES, TRAILS, WATERWAYS, BEACHES AND WILDLIFE INVITING 
          [00:30:04]
VISITORS AND RESIDENTS TO EXPLORE AND APPRECIATE THOSE FOCUSED ON OUTDOOR RECREATION AND CONSERVATION. WE CAN ATTRACT BROAD SUPPORT WHILE FOSTERING LOCAL PRIDE AND PARTICIPATION, THIS APPROACH NOT ONLY BOOSTS TOURISM BUT STRENGTHENS COMMUNITY CONNECTION TO THE NATURAL WORLD. SING OUT LOUD HISPANIC LATINO HERITAGE LOT EXPAND FROM CONCENTRATED TWO WEEK FESTIVAL INTO A FULL 10 WEEK SEASON POSITIONING MUSIC IS A CORNERSTONE OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY BRAND ADDING HISPANIC LATINO HERITAGE WITH VIBRANT CELEBRATIONS OF THE ROOF , RHYTHM AND FLAVOR THAT SHAPE IDENTITY FROM THE JOURNEYS TO THE GLOBAL INFLUENCE OF JENNIFER LOPEZ THIS SEASON SPANS HISTORY MUSIC AND CUISINE ANCHORED BY HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH FOUNDERS DAY AND CULINARY EXPERIENCES LIKE FLAVOR OF SAINT AUGUSTINE CREATES A MULTI-LAYERED CELEBRATION SOUND CULTURE AND CUISINE. NIGHTS OF LIGHTS MAINTAINED BUILD UPON MOMENTUM WHILE COMMUNITY DEVELOPS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SEASON LONG-TERM VISION GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY. THIS APPROACH ENSURES NIGHTS OF LIGHTS CONTINUES TO ENHANCE VISITORS AND RESIDENTS ALIKE WHILE EVOLVING THOUGHTFULLY FOR THE FUTURE. LEADERSHIP PARTICIPATION AND INPUT PROCESS. DURING THE DEVELOPMENT PHASE A DESIGNATED FACILITATOR WILL COORDINATE MEETINGS, GATHER COMMUNITY INPUT AND GUIDE THE PLANNING PROCESS WITH RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDING CONDUCTING LISTENING SESSIONS WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS, FACILITATING MEETINGS WITH CULTURAL COUNCIL AND CULTURAL EVENTS, DEVELOPING DRAFT MANAGEMENT MODELS FOR REVIEW, ENSURING ALL WORK RESPECTS AND PRESERVES CURRENT COUNTY AGREEMENTS BUILDING CONSENSUS ON THE MOST EFFECTIVE LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT APPROACH IN CREATING INTERIM BOARD . QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE SIGNIFICANT WORLD-CLASS EXPERIENCE INCLUDE PLANNING AND LOGISTICS. ABILITY TO WORK ACROSS MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS RESPECTING EXISTING GOVERNANCE . 
          STRATEGIC VISION FOR DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT AND BRANDED EVENTS, ECONOMIC IMPACT FOCUS WITH EMPHASIS ON LOCAL BUSINESS AND WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION . STRONG COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION SKILLS AND UNDERSTANDING THE DESTINATION AND BRANDING AND MESSAGE COORDINATION. THROUGH THIS COLLABORATIVE EXPLORATORY PROCESS ST. JOHNS COUNTY AS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE YEAR-ROUND ECONOMIC AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, IDENTIFY A UNIFIED APPROACH TO EVENT BRANDING AND PROMOTION, STRENGTHEN COUNTY IDENTITY THROUGH FIVE DISTINCT SIGNATURE SEASONS, DEVELOP A MANAGEMENT MODEL THAT ENHANCES OPERATIONS WITHOUT MODIFYING OR INTERFERING WITH EXISTING AGREEMENTS , BUILD STRONGER CONNECTIONS BETWEEN RESIDENTS, VISITORS AND THE CULTURAL NATURAL ASSETS OF THE COUNTY. NEXT STEPS IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES A STRUCTURED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS TO GATHER INPUT AND REFINE THE LONG-TERM VISION OF THE SIGNATURE SEASON INITIATIVE. DETERMINE THE MOST EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT APPROACH FOR THE INITIATIVE WITHOUT ALTERING ANY COUNTY AGREEMENTS . DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE SEASONAL BRANDING FRAMEWORK TO BE INTEGRATED INTO THE COUNTY'S MARKETING PLAN WITH THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION TARGETED FOR THE 2027 PLAN CYCLE . ALIGN MESSAGING AND COMMUNICATION EFFORTS ACROSS PARTNERS INCLUDING THE BCB, CULTURAL COUNCIL , CULTURAL EVENTS INC. AND EVENT ORGANIZERS WHILE MAINTAINING OPERATIONAL STRUCTURES . UPDATE THE 2027 GRANTS PROGRAM GUIDELINE TO ENCOURAGE ALIGNMENT WITH SIGNATURE SEASONS FOR FUNDING REQUESTS ABOVE A DEFINED THRESHOLD AND PREPARE A 2027 ZERO-BASED BUDGET FOR THE SIGNATURE SEASONS WITH IMPLEMENTATION TO BE PRESENTED ALONGSIDE THE SEASONAL MARKETING STRATEGY FOR TDC REVIEW. SO THAT IS MY PROPOSAL OF HOW WE CAN START TAKING THE SIGNATURE SEASON IN THIS CONCEPT AND 
          [00:35:07]
INTEGRATE IT . I HAVE GOT A LOT OF INPUT, I HAVE MET WITH GABE AND SUSAN. I HAVE MET WITH JEFF, QUITE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND HAVE GOTTEN SOME FEEDBACK, BUT THIS IS A DRAFT PROPOSAL STARTING TO MOVE FORWARD AND WHAT I AM HOPING TODAY IS TO GET A THUMBS-UP OR THUMBS DOWN THAT PEOPLE THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA. IT IS GOING TO TAKE US, SORT OF LIKE THE PROCESS WE WENT THROUGH WITH PRIVATIZING THE AMPHITHEATER. WE HAD A GOOD IDEA AND THEN WE STARTED LOOKING MAYBE FOUR OR FIVE STRUCTURES THAT MAY NEED TO GO UNDER, MAY NEED A BOARD OF FIVE PEOPLE, SEVEN PEOPLE. IT MAY NEED THESE PLAYERS OR NOT AND ALL OF THAT IS UNKNOWN AT THE MOMENT, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO START MOVING FORWARD ON THE PROCESS SO THAT BY THE TIME WE ARE DOING THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET AND BUILDING THE MARKETING PLANS FOR 2027 WE HAVE A CONCEPT IN PLACE SO WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL ONE YEAR FROM NOW AND SAY WE DECIDED THIS IS A GOOD IDEA LET'S PUT IT IN THE MARKETING PLAN AND THE MARKETING PLAN IS ALREADY DONE. 
          IF WE'RE MOVING SYNERGISTICALLY WE CAN INCORPORATE IT ONE YEAR FROM NOW INSTEAD OF TWO YEARS FROM NOW SO THAT'S MY PRESENTATION AND I WILL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR ANY COMMENTS. 
          >> OVERALL A GREAT JOB PUTTING THAT TOGETHER. I DO HAVE SOME ADDITIONS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE INCLUDED. 
          >> THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THESE THINGS. 
          >> MY FIRST QUESTION WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LEADERSHIP ANTICIPATION AND INPUT DURING DEVELOPMENT DESIGNATED FACILITATOR IS THIS A PAID POSITION? HOW ARE WE FUNDING? 
          >> WE HAVE NO MONEY. >> THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. 
          >> IDEALLY AND I WILL VOLUNTEER TO BE THE FACILITATOR TO DO THIS. I HAVE ALREADY PUT PROBABLY 300 OR 400 HOURS INTO THIS ON A CONSULTING BASIS PROBABLY 100 GRAND WORTH OF WORK I'VE DONE ON RESEARCHING BUT I'M NOT CHARGING FOR ANY OF THIS. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO FACILITATE. I ENVISION WHOEVER OPERATES THAT IF IT IS SOMEONE FROM TDC OR WE GO AND HIRE SOMEONE, THIS WOULD BE IN THE 2027 BUDGET SO WE WOULD HAVE TO FIGURE OUT DO WE NEED ONE PERSON? DO WE NEED TWO PEOPLE? WHAT DO WE NEED TO OPERATE THIS ONE LEVEL OF PERSON? TO BUILD THE BUDGET AND IF WE FEEL THAT IS APPROPRIATE TO PUT IN THE BUDGET NEXT YEAR THEN WE CAN FUND IT BUT RIGHT NOW THE ONLY PLACE TO TAKE MONEY IS FROM RESERVES WHICH I THINK WE DID A GOOD JOB OF USING THEM ALL TO FIND FUNDING FOR THE KNIGHTS OF LIGHTS SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE THERE IS ANY MONEY. SO THIS IS MORE STARTING NOW FOR NEXT YEAR AND WE HAVE TO DO THIS ON A 
          VOLUNTEER BASIS. >> OKAY MY SECOND PART IS THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT I KNOW THAT ARE KIND OF LIKE FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN CULTURE ESPECIALLY YOU HAVE MID DECEMBER I MEAN MID JANUARY UNTIL THE END OF MARCH THERE IS ONE THING THERE IS A WHOLE ANOTHER PART OF THE CULTURE THAT CAN COME INTO THAT WHICH IS 1 DECEMBER WE HAVE THE FESTIVAL IN ARMSTRONG AND THERE'S A WHOLE WORLD OF CULTURE THAT WILL COME AND FOLLOW THAT AND THEY DO FOLLOW IT AND THAT NEEDS TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE PLAN SO IT IS PART OF IT AND ALSO WATCH NIGHT EMANCIPATION IS PART OF THE HERITAGE WE PROMOTE THROUGH THE LINCOLNVILLE MUSEUM AND OTHERS. MAYBE I KNOW THERE WILL BE SOME OVERLAP IF WE ADOPT THIS. THE OTHER PART IS OUR HISTORY COMMUNITY AS A HISTORY FESTIVAL IN THE MONTH OF MAY EVERY YEAR DOING THIS GOING INTO THE FOURTH YEAR OF DOING THAT. 
          TO SEE HOW DO WE INCORPORATE THOSE THINGS THAT WE ARE ALREADY DOING THAT IS NOT COSTING THE COUNTY ANYTHING BUT THIS IS OPPORTUNITY TO PROMOTE IT THROUGH THESE SEASONAL PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGNS THAT WE WILL DO. 
          [00:40:01]
          >> THE FIRST STEP AND I AM ALREADY GETTING A DATABASE WITH ABOUT 500 FESTIVALS THERE ARE ON THE BCB NEWSLETTER SENT OUT TODAY THERE'S ABOUT 25 EVENTS HAPPENING THIS WEEK NONE OF THEM ARE REFERRED TO AS KNIGHTS OF LIGHTS. SO THERE HAPPENING OVER NIGHTS OF LIGHTS BUT NO ONE KNOWS THEY ARE PART OF NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. WHAT I AM SAYING IS , THAT WE NEED TO GO THROUGH AND LOOK AT ALL 500 OR 400 OR 300 EVENTS AND SEE FIRST OF ALL THESE FIVE NAMES MIGHT BE THE WRONG NAMES . 
          >> I THINK IT'S A GREAT CEREMONY. 
          >> TAKE THE 500 EVENTS AND SAY OKAY 72 BELONG HERE , 65 BELONG OVER HERE AND WE CAN START TO SEE A WHITEBARD OF WHAT DO WE HAVE BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF EVENTS HAPPENING A GREAT EXAMPLE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENS. THE EVENT IS AT KNOCK A T IN ITS 14TH YEAR IS A MUCH LONG LARGER SINGER-SONGWRITER FESTIVAL THAN WHAT YOU HAVE IN SEPTEMBER. IT GETS ABOUT 5000 PEOPLE IT WAS STARTED BY A LADY WHO LIVES IN PONTEVEDRA AND HER FRIEND HAD A VACANT LOT AND DONATED AND IT BECAME , THREE YEARS AGO WHEN IT WAS THERE , WHO IS , LEONARD SKYNYRD? THE GUY WHO WROTE A LOT OF LEONARD SKYNYRD SONGS AND LEONARD SKYNYRD CAME AND PLAYED WITH THEM. WE HAVE THOSE TYPES OF EVENTS, THAT WOULD BE PART OF SEEING OUT LOUD FOR EXAMPLE. BUT PEOPLE DOWNTOWN IN SAINT AUGUSTINE DON'T EVEN KNOW THIS HAPPENS I HAPPEN TO LIVE OUT THERE I HAVE BEEN BUYING PASSES EVERY YEAR TO GO TO THAT EVENT. BUT THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS GOING ON AND WE HAVE IT ALL SO I THINK ALL OF THESE ARE GREAT IDEAS. THIS IS WHY WE NEED TO MEET AND START FIGURING OUT HOW WE TAKE WHERE WE ARE DAY ONE AND MOVE THIS BECAUSE THIS IS, THIS IS PROBABLY THE 15TH GENERATION OF THE DOCUMENT AND I HAVE PROBABLY PRESENTED FOR THE FIRST TIME. THERE IS PROBABLY ANOTHER 20 GENERATIONS TO COME AS WE GET INPUT FROM EVERYONE. 
          >> VERY GOOD I LIKE THE IDEA INCLUDING THE NONPROFITS . WE HAVE GREAT SUPPORT THROUGH THE CULTURAL COUNCIL WITH CULTURAL EVENTS HOPEFULLY WE HAVE NEW TO US SO I AM A LITTLE SELF-SERVING . SO WE HAVE SOME THINGS GOING ON IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY OR COUNTY THAT HAS NOT BEEN AVAILABLE BEFORE WE WILL BE MORE INCLUSIVE OF THESE EVENTS AND THE ENTERTAINMENT WE BRING BECAUSE IT IS A LITTLE LOPSIDED LOPSIDED. 
          >> I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN AND I AGREE. 
          >> OTHER COMMENTS? >> FIRST OFF APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING IN THESE HOURS THIS TOOK A LOT OF TIME AND IT IS EXCELLENT. WHEN IT COMES TO FACILITATOR I FEEL THAT CANNOT BE ANYONE ON THE BOARD BECAUSE IF YOU PUT SOMEONE ON THE BOARD THEN IT STIFLES THE OTHER EIGHT ON THERE. SO IF WE CAN GET SOMEBODY FROM THE BCB OR WITHIN THE TDC OR DESIGNATED OTHER PERSON THAT WILL ALLOW MYSELF OR ONE OF THEM TO PICK UP THE PHONE TO SAY LET'S LOOK AT THIS BUT WE CANNOT DO THAT BECAUSE OF SUNSHINE LAW SO THAT'S MY FIRST TOPIC. I LIKE ALL THE THINGS, SEEING OUT LOUD MAY NOT STAY IN SEPTEMBER WITH THE NUMBERS AND HOW IT HAS PLAYED OUT SO WE NEED TO BE FLEXIBLE ON HOW THAT IS. 
          YOU HAVE IT AS THE LATIN HISPANIC LATIN HERITAGE CELEBRATION ALL OF THAT FALLS IN THAT CATEGORY. I THINK THAT IS A GOOD WAY TO LEAN INTO THAT AND MY FINAL COMMENT IS LIVING THE OUTDOORS ONE OF THE THINGS I FEEL WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF IS YOUNGER TOURISTS AND YOUTH I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT JULY 
          [00:45:03]
AUGUST POSSIBLY MORE FAMILY ORIENTED AND BRING IN THE YOUNGER VISITOR SO MANY PEOPLE COME TO ME AND SAY I CAME HERE WHEN I WAS 10 AND I WANTED TO BRING MY FAMILY BACK AND I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE AND EMBRACE THAT A LITTLE BIT, SOMEWHERE IN THE SUMMERTIME IS WHEN WE DO THAT WHEN THEY ARE ON VACATION. AND I KIND OF LIKE TO SEE AND HEAR SOMETHING FROM THE PONTEVEDRA SIDE ALSO BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT GET A LITTLE BROAD SOME OF THE TOPICS ARE SAINT AUGUSTINE DRIVEN SO THAT'S MY ONLY COMMENTS, BUT GREAT JOB, THANK YOU. 
          >> MICHAEL. >> THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME TO PUT THIS TOGETHER. NOW AS I RIP YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE WRITTEN DON'T HOLD IT AGAINST ME. I'M JOKING. 
          >> IT'S FINE. >> THERE IS A LOT HERE AND I GUESS A QUESTION I WOULD ASK IS WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE IN FIVE YEARS AND IF YOU'RE LOOKING OUT FIVE YEARS AND IT IS SUCCESSFUL HOW DID IT HAPPEN AND WHY AND AS WE ARE GOING THROUGH I STARTED THINKING ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF POSITION THIS IS THE FACILITATOR THIS IS REALLY A MARKETING POSITION. THIS IS SOMEBODY THAT KNOWS HOW TO DO THIS WHO HAS A VISION FOR THESE TYPES OF THINGS AND THE OTHER PIECE WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT WAS I DON'T THINK THINGS HAVE TO BE PIGEONHOLED. I THINK IT IS MARKETING THE FIVE SEASONS. IF WE DO THAT WE CAN STILL HAVE A COMPLETE YEAR OF HERITAGE A COMPLETE HERITAGE YEAR OF ARTS, A COMPLETE YEAR OF MUSIC WITHOUT TRYING TO PUT THOSE IN THERE SO I THINK IT IS MORE OF MARKETING THIS DESTINATION BY THESE FIVE PLACES WOULD YOU HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB OF DETERMINING WHAT THAT IS BUT THE PERSON WHO RUNS THIS I REALLY THINK THIS IS A PAID 
          POSITION I CANNOT SEE. >> MY THOUGHT IS GOING IN 2027 
          WHEN WE CAN BUILD A BUDGET. >> GOOD BECAUSE IF THE FIVE YOUR VISION IS SUCCESS HOW DID YOU GET THERE? IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOMEBODY THAT ALSO HAS THE WHEREWITHAL TO COMMUNICATE WITH THIS DEPARTMENT PART OF THE BCB AND STAKEHOLDERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY SO I THINK SOMEBODY HAS TO HAVE SOME GOOD HORSE POWER. 
          TO PULL THIS OFF. >> I AM THINKING IN FIVE YEARS IT IS WHEN YOU THINK OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, ST. JOHNS COUNTY, PONTEVEDRA, YOU THINK OF THE ALL THE THREADS THAT GO THROUGH. YOU THINK THAT'S A COOL PLACE FOR MUSIC, THAT'S A COOL PLACE FOR ARTS, THAT'S A COOL PLACE FOR OUTDOORS AND THINGS LIKE THAT SO IT BECOMES THE FABRIC OF WHO WE ARE AND THAT GOES TO THE MARKETING TO TOURISM AND MARKETING AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WE START BUILDING THIS ALMOST LIKE BUILDING A LOGO OR A CREST AND WE HAVE THOSE THINGS. THAT IS WHAT I SEE WHERE WE WENT AHEAD WITH THIS AND I ALSO WANT TO REALLY PUSH THIS. ONE OF MY BIG IDEAS IS ON FOUNDERS DAY WHICH I AM STILL CONVINCED SHOULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT DAY OF THE YEAR IN ST. JOHN'S COUNTY WE GET ALL EXCITED FOR 50 AND 400, BUT EVERY YEAR THAT GOES BY IT IS THE NATIONS OLDEST BIRTHDAY. IT IS STILL WE WILL ALWAYS BE THE OLDEST. 
          >> THE DAYS OF SPAIN PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME. 
          >> MY THOUGHT AND IT WILL TAKE A LITTLE BIT, I WAS THINKING THAT WOULD GET EITHER MICROSOFT OR NVIDIA ALONG WITH HOME DEPOT AND MCGRAW-HILL AND GET THEM TOGETHER AND TO A PROGRAM AT ALL THE HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES AND WE WOULD INVITE THE TOP STUDENT WHO WRITES THE BEST ESSAY IN THE SCHOOL FOR A SUMMER CAMP IN THAT THEY BUILD A SHIP, USING A.I. AND ANCIENT MATERIAL ALL TOGETHER AND THEN HAVING BILL GATES OR SOMEONE BRINGING 
          [00:50:02]
ALL THE FAMILIES HAVE ALL THE FAMILIES COME IN AND HAVE A HUGE CELEBRATION AND LAUNCH THE SHIP FOR FOUNDERS DAY. NOW THAT IS WAY BIG THOUGHT BUT IT IS DOABLE. THAT IS MY VISION OF HOW YOU MAKE FOUNDERS DAY THE COOLEST THING IN THE COUNTRY AND YOU TURN OUR BIRTHDAY INTO A HUGE THING. AND I AM NOT UNCONVINCED YOU COULD NOT GET AMAZON OR SINCE JEFF BEZOS WENT TO PALMETTO HIGH SCHOOL IN MIAMI HE IS A FLORIDIAN OR BILL GATES, I KNOW HIS WIFE HAS A HOUSE IN FLORIDA OR EX-WIFE SHE HAS PLENTY OF MONEY. THERE ARE THESE DIFFERENT PLAYERS, NVIDIA PROBABLY WANTS MORE POSITIVE FEEDBACK. THEY MAY BE WILLING TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS. I KNOW HOME DEPOT IS A BIG SPONSOR AT FLAGLER COLLEGE THROUGH THE BUSINESS SCHOOL SO THAT TYPE OF THING IS WORTH PURSUING. ANOTHER IDEA IS GOING TO THE SPANISH GOVERNMENT AND INVITING THEIR 10 BEST WINEMAKERS AT OUR EXPENSE AND DO A WINE SPECTATOR EVENT HERE, FOR THE HISPANIC PERIOD. 
          THAT , THAT'S THE TYPE OF INDIVIDUAL I LIKE TO BE MARKETING THIS SO WE ARE THINKING THAT LEVEL VERSUS DOING THINGS THAT DO NOT MOVE THE NEEDLE. WE HAVE A LOT OF EVENTS IN TOWN THAT I THINK COULD BE REBRANDED, ELEVATED OR WE LOOK AS WE DO THE GRANT PROGRAM WHERE RIGHT NOW WE GIVE MONEY TO THE BEST PRESENTATIONS. THERE IS NOT ANY DECISIONS ON WHAT DO WE NEED AND WE WOULD REALLY LIKE FIVE OF THESE ONE THIS WAY, THAT WAY AND RETHINKING HOW WE APPROACH EVERYTHING. I THINK IT'S OVER FIVE YEARS, BUT MICHAEL YOU ARE RIGHT AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS IT IS THE THREADS. I THINK THIS IS A PRETTY BOLD APPROACH SO WE NEED TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO IS GOING TO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH SUSAN AND HER TEAM AND MAYBE WE COME UP WITH REALIZATION THAT FALLS INTO ONE OF OUR EXISTING GROUPS THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT. I JUST KNOW THAT IF WE ARE MUCH MORE MACRO IN HOW WE THINK ABOUT THIS I THINK ONE AND ONE EQUALS THREE. 
          THAT IS ALL I AM TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. OTHER COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS? HOW ARE WE GOING TO FACILITATE THIS IF I CANNOT DO IT AND I DON'T MIND NOT DOING IT. 
          >> THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE TO ASK STAFF. WHAT KIND OF ASSISTANCE BECAUSE IT HAS TO START THERE BECAUSE IT IS NOT IN SUSAN'S CONTRACT. AND I THINK IT IS A COORDINATOR FACILITATOR LIKE YOU SAID IN 27 , BUT I THINK WHAT'S THE THOUGHTS ON STAFF? SORRY TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT. 
          >> OUR DEPARTMENT HAS THREE STAFF MEMBERS SO IT COULD BE SOMETHING WE COULD POSSIBLY LOOK AT AND BRING BACK WITH MAYBE AN IDEA OR OPTIONS FOR THAT POSITION. 
          >> HERE IS SUNSHINE LAW IS THE SUNSHINE LAW HERE IS THE REALITY AND IRVING YOU ARE SO INVESTED I CAN SEE YOU WORKING DIRECTLY WITH STAFF ON THIS BUT THAT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO PUT IN OUR INPUT BECAUSE IF WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH WORKING AT GLACIER SPEED THAT DOES NOT WORK IN MARKETING. 
          THAT'S THE REASON I SAY WE HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY THERE. NOT SAYING YOU ARE NOT INVOLVED, BUT YOU WILL BE THE MAIN SUPPORT FOR THE TDC HAVE THAT IS PALATABLE TO YOU. 
          >> IN ALL CANDOR I THINK WITHOUT A LOT OF PASSION AND WITHOUT , THIS IS GOING TO BE A BATTLE TO GET DONE RIGHT. I AM BETTER OFF 
          [00:55:04]
RESIGNING AND DOING THIS MYSELF VERSUS HANDING THIS OFF TO SOMEONE WHO MAY NOT FIGHT FOR THINGS AND WOULD COMPROMISE BECAUSE I THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE WELL AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE BESIDES MYSELF WHO ARE CAPABLE, BUT I DON'T WANT THIS TO BECOME A POWER GRAB FOR MONEY OR A POWER GRAB FOR POWER. I WANT IT TO BE THAT IT IS A MACRO GROWTH AND I THINK IT IS A REALLY GOOD COMPLEX MARKETING IDEA AND IT BRINGS ALL OF OUR AGENCIES TOGETHER AND GETS THEM ON THE SAME PAGE AND WE START HAVING A CONSISTENT MESSAGE. I WILL GO BACK TO THE OLD DAYS AND MIKE WILL UNDERSTAND THIS BETTER THAN ANYONE WORKING IN MANY RESORTS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE BEEN TO A RESORT WHEN YOU GET A NOTE FROM THE FRONT DESK IT IS ON A BLUE PAPER AND ROOM SERVICE IT IS ON GREEN WITH PINK STUFF AND THEN YOU GET SOMETHING ELSE AND IT IS ON ORANGE AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE IN THREE DIFFERENT PLACES BECAUSE THE BRAND OF THE RESORT IS CONFUSED. YOU ARE CONFUSING THE CUSTOMER WHEN IT SHOULD BE ONE SOLIDIFIED SOLID BRAND AND THE MESSAGE SHOULD BE CONSISTENT A MATTER WHAT YOUR TOUCH. THAT IS A SIMPLE CONCEPT AND IN MY CAREER VIRTUALLY EVERY PLACE I WENT TO ALWAYS HAD LOOKING AT ST. JOHN'S COUNTY, WE'RE DOING A MUCH BETTER JOB HAVING CONSISTENT MESSAGE THAN WE WERE A COUPLE YEARS AGO, BUT WE STILL HAVE ALL THIS COMMUNICATION WE'RE MAKING WITH INCONSISTENT MESSAGES. 
          JEFF? >> REAL QUICK, I THINK YOU HAVE MR. MURPHY HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS. 
          >> YOU CAN GO FIRST. >> ABSOLUTELY NOT. 
          >> YOU WANT ME TO GO FIRST? 
          >> I WAS GOING TO SAY, ABSOLUTELY NOT. 
          YEAH. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ECHO SOME OF THE COMMENTS. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A BUS DRIVER THAT KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS, IT'S GOING TO FLOP BAD. SO GETTING THE RIGHT PERSON IN THE RIGHT PLACE, I WOULD JUST SAY SITTING HERE THINKING, I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS SEEMS LIKE A JUB FOR THE VCB. THEY'RE IN PLACE. 
          THEY HAVE THE SMARTS. I WOULD LOVE FOR STAFF TO GET WITH THE VCB AND HAVE SOMETHING BEFORE WE COME BACK TO JUST INDICATE WHAT KIND OF DIRECTION THAT WOULD WANT TO GO. 
          >> THE CULTURAL COUNCIL'S CONTRACT INCLUDES SOME OF THOSE SERVICES AS WELL. 
          CURRENTLY, THE CURRENT CONTRACT THAT THEY HAVE WITH THE COUNTY. 
          >> WHOEVER IS DRIVING THE BUS NEEDS TO BE A GOOD BUS DRIVER. 
          >> HI, FOLKS. I'M EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR -- 
          >> HOLD ON ONE SECOND, JEFF. 
          >> I THINK, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE TIME AND EFFORT YOU HAVE PUT INTO THIS. 
          I'M GLAD IT'S OUT IN THE UNIVERSE NOW. 
          MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE THAT WE KIND OF LET IT SIMMER BEFORE WE MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS. AND I WOULD LOVE TO SPEAK INTELLIGENTLY TO IT BUT IT'S THE FIRST TIME I HAVE SEEN THE DOCUMENT AND I WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF DIGEST A BIT. I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO SOME STAKEHOLDERS AND GET CONSENSUS FROM THE WORLD OUTSIDE OF THIS ROOM. AND THEN BE ABLE TO AT OUR NEXT MEETING SPEAK MUCH MORE INTELLIGENTLY TO IT BECAUSE IT'S GREAT. IT'S A LOT OF COOL IDEAS. 
          BUT IT'S A LOT TO PROCESS, AND I WOULD JUST LIKE A LITTLE TIME TO KIND OF LET IT SETTLE. 
          >> THAT'S FAIR. THAT'S VERY FAIR. 
          MICHAEL, YOUR LIGHT IS ON. 
          >> I THINK -- I MEAN, I THINK TO MR. WICKS, I THINK YOU'RE SPOT ON. 
          LET IT MARINADE. LET IT GET OUT THERE. 
          THE OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ON THERE AS WELL IS SOMETHING WITH THE BEACH INCORPORATED. EVERYTHING IS ST. AUGUSTINE, ST. 
          AUGUSTINE, WHICH I APPRECIATE, MADAM MAYOR. 
          BUT ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT. 
          NOT FOR JUST THE CIVIL RIGHTS BUT ALSO THE HISTORIC BECAUSE IF PONCE DE LEON DIDN'T COME IN FROM THE BEACH, GUESS WHERE HE WOULDN'T BE, ST. AUGUSTINE? 
          >> HE CAME IN ON A HELICOPTER. YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT? THROUGH NAS JACKS. 
          >> SO THAT'S THE OLDEST CITY? 
          >> I'M HAPPY TO SHOW YOU AROUND, SIR. 
          >> I WANT YOU TO KNOW THE WORD BEACH ISN'T IN THAT 
          [01:00:01]
DOCUMENT. DID YOU NOTICE THAT? 
          >> JUST, I THINK THERE'S SOME EVENTS WE COULD DO OUT THERE TO 
          HELP. >> THERE ARE WITHOUT A DOUBT, BECAUSE IT WAS MORE TRYING TO GET FIVE IDEAS, AND THESE ARE DRAFT IDEAS. 
          >> I APPRECIATE IT. 
          >> YES, JEFF. 
          >> THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO LET THE COMMISSION KNOW THAT LAST MONDAY, THE CULTURAL COUNCIL DID MEET WITH THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT FOLKS AND WE KIND OF WENT THROUGH A NUMBER OF THINGS INCLUDING WHAT WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT ON SHORTLY, BUT DINA WAS NICE ENOUGH TO POINT OUT THAT THIS DOES SOMEWHAT FALL INTO THE REALM OF WHAT THE CULTURAL COUNCIL HAS AGREED TO DO IN OUR FIVE- YEAR CONTRACT AND I JUST WANTED TO THROW OUT THERE THAT WE DO HAVE RESOURCES AVAILABLE AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO OR THE COMMISSION TO HELP MOVE THIS FORWARD, JUST LET ME KNOW. THIS DOES TAN GENTALLY FALL IN OUR PURVIEW, AND I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE MOVE THIS FORWARD WITH OUR PARTNERS IN TOURISM. 
          >> THANK YOU. 
          >> YOU'RE WELCOME. 
          >> OTHER DISCUSSION? OH, YES. 
          >> I JUST -- TO KIND OF GET MY HEAD AROUND WHAT EVERYBODY IS THINKING HERE, I DON'T WANT TO LOSE THE MOMENTUM. OKAY, BECAUSE WE HAVE WORKED SO HARD ON THIS, AND I KNOW IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN, AND WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK 15 YEARS. I USED TO BE ON THAT SIDE. 
          WE WERE DISCUSSING THIS. SO I DON'T WANT TO LOSE THE MOMENTUM. IS IT SOMETHING THAT WE POSSIBLY NEED TO DO A WORKSHOP OUTSIDE OF OUR NORMAL TDC MEETING, WHICH WE CAN CALL AND ADVERTISE? OR YOU KNOW, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S TOTALLY INCLUSIVE WITH EACH OF THE GROUPS, PONTE VEDRA, HASTINGS, HASTINGS HAS SOME GREAT STUFF GOING ON AND THEY'RE REALLY STARTING TO FEEL THEIR OATS WITH THE AGRICULTURAL SIDE AND EVERYTHING ELSE AND ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH. 
          I WANT TO MAKE SURE WHEN WE PUT THIS DOCUMENT TOGETHER, EVERYONE GETS A SHOT AT IT. AND THAT MAKES IT TOUGH TO MAKE DECISIONS WHEN THAT HAPPENS. 
          AND I AGREE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE GOOD BUS DRIVER. 
          BUT I THINK WE NEED YOUR EXPERTISE ON THE BOARD RIGHT HERE, SO I DON'T WANT YOU TO STEP OFF JUST YET UNTIL WE'RE READY FOR THIS. 
          >> I DON'T WANT TO STEP OFF. I JUST DON'T WANT THE WRONG PERSON DRIVING THE BUS. THAT'S ALL. 
          >> I AGREE. THE BUSINESS SIDE OF ME AGREES WITH THAT 1,000%. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE WAY THE GOVERNMENT IS SET UP, IT DOESN'T ALLOW YOU TO HAVE BOTH. 
          >> I UNDERSTAND. 
          >> SO HOW DO WE KEEP THAT MOMENTUM? THIS IS YOUR PLAN. SO HOW DO WE KEEP THAT MOMENTUM AND STILL KEEP IT AT THE FOREFRONT? 
          >> I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS DOCUMENT SINCE JULY. 
          SO IT'S ALREADY BEEN SIX MONTHS. 
          I THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE. WHEN IS OUR NEXT MEETING? IN JANUARY? PROBABLY. 
          >> RIGHT NOW, THERE IS NO AVAILABILITY FOR JANUARY TO HAVE A MEETING. BECAUSE OUR THIRD MONDAY IS A HOLIDAY. BUT WE ARE WORKING TO LOOK FOR A DATE TO HAVE A MEETING IN JANUARY, BUT THE NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR THE LATTER PART OF FEBRUARY. 
          >> OH. 
          >> SO THAT'S THE THIRD WEEK OF FEBRUARY IS OUR NEXT 
          MEETING? >> THE THIRD WEEK OF FEBRUARY IS ALSO A HOLIDAY. 
          >> THAT'S GOOD. I'M NOT HERE THAT WEEKEND. 
          IT'S MY WIFE'S BIRTHDAY. 
          >> RIGHT NOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT FEBRUARY 24TH AS THE NEXT AVAILABLE DATE. BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH -- TO FIND ANOTHER, MAYBE AN ALTERNATE DATE OR A MONDAY IN JANUARY. 
          >> IS IT LEGAL TO HAVE IT AT MY WINE BAR? I'LL SERVE WINE. EVERYONE CAN COME. 
          >> I DON'T THINK WE CAN TELEVISE IT FROM THERE. 
          >> ON MY PHONE. DOESN'T THAT WORK? 
          >> I KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE THAT ABILITY. 
          >> WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT, BUT I DO THINK THE PRUDENT THING, WHAT I HAVE HEARD, IS TO LET EVERYONE TAKE THIS BACK AND THINK ABOUT IT. YOU KNOW, FEEL FREE TO CALL GABE. 
          FEEL FREE TO CALL SUSAN. JEFF, OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN TOWN. I HAVE MET WITH EACH OF THEM. 
          THAT WOULD BE GOOD PEOPLE TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK. 
          I HAVE TALKED TO SOME PEOPLE WITH THE BUSINESS COALITION. I HAVE TALKED WITH A FEW OTHER PEOPLE, BUT PLEASE, LET'S EVERYONE GET SOME FEEDBACK. 
          LET THIS MARINADE A LITTLE BIT AND WE CAN GET TOGETHER AND DISCUSS IT, AND IF WE THINK WHEN WE DISCUSS IT HAVING A WORKSHOP IS THE NEXT STEP, THEN WE'LL DO THAT IF WE THINK THERE'S A BETTER SOLUTION THAT WE HAVE COME UP WITH IN THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO, THEN WE'LL DO 
          [01:05:01]
THAT. BUT I THINK THAT'S THE APPROPRIATE THING. MAYOR? YOUR LIGHT WAS ON FOR A SECOND. 
          >> OH, I JUST WANTED TO ASK, I THINK IT'S GREAT BECAUSE IT WILL GIVE ME A CHANCE TO GET SOME INPUT ON IT. I HOPE YOU HAVE PLANS SO THE COMMUNITY KNOWS WHAT IT IS WE'RE DISCUSSING. BUT I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME, LIKE, WHAT IS THE NEED, WHY DO WE NEED THIS, HOW WOULD I ANSWER TO THEM? 
          >> I THINK IT'S TO HAVE A REALLY CONSISTENT MESSAGING IN THE MARKETPLACE. 
          TRY TO MAKE THE WHOLE BRANDING MORE COHESIVE. 
          AND ALSO, LOOK AT CREATING YEAR ROUND DEMAND INSTEAD OF PEAKS AND VALLEYS AND SEE IF WE CAN STABILIZE OCCUPANCY MORE YEAR ROUND. 
          THAT WOULD BE FIRST PRIZE, I THINK. 
          IT WOULD BE MUCH EASIER FOR ALL BUSINESSES IF THEY COULD HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF BUSINESS EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR. IT'S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT IT WOULD BE MUCH EASIER TO MANAGE THE THING. 
          IT WOULD BE MUCH EASIER ON EMPLOYEES THAT AREN'T LOOKING AT HAVING A MONTH WHERE THEY DON'T GET ANY WORK OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO IT'S A WAY OF LEVERAGING WHAT WE ALREADY DO AND BRANDING IT BETTER, MORE THAN WE NEED TO GO OUT AND PUT IN 50 NEW EVENTS. 
          IT'S MORE, LET'S SEE HOW WE CAN AMPLIFY WHAT WE ALREADY DO AND LET THE WORLD KNOW IT BECAUSE I HAD NO IDEA COMING IN LAST SATURDAY THAT THE FAIR WAS ON THE FIELD. 
          I FOUND OUT WHEN I GOT THERE. AND MY HOTEL HAPPENS TO BE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE FIELD. 
          I HAD NO IDEA. SO I NEVER MARKETED ON MY WEBSITE THAT IT WAS HAPPENING AND I'M NOT SURE MUCH OF THE TEE KNEW IT EITHER BECAUSE THERE WAS ONLY ONE GARAGE ATTENDANT WHEN I PULLED IN. SO THAT COULD HAVE BEEN BRANDED DIFFERENTLY, AND WE'RE NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THOSE THINGS. WE'RE JUST LETTING PEOPLE WHO MAY OR MAY NOT UNDERSTAND MARKETING MARKET THE DESTINATION, AND WE NEED TO EXPAND THAT. 
          >> THE GOAL IS BY 2027, HAVE A STAFF PERSON, HAVE A BOARD SET UP, AND THEN HAVE KIND OF A MIRRORED BUDGET THAT WOULD USE TDC DOLLARS TO DO THIS. 
          >> IF THE BOARD HERE THINKS IT'S A GOOD IDEA AND WE VOTE TO GET THAT FUNDING WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM. 
          >> IT SEEMS MOST OF THESE EVENTS ARE SOMEWHAT RELATED TO ART, CULTURE, AND HISTORY, AND WE HAVE THE SMALLEST BUDGET. 
          JUST SAYING. 
          >> WE'RE GOING TO DO A ZERO BASE BUDGET, SO THAT'S PART OF THIS WHOLE PROCESS. 
          THIS IS STARTING FROM SCRATCH, TAKING SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS GOING TO NEED 20 YEARS. 
          AND FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE DO IT. AND WHAT HAVE WE DONE IN THE PAST AND WHAT CAN WE DO NOW, AND WHAT'S THE SMARTEST WAY. 
          AND YOU KNOW, PROBABLY BEFORE WE PRIVATIZE THE VCB, I REMEMBER HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COMMISSIONERS. IT WAS -- GOD, DALE HANIE AND MYSELF AND CHARLES COX AND A COUPLE OTHER PEOPLE. 
          JOHN FRAZIER WAS IN THE MEETING. AND WE SAT DOWN WITH THE COMMISSION, AND WE SAID YOU KNOW, WE REALLY WANT TO RETHINK THE GRANTS PROGRAM. WE WANT TO DO TEN EVENTS, GIVE THEM ALL $50,000. AND THEN THE NEXT YEAR, WE WANT TO GIVE THOSE TEN EVENTS $40,000. 
          THE THIRD YEAR, WE WANT TO GIVE THOSE SAME TEN EVENTS, ASSUMING THEY'RE STILL HAPPENING, $30,000, $20,000, $10,000, AND THEN ZERO SO THEY'RE SELF- FUNDING AND SELF- OPERATING WITHIN THERE. 
          EACH YEAR, YOU THEN TAKE THAT MONEY SO YOU HAD $100,000. 
          YOU WOULD START TWO MORE EVENTS. SO OVER A PERIOD OF TEN YEARS, YOU WOULD INCUBATE 20 EVENTS AND PROBABLY EIGHT OR NINE OF THEM WOULD STICK, AND YOU WOULD WAKE UP 20 YEARS LATER AND YOU WOULD HAVE 40 SELF- FUNDING EVENTS. THAT'S A VERY ENTREPRENEURIAL APPROACH OF WHERE WE SHOULD HAVE INVESTED MONEY TO CREATE EVENTS THAT MAKE SENSE. 
          BUT WE NEVER HAVE GONE THAT DIRECTION IN A REAL -- WHAT WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE WORD? ENTREPRENEURIAL APPROACH. 
          [01:10:03]
WE HAVE DONE MORE WHERE WE WILL MAKE SURE THE MONEY IS ALWAYS THERE AND IT'S BECOME A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE NOT LOOKING OUTSIDE HOW IT'S OPERATED TO SEE IF IT COULD BE SELF-FUNDING. 
          FOR EXAMPLE, THERE IS A BIG CHRISTMAS PROGRAM WITH LIGHTS IN MIAMI. I HAVE IT ON MY LAPTOP HERE. 
          AND THE BIG SIGN SAYS SPONSORED BY FPL. 
          OKAY. SO THE MIAMI CHRISTMAS EVENT'S CORPORATE SPONSOR IS FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT. OUR CORPORATE SPONSOR FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS IS THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL. 
          I'M NOT SAYING IT'S RIGHT OR WRONG. BUT IT WAS ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE MIAMI HERALD. THAT'S HOW I FOUND OUT ABOUT IT. AND THERE WERE A COUPLE OTHER SPONSORS, I DON'T REMEMBER THE NAMES, BUT THEY WERE IN THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ALSO. SO WE, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THINGS WHERE IF YOU DO WELL OR DO POORLY, YOU'RE GETTING THE FUNDING, YOU DON'T OPERATE AS SCARED AS YOU DO IF YOU DON'T MAKE MONEY, YOU DON'T EAT. AND SO IF WE EVER WANT TO GET TO THAT LEVEL OF PUTTING ON WORLD CLASS EVENTS, AND THERE ARE OTHER EVENTS WHICH WE NEED TO FUND AND AREN'T GOING TO MAKE MONEY, BUT THEY'RE TWO DIFFERENT 
          SUBJECTS. >> THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY COMMENT. 
          >> BUT WE TEND TO LOOK AT SOME THINGS THAT ARE ENTREPRENEURIAL AND WE DON'T HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE TO BE ENTREPRENEURIAL. 
          AND THAT'S THE OTHER SIDE OF IT THAT HAS BOTHERED ME FOR 20 
          YEARS. >> YES, DINA. 
          >> IF I MAY. 
          >> YOU MAY. 
          >> THE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, SO WHAT DEVELOPS TOURISM? IT'S A TWOFOLD THING. WE HAVE TO HAVE THE CULTURE TO DEVELOP IT, WHICH MOST OF THE PEOPLE WORKING IN CULTURAL EVENTS ARE NOT REALLY ENTREPRENEURS. THEY ARE COMMUNITY PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THAT. SO THE OTHER SIDE OF IT IS PRODUCING MONEY THROUGH PEOPLE COMING AND STAYING HERE. SO MAYBE ANOTHER WAY WOULD BE MAYBE TAKING APART -- I MIGHT BE SHOOTING MYSELF IN THE FOOT HERE. 
          >> THAT'S OKAY. 
          >> TAKING A PART OF WHAT ART CULTURE AND HISTORY ORGANIZATIONS GET THAT WE HAVE TO DO MARKETING WITH, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT EXPERTS IN MARKETING, THAT MAYBE HAVING A WAY THAT WE CAN SAY GIVE A PORTION OF THAT MONEY BACK TO THE CULTURAL COUNCIL OR THE VCB TO DO THAT MARKETING FOR US THAT WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO WHAT THESE EVENTS WOULD BE BECAUSE IT'S LIKE YOU'RE SO CAUGHT UP IN WHAT YOU'RE DOING THAT UNLESS YOU HAVE DONE THIS 1,000 TIMES, YOU'RE GOING TO MISS OPPORTUNITIES TO MARKET, AND SO MAYBE THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING. I KNOW YOU THINK I'MI'M CRAZY. 
          TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, AND IT WOULD ACTUALLY, IT WOULD BENEFIT THE ORGANIZATIONS BECAUSE THEIR INFORMATION IS GETTING OUT THERE, AND IT WOULD ALSO BE A WAY TO SCALE UP WHAT WE GET, LIKE WE DO WITH THE COOPERATIVE ADVERTISING WITH THE VCB, THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO SCALE IT UP TO DO ADVERTISING IN A LARGER WAY THAN WHAT THE INDIVIDUAL OGIZATIONS WOULD BE ABLE DO. I THINK AT ONE POINT YOU'RE ABLE TO GIVE BACK A PORTION OF YOUR ADVERTISING MONEY TO THE TDC, THAT WAS BEFORE I REALLY GOT INVOLVED, NOT TO THE TDC BUT TO THE CULTURAL COUNCIL OR THE VCB TO DO MARKETING FOR YOU, BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE AREAS A LOT OF THE ORGANIZATIONS, SOME OF THE FESTIVALS FALL SHORT ON THAT, I KNOW WE FALL SHORT ON IT, AND IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE COULD CONSIDER THAT COULD TIE INTO THIS CONCEPT OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. 
          >> YES, MICHAEL. 
          >> I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DIRECT STAFF OR WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO GET A MEETINGMEETING ON THE CALENDAR BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE SPENT A BUNCH OF TIME ON THIS ALREADY AND THERE'S A LOT OF DEPTH TO THIS CONVERSATION THAT IS PROBABLY NOT BEST SERVED TO DO AT THIS MEETING BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT OBVIOUSLY WENT INTO WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND THE AMOUNT OF WORK IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO GET COMFORTABLE MOVING FORWARD IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVING FORWARD. SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SCHEDULE A TIME, WHETHER IT'S A COMMUNITY WORKSHOPWORKSHOP OR WHATEVER TO JUST THIS IDEA AND DISCUSS IT IN DEPTH AND BRING A ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE THAT WE CAN REALLY GET AFTER IT AND MOVE IT FORWARD IN 
          [01:15:01]
WHATEVER DIRECTION THAT WE DECIDE TO MOVE IT FORWARD. 
          >> SECOND. 
          >> ARE WE ABLE TO PULL THAT OFFOFF JANUARY? 
          >> WE WILL LOOK AT THREE DATES AND GET BACK WITH YOU. 
          IT MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE ON A MONDAY, BUT WE CAN COME BACK WITH THREE DATES AND PROVIDE THEM TO YOU TO SEE WHICH DAY WORKS BEST FOR JANUARY. 
          >> IS EVERYONE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT? I GUESS WE HAVE TO VOTE ON IT 
          SINCE WE HAVE A MOTION. >> WE HAVE TO DISCUSS RIGHT NOW. 
          AND I WOULD, TO CLEAN IT UP, I WOULD ACTUALLY ASK THAT IT BE A WORKSHOP SO THAT IT IS IN A COMMUNITY WELCOMING SETTING. BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHEN WE'RE SITTING UP HERE AND THEY'RE DOWN THERE, IT'S NOT REALLY A CONVERSATION. 
          >> OKAY. 
          >> SO I WOULD PREFER IT TO BE IN A MORE OF A ROUNDTABLE TYPE SITUATION. YOU KNOW, WORKSHOPS THAT I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN, THOSE HAVE BEEN MORE SUCCESSFUL. 
          BUT I DEFINITELY SUPPORT THAT, BUT I WANTED TO DEFINE IT AS IT BEING -- DOING IT AS A WORKSHOP AND A ROUNDTABLE. 
          >> OKAY, SO THE MOTION IS TO -- WE HAVE A MOTION TO DO A WORKSHOP IDEALLY IN JANUARY, AND WE HAVE A SECOND ON THAT. 
          ALL IN FAVOR. 
          [8. ACH GRANT PROGRAM FY2027]
          >> AYE. 
          >> OKAY. AGENDA NUMBER 8. OH. 
          >> GIVE ME JUST A SEC TO GET THROUGH TO THE RIGHT SLIDE. 
          >> THERE'S A BUNCH OF SLIDES. 
          >> I WAS GOING THE WRONG WAY. I JUST WANT THIS MEETING TO GO LONGER, I THINK. LET'S SEE. 
          OKAY, HERE WE GO. OKAY. 
          SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FY 2027 GRANT GUIDELINES. 
          WE HAVEN'T -- WE DIDN'T MAKE ANY CHANGES REALLY TO THESE GUIDELINES FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE PEAK PERIODS THAT HAVE BEEN -- THAT WE USE FOR THE DEDUCTION, WHICH IS A TEN-POINT DEDUCTION IN THOSE GUIDELINES. THEY'RE LISTED HERE. 
          AND THEN PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT, I'M GOING TO JUST GO AHEAD AND SKIP TO THE NEXT LINE WHICH IS THE TIMELINE BECAUSE THAT IMPACTS THE DISCUSSION FROM AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 7. WE HAVE TYPICALLY WE HAVE GOTTEN THE APPROVAL FROM TDC FOR THE GUIDELINES IN THAT JANUARY EARLY FEBRUARY MEETING, TO THEN GO TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND HAVE THEM BACK -- HAVE EVERYTHING APPROVED BY MARCH SO WE CAN OPEN UP THE APPLICATION PORTAL IN APRIL. SO THAT IS A TIGHT TIMELINE SO THAT KIND OF DOES IMPACT IF WE WANT THE KINDS OF CHANGES YOU WERE DISCUSSING PREVIOUSLY TO GO INTO THE NEW GUIDELINES. 
          WE WOULD NEED SOME SORT OF THOUGHTS ON THAT BEFORE THEN. 
          >> THE ONLY THING I NOTICED IS ON THE PEAK PERIODS, THEY ALMOST HAVE TO BE GEOGRAPHICAL BECAUSE FOR EXAMPLE, THE BEACH'S PEAK PERIOD IS DIFFERENT THAN DOWNTOWN, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN I-95. 
          >> WE DON'T COME UP WITH THE PEAK PERIODS, BUT I WOULD LOVE INPUT ON THAT. 
          >> I THINK SUSAN PROBABLY COULD GIVE YOU THE BEST -- SUSAN, WE JUST VOLUNTEERED YOU. 
          >> THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR LEAVING. 
          >> BUT I THINK HOW THE PEAK PERIODS HAVE CHANGED OVER THE YEARS BECAUSE WHAT USED TO BE A SLAM DUNK BUSY TIME IS NOT. THEY HAVE SEEMED TO MOVE, AND IT'S VERY GEE GEOOGRAPHICAL, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF AIRBNBS IN THE MIX, WHICH IS ABOUT 25% OF THE INVENTORY IN THE MARKET. IT'S CHANGED A LOT OF WHAT OUR PEAK PERIODS SO IT'S NOT WHAT WE REMEMBER FROM YEARS AGO. 
          >> AGREED. SO WE CAN WORK WITH THAT. 
          >> SUSAN PROBABLY HAS BETTER RECORDS THAN ANYONE ABOUT THAT. 
          >> OKAY. WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER TO DO THE PEAK PERIODS FOR THE NEXT -- FOR FY '27. 
          [01:20:07]
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE PEAK PERIODS OR QUESTION ABOUT THE GUIDELINES? 
          >> SORRY, AND FEBRUARY, RACE WEEK IS HUGE FOR US HERE, BUT IT PROBABLY GIVES YOU GUYS NOTHING IN PONTE VEDRA, SO I THINK THAT'S VERY GOOD TO HAVE IT GEOGRAPHICALLY ATTACHED. 
          AND FEBRUARY, I'M BUSIER ON RACE WEEKEND AND MY RATES ARE HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER WEEKEND AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S SAYING PRESIDENTS' DAY. 
          EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE THEY DO FALL AT THE SAME TIME BUT NOT ALWAYS. 
          >> OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT? OKAY. WAS THERE ANY COMMENTS ON THE TIMELINE? SO THAT WOULD MEAN WE WOULD NEED APPROVAL AT THE NEXT MEETING AT THE LATEST? 
          >> IS THERE ANY REASON WE CAN'T APPROVE IT THIS MEETING? 
          >> WELL, THESE ARE FOR FY '27. THAT'S MY ONLY CAVEAT THERE. 
          SO THEY WOULD APPLY TO FY '27 DOLLARS. 
          OKAY. 
          >> THE ONLY -- THE ONLY CAVEAT I WOULD HAVE, AND IT TIES INTO OUR PREVIOUS DISCUSSION, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO KNOW THAT UNTIL PROBABLY MAY OR JUNE. 
          >> BUT USUALLY BY OUR TYPICAL TIMELINE, OUR GRANTS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED AND ARE BEING REVIEWED AT THAT TIME. 
          >> WHEN DO THE GRANT PROGRAMS 
          START? >> THEY START IN THE FISCAL YEAR. 
          >> WHEN DO PEOPLE START SUBMITTING? 
          >> APRIL. THE DEADLINE IS MAY 31ST FOR GRANT APPLICATIONS AND THE PANEL REVIEWS THOSE. AND THEN THEY'RE AWARDED -- WELL, YOU GUYS LOOK AT IT USUALLY IN JULY, LATE JULY. 
          >> OKAY, BUT THE RULES GO OUT TO THE INDIVIDUALS -- 
          >> LATE MARCH. THE APPLICATION OPENS APRIL 1ST AND CLOSES MAY 31ST. 
          >> OKAY. 
          >> SO EXCUSE ME, THE ACTION -- IT SAYS ACTION REQUIRES ON THE AGENDA. WHAT'S THE AEKZ ACTION THAT IS REQUIRED TODAY? 
          >> TO APPROVE THE GUIDELINES BUT YOU CAN ALSO SAY APPROVE THEM OR POSTPONE IT. 
          >> I ALSO SEE UP THERE WHERE IT SAYS TVC RECOMMEND GUIDELINES. WE RECEIVE THEM TODAY AND REVIEW THEM AND NEXT MEETING IS WHEN WE VOTE AND SAY HEY, THIS LOOKS 
          GREAT. >> THAT'S WHEN WE WOULD NEED IT AT THE LATEST. 
          >> I WOULD RECOMMEND WE WAIT. YOU HAVE ASKED FOR SOME -- A LITTLE BIT MORE. 
          >> FEBRUARY, BASED ON THEIR TIMELINE, IF YOU GET PERMISSION BY THE END OF FEBRUARY, YOU'RE FINE? 
          >> YEAH, BECAUSE WE HAVE TIME FOR IT THEN TO GO TO THE BOARD, THE COMMISSION, THE COUNTY COMMISSION. 
          >> OKAY, THEN LET'S DO THAT. 
          >> PERFECT. THEN DID YOU WANT TO DIRECT THEM TO MASSAGE THOSE PEAK PERIODS OR GET MORE INPUT SO WE CAN MAYBE PUT THAT IN THE DOCUMENT? 
          >> SUSAN, PLEASE COME UP. SUSAN HAS BEEN TALKING WITH THE ADVERTISING AGENCY ABOUT THIS ALREADY. 
          I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH, HOW FAR WE ARE OR NOT. 
          >> HI, SUSAN PHILIPS. YES, I HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH OUR ADVERTISING AGENCY PRETTY EXTENSIVELY. 
          WE'RE BASICALLY WAITING FOR DIRECTION FROM ALL OF YOU. 
          WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PEAK PERIODS THOUGH, I CAN BOW THROUGH AND LOOK AT THE TRAVEL REPORTS. WE CAN BREAK IT DOWN BY ZIP CODES AND WE CAN LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCES AND GIVE YOU SOME GUIDANCE ON THAT. I CAN DO THAT PRETTY QUICKLY. 
          CERTAINLY BY THE NEXT MEETING. 
          >> BUT LOOKING AT HOW -- THE ONE THING, BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE, IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER OF THE SEASONS ARE, THERE MAY BE A BRIDGE ANSWER IF YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE AGENCY AND YOU HAVE GOT SOME SORT OF CONCEPT OF BRANDS THAT ARE SEASONAL OR SOMETHING THAT'S IN THE MARKETING PLAN THAT YOU'RE DOING, THERE MAY BE A BONUS IF SOMEONE DOES AN EVENT AND IT MATCHES UP TO THAT PROPOSED TIME, IF FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S A LOVE OF THE ARTS, IF THEY CAN DO AN ARTS PROGRAM THAT IS BRANDED AS PART OF THAT, THEY MAY GET A TEN- POINT BONUS. SOMETHING SIMPLISTIC LIKE THAT, WITHOUT SO THAT THEY'RE SYNERGISTICALLY STARTING TO BUILD IT GRASSROOTS WISE. 
          THAT NEE WOULD BE A GOOD FIRST STEP. 
          AND THAT MAY BE SOMETHING WE CAN FIGURE OUT EVEN BEFORE WE KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, IF THE ADVERTISING AGENCY IS TAKING SOME OF THESE CONCEPTS AND 
          [01:25:01]
EMBEDDING THEM INTO THIS YEAR'S MARKETING PLAN. 
          IF THEY'RE NOT, THIS MAY TAKE TWO YEARS TO GET TO. 
          >> RIGHT, RIGHT. 
          >> THAT I'M JUST THROWING OUT AS JUST TRYING TO BE, YOU KNOW, BASICS. 
          >> AND THE PEAK PERIOD IS ONLY A FIVE- POINT DEDUCTION. 
          IS THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? 
          >> IN THE GUIDELINES, YES. 
          >> IT'S MANDATORY, SO THE POINTS ARE WHERE THEY'RE AT. IF WE DETERMINE, WE ADD TWO MORE PEAK PERIODS IN, IT COULD AFFECT THE GRADING IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. 
          >> IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE YOU'RE WANTING MORE NUANCED PEAK PERIODS. 
          >> IF SOMEONE DOES A BIG EVENT ON THE BEACH IN DECEMBER, IF SOMEONE DOES A BIG EVENT WHEN WE'RE ALREADY DOING NIGHTS OF LIGHTS IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, IT'S NOT IN THE MACRO BEST INTEREST FOR US TO FUND THAT. BUT OVER ON THE BEACH, THEY'RE NOT AS BUSY AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR AS DOWNTOWN PROPERTIES. SO IF THERE WAS A FESTIVAL ON THE BEACH, OR UP IN POND PONTE VEDRA, THAT MIGHT BE A REALLY GOOD THING EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE SAY YOU SHOULDN'T DO ANYTHING OVER NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. 
          THAT'S THE, YOU KNOW, NOT BEING NUANCED ENOUGH, IF WE'RE THINKING LIKE, WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING IN DECEMBER. WE DON'T NEED IT BECAUSE WE'RE SO BUSY. WELL, THE PERSON WHO IS IN THE NON- BUSY PART OF THE COUNTY IS SAYING, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? 
          >> WHAT ABOUT ME, YEAH. AND I THINK I WAS THE ONE WHO BROUGHT THIS UP WITH THE PEAK PERIODS, SO I FEEL I NEED TO ADDRESS THIS. 
          I THINK WE CAN HANDLE IT IN THE NEXT MEETING. 
          AND YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S -- YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS PEAK PERIOD LIST. 
          I DON'T THINK THE LIST IS BAD. I MEAN, IF WE DON'T GET TO IT, I THINK WE CAN LIVE WITH LIST, AT LEAST I CAN LIVE WITH THIS LIST AND APPROVE IT THE WAY IT IS. BUT I WOULD LIKE, IF WE CAN CLEAN IT UP A LITTLE BIT BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. BUT LIKE I SAID, I DON'T THINK -- I DON'T THINK -- I'M NOT SO HUNG UP ON IT BECAUSE THIS WAS ONE OF MY -- I WAS THE ONE WHO KIND OF STRONG ARMED YOU TO DO IT, SO I DON'T WANT TO STRANGLE YOU TOO MUCH HERE. I THINK I CAN LIVE WITH IT IF WE CAN'T DO IT, BECAUSE IT IS ONLY THE FIVE- POINT DEDUCTION. 
          THANK YOU. 
          >> YEP. I THINK WE'RE ON TO THE NEXT SUBJECT. WE DECIDED. 
          DID WE VOTE ALREADY THAT WE'RE DOING THIS IN JANUARY? THE WORKSHOP? GOOD. 
          >> OKAY. 
          >> THIS WON'T BE ON THE JANUARY -- OKAY. 
          HOLD ON. THIS WON'T BE ON THE JANUARY 
          -- >> NO. 
          >> IT WILL BE IN FEBRUARY. 
          [9. VISITOR PROFILE QUARTERLY REPORT]
          >> WE'LL HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. NEXT SUBJECT. 
          >> THANK YOU. 
          >> THANK YOU. 
          >> MR. CHAIR, LEX. I WANTED TO DOUBLE CHECK. 
          THAT ONE WAS LISTED TO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS ANY IN THE ROOM BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE ROOM. 
          >> DID ANYONE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT THE GRANTS? THANK YOU. 
          >> THANK YOU, LEX. 
          >> GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS ISAIAH LEWIS. I'M WITH ST. GERMAIN RESEARCH. I'M GOING TO BE PRESENTED TO YOU GUYS, GOING A LITTLE BACK IN TIME, JULY TO SEPTEMBER 2025 TO TALK ABOUT THE VISITOR TRACKING IN THE BEACH IN ST. 
          JOHN'S COUNTY. 
          SO, HERE'S THE TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
          I PROMISE I WILL NOT PRESENT ON ALL 68 SLIDES. 
          I WILL NOT TAKE UP OUR DINNER TIME. 
          I'LL PRESENT TO SLIDE 18, GO THROUGH AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, GIVE YOU KEY INSIGHTS AND OVERSIGHTS ON WHAT WE SAW AND THE RESEARCH IN JULY TO SEPTEMBER, AND THEN FROM THERE, I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. SO LOOKING AT OUR METHODOLOGY, INTERVIEWS WERE COLLECTED AND COMPLETED IN PERSON AND ONLINE WITH 811 VISITORS BETWEEN JULY 1ST AND SEPTEMBER 30TH, AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS WE ALSO INCLUDED SOME OTHER LOCATIONS THEREIN, BUT THAT IS THE MAJOR STANDPOINTS WE WERE COLLECTING DATA IN THIS PAST QUARTER. ALL RIGHT. 
          MOVING TO THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, THE FUN PART. 
          LOOKING AT THE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS IN JULY TO SEPTEMBER, WE SAW JUST UNDER 737,000 TOTAL VISITORS. JUST UNDER 540,000 ROOM NIGHTS DIRECT SPEND FIGURE THAT IS AROUND $345 MILLION IF WE'RE ROUNDING UP THERE, AND THEN TDT COLLECTIONS AT JUST OVER $5. 1 MILLION IN THE QUARTER FOR JULY TO SEPTEMBER. 
          WHEN I MOVE INTO OUR LODGING METRICS AT THE TOP HERE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE COMBINED METRICS THAT COMBINES HOTELS AND VACATION RENTALS. WE RATE THAT BY THE AMOUNT OF UNITS IN THE COUNTY SO HOTELS VERSUS VACATION UNITS. 
          WE'RE LOOKING AT 51 POUT 9% WITH AN ADR OF $186. 60 AND A 
          [01:30:04]
REV PAR OF $96.95. 
          I WANT TO NOTE A COUPLE THINGS. I'LL PAUSE HERE FOR A SECOND TO NOTE THAT WITH AIRBNB AND VRBO EFFECTIVE IN APRIL AND MAY, THEY UPDATED OUR THEY RATES ARE QUOTED SO IT INCLUDES CLEANING FEES, PLATFORM SERVICE FEES AND APPLICABLE DISCOUNTS SO THEIR ADR IS A LITTLE WONKY THERE IN TERMS OF DIRECT COMPARISON TO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR A HOTEL. 
          ALSO TO NOTE, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT JULY THROUGH SEPTEMBER SPECIFICALLY, I'LL NOTE THAT SEPTEMBER WAS A CROSS NATIONAL TRENDS, A LITTLE BIT OF A DOWN MONTH IN TERMS OF OCCUPANCY, WE SAW THAT ACROSS THE BOARD IN MOST OF OUR FLORIDA DESTINATIONS. 
          WE WORK WITH 20 DESTINATIONS AT THE STATE AND THAT WAS A TREND WE SAW THERE AS WELL AS ON A NATIONAL SCALE. 
          SEPTEMBER WAS A LITTLE BUILT OF A SOFTENING COMPARED TO JULY AND AUGUST, WHEN WE LOOK COMPARED TO THE YEAR PREVIOUS. NEXT, I'LL MOVE INTO THE EXECUTIVE VISITOR PROFILES. THAT WAS A TONGUE TWISTER FOR ME. THROUGH THESE NEXT SLIDES, I'M GOING TO KIND OF JUST GO THROUGH A FEW INSIGHTS AND KEY SLIDES WE SAW LARGE QUARTER OVER QUARTER DIFFERENCES. 
          AND THEN I'LL GET INTO THOSE INSIGHTS AT THE END OF MY SLIDES HERE. SO FIRST OFF, LOOKING AT OUR GRANDER VISITOR PROFILE, YOU'RE SEEING IN JULY AND SEPTEMBER, 80%, SO 4 IN 5 VISITORS DROVE TO THE COUNTY. A TOTAL TRAVEL PARTY SPEND OVER THE COURSE OF THEIR TRIP OF $1,542. 
          WE'RE SEEING THAT FIRST TIME VISITORS CAME IN AT JUST UNDER 40%, SO JUST UNDER 2 IN 5. WE'RE SEEING NEARLY HALF OF OUR VISITORS IN THIS QUARTER TRAVELED WITH CHILDREN. 
          WE'RE SEEING TRAVEL PARTY SIZE OF 3. 5, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER COMPARED TO THE OTHER QUARTERS, AND THEN A LENGTH OF STAY OF 3. 7, SO JUST UNDER A LONG WEEKEND THERE. 
          WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR VISITOR TYPES OR WHAT TYPE OF ACCOMMODATIONS ON OUR SCALE, WE'RE SEEING 2 IN 3 OF OUR VISITORS ARE STAYING IN PAID ACCOMMODATIONS WITH ANOTHER 17% SAYING THEY WERE DAY TRIPPERS SO THEY CAME JUST FOR THE DAY, AND ANOTHER 17% THAT WERE NON- PAID ACCOMMODATIONS WHICH INCLUDES PEOPLE WHO ARE STAYING IN THEIR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES' HOMES, A SECOND HOME, OR A TIMESHARE. NEXT, WE LOOK AT OUR TRIP PLANNING AND BOOKING CYCLE. SPECIFICALLY OF THOSE OVERNIGHT VISITORS. THEY PLAN THEIR TRIP 28 DAYS IN ADVANCE, AND BOOKED THEIR TRIP 25 DAYS IN ADVANCE. 
          SPOILER TO MY INSIGHTS, THAT'S A REALLY LOW TRIP PLANNING CYCLE COMPARED TO THE OTHER QUARTERS THAT WE'RE SEEING HERE. SO JULY TO SEPTEMBER IS DEFINITELY A SHORTER WINDOW WHEN OUR VISITORS ARE PLANNING AND BOOKING THEIR TRIPS COMPARED TO THE OTHER QUARTERS OF THE YEAR. 
          WE LOOK AT THEIR TRIP PLANNING DESTINATIONS, YOU'RE SEEING THAT NEARLY 80%, SO NEARLY 4 IN 5 ONLY CAME HERE FOR THE ST. AUGUSTINE PONTE VEDRA AREA AND THERE'S THE BREAK OUT LIST OF OTHER AREAS THEY VISITED OUTSIDE OF ST. AUGUSTINE FOR THAT RELATIVE 21% OF VISITORS WHO SAID THAT WASN'T THEIR ONLY MAIN LOCATION. BEACH VACATION AND LEISURE TRIP. 
          THESE ARE OUR DRIVERS, SO TO SPEAK, WITH 54%. 
          SO OVER HALF. SEEING 1 IN 4 VISIT HISTORICAL SITES, AND THEN ANOTHER 21%, SO 1 IN 5, CAME TO VISIT FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND RELATIVES. THAT'S OUR MAIN REASONS FOR VISITING. NEXT WE'LL LOOK AT ADVERTISING RECALL. HALF OF VISITORS RECALLED ADVERTISING ABOUT THE AREA, WHICH LED TO NEARLY 43% OF ALL VISITORS TO THE COUNTY IN THIS QUARTER BASED OFF OUR DATA COLLECTION, VISITING THE ST. 
          AUGUSTINE AREA, SAYING THEY WERE INFLUENCED BY THAT INFORMATION. NEXT, WE'LL LOOK AT THE REGION OF ORIGIN. SO THE MAP ON THE LEFT IS GOING TO SHOW YOU YOUR TOP ORIGIN STATES. WE'RE SEEING 39% OF VISITORS FROM FLORIDA, FOLLOWING BY 8% OF GEORGIA, 7%, TENNESSEE, AND THEN NORTH CAROLINA AT 5% AND 5% COMING FROM NEW YORK. 
          WE LOOK AT OUR TOP ORIGIN MARKETS, YOU'RE SEEING JACKSONVILLE, ORLANDO, NEW YORK, MIAMI, TAMPA, AND ATLANTA. 
          I KNOW YOU SEE A 9% THERE FOR NEW YORK AND 5%, I'LL LET YOU KNOW THAT NEW YORK MARKET IS A DMA, AND THAT DMA INCLUDES AREAS THAT ARE IN NEW JERSEY, CONNECTICUT, AND PENNSYLVANIA. THAT'S WHY THAT PERCENTAGE IS HIGHER THAN THE OVERALL STATE BECAUSE IT'S COLLECTING MULTIPLE STATES WITHIN THAT REGION. 
          >> DO YOU HAVE A SENSE HISTORICALLY, BECAUSE THERE'S THREE, FOUR COUNTRIES, ALL THE INTERNATIONAL DESTINATIONS, THAT 1% SEEMS AWFULLY LOW THIS YEAR, WHICH I'M NOT SURPRISED. BUT WHAT IS IT HISTORICALLY? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THOSE FOUR COUNTRIES ARE NOT CONTRIBUTING 
          [01:35:01]
TO TRAVEL TO THE UNITED STATES LIKE THEY HAD IN THE PAST. 
          >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. THE LAST TIME WE DID THE STUDY IS IN 2019 AND I DON'T HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF MY BRAIN AT THE EXACT MOMENT, BUT I CAN GET WITH SUSAN AND GET BACK TO YOU ON HOW IT COMPARES TO 2019. I DO AGREE WITH YOU ON NATIONAL TRENDS. WE ARE SEEING A LESSENING OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL ACROSS THE BOARD. ESPECIALLY AMONGST OUR RELATIVES TO THE NORTH, VISITOR SENTIMENT AMONG CANADIAN VISITORS IS DOWN NATIONALLY. THOSE TRENDS ARE STARTING TO EVEN OUT A LITTLE BIT NOW AS WE'RE GETTING FURTHER INTO THE YEAR. 
          IT'S STILL DOWN. DON'T GET ME WRONG, BUT IT'S LESS SO THAN IT WAS FIVE MONTHS AGO. AMONGST OUR CANADIAN VISITORS. 
          BUT I DON'T HAVE THAT DIRECT INFORMATION FOR THE COUNTY TO COMPARE TO 2019 OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD BUT I CAN GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT. 
          >> IT'S JUST FROM WHAT I HAVE HEARD, THOSE FOUR MARKETS ARE REALLY WHAT'S CONTRIBUTING TO FLORIDA'S DOWN TREND THIS YEAR. 
          THE DOMESTIC IS HOLDING BUT THE INTERNATIONAL IS REALLY, WHICH THOSE ARE PRIMARY MARKETS FOR FLORIDA, ESPECIALLY IN THE SUMMER. 
          >> YEAH, WE HAVE SEEN IN OUR DATA DOMESTIC IN- STATE HAS HELD FAIRLY STRONG, SO YOUR DRIVE MARKETS COMING FROM YOUR OTHER JACKSONVILLE, ORLANDO AREA, TAMPA, MIAMI, THOSE HAVE BEEN HOLDING STRONG. AND A LOT OF OUR DESTINATIONS OVER THE COURSE OF THIS LAST YEAR, YOU ARE RIGHT. INTERNATIONAL HAS DEFINITELY SEEN A DIP THERE, BUT I THINK THERE'S JUST WITHIN THE STATE OF FLORIDA IF WE'RE GETTING INTO LIKE REAL, REAL 30,000 FOOT LEVEL HERE AND I'M GOING TO GET REAL HOLISTIC WITH IT, FLORIDA, ESPECIALLY COMING OUT OF COVID, HAD A VERY BIG SPIKE ACROSS COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE NATION BECAUSE WE WERE OPEN SOONER THAN EVERYONE ELSE. SO ONCE THAT SPIKE HITS, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT SPIKE, IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO COME DOWN AS COMPETITION INCREASES AND YOUR CRUISE LINES OPEN UP MORE, YOU'RE GETTING MORE FLIGHTS, GETTING MORE OTHER DESTINATIONS COMING IN. THAT EVENTUALLY IS GOING TO GRADUALLY HAVE TO COME BACK DOWN TO RELATIVE EARTH SO TO SPEAK, COMPARED TO THE PEAKS OF POST- COVID, THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO AFTER IT. SO IT'S DEFINITELY A LARGER 30,000 FOOT TREND WE HAVE SEEN ACROSS THE STATE. 
          BUT OUR DATA COLLECTION SPECIFICALLY IS COUNTING ON 2025, SO I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK BACK AT 2019 TO SEE A COMPARISON POINT THERE. 
          ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. 
          I'LL JUMP BACK IN. LOOKING AT OUR TRAVEL PARTIES OVER 4 IN 5 TRAVELERS COMPOSE THE TRAVEL PARTY OF A FAMILY OR AS A COUPLE, WITH NEARLY HALF OF THE TRAVEL PARTIES INCLUDING CHILDREN 18 YEARS OLD. 
          THIS IS A STAND- OUT POINT COMPARED TO THE OTHER QUARTERS. ANOTHER SPOILER FOR MY LAST INSIGHT SLIDE. WE'RE SEEING MORE PEOPLE TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN COMPARED TO OTHER QUARTERS. 
          LOOKING AT NEW AND RETURNING VISITORS, YOU'RE SEEING THAT NEARLY 2 IN 5 VISITORS SAID THIS WAS THEIR FIRST TIME VISITING THE AREA. 
          WITH ANOTHER 17% THERE BEING OUR LOYALIST VISITORS, PEOPLE WHO HAVE VISITED SIX OR MORE TIMES. THOSE ARE PEOPLE HAO USUALLY HAVE FRIENDS OR FAMILY OR LIVED IN THE AREA AND COME BACK. BUT PEOPLE WHO COME BACK YEAR AND YEAR AGAIN. LOOKING AT THEIR TOP ACTIVITIES, SO MAIN REASONS ARE DIFFERENT THAN ACTIVITIES. 
          THESE ARE THINGS THEY'RE DOING WHILE THEY'RE IN THE MARKET. WE'RE SEEING THAT 74%, SO NEARLY 3 IN 4, DINED OUT WITH ANOTHER 7 IN 10 SAYING THEY WENT TO THE BEACH. AS WELL AS VISITING DOWNTOWN ST. 
          AUGUSTINE WITH OVER HALF SAYING THEY VISITED HISTORICAL SITES AND NEARLY HALF SAID THEY CAME TO THE AREA AND WERE SHOPPING. 
          HERE'S MY VISITOR PROFILE INSIGHT SLIDE. 
          THIS IS GOING TO COMPARE TO PREVIOUS QUARTERS SO THIS WILL COMPARE JANUARY TO MARCH AND APRIL TO JUNE. WE'RE COLLECTING DATA CURRENTLY BUT WE'LL HAVE MORE IN THE OCTOBER TO DECEMBER REPORT. 
          SO LOOKING COMPARED TO THE OR TWO PREVIOUS QUARTERS, VISITORS HAVE A SIGNIFICANTLY SHORTER TRIP PLANNING WINDOW. 
          28 DAYS, AND 25 DAYS RESPECTIVELY FOR PLANNING AND BOOKING. IT'S VERY LOW COMPARED TO THE OTHER QUARTERS AND ACROSS THE STATE. WE'RE SEEING THE TOP REASONS FOR VISITING REMAIN THE SAME WITH VISITORS COMING THERE FOR THE BEACH, HISTORY, AND TO VISIT FRIENDS AND RELATIVES. THOSE ARE THE MAIN DRIVERS, NOT TO SAY THERE AREN'T OTHER REASONS THEY'RE COMING BECAUSE THERE ARE BUT THOSE ARE THE TOP THREE IN TERMS OF HEY, THIS IS MOVING THE NEEDLE. WE'RE LOOKING AT THE NUMBER OF VISITORS TRAVING FROM NEW YORK, THAT NEARLY DOUBLED COMPARED TO THE OTHER QUARTERS SO AROUND 4% TO 5% IN THE OTHER QUARTERS AND NOW IT'S 9%. 
          WHILE MOST VISITORS ARE REPEAT TRAVELERS THERE'S A NICE INCREASE IN THOSE VISITING FOR THE FIRST TIME. 
          WE'RE SEEING MORE VISITORS ONLY CONSIDERED THE ST. 
          AUGUSTINE PONTE VEDRA AREA IN THIS QUARTER COMPARED TO THE OTHER TWO QUARTERS AS WELL AS MORE VISITORS RECALLING ADVERTISING AND BEING INFLUENCED BY THAT ADVERTISING. 
          A NICE LITTLE TWO FOR ONE TREND YOU'RE SEEING THERE, MORE 
          [01:40:02]
PEOPLE SAYING THEY DIRECTLY CONSIDERED ONLY COMING HERE AND THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE INFLUENCED BY THE ADVERTISING, THOSE ADVERTISEMENTS. 
          THAT COULD BE A DIRECT CORRELATION THERE. 
          NEXT, THERE IS AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF VISITORS WHO TRAVEL AS A FAMILY AND ÚWIT OTHER QUARTS. I THINK JULY TO SEPTEMBER, IT'S A BEACHY TIME TO COME TO THE AREA. YOU'RE SEEING MORE PEOPLE TRAVEL WITH THEIR FAMILIES, WHICH LED TO A LARGER TRAVEL PARTY SIZE. I THINK IT WAS AROUND 30% AND 40% THE TWO PREVIOUS QUARTERS AND NOW WE'RE UP TO HALF. A NICE, SIZABLE JUMP IN PERCENTAGE POINTS QUARTER TO QUARTER. 
          AND FINALLY, THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN VISITORS STAYING IN PAID ACCOMMODATIONS. 
          SPECIFICALLY VACATION RENTALS AND A DECREASE IN DAY TRIPPERS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE OF VISITORS WE COLLECTED DATA FROM COMPARED TO OTHER QUARTERS I THINK THIS IS A SHORTER LENGTH OF STAY, SO THERE'S MORE VISITORS COMING, STAYING FOR A SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME COMPARED TO, SAY, A JANUARY TO MARCH WHERE IT'S A LONGER LENGTH OF STAY, SPENDING MORE, BUT THEY'RE HERE FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME. IT'S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF VISITOR WHEN YOU COMPARE THE TWO QUARTERS. THAT IS SLIDE 18, SO THAT BRINGS ME TO THE END OF WHAT I'M GOING TO PRESENT ON THE REST OF THE REPORT IS THE DETAILED FINDINGS WHICH BREAKS OUT ALL THE QUESTIONS WE ASKED AND FULL VISITOR JOURNEY OF WHAT THE VISITORS ARE DOING. I'LL PAUSE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. 
          THAT'S THE END OF MY PRESENTATION. 
          >> ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. 
          VERY NICE PRESENTATION. I'M SORRY. 
          >> SO YOU SAID THE LAST TIME YOU DID THIS WAS IN 2019? 
          >> YES, THAT'S THE LAST TIME WE DID A VISITOR STUDY OF ST. JOHN'S COUNTY. 
          >> IS THAT TYPICAL, HOW IT'S NORMALLY -- IS THAT THE EXPECTATION MOVING FORWARD THAT WE'LL GET ANOTHER ONE OF THESE SIX YEARS FROM NOW? 
          >> THAT'S UP TO THE DETERMINATION -- 
          >> SUSAN IS SHAKING HER HEAD OUT IN THE AUDIENCE. 
          >> THAT'S A SUSAN QUESTION. I WILL NOT SPEAK ON THE RECORD FOR THAT. WE DO THIS STUDY WITH SOME OTHER DESTINATIONS YEARLY. SOME WE DO EVERY COUPLE YEARS. IT JUST DEPENDS ON, WHAT ONE, IS THE BUDGET, AND TWO, THE NEED FOR DATA COLLECTION. 
          >> I'M HAPPY TO ADDRESS AND GIVE YOU MY PERSONAL THOUGHT ON THIS. WE NEED TO HAVE THESE STUDIES DONE MORE FREQUENTLY. IT GIVES US GOOD DATA. 
          IT HELPS US MAKE GOOD DECISIONS. I DON'T KNOW WHY THE REASON IT'S BEEN SO LONG. CERTAINLY, WE HAD COVID INVOLVED PREVIOUSLY, BUT THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION IS REALLY VALUABLE. ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO MENTION, TOO, IS ISAIAH MENTIONED THAT SOME OF THE CHANGES ABOUT PEOPLE RECALLING THE ADVERTISING WAS FOR THE STUDY PERIOD OF JULY THROUGH SEPTEMBER. I WANT YOU TO KEEP IN MIND THAT WE HIRED A NEW ADVERTISING AGENCY ON APRIL 1ST AND I BELIEVE THEIR FIRST ADS STARTED HITTING ON MAY 12TH. 
          TO ME, PERHAPS THERE'S A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN THE NEW ADVERTISING AGENCY, NEW CAMPAIGN, REALLY GOOD STUFF GOING ON, SO THIS INFORMATION I TEND TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF A GEEK, NOT AS MUCH AS ISAIAH, BUT I LOVE SEEING THIS DATA BECAUSE IT MAKES US THINK, AND SOME OF THE NUMBERS ARE REALLY IN LINE WITH WHAT I WOULD WANT TO SEE. 
          THANK YOU. >> THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION. 
          LIKE, WHO -- THIS MUST BENEFIT THE ADVERTISING AGENCY AND THE DIRECTION THAT YOU'RE GIVING THAT ADVERTISING AGENCY. 
          >> EXACTLY. 
          >> AND WHAT'S WORKING AND NOT WORKING. 
          IT DOES SEEM LIKE THIS SHOULD BE ALMOST AN ANNUAL TYPE OF THING. 
          >> EXACTLY. 
          >> I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT. MY OTHER OBSERVATION IS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE BOTTOM LINE NUMBER IS VISITOR SATISFACTION. AND LIKELIHOOD OF RETURNING, AND BOTH OF THOSE LOOK INCREDIBLE. 
          SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THERE, RIGHT? 
          >> EXACTLY. 
          >> DID I LIKE IT AND AM I GOING TO COME BACK? IT SEEMS LIKE THOSE NUMBERS WERE INCREDIBLY HIGH. 
          THAT'S GOOD. 
          >> I THINK ALSO ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS WITH OUR INCREASED ADVERTISING BUDGET IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE STUDIES LIKE THIS SO WE KNOW HOW WE'RE TRACKING AND WE CAN MAKE OR TAKE CORRECTIVE MEASURES IF WE NEED TO. IF WE'RE DEALING WITH A STUDY FROM 2019, IT'S NOT REALLY RELEVANT IN TODAY'S DAY AND AGE. 
          >> AREN'T THEY DOING -- AREN'T WE CONTINUING TO DO THIS STUDY IN THE FIRST QUARTER? 
          >> WE'RE GOING TO. WE HAVE ADDED ON THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS BECAUSE WHILE WE HAVE THE RESEARCHERS HERE, IT MAKES SENSE TO ADD THAT ON. I THINK THAT STARTED THE SURVEYING STARTED THIS PAST SATURDAY. 
          >> YOU'RE CORRECT ON THAT. 
          >> THAT WILL CONTINUE UNTIL JANUARY. 
          >> GOOD. ALL RIGHTY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          >> MR. CHAIR. 
          >> YES. 
          >> BEFORE SUSAN GOES, SORRY. SUSAN, DID YOU HAVE -- I WOULD PERSONALLY LIKE TO SEE THIS HAPPEN EVERY YEAR, OF COURSE. BUT DID YOU HAVE ANY SURPRISES? 
          >> NOT REALLY. I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU. 
          I WAS GLAD TO SEE THAT THE SATISFACTION IS THERE. 
          WE KNOW WE HAVE A GREAT PRODUCT HERE. 
          I THINK WE HAVE BEEN A LITTLE WEAK ON OUR ADVERTISING MESSAGES IN THE PAST FEW YEARS. OF COURSE, WE HAD THE CHALLENGES WITH COVID AND SUCH, BUT I THINK IT WAS AN AFFIRMATION FOR ME THAT WE'RE DOING SOME THINGS 
          [01:45:03]
RIGHT. IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT EVERYTHING IS 100% PERFECT. BUT IT GIVES US SOME THINGS TO WORK ON MOVING FORWARD, AND AGAIN, WE'LL BE WORKING OFF THE CURRENT STUDY AS OPPOSED TO SOMETHING FROM YEARS BACK. 
          >> GREAT, THANKS. 
          >> I'LL ADD TO THAT THAT THE ANNUAL REPORT IS GOING TO BE PRESENTED AFTER WE GET THE OCTOBER TO DECEMBER DATA COLLECTION FINISHED AND COMPILE THAT REPORT. THE ANNUAL REPORT WILL DIVE MORE INTO A LOT OF KEY TOP LINE FIGURES AND HOW THINGS DIFFER QUARTER TO QUARTER IN THE FULL ANNUAL VERSION OF THE REPORT. 
          >> I HAVE ONE QUESTION. 
          >> SURE. 
          >> ISAIAH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THESE NUMBERS OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD BUT I'M GOING TO -- I'M LOOKING AT THE PRIMARY TRIP DESTINATION. 
          IS IT 96%? HOW IS THAT IN COMPARISON TO SOME COMPETITORS LIKE SAVANNAH OR CHARLESTON? IT SEEMS LIKE A HIGH NUMBER. 
          >> CAN YOU GIVE ME A PAGE NUMBER? 
          >> IT IS I THINK PAGE NUMBER 40. 
          >> 40. 
          >> SO IT JUST SEEMS REALLY HIGH. I THINK IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING THAT WE'RE THE PRIMARY VISIT, BUT I WONDER WHAT THAT LOOK LIKE IN COMPARISON TO OUR OTHER HISTORIC GROUPS LIKE SAVANNAH AND CHARLESTON. 
          >> I WILL SAY WE DON'T COLLECT DATA WITH SAVANNAH AND CHARLESTON SO I CAN'T GIVE YOU A DIRECT COMFAIRSON. I CAN GET WITH SUSAN AND TELL YOU HOW IT COMPARED TO THE OTHER PLACES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. I WILL NOTE THAT IT MAY NOT BE ASKED IN ALL OF OUR OTHER DESTINATIONS WE'RE WORKING WITH BECAUSE OUR SURVEYS ARE CUSTOMIZABLE TO EACH DESTINATION. BUT I CAN GET YOU SOME DATA ON THAT. 
          >> THANK YOU. 
          >> I THINK JUST READING INTUITIVELY THROUGH THE NUMBERS, WITH BEING 3. 7 AS THE AVERAGE STAY IN THE PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES, YOU HAD A LOT MORE PEOPLE RENTING AIRBNBS FOR A WEEK OR FIVE DAYS, AND SO THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE THEY WERE GOING FOR VACATION BECAUSE 3.7- DAY STAY IS A PRETTY HIGH STAY. 
          I DON'T THINK WE TYPICALLY SEE THAT. 
          SO I THINK THAT SKEWS AA OF LET ME GO TO DISNEY FOR TWO DAYS AND HERE FOR TWO DAYS. 
          >> I'M NOT SEEING -- I'M NOT SEEING THAT. 
          >> NO, BECAUSE I THINK YOU SEE, AND BEACH WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN SHOPPING. 
          AND THAT'S HISTORICALLY BACKWARDS. 
          SHOPPING IS USUALLY 70% SPEND WHEN PEOPLE ARE TRAVELING. 
          IT'S HIGHER THAN ALMOST ANYTHING ELSE. 
          THAT IT WAS BEACH VACATIONS WITH PEOPLE RENTING AIRBNB S. 
          I THINK IT'S A HIGHER PERCENTAGE THAN NORMAL AND SKEWING THE NUMBERS. 
          JUST LOOKING AT ALL THE DIFFERENT SLIDES. 
          IT MAY NOT BE ACCURATE, BUT IT FEELS LIKE WHAT IS HAPPENING. 
          YOU MAY KNOW BETTER, MICHAEL. 
          . >> ALL RIGHT. 
          SORRY TO MAKE YOU GO BACKWARDS. ALL THE WAY BACK TO PAGE 3. 
          I'M NOT SEEING ANY HOTELS IN DOWNTOWN ST. AUGUSTINE. 
          IT'S LISTED AS DOWNTOWN ST. AUGUSTINE AND DOWNTOWN ST. 
          AUGUSTINE VISITORS BUT I DIDN'T SEE A HOTEL IN THAT STUDY AT ALL. I THINK THAT'S -- I DON'T, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT COMPONENT TO HAVE IN THE STUDY. THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING WHEN I'M SEEING THESE NUMBERS I WAS LIKE, OOH, I WISH I WAS DOING THAT GOOD. 
          >> I'LL TOUCH PACE WITH EMILY FROM OUR TEAM. 
          SHE'S OUR PROJECT DIRECTOR WHO MANAGES THE DATA COLLECTION TO MAKE SURE THIS LIST IS UPDATED TO INCLUDE PROPERTIES THAT ARE IN DOWNTOWN. 
          I'M NOT SURE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD IF WE ARE COLLECTING DOWN THERE OR NOT. I WOULD ASSUME WE ARE TRYING TO CATCH VISITORS IN THAT GENERAL AREA. IF THEY ARE STAYING IN THE DOWNTOWN HOTEL, WE ARE COLLECTING ON THE STREET, TALKING TO THOSE VISITORS WHILE WE'RE HERE. SO THEY'RE NOT BEING MISSED PER SE IN OUR DATA COLLECTION EFFORTS BUT WE WOULD LOVE TO BE IN MORE DOWNTOWN HOTELS REGARDLESS, I THINK THAT WOULD BE EVEN IF WE ARE ALREADY AT FIVE, I WOULD LOVE TO BE AT 20. I'LL TOUCH BASE WITH HER ON THAT AS WELL. 
          >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          >> MR. CHAIR, I JUST HAD A COUPLE OBSERVATIONS. 
          I WONDERED, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE COMMUNITY, THE 
          [01:50:03]
TOURISM INDUSTRY HAS ALWAYS STRUGGLED WITH, IS ST. AUGUSTINE A DESTINATION? WE WANT TO BE A DESTINATION. WE WANT TO BE THIS IS INPLACE THEY'RE COMING TO WHEN THEY'RE PLANNING THEIR TRIP. 
          AND I'M WONDERING IF THAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT HOW SHORT A WINDOW THEY DO FOR PLANNING, TO COME HERE, AND I SEE HOW SHORT OF STAYS THEY'RE DOING, THEY'RE MAKING, I HAVE TO WONDER. 
          >> JUST TO BE CLEAR, THAT IS JUST IN JULY TO SEPTEMBER FOR THE BOOKING WINDOW. SO THAT BOOKING WINDOW IS DIFFERENT IN APRIL TO JUNE AND JANUARY TO MARCH. 
          >> JULY, ACCORDING TO OUR PEAK PERIOD MAP THAT WE WERE JUST GIVEN GRAPHIC, JULY IS A PEAK PERIOD, BUT AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER ARE NOT. 
          >> YEP. LOOKING AT OCCUPANCY COLLECTION IN THAT TIME PERIOD, JULY WAS STRONGER IN TERMS OF OCCUPANCY THAN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER. 
          >> I HAVE TO ASK THE QUESTION, ARE WE DOING A GOOD JOB AT PROMOTING OURSELVES OR MAKING OURSELVES A DESTINATION. 
          >> GREAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? 
          [10. FY25 DESTINATION MARKETING EXPENDITURE UPDATE]
ALL RIGHTY. NEXT AGENDA ITEM. DESTINATION MARKETING EXPENDITURE UPDATE. WHO IS DOING THAT? 
          >> I'M GETTING RIGHT THERE. 
          >> OH. 
          >> YES, THIS ITEM WAS BROUGHT BACK. 
          AT THE REQUEST OF THE CHAIRMAN FROM LAST MONTH'S MEETING TO GO OVER THE DESTINATION MARKETING EXPENDITURES. AND FY 2025, THERE WAS AN ALLOCATION TO CATEGORY ONE SERVICE LINE OF $7. 74 MILLION, OF THAT $3. 24 MILLION WAS ALLOCATED TO THE VCB FOR THEIR CORE SERVICES CONTRACT AND $4. 4 MILLION WAS ALLOCATED FOR THEIR MARKETING SERVICES CONTRACT. IN THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR '25, THERE WAS A SIX- MONTH MARKETING CONTRACT WITH THE VCB FOR WHERE THEY INVOICED $41,000 PER MONTH FOR THEIR SERVICES AND THEY ALSO INVOICED FOR MARKETING EXPENSES. AND THEN IN JANUARY 2025, A NEW FIVE- YEAR MARKETING CONTRACT WAS SIGNED, WHICH INDICATED THAT FUNDING FOR THE FIRST YEAR OF THE CONTRACT WAS $4. 5 MILLION PAYABLE TO THE VCB. AND FROM OCTOBER 1ST 2024 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025, THE COUNTY RECEIVED A TOTAL OF $3. 25 OF INVOICES FROM THE VCB FOR THEIR CORE SERVICES AND THEIR MARKETING SERVICES WAS $4. 533 MILLION, WHICH IS A LITTLE OVER WHAT THEIR BUDGET WAS, WHICH WAS OVER $4. 4 MILLION FOR THAT MARKETING LINE. THE FY '26 ALLOCATION FOR MARKETING IS $4. 5 MILLION. BUT THERE WAS $■133,481 OF MARKETING EXPENSES INVOICED FOR FY '25. THAT WILL NEED TO BE PAID, THAT WAS PAID OUT OF THE FY '26 MARKETING ALLOCATION. 
          DUE TO NOT HAVING ENOUGH MONEY AVAILABLE IN FY '25 TO PAY THAT ADDITIONAL MONEY. 
          >> THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I HAD HEARD A COUPLE MONTHS BACK. I DON'T REMEMBER ALL THE DETAILS. BUT THE 138 SEEMED TO BE A SURPRISE. IT LOOKED LIKE THE BUDGET WAS BROUGHT DOWN FROM WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY PROVIDED TO THE VCB. I MAY BE INCORRECT. 
          AND I DON'T RECALL. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ASK SUSAN TO DO THIS BECAUSE I HAVE ONLY GOTTEN BITS AND PARTS OF IT, AND DON'T KNOW WHAT ACCURATE SO I DON'T WANT TO MISSTATE ANYTHING. 
          BUT IT SEEMS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I RECALL. 
          >> MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT THE BUDGET WAS REDUCED DOWNWARD FROM $4. 5 MILLION, AND WE SPENT THE VCB DID SPEND THE $4.5 MILLION. 
          [01:55:01]
OF COURSE, SPENDING IT IN THE PROPER WAY FOR EVERYONE, SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE DISCREPANCY IS. 
          WE HAD $4. 5 MILLION, BUT I KNOW WHEN I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH TARA AND I HAVE AN EMAIL I HAVE TO PULL UP AND LOOK AT IN A MOMENT, SOMEHOW DURING THE YEAR, THE BUDGET WAS REDUCED DOWNWARD AND WE WERE NOT TOLD OF THAT UNTIL AFTERWARDS, AFTER THE FISCAL YEAR END CLOSED OUT. THAT'S WHERE THERE CAME OUT TO BE THE $134,000 DIFFERENCE. 
          >> IS THERE ANY WAY TO GET THE $4. 5 BACK FOR -- I GUESS WE'RE IN '26 BUDGET. 
          >> YES, SO ALL RIGHT, SO WE HAVE 4- 5 STARTING THIS YEAR. 
          THERE'S ANOVERAGE FROM LAST YEAR, ABOUT $133 AND CHANGE. 
          YOU WOULD NEED CONSENSUS FROM THIS COUNCIL TO BRING SOMETHING, AN AGENDA ITEM BACK TO THE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS TO REQUEST A RESERVE TRANSFER OUT OF CATEGORY ONE IN THAT AMOUNT. IN ORDER TO INSURE THAT THERE'S $4. 5 MILLION IN THERE FOR FY '26. 
          >> CHAIR. 
          >> YES. 
          >> ALL RIGHT. IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE SUSAN, YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD $4.5. YOU SPENT AT THAT LEVEL, YOU DO BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF YOU JUST DIDN'T GET THE WORD YOU HAD A BUDGET ADJUSTMENT OR HOW THAT PLAYED OUT. I AM NOT PREPARED RIGHT NOW TO VOTE FOR TAKING SOMETHING OUT OF RESERVE BECAUSE IT'S TOO EARLY IN THE SEASON TO MAKE THAT DECISION IN MY OPINION. 
          YOU'RE STILL DOING THINGS OPERATIONALLY, YOU KNOW, COME MAY, WE LOOK AT THIS, AND WE MIGHT NEED TO LOOK AT SOMETHING OUT OF RESERVE OR WE MIGHT NOT. 
          BUT I'M NOT PREPARED TO TAKE ANYTHING OUT OF RESERVE THIS EARLY IN THE SEASON. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE BETTER COMMUNICATION BETWEEN YOU GUYS TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T OVERSPEND AGAIN. 
          BUT THAT'S PRETTY TYPICAL WHEN YOU'RE WORKING WITH GOVERNMENT THAT YOU DO A MID- YEAR ADJUSTMENT IN THE BUDGET. 
          AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU JUST DIDN'T GET THE WORD THAT THAT MID- YEAR ADJUSTMENT TOOK I'M UNDERSTANDING IT. 
          >> THAT'S CORRECT. WE HAVEN'T HAD A MID- YEAR ADJUSTMENT PREVIOUSLY. OF COURSE, THIS YEAR WAS A LITTLE BIT OF AN ANOMALY BECAUSE WE SUDDENLY HAD ONE AGENCY FOR SIX MONTHS AND A NEW AGENCY FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS. SOMEHOW, IF THERE WAS AN ADJUSTMENT, IT WAS NOT SHARED WITH US BECAUSE OUR JOB AND GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SPEND, THAT WE DO NOT OVERSPEND, THAT IF ANYTHING WE'RE SPENDING A FEW LESS DOLLARS. WE WANT TO BE VERY FISCALLY SOUND. THAT MESSAGE WAS NOT SHARED WITH US. 
          >> YOU'RE A THIRD PARTY SO I COULD SEE HOW THAT GAP COULD ACTUALLY HAPPEN, WHERE EVERYONE ELSE GETS IT ON THEIR DIRECTOR'S REPORT AND YOU WOULDN'T BE INVOLVED IN THAT. BUT I THINK THAT COMMUNICATION NEEDS TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T DO IT AGAIN. BUT I'M NOT PREPARED RIGHT NOW TO PULL SOMETHING OUT OF RESERVES THIS EARLY IN THE GAME, NOT KNOWING -- I KNOW I'M 2% DOWN IN NOVEMBER FOR MY HOTELS. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS. 
          SO NOT SAYING YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THAT MONEY FROM THE RESERVES BUT I THINK IT'S TOO EARLY FOR ME TO VOTE FOR IT AT THIS TIME. 
          >> DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON THIS? OKAY. SO I GUESS WE'LL WAIT IF WE NEED TO SPEND THE MONEY, WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT AS WE GO DOWN THE YEAR. 
          ALL RIGHTY, THANK YOU. 
          [11. MONTHLY REPORTS PROVIDED IN PACKETS]
          >> THANK YOU. 
          >> NEXT IS THE MONTHLY REPORTS. AND SUSAN. 
          >> OKAY, I WANTED TO PICK OUT ACTUALLY IT'S NOT ON THIS SLIDE, BUT I WANTED TO JUST TALK, HOPEFULLY I CAN READ THIS WITHOUT MY GLASSES. I WANT TO COMMENT ON THE TDT COLLECTIONS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH. SEPTEMBER WAS UP 14% YEAR OVER YEAR ON COLLECTIONS. AND WE ENDED THE YEAR DOWN 0. 2 PERCENTAGE POINTS, WHICH REALLY IF YOU KEEP IN MIND AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT THE LAST TDC MEETING THAT LAST YEAR WE HAD HURRICANE MILTON IN OCTOBER, SO THE FACT THAT WE CAME IN PRETTY MUCH FLAT CONSIDERING THAT WE LOST ABOUT $2 MILLION IN TDT REVENUE LAST OCTOBER IS PRETTY DOG GONE GOOD, I'M NOT GOING TO -- WE ALWAYS WANT CITY THE NUMBERS GROW BUT IF WE 
          [02:00:01]
HADN'T HAD THE HURRICANE, WE WOULD SEEN A SIZABLE GROWTH. 
          RIGHT NOW LOOKING AT WHERE WE ARE TODAY, ALL OF OUR OWNEN CHALS, OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, OR PR, OUR WEBSITE ARE WORKING VERY WELL WITH VERY GOOD METRICS SO I THINK THAT'S GIVING US CAUSE FOR HOPE MOVING FORWARD. THE VIC NUMBERS ARE UP LOOKING AT OCTOBER AND WE'RE SEEING THAT TREND CONTINUING. 
          THE ONLY ONE WHICH IS DOWN IS GOING TO BE THE JACKSONVILLE VIV, AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS THEY HAVE CONSTRUCTION GOING ON THAT WILL CONTINUE UNTIL MARCH OF 2026. 
          LAST MONTH, WE TALKED ABOUT ZIP CODE SEGMENTATION FOR TDT COLLECTIONS. 
          AND I SHARED WITH YOU THAT THE PONTE VEDRA NUMBERS WERE DOWN, AS WERE THE WORLD GOLF INDIVIDUAL NUMBERS. 
          WE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT PONTE VEDRA RE- SORTS ARE HAVING RENOVATIONS. WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT TRENDING PROBABLY DOWNWARD FOR A WHILE. 
          I TALKED TO THE WORLD GOLF VILLAGE FOLKS SPECIFICALLY THE RENAISSANCE PROPERTY, AND ASKED THEM ABOUT THEIR DOUBLE DIGIT DECLINES BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE JUNE OF THIS YEAR. THEY HAVE A NEW MANAGEMENT OR NEW OWNERSHIP GROUP THAT PURCHASED THEM. AND THEY'RE REALLY FACING A CHALLENGE WITH RENOVATIONS. A LOT OF GROUPS ARE NOT RETURNING BECAUSE THEY REALLY NEED TO COMPLETE SOME RENOVATIONS. WHAT WE'RE HEARING, THE WORD IS THAT HOPEFULLY SOME RENOVATIONS WILL TAKE PLACE NEXT YEAR. 
          BUT I THINK THAT WHAT THIS IS GOING TO MEAN IS MOVING FORWARD WITH THE DOWNTURN FOR THE PONTE VEDRA NUMBERS AND FOR THETHE WORLD GOLF VILLAGE NUMBERS IT PUTS EXTRA PRESSURE ON THE BEACH, ON THE DOWNTOWN AREA, AND ALSO THE BEACH TO MAKE UP SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS. SO WE'RE TRYING TO STAY IN AS CLOSE OF TOUCH WITH THE FOLKS TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP OUT. THAT'S JUST KIND OF A REALITY CHECK OF WHERE WE'RE AT. 
          DEMAND FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS APPEARS TO BE PRETTY GOOD. AND FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON OVERALL, I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT IN JUST A MOMENT. WHEN WE LOOK AT NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, WHAT WE'RE DOING FROM AN ADVERTISING PERSPECTIVE IS REALLY FOCUSING ON THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, ON ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, ON MILANO BEACH AND ON WORLD GOLF VILLAGE. WE HAVE A SEPARATE CAMPAIGN THAT'S MORE HOLIDAY PONTE VEDRA HOLIDAY SPECIFIC THAT REALLY APPLIES TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THAT PART OF THE COUNTY. 
          BUT IT'S A LOT OF FOLKS WHO COME TO NIGHTS OF LIGHTS WHO DON'T NECESSARILY GO TO PONTE VEDRA OR VICE VERSA SO WE CAME UP WITH A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT CAMPAIGN FOR THAT. 
          I WANT TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT NOW ABOUT COLLABORATION. AND THIS IS A WORD THAT WE ALL LIKE TO USE. AND WE HAVE HEARD IT MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES TODAY. I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT TWO AREAS OF COLLABORATION THAT I THINK IS REALLY INSPIRING TO ME. THE FIRST ONE IS WITH THE CULTURAL COUNCIL. WE LOVE WORKING WITH JEFF POTTS AND HIS TEAM AND HIS BOARD AND I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING WE'RE DOING. WE'RE FINDING THAT THERE ARE MORE WAYS TO CREATECREATE SYNERGY, IF YOU WILL, AND TO COLLABORATE ON A LOT OF OUR PROJECTS. 
          JEFF AND HIS TEAM CAME UP WITH THIS BEAUTIFUL BLACK HERITAGE TRAIL GUIDE BOOK, AND YOU GUYS HAVE ALL SEEN THAT. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID, I THINK IT WAS ABOUT A WEEK AGO, I MET WITH JEFF AND BRENDA AND THE VISIT ST. AUGUSTINE TEAM. WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT OUR BLACK HISTORY APP WE CREATED ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, AND WE WANT TO TAKE THE BLACK HISTORY APP AND INCORPORATE A LOT OF THE GREAT STORIES THAT JEFF AND BRENDA PUT INTO THIS GUIDE BOOK, BUT ALSO WE WANT TO CROSS PROMOTE THE BLACK HISTORY APP AND PUT THAT ON THE CULTURAL COUNCIL'S WEBSITE. SEE YOU'RE GOING TO BE SEEING AND HEARING A LOT MORE PROJECTS MOVING FORWARD, AND A LOT MORE INITIATIVES IN WHICH THE CULTURAL COUNCIL AND THE BCB ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, OF COURSE, NOT ONLY CREATING THE SYNERGY AND COLLABORATION BUT I THINK IT'S GOING TO ULTIMATELY SAVE US SOME DOLLARS. 
          I WANTED TO SHARE THAT. WHERE THINK THAT'S A GOOD STORY ABOUT COLLABORATION, AND I THINK EVEN NOT GOING TO SAY EVEN MORE SO, BUT EVEN JUST AS IMPORTANTLY IS OUR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS COLLABORATION. 
          I HAVE TO GIVE CREDIT AND KUDOS TO SO MANY FOLKS, JUST ABOUT EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM, WHEN I LOOK AT MAYOR SIKES- KLINE, THE CITY HAS REALLY WORKED WITH US ON NIGHTS OF LIGHTS THIS YEAR. WE HAVE HAD A REALLY GOOD COLLABORATION. THE TDC AND THE BCC STEPPED UP AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL THAT FUNDING WAS PROVIDED FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, AND I LOOK AT THE CITY'S TEAMS, WORKING NOT ONLY WITH THE CITY MANAGER, THIS IS RELATIVELY, A RELATIVELY NEW RELATIONSHIP FOR US TO BE WORKING SO CLOSELY ON NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. 
          I LOOK AT MELISSA WHISTLE ON THE COMMUNICATION TEAM WITH THE CITY. ALSO WAYNE MORRISON WITH THE COUNTY. WE'RE ALL PULLING TOGETHER, TRYING TO GET OUR MESSAGING OUT THERE, TRYING TO MAKE THIS EVENT THE VERY BEST THAT IT CAN POSSIBLY BE FOR OUR VISITORS, FOR OUR RESIDENTS, AND FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING OUR SMALL BUSINESSES. SO I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOME OF OUR ADVERTISING EFFORTS, AND LET ME MAKE SURE THAT I DIDN'T MISS ANYTHING HERE. 
          WE CAME UP WITH ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN WE STEP BACK, AND I'LL SHOW YOU SOME OF THIS IN A 
          [02:05:01]
MOMENT. WHEN WE STEP BACK AND WE HAVE INGLOBAL, THE MACRO AS IRVING WOULD SAY, THE MACRO ADVERTISING FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS IS VERY IMPORTANT. THAT'S GOING TO GET THE VISITORS HERE. BUT WE FELT THERE WAS ALSO A CAMPAIGN THAT WE NEEDED TO CREATE TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT WHAT NIGHTS OF LIGHTS IS. WE KNOW THAT NIGHTS OF LIGHTS IS NOT A DRIVE- THROUGH EVENT. IT IS AN EVENT IN WHICH WE WANT FOLKS TO PARK THEIR CARS. WE WANT THEM TO GO TO OUR SATELLITE PARKING LOTS AND BE SHUTTLED IN, AND WE CAME UP WITH A CAMPAIGN THAT IS KNOW BEFORE YOU GO. 
          I SHARED SOME OF THAT WITH YOU ALL LAST MONTH. 
          BUT I HAVE SOME UPDATES TO THAT. SO I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO START OFF AND SHOW YOU SOME OF OUR ADVERTISING WE HAVE IN PLACE. SO THIS IS OUR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS CREATIVE. 
          >> NEVER TOO OLD TO GET LOST IN THE MAGIC OF THE HOLIDAYS. 
          SEE ST. AUGUSTINE, PONT AVEDA AND THE BEACHES VANCE FORM TO AA WONDERLAND OF LIGHTS, SIGHTS, AND MUSIC. LEARN MORE AT NIGHTSOFLIGHTS.COM. 
          >> AND THAT'S A 15- SECOND SPOT. 
          HERE'S A 30-SECOND. 
          >> YOU'RE NEVER TOO OLD TO GET LOST IN THE MAGIC OF THE HOLIDAYS. SEE ST. AUGUSTINE, PONTE VEDRA AND THE BEACHES TRANSFORM INTO A WINTER WONDERLAND OF LIGHTS, SIGHTS, AND MUSIC. EXPLORE 42 MILES OF SCENIC ATLANTIC COASTLINE AND WALK 20 ENCHANTING BLOCKS IN AMERICA'S OLDEST CITY, ALL DRESSED UP IN OUR HOLIDAY FINERY. 
          LEARN MORE AT NIGHTSOFLIGHTS.COM. 
          >> THESE ARE PAID SOCIAL ADS. EVERYTHING YOU'RE SEEING ARE OUR DIGITAL, SOME ONLINE VIDEO ADS, OUR PAID SOCIAL. 
          YOU'LL SEE THE ADVERTISING AGENCY, OF COURSE, WE COULDN'T COME IN AND DO A PHOTO SHOOT OR VIDEO SHOOT SO THIS IS USING THE EXISTING RESOURCES WE HAD AND I'M REALLY PLEASED TO SAY THEY HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB WITH THIS CAMPAIGN. 
          THAT'S MORE DIGITAL BANNERS. JUST VERY SIMPLE. 
          ALL OF THIS GOES TO OUR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS LANDING PAGE. 
          AND THAT HAS ALL SORTS OF ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT THE EVENT. AND THEN THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WE SHARED LAST MONTH, THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS KNOW BEFORE YOU GO CAMPAIG. AGAIN, I COVERED SOME OF THE SALIENT POINTS ABOUT THIS. BUT I THINK WHAT'S MOST EXCITING THAT I WANT TO SHOW YOU THAT WE DID NOT HAVE READY LAST MONTH IS A NIGHTS OF LIGHTS VIDEO THAT'S MEANT FOR OUR RESIDENTS, FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, AND ALSO FOR OUR VISITORS. 
          AND EXCUSE ME, THE APP, YOU SAW THAT LAST MONTH. 
          I WANT TO SHARE WHAT'S EXCITING ABOUT THE APP IS AS OF SATURDAY, WE HAD SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH, WE HAD ALMOST 23,000 DOWNLOADS. 
          23,000. SO WE'RE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE UPDATED THE APP SO THAT IT SHOWS NOT ONLY THE BEACH SHUTTLE THAT WAS VARIPOPULAR THIS PAST WEEKEND. 
          I KNOW THE COMMISSIONER TOLD ME WHEN I SAW HIM SATURDAY NIGHT HE RODE IT OVER FROM THE BEACH AND THE PARKING LOTS WERE FILLED WITH VISITORS WANTING TO COME OVER AND RESIDENTS AS WELL. 
          AND HERE'S THE VIDEO THAT I LIKE TO SHOW TO YOU. 
          >> MY FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR IN ST. AUGUSTINE. 
          THERE'S THIS INCREDIBLE ENERGY IN THE AIR. 
          A SENSE OF ANTICIPATION FOR THE SEASON OF WONDER. 
          OUR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS IS A COMMUNITY CELEBRATION. 
          AND BECAUSE WE WANT THE EXPERIENCE TO BE ENJOYABLE FOR EVERYONE, OUR RESIDENTS, OUR BUSINESSES, AND YOU, OUR GUEST, WE ASK THAT YOU KNOW BEFORE YOU GO. 
          TO REALLY EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC, YOU HAVE TO BE ON FOOT. 
          THIS IS NOT A DRIVE- THROUGH EVENT. 
          HERE'S A LOCALS SECRET FOR YOU. TO ENJOY THE GLOW AT A MORE RELAXED PACE, WE RECOMMEND VISITING ON A WEEK NIGHT. YOU'LL FIND MORE ROOM TO WANDER AND PARKING IS OFTEN EASIER TO COME BY. IF YOU'RE VISITING DURING THE AMAZING WEEKEND ENERGY, THE FREE PARK AND RIDE SHUTTLES ARE YOUR GOLDEN TICKET. 
          THEY RUN ON OUR BIZ Y NIGHTS, FRIDAYS, SATURDAYS, SUNDAYS AND A FEW OTHER SPECIAL DATES. THINK OF THEM AS THE OFFICIAL START OF YOUR ADVENTURE. 
          LETTING YOU SKIP THE TRAFFIC AND STEP DIRECTLY INTO THE GLOW OF THE OLDEST CITY. YOU CAN FIND THE FULL SHUTTLE SCHEDULE AND ALL PARKING OPTIONS AT NIGHTSOFLIGHTS.COM. ONCE YOU'RE HERE, REMEMBER TO CELEBRATE THE SEASON. THE GLOW ISN'T JUST FROM THE LIGHTS. IT'S FROM OUR INCREDIBLE LOCAL SHOPS. OUR RESTAURANTS, AND OUR ATTRACTIONS. EXPLORING THEM IS PART OF THE EXPERIENCE. AND FINALLY, PLEASE HELP US RESPECT THE LIGHTS. THIS IS A REAL WORKING CITY. 
          IT'S OUR HOME. FULL OF HISTORY. 
          BY USING OUR CROSSWALKS, FINDING A TRASH CAN, AND BEING COURTEOUS, YOU HELP US PRESERVE THE BEAUTY AND SPIRIT 
          [02:10:03]
OF THIS SPECIAL PLACE FOR EVERYONE. 
          SO BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT, START AT NIGHTSOFLIGHTS.COM. YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL NIGHTS OF LIGHTS APP WHICH PUTS EVERYTHING YOU NEED AT YOUR FINGERTIPS FROM REAL TIME UPDATES TO INTERACTIVE MAPS. 
          IT ALL COMES DOWN TO ONE SIMPLE IDEA. 
          KNOW BEFORE YOU GO. PLAN YOUR JOURNEY AND WE'LL SEE YOU UNDER THE LIGHTS. 
          >> AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. 
          >> I JUST HAVE A COMMENT. I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR -- OUR COMMISSION HEARD AND SAW THIS PRESENTATION FROM SUSAN, SO I WANTED TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING TO THE COMMISSION AND LETTING US KNOW. I THINK THAT THE APP IS BRILLIANCE. PURE BRILLIANCE. 
          I THINK THAT'S REALLY HELPING. THANK YOU FOR MANAGING EXPECTATIONS IN THE KNOW BEFORE YOU GO CAMPAIGN. 
          AND ESPECIALLY THAT IT'S NOT A DRIVE- THROUGH EVENT. 
          I THINK THAT'S GOING TO REALLY HELP CREATE A LEGACY BEYOND THIS EVENT FOR THE DIRECTION THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN GOING IN AND TRYING TO GO IN WITH PARK ONCE AND GO ON FOOT. AND I DEFINITELY LIKE THE ANGLE OF RESPECTING THE CITY. SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL NEED -- IT'S SAD WE NEED THESE REMINDERS BUT IT'S NOT A BAD IDEA TO MAKE THEM. 
          THE WAY THEY WERE DONE IS VERY THOUGHTFUL AND COURTEOUS. 
          AND RESPECTFUL TO THE VISITORS THEMSELVES. 
          SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT HAS BEEN WONDERFUL WORKING WITH YOU. AND I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GOOD ABOUT YOUR WHOLE ORGANIZATION. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
          >> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. 
          >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR SUSAN? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SUSAN. 
          HELLO, JEFF. 
          >> JEFF POTTS, JUST TWO REAL QUICK UPDATES. 
          ONE, THANK YOU TO SUSAN FOR MENTIONING OUR WORK WITH THE BLACK HERITAGE TRAIL. THOSE STORIES CONTINUE TO GAIN SOME PRETTY GREAT MOMENTUM AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT BRINGING PEOPLE IN FOR LEGACY TOURISM. 
          SO I'M SUPER GRATEFUL FOR THAT PARTNERSHIP. 
          THE OTHER PART OF OUR CONTRACT THAT KEEPS GROWING AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF IS ART IN PUBLIC SPACES. 
          QUICK -- TWO QUICK UPDATES ON THAT. 
          ONE, WE ARE WORKING ON A MASTER PUBLIC ART PLAN, AND ALL OF YOU AT SOME POINT ARE GOING TO BE ASKED FOR SOME OF YOUR BRAIN POWER TO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT. I HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN WITH SOME OF YOU, BUT I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT IS ONGOING AND SOMETHING WE HOPE TO HAVE READY BY THE SPRING. DIRECTLY RELATED TO THAT, ONE OF OUR ART IN PUBLIC SPACES PROGRAMS THAT I'M REALLY PROUD OF IS WHEN WE PUT LOCAL ARTWORK IN THE HALLS OF MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS SO THE STUFF IN THE ROTUNDA HERE AND THIS WEEK WE EXPAND THAT PROGRAM INTO THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES BUILDING WHERE WE PARTNERED WITH LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHERS TO BRING THE LIFE WORK THAT HIGHLIGHTS VETERANS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO STOP OVER AT THE BUILDING ANY TIME AFTER THIS THURSDAY WHEN WE OFFICIALLY OPEN AT 5:30. THAT HIBITION IS GOING TO BE UP THROUGH THE YEAR AND IT ADDS ANOTHER GREAT CANVAS TO TELL OUR STORY ABOUT ST. JOHN'S COUNTY. JUST WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE OF THAT. IF YOU HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS I'M HERE. OTHERWISE, I'LL GET OUT OF THE WAY. 
          >> THANK YOU, TIM. 
          [12. MEMBER COMMENTS]
          >> THANK YOU. 
          >> MEMBERS COMMENTS? WE WERE GOING TO GO BACK. 
          JESSE AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE FIREWORKS? 
          >> YES. SO I SPOKE WITH MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM WHO IS REPRESENTING THE MAIN STREET AND HE'S WILLING TO ABSORB THAT $25,000 COST FOR THE FIREWORKS WITHIN NEAR EXISTING FY '26 FUNDING THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE BOARD. 
          MAYOR, YOU HAD EXPRESSED SOME CONCERN ABOUT BUDGET CUTS POSSIBLY OR SOME CHANGES IN THE RULES RELATED TO THE CRAS. 
          AND/OR THE MAIN STREETS. THAT IS NOT THE CASE, THE VULLANO MAIN STREET RECEIVED $58,000 LAST YEAR. 
          THIS YEAR, THEIR CONTRACT WAS FOR $64,000. 
          SO THAT'S AN INCREASE OF $8,000. 
          CERTAINLY NO RULE CHANGES THERE. GOING TO PARSE THIS ALL TOGETHER. IT LOOKS LIKE WHERE THE FUNDING REDUCTION CAME IN, AND I THINK A LOT OF AGENCIES EXPERIENCED THIS, ACTUALLY WHO COME FORWARD WITH THE TDC, IS THAT THE ARTS CULTURE AND HERITAGE GRANT PROGRAM, IN '25, AND THIS WAS PART OF OUR BUDGET DISCUSSIONS FOR '25, IT WAS $1. 2 MILLION. 
          FOR '26, IT WAS $633,000. SO CERTAINLY THERE WAS A 
          [02:15:05]
REDUCTION IN THE PROGRAM. SPECIFIC TO VELANO MAIN STREET, GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. '25'S PROGRAM WAS A HIGHER PROGRAM THAT WAS AVAILABLE FOR ALLOCATION. TO THE MAIN STREET IN '24, THEY RECEIVED $22,500. IN '25, THAT WAS INCREASED TO ALMOST $63,000. SO $22. 5 TO $63. 
          FOR '26, THEY REQUESTED $100,000 THROUGH TWO INITIATIVES. AND AGAIN, BECAUSE THE OVERALL ACH GRANT PROGRAM WAS LOWER FOR '26, THIS TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL FUNDED OF THAT $100,000, $43,000 OF THAT. 
          THAT WAS THE REDUCTION IN FUNDING. 
          AND AGAIN, MANY OF THE AGENCIES THAT COME THROUGH HERE HAD TO EXPERIENCE THIS YEAR. 
          >> JESSE, I WANT TO GET IN FOR HOUSE CLEANING ON THIS. 
          IN '24, THAT NUMBER WAS SO HIGH BECAUSE THE STATE, WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO GIVE THEM A ONE- TIME BOOST IN '24. THAT'S WHY IT WENT TO $1.2. 
          IT WAS -- 
          >> IT WAS '25. I THINK WE VOTED ON IT IN '24. 
          >> BUDGET YEAR '25. THAT'S THE REASON THAT THAT NUMBER WAS INCREASED BECAUSE OF WHAT THE STATE HAD DONE. SO IT WASN'T LIKE WE TOOK MONEY AWAY FROM THEM. 
          >> THAT'S CORRECT. 
          >> WE GAVE THEM THAT EXTRA $600,000 FOR THAT ONE- TIME BAIL- OUT BEAL. 
          >> THAT'S CORRECT. 
          >> I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS CLEAR. 
          NO ONE GOT CUT THIS YEAR. THEY JUST DIDN'T GET THEIR BAIL- OUT THEY RECEIVED THE YEAR BEFORE. 
          >> I THINK THAT'S A GREAT CLARIFICATION. 
          THERE WAS AN OVERALL FUNDING REDUCTION BUT NO ONE WAS CUT, IF YOU WILL. I THINK THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE MAIN STREET WALKED AWAY TODAY SAYING, ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO ABSORB THIS FIREWORKS WITHIN THEIR CURRENT, THEIR EXISTING BUDGET SO WE EXPECT TO SEE HAD FIREWORKS IN THE NEXT MONTH. 
          >> THAT'S A GOOD BOTTOM LINE. PERFECT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          >> THANK YOU. 
          >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WORKING THROUGH THAT. 
          >> ALL RIGHTY. MEMBERS, COMMENTS? MICHAEL? 
          >> I HAVE ONE OVER HERE. I'LL BE VERY BRIEF, THOUGH. 
          >> WHATEVER YOU WOULD LIKE TO 
          DO. >> I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY RECENTLY TO MEET WITH JEFF POTTS AND TOUR THE WATER WORKS BUILDING WHICH I HAD NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE. 
          >> ISN'T IT COOL? 
          >> REALLY A VERY SPECIAL LITTLE BUILDING. 
          SO I JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THERE. 
          AND IT'S VERY EXCITING TO SEE EVERYTHING GOING ON WITH JEFF AND HIS TEAM. AND THEIR COORDINATION WITH THE VCB AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF VERY POSITIVE ENERGY GOING ON WITH ALL OF THAT. AND SO I'M VERY EXCITED FOR THAT. AND THEN TALKING ABOUT BUILDING SYNERGYS. WE CAME UP WITH SOME BRAINSTORMING IDEAS OF, YOU KNOW, CREATING SOME SYNERGIESSYNERGIES WITH FRIENDS OF THE CONCERT HALL, AND GABE OBVIOUSLY IS DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB. 
          I THINK THEY HAD 25 SHOWS SINCE THE REOPENING AND THEY HAVE GOT 54 ON THE SCHEDULE ALREADY, AND THEY'RE HAVING JUST AN UNBELIEVALE TIME UP THERE. AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF HOW MUCH COMMUNITY SUPPORT THEY'RE GETTING, WHEN I FIRST JOINED THE FRIENDS OF THE CONCERT HALL, PROBABLY GOING BACK TEN YEARS AGO, MAYBE MORE, THERE WAS 125 FRIENDS. AND NOW THEY'RE UP TO LIKE 1400 PLUS FRIENDS. 
          >> WOW. 
          >> SO THE MOMENTUM THAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CONCERT HALL, YOU KNOW, THANKS TO GABE AND HIS TEAM AND JERRY WILSON AND HIS HARD WORK, IS REALLY UNBELIEVABLE. SO JUST SOME NEWS FROM UP THERE. 
          >> GREAT. ANYTHING ELSE? 
          >> ALONG THOSE SAME LINES, WE ARE WRAPPING UP OUR CONSTRUCTION PRESERVATION FOR EXCELSIOR HIGH SCHOOL. WE HAVE ALSO INVESTED A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY, NOT FROM THE COUNTY, BUT FOR AN EVENT SPACE THAT WE HOPE TO BE PRESENTING, YOU KNOW, MORE PROGRAMS AND STUFF AND WORKING WITH GABE AND SOME OF THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS HERE TO HELP TO PROMOTE THAT IN THE SOUTHERN END OF ST. JOHN'S, ST. AUGUSTINE, AND I INVITE YOU ALL TO COME VISIT US AT THE MUSEUM AND CULTURAL CENTER AND SEE THE PROJECT THAT WE HAVE CREATED. IT IS SOMETHING JEFF HAS BEEN THERE, HE'S BEEN ON JORGE'S ST. 
          AUGUSTINE TONIGHT SHOW. WE HAVE A COUPLE EVENTS THAT ARE COMING UP, AND I INVITE YOU ALL TO JUST COME AND SEE WHAT WE HAVE DONE. I THINK YOU WOULD BE PROUD OF 
          IT. >> THAT'S GREAT. 
          MAYOR? 
          >> I JUST WANT TO SAY HEAR HEAR, I WAS ON THE TONIGHT SHOW. 
          I WAS ON -- IT WAS REALLY WONDERFUL. 
          IT WAS REFRESHING. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL VENUE. 
          [02:20:02]
WHAT YOU HAVE DONE THERE IS AMAZING. 
          IT'S REALLY A BEAUTIFUL WE'RE GOING TO GET A LOT OF REALLY GOOD USE OUT OF IT. CONGRATULATIONS. 
          >> ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS? ALL RIGHTY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.