[Items 1 - 3]
[00:00:06]
>> I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE MEET TO ORDER. I'M GOIK START US OFF WITH THE
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. PLEASE JOIN. >> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION
UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. >> ALRIGHT, YOP IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO ROLL CALL, IS LEX GOING TO DO ROLL CALL FOR US?
YEAH, PLEASE DO ROLL CALL. >> COMMISSIONER SARAH WILL BE ABSENCE.
CLAIR BLEVINS. >> PRESENT. >> CHARLES COX ?FRNLT HERE.
>> MICHAEL GORDON? >> HERE. >> IRVING KASS WILL BE ABSENT
SO, RI. GAIL PHILLIPS? >> HERE.
>> MAYOR NANCY SIKES SKLIEN? >> HERE. >> AND SARAH?
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
>> HERE. >> AND MICHAEL WICKS? >> HERE.
>> LOOKING FOR APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. ANY ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS IN
>> DO YOU NEED A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
>> SECOND. ER >> I HAVE A MOTION AND A
SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> ALRIGHT.
[5. SELECTION OF NEW CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR]
THAT BRINGERS S -- BRINGS US TO SELECTION OF THE NEW CHAIR AND VICE XHAIR, LEX, CAN YOU TALK US THROUGH THE PROCESS, THEN WE'LL PROCEED FROM THERE AND THEN WE DO PUBLIC COMMENT AFTERTHAT BEFORE WE VOTE, IS THAT THE WAY IT WORKS? >> THAT'S THE WAY IT WORKS.
SO, WE OPEN UP NOMINATIONS, EVERYBODY THAT WANTS TO BE NOMINATED IS NOMINATED.
THEY ARE VOTED ON IN REVERSE ORDER OF WHOEVER IS NOMINATED FIRST IS THE FIRST PERSON TO BE VOTED ON. ONCE YOU GET A MAJORITY, THEN YOU HAVE AN ELECTED CHAIR.
AND THEN VICE CHAIR IS ELECTED THE SAME WAY. >> ALRIGHT.
I'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE FLOOR FOR -- I GUESS WE DO CHAIR AND THEN VICE CHAIR IN THAT ORDER?
>> CORRECT. ER >> I'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE
FLOOR. >> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO NOMINATE MR. TROY BLEVINS AS
CHAIR. >> I'LL SECOND IT. >> ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS FOR
CHAIR? >> I GUESS WE HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PORTION HERE.
>> CORRECT. >> OKAY. WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT. MICHAEL, YOU HAVE YOUR CHEAT SHEET, YOU GET TO READ.
>> THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME THE BOARD WILL HEAR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, NOT AT THIS TIME, THAT ARE NOT SCHEDULED ON THE AGENDA TODAY. WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD, COME TO ONE OF THE THREE PODIUMS AND STATE YOUR NEE NAME ADDRESS, EACH PERSON WILL BE PROVIDED THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK, WE ASK YOU SPEAK DIRECTLY IN THE MICROPHONE.
SPEAKERS WILL COMPLY WITH THE BOARD'S RULE OF CIVILITY AND DECORUM.
SPEAKERS MAY NOT BEDEMAND AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE FROM THE BOARD.
MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE ARE REFRAIN FROM ANY DEMONSTRATIVE OF APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF
ANY COMMENTS. >> WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME, IF
THERE'S ANY PUBLIC COMMENT. >> THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE --
>> THIS IS FOR THE NOMINATION. >> YES. >> OKAY.
I DON'T SEE ANYBODY. ALRIGHT, I GUESS WE CAN PUT IT TO A VOTE.
MADAM CLERK? IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING, DENA'S VOICE IS NOT AT ITS STRONGEST, THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING THINGS A LITTLE OUT OF ORDER.
>> TROY BLEVINS? >> YES. >> CHARLES COX?
>> YES. >> MICHAEL GORDON? >> YES.
>> GAIL PHILLIPS? >> YES. >> MAYOR NANCY SIKES-KLINE?
>> YES. >> MAYOR SWAOEN NAO*E? >> YES.
>> AND MICHAEL WICKS? >> YES. ER
>> SHOULD I GET UP AND SIT BACK DOWN? OKAY.
THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. AND NOW WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR
NOMINATIONS FOR VICE CHAIR. >> I'M GOIPG TO NOMINATE CHARLES COX FOR VICE CHAIR.
>> I SECOND. >> CHARLES, DO YOU ACCEPT? OKAY.
IS THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS FOR VICE CHAIR? ALRIGHT.
WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE VICE CHAIR. OKAY, I DON'T SEE ANYBODY
[00:05:01]
RUNNING AND JUMPING AND SCREAMING, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND PUT THIS TO A VOTE.>> TROY BLEVINS? >> YES. >> CHARLES COX?
>> YES. >> MICHAEL GORDON? >> YES.
>> GAIL GAIL PHILLIPS? >> YES. >> MAYOR NANCY SIKES-KLINE?
>> YES. >> MAYOR SWAOEN NAO*E? >> YES.
>> AND MICHAEL WICKS? >> YES. >> I GUESS YOU HAVE TO CHANGE SEATS NOW, I KNOW YOU'RE SUPER COMFORTABLE. WHILE THESE TWO GENTLEMEN ARE
[6. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
SWITCHING SPOTS, WE HAVE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, IF ANYONE IS -- ANY CHANGES ORDELETIONS O THE MINUTES, BUT WE'LL ACCEPT A MOTION TO ACCEPT. >> I MOVER THAT THE MINUTES ARE
APPROVED AS READ. >> SECOND. >> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR?
>> AYE. >> ALRIGHT. NOW THIS IS OUR TIME FOR OPEN
[7. PUBLIC COMMENT]
PUBLIC COMMENT. MICHAEL'S ALREADY READ THE RULES OF OPEN COMMENT, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES, SO THIS IS FOR ANY ITEM THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA.>> MY NAME IS SANDRA PARKS, I LIVE AT 204 CECILIA COURT, ST. ALLYING STAOEN, 32086.
I COME FORWARD WITH A SPAOES OF HISTORY WHILE IT'S NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE DECISIONS YOU'RE GOING TO BE MAKING ABOUT THE BUDGET TODAY, IT IS VERY SIGNIFICANT TO THOSE OF US WHO HELPED PASS THE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ACT. FROM 1983 TO 1987, I SERVED OP THE ST. AUGUSTINE CITY COMMISSION. MY FATHER WAS A SIX TERM COUNTY COMMISSIONER AND BECAUSE WE HAD A SMALL HOTEL ON ST. GEORGE STREET T CITY COMMISSION NEEDS TO BE ON THE TOURISM BOARD WHICH IS THE FORERUNNER OF THIS BOARD.
AT THAT TIME, IT WAS KEKTDED TO -- CONNECTED TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
THREE TIMES WE HAD TAKEN OUT THE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT TAX ELECTION AND THREE TIMES IT HAD BEEN DEFEATED. THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PAID A HANDSOME SUM TO A JACKSONVILLE FIRM TO DO A STUDY OF WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS WORTHWHILE TO TAKE IT OUT AGAIN AND THE ANSWER CAME BACK ABSOLUTELY NOT. SO, THE TOURISM ADVISORY BOARD CALLED A MEETING AT THE MONSON HOTEL, JIMMY BROCK WAS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HOSPITALITY -- THE HOTEL ASSOCIATION THEN.
AND WE SAT DOWN WITH THE ARTS COMMUNITY THAT HAD CURRENTLY OPPOSED THE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ACT ON THE GROUNDS THAT IT WAS GOING TO CREATE BILLBOARDS BETWEEN HERE AND GEORGIA THAT WERE UNSIGHTLY AND OUT OF KEEPING WITH CULTURAL -- THEIR CULTURAL VALUES.
AT THAT MEETING, WE DISCUSSED HOW THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, THE ARTS INDUSTRY AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT WERE SO INTERCONNECTED THAT IF YOU CUT ONE, THE OTHERS BLEED.
AND THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMUNITY IN TRYING TO PASS THE ACT. IN THOSE YEARS, A FEW THINGS HAVE CHANGED, TWO, ORIGINALLY ARTS AND CULTURE WAS TO RECEIVE ONE-THIRD OF THE TOURISM MONEY THAT IS NO LONGER THE CASE.
THE SECOND WAS THE COMMUNITY NEEDED A PERFORMING ARTS AND COUNTY AUDITORIUM AND EARLIEST, MY UNDERSTANDING IS EARLY IN THE GAME, SOME MONEY WAS SET ASIDE FOR THE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT MONEY TO BEGIN TO FAWNED FACILITY. WELL, IT'S BEEN 40 YEARS, THE CULTURAL COMMUNITY NO LONGER GETS IT IS ONE-THIRD THAT IT WAS PROMISED AND WE STILL DON'T HAVE A COUNTY AUDITORIUM. AS YOU DELIBERATE TODAY AND MOVE FORWARD TO PROMOTE TOURISM IN OUR COMMUNITY, PLEASE REMEMBER THE COMMITMENTS MADE BUT NOT FULFILLED.
THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, SANDRA. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS?
THANK YOU. >> MY NAME IS JOE KISTEL, 12374 HAGAN CREEK, JACKSONVILLE,
[00:10:11]
FLORIDA, ILL LIKE TO REMIND YOU THE IMPORTANCE OF FISHING AND SCUBA DIVING IN FLORIDA SPECIFICALLY FROM AN ECONOMIC STANDPOINT. SALT WATER FISHING ALONE BRINGING IN ABOUT 10 BILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY FROM THOSE ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE STATE.NOW, TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S A PRETTY BIG NUMBER.
FOR EACH COUNTY FOR EVERY PERCENT THEY GET IT AT IS AN ADDITIONAL 100 MILLION DOLLARS, SO SALT WATER FISH IFING ALONE IS SUBSTANTIAL. SKAOUB DIVER FRAMING A STATEWIDE STANDPOINT IS ONLY ABOUT A BILLION DOLLARS ECONOMIC WISE, BUT COMPARED TO SALT WATER FISH, IT BRINGS A TOTAL POT TO I GUESS 11 BILLION, SO I SUGGEST THAT JUST BECAUSE IT'S A BIG ENOUGH POT THAT'S WORTH THERE TO BE MOTIVATED TO TRY TO GET AS MUCH OUT OF IT AS WE CAN. NOW ST. JOHNS COUNTY IS ALREADY IN A GOOD POSITION, J*T JOHNS COUNTY IS A NICE FISHING TOWN. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO THE CONK HOUSE IN THE EVENING, YOU'VE SEEN CHARTER BOATS COME IN WITH A BOAT LOAD OF FISH AND FISHERMEN SMILING.
THE REASON WE HAVE THAT SITUATION IS WE HAVE OFF SHORE REHAB TANTINTS, THESE ARE ARTIFICIAL REEFS, THESE ARE OFF SHORE DESTINATION, THESE ARE SITES THAT CREATE BIOMASS AND HOLD FISH OF INTEREST THAT FISHERMEN LIKE TO CATCH, WE COULD DO BETTER IF WE WERE BETTER WITH OUR AWARENESS OF WHAT WE HAVE. I DON'T HAVE TIME TO GO INTO MY BACKGROUND, I'M GOING THE LEAVE A REEF GUIDE BOOK THAT I DRAFTED JUST TO GIVE YOU BACKGROUND ON OUR LOCAL REEFS. I'M IN AN INTERESTING POSITION RIGHT NOW, MY COMPANY IS SHOOTING AN UNDERWATER COMMENT CK DK DOCUMENTARY WEBSINGER HAVE CAMERA CANNON, THEY PROVIDE S*FRS KATE CAMERA TECHNOLOGY FOR US TO USE ON THAT PROJECT.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE IF THE COUNTY IS INTERESTED TO TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF US WHILE WE HAVE THIS EQUIPMENT TO DO AN UPDATED OUTREACH PIECE ON OUR OFF SHORE REEF SYSTEMS. WHAT I WOULD MAYBE PROPOSE IS MAYBE DO AN UPDATE ON THE MOST RECENT ARTIFICIAL REEF THAT WAS PLACED OFF SHORE ST. JOHNS COUNTY IN 2022A REEF WAS DEPLOYED, IT'S AGED OR EVOLVED NOW SO WE CAN GO DO* DOWN WITH SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT, GO DOWN AND SHOWCASE WHY THE COUNTY PUT THE EFFORT TO BUILD THIS REEF TO CREATE BOTH THE MARINE BIOSPOT, BASE SKLI A SPOT THAT BENEFITS MARINE ENIRONMENT BUT ALSO A RECREATIONAL OFF SHORE DESTINATION THAT CAN BE USED BY LOCAL AND IS TRAVELERS TO ST. AUGUSTINE, MY EXACT -- CONTACT
INFORMATION IS IN THERE IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS FURTHER. >> LEAVE A COPY WITH THE CLERK,
PLEASE, ALSO. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.
>> ANY OTHER O PUBLIC COMMENT THAT'S NOT RELATED TO AN AGENDA ITEM? ALRIGHT. I'LL CLOSE OUT PUBLIC COMMENT WHICH WILL BRING US TO AGENDA
[8. SJC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESENTATION]
ITEM NUMBER 8, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, ISABELLE HAS A A PRESENTATION FOR US, WE'LL CALLUP THE CHAMBER. RJS >> GOOD AFTERNOON, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE, TODAY WE ARE PROUD TO PRESENT TO YOU THE WORK THAT WE HAVE COMPLETED NR DEVELOPING EXPANSES TO VISITORS THAT WERE INTERESTED IN CULTURE AND HERITAGE.
WHILE WE'RE PRESENTING CULTURE AND HERITAGE TO YOU TODAY AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN, IT SAYS [INAUDIBLE], WHAT WE'RE DOING ALSO, WE'RE DOING A REFRESH OF THE PONTE VEDRA.COM WEBSITE, AS WELL AS WE CREATE THE PONTE VEDRA NATURALLY AND WELLNESS SITE WHICH YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH. OUR ROLE AS THE DESTINATION ARCHITECT IS TO CONNECT THE INCREDIBLE TOURISM RELATED ASSETS WE HAVE IN THE PONTE VEDRA GAYER AND LEAVE IT TO STORYTELLING AND MAKE IT EASIER FOR OUR VISITORS TO EXPANSE THE AIR YA, SO WE WANT TO SERVE UP THE EXPERIENCE. ON THE NEXT PAGE, YOU WILL SEE THE REFRESH OF EXPANSE PONTE
[00:15:06]
VEDRA HOME PAGE, THAT PAGE WAS CREATED IN 2023. THIS WAS FOLLOWING THE RECOMMENDATION OF OUR PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT WORKING GROUP WHO WANTED AND BELIEVED THAT THE EXPERIENCE SHOWCASED THEIR PONTE VEDRA WELLNESS AND IT SHOULD BE REGROUPED UNDER ONE UMBRELLA OF EXPANSES. THIS MAKES IT EASIER FOR VISITORS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS IN THE PONTE VEDRA AREA, WHAT THEY HAVE TO OFFER, IN ADDITION TO WELLNESS, WE FROENT YOU THE CULTURAL PILLAR, THAT WILL FURTHER EXPAND THE STORYTELLING FOR PONTE VEDRA, THIS IS A RESULT OF A FRAMEWORK THAT BRINGS NATURE, WELLNESS, CULTURAL AND HERITAGE WHICH YOU MAY REMEMBER WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE THREE PILLARS FROM THE STUDY THAT WAS DONE BY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN 2017. SO, JUST TO BRING YOU BACK IN 2017, THE TDC PAID FOR THE STUDY TO BE DONE BY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA AND WE'VE TAKEN THAT STUDY SXIT'S NOT SITTING ON OUR SHELF. IT TOOK LIFE BY POINT TOG YOU ALL THE RESULTS OF ALL THOSE PILLARS THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT OVER THE YEARS SO WE BASICALLY FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS HAVE IMPLEMENTED ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WAS IN THAT STUDY THAT YOU PAID FOR TAT TIME. ON THE NEXT PAGE, IS OUR PRODUCT DEVELOPING WORKING GROUP. ONE THING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW IS WE HAVE NOT DEVELOPED THAT IN SILO OR ALONE, WE INTENTION MALI EVERY TIME WE DO A PILLAR, WE INTENTIONALLY SBE -- BESB*E GAIT *F GRATE A PROFESSIONAL AND DIVERSE EXPERIENCE WITH THE PONTE VEDRA AREA, SO FOR WELLNESS, WE HAVE EXPERTS RELATED TO WELLNESS, THE PONTE VEDRA AIR YA, FOR CULTURE, THIS IS THE LIST OF THE MEMBERS THAT HAVE ENSURED THAT OUR PRIORITIES AND APPROACHES ARE NOT DEVELOPED BY A SINGLE PERSON OR A SINGLE ENTITY, SOIT'S NOT THE CHAMBER JUST DEVELOPING THIS, THIS IS A GROUP OF EXPERTS THAT ALL BROUGHT THEIR OPINION ABOUT SHOULD BE FEATURED YOU SHOULD THE PONTE VEDRA CULTURE AND TER TAJ.THIS IS A COLLECTIVE EFFORT AND THAT EFFORT IS ALSO GUIDED BY THE ADVICE OF A CONSULTANT, MITCH NICHOLLE THAT HAS GUYED US THROUGH THIS PROCESS, SOME GROUP MEMBERS ARE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE AS WELL AS OUR PAST CHAIR TOF CHAMBER, BER TA*, BUT WE ALSO HAVE ALEX WITH THE PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM THAT IS JIBING US, DIANYA IS PART OF THIS GROUP AND PHILLIP FROM THE CVS, I WANT YOU TO TAKE A LIST OF THOSE MEMBERS WHO HAVE MADE THIS POSSIBLE, TRULY WE COULD NOT HAVE GONE THROUGH ALL THIS PROCESS AND COME WITH AN EXPANDED REACH WITHOUT THEIR PARTICIPATION SO I WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE THEIR EFFORT AND THEIR TIME, THEIR EXPERTISE AND THEIR WILLINGNESS TO HELP. THANK YOU, ALL. SO, JUST TO RECAP A LITTLE BIT, THE CHAMBER IS -- WE REPRESENT 900 MEMBERS, WE HAVE TWO LOW CASES, WE COVER THE ENTIRE COUNTY, WE HAVE A BOARD VOLUNTEER, OF COURSE, BUT WE SEE THIS TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AS REALLY A PART OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR ST. JOHNS COUNTY.
WHEN VISITORS COME HERE, THEY SUPPORT JOBS, THEY SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES AND THAT REALLY STRENGTHENS OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY. FOR THE CHAMBER T MAIN APPEAL IS THAT WE BELIEVE WE ARE PROVIDING A HEIGHTENED VISIBILITY TO OUR ASSETS HERE T TOURISM ASSETS WE HAVE, IT WILL HELP BRING NEW AND RETURNING VISITORS NEEDING ADDITIONAL SERVICES WHICH WILL OPEN THE DOORS FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP OPPORTUNITY AND SERVE THIS NEW CUSTOMER BASE THAT WILL ULTIMATELY STIMULATE OUR ECONOMY.
SO, OUR ROLE IS A DESTINATION ARCHITECT ROLE. TO DIFFERENTIATE FROM DESTINATION MARKETING, OUR ROLE IS NOT TO MARKET THOSE PRODUCTS, TO DEVELOP OUR PRODUCTS AND FOR OUR PARTNERS TO PROMOTE THEM. WE DESCRIBE OUR ROLE AS DECISION ARCHITECT, WE LING K THE ASSETS IS AND ALIGN THE PARTNER AND EXPERIENCE THE ACTIVITY OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE AND HELP STRENGTHEN THE STORY. OUR WORK IS NOT ABOUT BUILDING MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TOIPT BRING. WE COULD COME TO YOU AND SAY SUPPORT PONTE VEDRA TOURISM IN THE AREA, WE NEED SOMETHING TO BRING PEOPLE, WE'RE TRYING TO LIMIT THE COST BY SINGING USING -- USING THE TOURISM ASSET THAT IS ARE THERE AND PACKAGING THEM IN A WAY TO COMPELLING THEM TO SERVING THEM TO THE VISITORS, SO IT HAS A LESSER IMPACT
[00:20:04]
FINANCIALLY BUT STILL AN IMPACT FOR ADDING TO THE PORTFOLIO OF EXPERIENCES THE VCB AND OUR PARTNERS TO PROMOTE AND WE CAN GET MORE GRANULAR WITH THOSE EXPERIENCES BECAUSE WE CAN SEE WHAT TYPE OF SPACERS WE CAN HAVE. JUST TO RECAP FOR THOSE WHO ARE NEW O WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, IN 2014 THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WAS TASKED TO [INAUDIBLE] THE CENTER, IT INCLUDED THE CREATION OF NEW CHOICE AND PRODUCT FOR THE PONTE VEDRA AREA SPECIFICALLY IN A A PROJECT CALLED ENHANCE THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE IN PONTE VEDRA, WE WERE TASKED TO TO THAT BY THIS BOARD, THE CHAMBER CONTRACTED UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA THROUGH YOUR APPROVAL AND THE NICHOLLE TOURISM GROUP AND THE 2017 DESTINATION ARCHITECT PLAN. SO, FROM THAT PLAN, WE STARTED WITH PONTE VEDRA NATURAL EXPERIENCES, WE HAVE 25 EXPERIENCES THERE, THEN THE WELLNESS TO ELEVATE THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS EXPERIENCES AND THEN NOW CULTURE AND HERITAGE EXPANDING INTO ART, HISTORY, FOOD AND *ET -- ETHNIC. SO, WHEN WE FIRST LOOKED AT THE DATA, THIS IS WHY ITS'S IMPORTANT WHEN WE FIRST LOOK AT DATA BACK IN 2017 AND I DON'T KNOW IF SOME OF YOU REMEMBER, ONLY 4% OF VISITORS TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY WERE STAYING OVERNIGHT IN PONTE VEDRA.THEN ANOTHER 15% WAS VISITING PONTE VEDRA BUT NOT STAYING SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTY.
SO, WHEN YOU ADD THOSE TWO, 19% OF VISITORS WERE EXPERIENCING PONTE VEDRA BY STAYING OVERNIGHT, SOME BY STAYING ?RLS ST. JOHNS COUNTY SO THAT LEVERS US WITH 81% OF VISITOR THAT IS ARE AT THE DOOR OF PONTE VEDRA BUT DON'T MAKE TLIT AND WE WERE TASKED TO HELP THAT MAKE THAT NUMBER A LITTLE BIT LOWER AND HAVE MORE PEOPLE VISIT THE PONTE VEDRA AREA.
THE PURPOSE AT THE END OF THE DAY IS TO HAVE ENOUGH PORTFOLIO OF EXPERIENCES TO EXPAND PEOPLE'S STAY IN THE PONTE VEDRA AREA AND ST. JOHNS COUNTY, ONE MORE NIGHT BUT TAX DOLLARS LEGATED FOR OUR COMMUNITY. SO, THIS IS THE END OF MY INTRODUCTION, I WOULD LIKE THE TURN THE MICROPHONE TO CHRIS NORMAN, HE'S GOING TO GO AND SHOW YOU WHAT WE HAVE DONE FOR CULTURE Aā ND HERITAGE ECTION, & DESTINATION.
HISTORY EXPLAINS HOW THE COMMUNITY EVOLVED AND HOW THAT EVOLUTION SAY PARENT TODAY AND ART SHOWCASES THE CREATIVE ENERGY THAT STILL SHAPES PONTE VEDRA TODAY .
THE CULTURE PAGE INVITES VISITORS TO IMMERSE THEMSELVES, IT SET IT IS THE FOCUS ON FOUR DEFINING AREAS, GOLF WHICH YOU CAN'T ESCAPE, CLASSIC CULTURE, OUR ICONIC RESORTS AND LODGING,
[00:25:03]
AS WELL AS SIGNATURE CUISINE, SO THIS IS NOT A DIRECTORY, WE'RE NOT LISTING EVERY SINGLE GOVERNMENT COURSE OR HOTEL OR IT IS CURATED EXPERIENCE. ON OUR GOLF PAGE, WE EXPLAIN HOW GOLF SHAPED PONTE VEDRA'S HISTORY, LATER EXPANDING TO WHAT'S COMBINING UP RIGHT NOW T PLAYERS' CHAMPIONSHIP, WE ENHANCE THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE THAT INCLUDES THINGS THAT NON-GOLFERS CAN EXPLORE SUCH AS RESTAURANTS OR THE TOURS AT THE CLUBHOUSE, THE STORYTELLER'S STORE. AND THEN OUR HISTORY PAGE FOCUSES ON PLACE BASED STORY TELL WITCHING THE HELP OF THE DEVELOPMENT WORKING GROUP, WE HAVE THREE MAIN SECTIONS HERE, MUSEUMS, HISTORICAL MARK AND HE ISER TRAVEL ROUTES, THE HISTORICAL MARKERS PAGE IS SOMETHING YOU DON'T THINK ABOUT GENERALLY WHEN YOU GO TO A PLACE, YOU THINK I'M GOING TO GO VISIT THIS ATTRACTION OR THIS LOCATION. HISTORICAL MARKERS, THEY MARK MOMENTS IN HISTORY AND MAJOR EVENT INS OUR COMMUNITY. ONE THING IN THE HISTORICAL MARKERS PAGE IS [INAUDIBLE] DE LEON, WE KNOW ABOUT HIS JOURNEY THERE, HE FIRST SPOTTED FLORIDA AT PONTE VEDRA AND THEN THE PAGE ALSO HIGHLIGHTS SOMETHING THAT MANY PEOPLE MAY NOT ALSO KNOW, THERE WAS A NAZI INVASION OF PONTE VEDRA DURING WORLD WAR II, THERE WERE SABOTEURS THAT IS WALKED ON OUR BEACH AND THERE'S HISTORICALLY ARCHIVED PICTURES THERE, THEY MARCHED UP THE BEACH AND THEY WANTED TO SABOTAGE THE COASTLINE, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN, THEY WERE ARRESTED THANKS TO ONE OF THE ORGANIZERS. THESE ARE INTERESTING FOOTNOTE INS HISTORY BUT THERE'S SOMETHING THAT CAN CONNECT VISITOR S TO THE GAYER AND WE HAVE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT MAP OUT ADDITIONAL HISTORICAL MARKERS SO YOU COULD PLOT IT ON THOSE LANDMARKS. WE HAVE ART HERE AND WE IDENTIFIED MUSIC, PUBLIC ART, WRITING AND ART GALLERIES, THESE HIGH LITE THE ENERGY, THE MUSIC WEB PAGE HIGHLIGHT IT IS THE PONTE VEDRA -- ONE MORE PRESS. SORRY.IT DOESN'T LIKE ME. SO, WHAT I WAS GOING TO SHOW YOU IS THE PAGE THAT FOCUSES ON THE CONCERT HALL, THEY JUST WENT THROUGH A MAJOR RENOVATION, THERE IS A PHOTO GALLERY THAT SHOWS UP THE INCREDIBLE WORK THERE AND WHEN THEY'RE BOOKING THEIR STAY, THEY CAN GO TO A CONCERT OR A SHOW BUT YOU CAN ALSO GET YOUR COUGH FOE -- COFFEE THERE.
BERT ISLAND IS HEAVILY FEATURED ON OUR NATURAL PAGES, IT IS ALSO IN THE CULTURE PAGES, AND BERT ISLAND, YOU CAN TAKE A STROLL AND SEE STATUES AND A MOSAIC AMPHITHEATER.
IF YOU CAN COVER -- HOVER UP IN THE AIR, YOU CAN SEE THE HEAD BROWSES ARE A GIANT TURTLE MAZE, IT LOOKS LIKE A TURTLE, ALL OF THIS TOGETHER CREATES AN ASSET MAP FOR PONTE VEDRA, YOU CAN BRING TOGETHER VENUE, ARTIST AND IS EVENTS ALL IN ONE PLACE AND IT SERVES AS AN ONGOING PLACE FOR TOURISTS AND THESE PAGES WE JUST SHOWED YOU, THE CULTURAL AND HERITAGE PAGES, THEY ARE PART TOF BIGGER EXPERIENCE PONTE VEDRA IMAGE AND WE HAVE REFRESHED THE NATURALLY AND WELLNESS PAGES SO THEY MATCH THE SAME LOOK AS THE NEW PAGES.
THE NEW PAGES HAVE SOME NEW PAGES HIGHLIGHTING THEIR INTRO PAGES THAT SHOW OFF THE NATURAL BEAUTY WE HAVE IN PONTE VEDRA AND AS WE KNOW, OUTDOOR TRAVELERS TEND TO BE MORE ACT TIER, THEY EXPLORE MORE AND SPEND MORE, SO THESE NATURALLY PAGES HELP SUPPORT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES. AND THEN OUR WELLNESS PALINGS FOCUS ON THE SAME PAGES BEFORE, THE CONTENT IS STILL THERE, WE HAVE NOT LOST ANYTHING THE TRANSITION IT IS A VISUAL UPGRADE AND HELPS VISUALIZE PEOPLE'S EXPERIENCE ON THE WEBSITE.
IT IS BROUGHT TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE, SO HOPEFULLY TRAVELERS CAN USE THIS, STAY LONGER AND SPEND MORE. AND I'LL HAND IT BACK TO ISABELLE, THANKS.
>> THANK YOU, CHRIS, I APPRECIATE IT. SO, WITH THOSE PILLAR INS PLACE, WE HAVE A CLEAR PICTURE OF WHAT PONTE VEDRA HAS TO OFFER BEYOND THE WELL KNOWN
[00:30:02]
GOLF AND THE BEACHES. I'LL GIVE YOU A HOLISTIC APPROACH OF EVERYTHING THAT IS THERE IN THE PONTE VEDRA A AREA, IT SERVES AS ASSETS, STORYTELLING ENGINE, A DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE WE HAVE, AND FOR THE VISITOR, IT IS REALLY A TOOL TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR PLANNING TO DISCOVER MORE, TO ADD THE EXPERIENCE -- TO THE ADD MORE EXPERIENCE TO THE PORTFOLIO OF EXPERIENCES FOR PONTE VEDRA AND FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY.AND AGAIN THE GOAL HERE IS TO HELP VISITORS HAVE MORE TO DO IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY TO STAY ONE MORE DAY . THE DRIVER FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY REMAINS ST. AUGUSTINE.
THE IDEA IS FOR MORE FOR THEM TO DO, MORE FOR THEM TO EXPLORE IS WHAT DROVE THIS INITIATIVE THAT WE TOOK ON BACK IN 2017. NOW BEFORE I CLOSE, I JUST WANT TO PAUSE FOR A MOMENT AND TAKE A STEP BACK BECAUSE WHAT WE'VE PRESENTED TODAY TO YOU IS NOT JUST THE LAUNCH OF THE CULTURE AND HERITAGE SECTION OR THE REFRESH OF A WEBSITE, IT IS REALLY THE CONTINUATION OF A LONG TERM INITIATIVE, AN INTENTIONAL STRATEGY TO DEVELOP AND ORGANIZE PONTE VEDRA TOURISM ASSETS IN A WAY THAT MAKES THEM MORE DISCOVERABLE AND MORE ENGAGING FOR OUR VISITORS. OVER TIME, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED ASSETS, ENGAGED PARTNERS, BUILT NARRATIVE FRAMEWORKS AROUND NATURALLY PONTE VEDRA, PONTE VEDRA WELLNESS AND NOW CULTURE AND HERITAGE. IT'S FOR US TO UNIFY EVERYTHING UNDER ONE PLATFORM THAT REALLY RENEGES THE DEPTH OF THIS DESTINATION. THIS IS HOW WE STRENGTHEN PONTE VEDRA POSITION BY ORGANIZING WHAT ALREADY EXISTS, THIS IS REALLY DESTINATION STEWARDSHIP, THIS IS PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT. AND THIS IS HOW WE MAXIMIZE THE IMPACT OF THE ASSETS ALREADY AND THIS IS THE ROLE OF THE ARCHITECT THAT WE ARE PROUD TO PLAY WITH ALL OUR PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT GROUP PARTNER THAT IS WERE WRINGING WITH US THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR.
THIS KLAOUNDS MY PRESENTATION. WE DO HAVE A FEW OF OUR PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT WORKING GROUP MEMBERS WHO I BELIEVE WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS IF YOU ALLOW THAT.
I WOULD LOVE TO CALL THEM UP IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU. >> WE HAVE A LOT OF PRESENTATIONS, SO THEY'RE SHORT, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE OKAY, AS LONG AS EVERYBODY
ELSE WITH THE BOARD -- >> I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE VERY SHORT.
>> ALRIGHT. >> I THINK IT'S BERTA AND ALEX ARE INTERESTED IN MAKING A FEW
COMMENTS. >> HI, MY NAME'S ALEX BAR, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR FOR THE PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM. I'M HERE REPRESENTING OR PONTE VEDRA BRANCH WHO ARE SO THANKFUL TO BE INCLUDED IN EXPLORE PONTE VEDRA, WE ARE THRILLED TO HAVE THE LIBRARY SYSTEM AND SPECIFICALLY THE MONT VED RA BRANCH FEATURED AS A DESTINATION FOR CULTURE AND HERITAGE, ART, ALL OF THE ABOVE AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO COLLABORATE THROUGH SOME MOBILE VISITOR POP UP THAT IS WILL BE HAPPENING MONTHLY AT
OUR PONTE VEDRA BRANCH, SO THANK YOU. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M BERTA, I LIVE AT ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, PONTE VEDRA TO ME USED TO BE WAY UP THERE.
I NEVER WENT UP THERE, BUT GROWING UP, I HAVE NOW LEARNED TO ENJOY PONTE VEDRA, HAS OPENED MANY DOORS. ER I'M ALSO A REAL TOER -- REALTOR IN THE COMMUNITY, SO SEEING THIS VENUE AND SEEING THIS WEBSITE HAS OPENED MANY DOORS BUT THEY ARE ALSO -- I DON'T WANT TO SAY VANILLA BECAUSE IT NAOETS A GOOD WORD BUT IT IS SO GREAT TO HAVE VENUES LIKE THIS OR WEB PAGES LIKE THIS THAT CAN SHOWCASE OUR COMMUNITY AND SPECIFICALLY PONTE VEDRA WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT'S THE BEST RESTAURANT, WHAT'S THE BEST HOTEL.
IT JUST SHOWS HOW BEAUTIFUL AND INVITING OUR WORLD IS, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU SO, SO OUR NEXT STEP, WE'D LOVE FOR YOU TO LOOK AT IT IN YOUR OWN TIME F YOU HAVE ANY FEEDBACK FOR US, LET US KNOW, WE'LL CONTINUE CAOE REATING THIS, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'LL BE WORKING WITH EACH OF OUR PARTNER AND IS OUR PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT WORKING GROUP TO ENSURE THEY ARE ABLE TO USE THIS FOR THEM TO PROMOTE OUTSIDE OF OUR AREA. THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
[00:35:02]
QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. >> MR. CHAIR, I HAVE A QUESTION. ER
>> YEAH, GO AHEAD. >> IT'S EXCITE TOG SEE HOW FAR THIS HAS COME.
I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS CHAIR OF THE BOARD, THIS IS IN THE BEGINNING STAGES, SO CONGRATULATIONS AND WELL DONE TO EVERYONE WHO'S BEEN WORKING ON IT.
HOW WILL VISITORS FIND THIS, AND MAYBE THIS IS OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF YOUR WORK AND MAYBE IT'S MORE OF A SUSAN QUESTION, BUT ARE WE GOING TO DO ANY PAID BOOST INING THE AREA SO
VISITORS CAN FIND THESE RESOURCES? >> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION, THAT IS OUTSIDE OF OUR SCOPE OF WORK, IT IS LIMIT TODAY DESTINATION ARCHITECT, NOT THAT WE WOULDN'T TAKE ON THE REST. WE LIKE TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNER TOS LET THEM BE IN CHARGE OF THE MARKETING PORTION, SO THAT MAY BE MORE OF A SUSAN QUESTION.
WHAT WE'VE TONE IN THE BEST FOR NATURALLY PONTE VEDRA AND NATURALLY WELLNESS, WE WORK WITH SUSAN AND OTHER PARTNERS IN ORDER FOR THIS TO BE PROMOTED, SO SHE HAS ON THE VCB, THERE ARE SEVERAL PAGES WHERE PONTE VEDRA NATURALLY IS SHOWCASED.
WE STILL ARE A WORK IN PROGRESS, I THINK THERE ARE OTHER AREAS ON WEBSITE WHERE IT COULD BE MORE PERMANENT, INITIAL CASING PORTION, BUT WE ALSO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS, SO THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP HAS IT ON THEIR WEBSITE. WE ARE GET A LOT OF REFERRALS AS WELL AS THE TPC, AND WE WILL BE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS. RIGHT NOW WE ARE GETTING MORE HITS ON THAT WEBSITE BY DIRECT SEARCH, GOOGLE SEARCH THAT WE OFFER THROUGH REFEFRL SO I WOULD LIKE TO INCREASE OUR REFERRAL THROUGH OUR PARTNERS TO BE THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF THOSE ASSETS BEING USED. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YES?
OKAY. >> I HAD ONE QUICK QUESTION AND MAYBE IT'S ON THERE, I JUST DON'T REMEMBER SEEING IT TGTM, SIT ON THERE, I KNOW IT'S IN BETWEEN?
>> YES, GTM IS A CORNER STONE OF THE NATURALLY PONTE VEDRA, IF YOU LOOK AT IT, A LOT OF IT, THEY WERE THE MAIN PARTNER WHEN WE DEVELOPED PONT VED RA, WE MET AT THEIR LOCATION AND VISITED EVERYTHING, YOU WILL SEE ALL THE HIKING, THE IMAGES ARE FOCUSED ON THE GTM.
>> I DIDN'T REALLY GATHER THAT FROM THE VIDEO. >> IF YOU GO DIRECTLY TO NATURALLY, YOU WILL SEE A LOT OF HIKING, KAYAKING, BIRDING, A LOT OF BIRDING, IT'S MAINLY THE GTM, IT'S AN INCREDIBLE JEWEL, IT'S ONE OUT OF 29 TO PRESERVE IN THE U.S., WE ARE BLESSED TO
HAVE THIS AND A LOW NUMBER OF PEOPLE KNOW IT'S THERE. >> THANK YOU.
>> I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION. ARE WE DOING ANY TRACKING, AGAIN, THIS MIGHT BE A SUSAN QUESTION, BUT AS THE NUMBER OF WEBSITE HITS, ARE WE KIND OF WATCHING THIS TO SEE HOW THEY'RE GROWING AND I TOUCHED ON THAT AND I THINK YOU MENTIONED THE 18-19% MEMBER OF TOURIST TOS THE PONTE VEDRA AREA, SINCE LAUNCHING THIS, ARE WE TRACKING TO SEE IF OFFERING THIS RESOURCE IS HAVING AN IMPACT ON THOSE AREAS AND DRIVING THOSE NUMBERS UP?
>> THAT IS AN EXCELLENT QUESTION. AND BECAUSE I WANTED TO SEE THAT TOO. I WANTED TO SEE HOW ARE WE DOING, YOU KNOW, WE WERE AT 19%, IS THAT BETTER? I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO A VARY AGAIN, SO THOSE NUMBERS WERE BASED FOR THREE WEEKS SURVEY THAT WAS GOING ON O, INTERCEPT SURVEY BY THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, DIFFERENT LOCATION IN PONTE VEDRA, THEY STOPPED TOURISTS AND HAD THAT INFORMATION. RIGHT NOW ALL THE STUDIES THAT IS ARE BEING DONE ARE BEING DONE FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY. I CANNOT FIND ANY NUMBER OR ANY DATA THAT IS ISOLATING JUST PONTE VEDRA SO I WOULD LIKE TO TALK WITH THE DEPARTMENT, THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT, SEE IF WE CAN TAKE THAT FURTHER AND SEE NOW I WANT TO ASSESS HOW ARE WE DOING.
HAS THIS MADE A DIFFERENCE, WHAT DO WE DO TO TAKE TOIT THE NEXT STEP TO HAVE THE VISIBILITY OF THIS. THE TRACKING ON THE NUMBERS, I TOLD YOU EARLIER, THE ONE THAT HAS THE MOST HITS IS PONTE VEDRA NATURALLY IS THE ONE THAT HAS BEEN THERE THE LONGEST, HIKING, KAYAKING AND ON TOP OF THE LIST, RIGHT NOW IT'S THROUGH DIRECT CONTACT, DIRECT PEOPLE TYPING THE URL DIRECTLY AND GOOGLE SEARCH. REFERRAL IS THIRD SO, THE VCB AND THE OTHER PAGE ARES THIRD DOWN THE LIST BARER REFERRAL SO WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO HAVE MORE ON THAT AND I'M SURE IT'S DOABLE, I WOULD LOVE O DO MAYBE ADDITIONAL SURVEY TO FIND OUT WHERE WE ARE ON THIS. I HAD THE SAME QUESTION, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
>> ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? ALRIGHT. THANK YOU, ISABELLE.
[00:40:02]
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, I APPRECIATE IT. >> ALRIGHT, AT THIS TIME WE'RE
[9. SPORTS TOURISM GRANT APPROVALS]
ON AGENDA ITEM 9, SPORTS TOURISM GRANT APPROVALS. SO, LOOKS LIKE JAMIE'S WORKINGHER WAY UP HERE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE BECAUSE I PROBABLY MAY NOT HAVE ANSWERS TO EVERYTHING, USUALLY ROBRT MCMAR FAN IS HERE TO PRESENT THIS FOR US, WE ARE PRESENTING OUR SPORTS TOURISM GRANT APPROVALS FOR PHASE 2.
PHASE 1 ALREADY OCCURRED, THAT WAS OCTOBER THROUGH MARCH 31, THE FIRST PHASES OF THE GRANTS, SECOND PHASE IS APRIL 1 TO SEPTEMBER 30, WE DO THIS EACH YEAR SO WE WILL START AGAIN FOR FY27 FUNDING ONCE THIS CYCLE HAS COMPLETED. IN YOUR PACKETS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED THE SKORG ALONG WITH THE INDIVIDUAL GRANT APPLICATIONS THAT WERE GRADED.
THERE IS A NEW GRADING SYSTEM, SO, GRANTS ARE DONE ONLINE AND THEY ARE SCORED BY A COMMITTEE THAT IS REPRESENTATIVE, PARKS AND RECREATION, REC ADVISORY BOARD AND THEN ONE ADDITIONAL PARTICIPANT WHICH I BELIEVE IS WITH THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT HIS TITLE S SO WE HAVE A FAIR EVALUATION OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
IT IS MORE BASED ON WHAT THEY SUBMIT AFTER, IT'S A REIMBURSEMENT GRANT SO YOU WILL SEE THERE IS AN EVALUATION AFTER THE FACT THAT TDC DOES TO ENSURE THEY HAVE MET THE CRITERIA THAT THEY PROMISED WITHIN THEIR GRANT APPLICATION. SO THE SECOND SLIDE JUST SHOWS YOU THE GRANT APPLICATIONS, WHO THE APPLICANTS WERE WITH THE , WHAT THE E NAME OF TE VENT S WHEN IT WILL BE OCCURRING, WHAT THEIR FINAL SCORE WAS, WHAT THE ORIGINAL GRANT REQUEST WAS AND THEN WHAT THE RECOMMENDED GRANT AMOUNT IS BY THE REC ADVISORY BOARD AFTER GOING THROUGH THE COMMITTEE. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE I THINK FOUR OR FIVE, FOUR NEW GRANT APPLICATIONS THIS YEAR, WE'VE SEEN THAT IN BOTH PSYCH SOLS WE'RE EXCITED TO O SEE THIS PROGRAM TO CONTINUE TO GROW AS WE MOVE FORWARD. IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS?
>> I'LL OPEN IT TOUP THE BOARD FOR QUESTIONS. -- UP TO THE BOARD FOR
QUESTIONS. ALRIGHT, I GUESS -- YOU HAVE? >> JUST THE SAME QUESTION I GUESS I HAD BEFORE. THE EVENTS THAT ARE TITLE FOR JACKSONVILLE.
>> SURE, SO THERE ARE -- I'M SORRY? >> DO WE HAVE PROBLEMS GETTING
THEM TO ADJUST THE TITLE OF THE -- >> THE TITLE OF THESE EVENTS ARE NOT -- JACKSONVILLE IS NOT IN THE EVENT, THE ORGANIZATION THAT IS HOSTING THEM, SO JFC IS A BRANCH OF THE PONTE VEDRA ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION, THE EVENT IS KNOWN AS THE BATTLE OF THE BEACHES, BUT THEY ARE THE COMPETITIVE BRANCH OF OUR PONTE VEDRA ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION ORGANIZATION THAT'S AT DAVIS PARK. THE OTHER EVENT IS THE LABOR DAY SHOOT-OUT WHICH IS ALSO JRK FC, WE ALSO HAVE A FLORIDA ELITE WHICH HAS CHANGED THEIR NAME TO SPORTING JAX, BAH THAT'S THE PRESEASON GIRL AND IS BOYS INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION ON THOSE SAME TWO E EVENTS BECAUSE I SAW THE JACKSONVILLE, IT DREW MY ATTENTION TO IT, AND THEN IT DREW MY ATTENTION THAT THE EVENT THAT'S IN APRIL 24TH HAS 35 -- HAS A SCORE OF 35 AND THE ONE THAT'S IN SEPTEMBER HAS A SCORE OF 47.
THEIR APPLICATION ARES THE EXACT SAME FOR TWO SEPARATE EVENTS.
SO, THEIR HOTEL STAYS, I WAS LIKE, ALRIGHT, LET'S SEE IF THEIR HOTEL STAYS CHANGES WITH THAT, THE HOTEL STAYS ARE THE EXACT SAME. HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE? AND IS IT ONE APPLICATION OR IS IT TWO THAT WE'RE VOTING ON? AND IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE JACKSONVILLE ON THERE, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE NOTICED THAT THE APPLICATIONS
ARE ALMOST -- THEY'RE NOT ALMOST, THEY ARE THE EXACT SAME. >> SURE, SO IT'S TWO SEPARATE APPLICATIONS, IT IS THE SAME ORGANIZATION THAT IS HOSTING EVENT.
THEY DO GO OFF OF WHAT THEY PERCEIVE TO HAVE DONE THE PREVIOUS YEAR, SO BASED ON THEIR PREVIOUS YEAR NUMBER, THEY WILL SUBMIT IT. IT COULD HAVE BEEN AN ERROR ON OUR PART, I CAN DOUBLE CHECK WITH STAFF. THE ORGANIZATION'S NAME IS ON THERE, I CAN HAVE THAT CONFIRMED AS WELL IF THERE NEEDS TO BE A CONTINGENCY OF
THE FUNDING. ER >> I PULLED THEM OUT BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT THE HOTEL STAYS, THEY HAVE THE EXACT SAME NUMBERS, THE EXACT ASK, THEY
[00:45:05]
DIDN'T CARE TO SWITCH IT UP A LITTLE BIT. I MEAN,.IF TLE EAR ASKING FORMONEY, AT LEAST GIVE ME AN EFFORT. >> RIGHT, AND PART OF THE REASON WHY WE HAVE THAT NEW APPLICATION PROCESS IS SO OUR TEAM CAN EVALUATE BASED ON PAST THING SOS AGAIN, ONCE THEY SUBMIT THAT, THAT IS EVALUATED, THIS IS A A REIMBURSEMENT, IF THEY DON'T MAKE THOSE NUMBERERS T THE NEW POLICY ALLOW IT IS TDC TO NOT ALLOW THE RECOMMENDED RATE THE REC BOARD HAS GIVEN THEM, SO WE PUT NEW POLICIES IN PLACE THAT WERE JUST PUTTING NUMBERS IN THERE RECOGNIZE THERE COULD BE A CHANCE THEY DIDN'T RECEIVE FULL
FUNDING AT THE END OF THEIR EVENT. >> I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO VOTE FOR THOSE TWO BECAUSE OF THAT. I MEAN, THEY'RE LYING TO ME ON ONE OTHER APPLICATION, SO THAT'S THE REASON. I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO VOTE . I'M A BIG FAN OF TEAM SPORT WIDTHS THIS MONEY AND THIS IS A GOOD RETURN BUT, COME ON, GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF EFFORT WHEN YOU'RE ASKING FOR MONEY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? ALRIGHT.
I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE. >> WE NEED PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> PUBLIC COMMENT, THANK YOU. SO, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM?
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS DONNA, I LIVE AT 6409 PINE CIRCLE WEST.
I AM A LIFETIME MEMBER OF ANCIENT CITY GAMES ASSOCIATION WHICH IS AN ASSOCIATION THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1958. WE ARE THE LEADING GROUP THAT HELPS WITH THE OFF SHORE [INAUDIBLE], IT HAS EVOLVED JUST LIKE THIS APPLICATION HAS EVOLVED TO COME AND ASK FOR MONEY. WE HAVE DONE KING FISH TOURNAMENTS FOR ABOUT 40 YEARS WEBSINGER ARE OUT OF THE KING FISH TOURNAMENT BUSINESS BECAUSE EVERYBODY ELSE THINKERS THEY CAN DO IT BETTER. THEY COME IN FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND DO IT AND THEY DROP AWAY. NOTHING'S GETTING ANY CHEAPER, SO IN SAYING ALL THAT, WE HAD A KING FISH TOURNAMENT, WE ADDED A RED FISH TOURNAMENT TO IT AND WE PUT THE RED FISH TOURNAMENT AWAY AND WE REALIZED WE STILL NEED TO HAVE A MONEY MAKER FOR OUR CLUB TO KEEP THE CLUB GOING SO, WEAPON WENT AHEAD WITH THE RED FISH PORTION WHICH IS CALLED THE BASH.
LAST YEAR WE SUBMITTED PAPERWORK, WE ASKED FOR TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS, WE GOT 4500.
THIS YEAR WE SUBMITTED PAPERWORK, WE ASKED FOR 10 THOUSAND AND IT'S BEEN KNOCKED DOWN TO 2500. JUST WANT TO KNOW, TIETS SAME E VENT, WE'RE DOING THE SAME THING, YES, MR. BLEVINS, I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S PAPERWORK BUT SOMEWHERE DOWN THE LINE WE *F THEY GAVE US 2 THOUSAND DOLLARS LESS THAN LAST WEEK AND IT WAS THE IDENTICAL PAPERWORK, JE, JAMIE, SWRE TO JUSTIFY THAT WE SPENT THAT MONEY IN THAT ARENA.
I GUESS TODAY I'M ASKING YOU TO BE OPEN MINDED AND TO SUPPORT THE LITTLE GUY THAT'S BEEN DOING IT FOR A LONG TIME HERE IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY AND THAT WE NOT JUST DO THIS RED FISH TOURNAMENT. IT MARK IT IS 7TH THE SAME DAY AS THIS EVENT, I WILL BE DOING MY 16TH ANNUAL FREE KIDS KLIB I CAN AT THE VELANA BEACH PIER, NOT MANY PEOPLE ARE GIVING THAT MUCH BACK TO THE XLAOUNT SXIT'S FREE, SO I'M JUST ASKING THAT WE KIND OF MASSAGE IT, PAT EACH OTHER ON THE BACK AND MAYBE LOOK AT THE AMOUNT THAT WE'VE BEEN APPROVED TO GET AND BUMP IT UP TO AT LEAST WHAT WE GOT LAST YEAR. WE WORK HARD WEBSINGER EVE BEEN HERE AND WE'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE AND I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION TO GIVE US THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY AS YOU GAVE US LAST YEAR FOR THIS EVENT.
THANK YOU VERYMUCH. >> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE?
ALRIGHT. I SEEM TO BE THE ONLY ONE -- >> MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAVE A QUESTION. WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THE DIFFERENCE IN GRANT MONEY FROM
LAST YEAR IF IT'S THE SAME APPLICATION? >> SO, THEIR APPLICATION MAY HAVE BEEN THE SAME BUT THE SCORING STANDARDS HAVE CHANGED AND BASED ON THOSE CHANGES, THE AWARD AMOUNT IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY DONE. SO, WE'VE GONE TO A MORE STANDARDIZED REVIEW PROCESS OPPOSED TO IT WAS ORIGINALLY DONE BY A RECOMMENDATION BY
[00:50:05]
EACH REC ADVISORY BOARD, SO YOU NEED PRETHINGS TO BE DONE TO QUALIFY AND THERE'S I THINK SIX QUESTIONS YOU HAVE TO BE JUDGED ON BASED ON WHAT YOU CAN SUBMIT. I BELIEVE PART OF THE CHALLENGEIS THE HEADS AND BEDS FOR THIS TOURNAMENT. >> YEAH, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS A LONG TIME, TROY CAN ATTRIBUTE TO THE FACT THAT I PRETTY MUCH HELPED WRITE THIS PROGRAM AND BECAUSE OF OUR SUBMISSIONS FOR THIS PROGRAM, THE PROGRAM HAS EVOLVED.
BUT IF YOU DON'T KEEP UP WITH THE RULES AND KNOW THE GRADING SYSTEM AND ALL THAT, IT FEELS LIKE YOU GET PUSHED OUT OF BUSINESS BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T KEPT UP WITH HOW THINGS HAVE EVOLVED. IT USED TO BE A ONE OR TWO PAGE DOCUMENT.
NOW IT'S -- IT COULD BE ANYWHERE UP TO 50 PAGES TO SUBMIT TO GET THIS MONEY AND THEN YOU STILL HAVE TO DO PAPERWORK WHIT'S OVER, SO I AM THE PERSON THAT HAS WATCHED IT EVOLVE, AND YES, THE GRAINING SYSTEM HAS CHANGED AND WE FALL INTO THAT BECAUSE I GUESS OUR APPLICATION DIDN'T CHANGE APPROPRIATELY TO MEET THOSE NEEDS ON THE CRITERIA.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
>> YES, SIR? >> THE GRANT AMOUNT THAT'S LISTED IN THE SECOND COLUMN FROM THE END ON THE RIGHT WHERE IT SAYS 72 THOUSAND 415 DOLLARS, IS THAT ALL THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE TO ALLOCATE OR ARE R THERE STILL DOLLARS THAT ARE NOT BEING UTILIZE?
ED >> THERE ARE STILL DOLLARS THAT ARE CURRENTLY NOT BEING ALLOCATED SO BASED ON PHASE 1 AND PHASE 2. PHASE 1 ALLOCATION WAS 128 THOUSAND 83 DOLLARS THIS ACCIDENTER PHASE 2 WAS 75 THOUSAND 631, THE TOTAL COMBINED BETWEEN PHASE 1 AND 2 IS 203 THOUSAND 714. I BELIEVE THERE'S ABOUT 120 THOUSAND REMAINING IN THIS GRANT FUND TO BE ABLE TO ALLOCATE.
>> THEY COME TWICE A YEAR AND THEY COME IN GROUPS AND THAT'S -- WE GET THE SAME -- INSTEAD
OF DOING IT ONE BY ONE, THAT'S HOW IT GETS SPLIT UP. >> MY ONLY QUESTION IS WE'RE
NOT, NOT SPENDING THE MONEY, CORRECT? >> SO, IN THE POLICY, ANY FUNDS THAT ARE NOT ALLOCATED TO AN ACTUAL GRANT ARE THEN -- THE DEPARTMENT CAN APPLY TO TDC TO IMPROVE FACILITIES WHERE THESE TOURNAMENT ARES HELD, SO ANY DOLLARS NOT AWARDED TO THE GRANTEES, THE PARK AND IS REC DEPARTMENT APPLIES TO TDC FOR A REQUEST TO USE THEM TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS AT THOSE LOCATIONS BUT IT IS OF THE DISCRETION TO THIS BOARD TO ADD ADDITIONAL
DOLLARS FROM THAT REMAINING FUND, THAT THEY COULD DO THAT. >> OKAY, YEAH, THE REASON I ASK IS IT SEEMS LIKE TO ME THAT MOST OF THE GRANTS THAT ARE -- MOST OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE
NOT THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE REQUEST. >> CORRECT.
SO, THERE'S A MAXIMUM THAT CAN BE REQUESTED, MOST OF THE ORGANIZATIONS WILL REQUEST THE MAX AMOUNT THEY'RE ELIGIBLE IF R AND BASED ON WHAT THEY SUBMIT W EAR ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT NE ARE ELIGIBLE FOR, AND AGAIN, THAT IS FACT CHECKED AFTERWARDS WITH TDC BASED ON WHAT THEY SUBMIT FOR THEIR AWARDS. EVEN THE RECOMMENDED GRANT AMOUNT IS NOT GUARANTEE IFED THEY CANNOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SUBMISSIONS ONCE THEY'VE COMPLETED THEIR
EVENT. >> GOT YOU. >> ALRIGHT.
CHARLES? >> I'M KIND OF IN AGREEMENT WITH TROY IN THE FACT THAT IT SEEMS LIKE EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD, WE'VE SAID ANYTHING WITH THE NAME JACKSONVILLE IN IT, THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO APPROVE AND YET EVERY TIME WE HAVE DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT HAVE JACKSONVILLE IN THE NAME. HAS THAT BEEN IN ANY KIND OF THE DOCUMENTATION THAT TELLS THEM IF YOU PUT JACKSONVILLE IN YOUR NAME, WE'RE NOT GOIPG TO A APPROVE IT. UNDER THAT, IF IT IS, THEN IPG YOU'VE GOT --
>> I KNOW. >> YOU HAVE $3,500 ON THOSE TWO THAT TROY MENTIONED IS
AVAILABLE. >> AND JUST FOR SOME CLARIFICATION, I THINK THIS IS SOMETIMES A LITTLE DECEIVING BASED ON HOW IT MIGHT BE WRITTEN.
THE NAME OF THE EVENT DOESN'T HAVE JACKSONVILLE IN IT, THE ORGANIZATION MAY HAVE THE NAME JACKSONVILLE IN IT, SO PARKS AND RECREATION AND TDC MAY NEED DO A BETTER JOB ON HOW WE'RE PRESENTING THAT IN THESE PACKETS T BATTLE OF THE BEACH ISS THE BATTLE OF THE BEACHES, IT DOESN'T SAY JACKSONVILLE BATTLE OF THE BEACHES IN IT. WE DON'T HINDER GROUP THAT IS HAVE JACKSONVILLE IN THE NAME FROM APPLYING, SO WE WOULD JUST PARK AND IS REC AND TDC I WOULD ASUME WOULD WANT SOME CLARIFICATION ON IF THAT'S PART OF THE CONVERSATION AS WELL SO, IS THAT WE CAN BETTER EHED -- AID OUR APPLICANTS WHEN THEY COME TO US.
>> I HAVE AN IDEA THAT YOU GUYS -- I'M THROWING IT OUT TO THE BOARD FOR DISCUSSION BEFORE WE
[00:55:06]
MAKE A MOTION ON THIS. THE GROUP THAT HAS THE BATTLE OF THE BEACHES T GROUP THAT HAS THE LABOR DAY SHOOT-OUT, IN MY OPINION, THEY ONLY APPLIED ONE TIME BECAUSE THEY USED THE SAME EXACT NUMBERS AND THE EXACT SAME -- THEY DIDN'T CHAT GPT THIS THING, MIX IT UP A LITTLE BIT, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE 1500 FROM THE BATTLE OF THE BEACH THAT IS RANKED LOWER THAN THE OTHER ONE AND APPLY IT TO ANCIENT CITY RED FISH THAT HAS BEEN A LOYAL EVENT FOR 25, 30 YEARS. WE KNOW IT'S LOCAL, WE KNOW WHAT THEY DO FOR THE KIDS LOCALLY. TAKE THAT 15 FROM THAT APRIL EVENT AND APPLY IT TO -- ADD IT TO THE RED FISH BASH AND STILL LEAVE THEIR SHOOT-OUT AND LABOR DAY AND TELL THEM THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE YOU TURNED IN ONE APPLICATION, USED THE WORD JACKSONVILLE IN ALL THEIR LITERATURE, THEY USED JACKSONVILLE, IF THEY'RE PARTNERED WITH PONTE VEDRA, THEY SHOULD HAVE LED WITH PONTE VEDRA AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT MONEY THEY'RE GET FRAMING JACKSONVILLE TDC BECAUSE IT'S NOT ALL TAKING PLACE AT DAVIS PARK.IT'S AT MULTIPLE PARKS. SO I WOULD LIKE THE KNOW THOSE NUMBERS TOO.
WHAT ARE THEY GIVING. BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHERE MY HEAD'S AT, PULL THAT FIRST 1500 AWAY FROM THEM, APPLY IT TO THE RED FISH WHO TOOK THE TIME TO SHOW UP HERE AND HAS BEEN A PART OF THE PROCESS FOR DECADES AND KIND OF JUST SAY WE WANT DWROU STAY HERE AND USE OUR HOTELS BUT YOU HAVE TO ADVERTISE IT AS ST. JOHNS COUNTY.
SO, THAT'S WHERE I'M AT WITH THE PROCESS. ANY THOUGHTS?
>> MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THOUGH THEY SAIP JACKSONVILLE MANY THE NAME, SOMETIMES JACKSONVILLE GROUPS BE COME TOG ST. JOHNS COUNTY FOR A REASON AND THEY'RE DRIVING BUSINESS IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY BUT IT'S DIFFICULT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND AND IF WE REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND AND FEEL VERY CONFIDENT ABOUT IT, IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT TO CONTINUE TO GIVE FUNDS FOR THAT REASON. I THINK THEY'RE WELL INTENTIONED IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY BUT THEY SEE -- YOU HAVE TO READ THE ROOM, IS THAT IT? YEAH, I THINK THEY HAVE TO READ
THE ROOM. THANKS, TROY. >> THANK YOU.
>> MR. CHAIR, I WILL SAY -- I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD. >> I WAS JUST GOING SAY THEIR ADDRESS IS LOCATED AS HODGES BOULEVARD, JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.
>> AND I'M OKAY WITH ORGANIZATIONS BEING FROM OUTSIDE THE REGION, BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO ADVERTISE IT AS A ST. JOHNS COUNTY EVENT AND A PONTE VEDRA EVENT, THAT NEEDS
TO BE THE LEAD, IT NEEDS TO NOT LEAD WITH JACKSONVILLE. >> I AGREE THAT MAYBE IT WAS POORLY STATED ON THEIR APPLICATION AND MAYBE THAT'S ALL WE'RE ALLOWED TO GO OFF ON.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RULES ARE THERE, BUT I MEAN, MY DAUGHTER'S PLAYING IN THIS TOURNAMENT SO I AM FAMILIAR WITH IT. IT IS IN PONTE VEDRA.
I THINK THE ENTIRE EVENT TOURNAMENT IS TAKING PLACE THERE.
IF YOU GAOG T IT AND GO TO THEIR WEBSITE, THE FIRST THING YOU SEE IN VERY LARGE LETTERS IS PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA, SO I HEAR YOUR CONCERNS, I DO THINK THEY ARE WELL INTENTIONED, I THINK THERE'S A BROAD IMPACT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
I KNOW ANCIENT CITY SOCCER CLUB, ALL THOSE KIDS ARE GOING UP THERE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS TOURNAMENT SO I THINK THERE IS BROAD REACH, SO I WOULD BE HESITANT TO COMPLETELY MARK THEM OFF BECAUSE THEY HAD AN ERROR IN PULSING THEIR NAME ON THE APPLICATION, BUT I WOULD SUPPORT MAYBE PULLING SOME MONEY FOR THE RED FISH TOURNAMENT. THAFRJTS'S WHERE -- I DON'T WANT TO THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER SITUATION, BUT YOU GAVE US THE THE SAME APPLICATION FOR TWO SEPARATE ADVENTS, THAT'S KIND OF A SLAP IN THE FACE TO WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND FOR THAT, THAT'S THE REASON I'M TAKE THING LOWER AMOUNT, NOT THE HIGHER AMOUNT BECAUSE I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE EVENT AND TEAM SPORTS, IT DEFINITELY HELPS LIMITED SERVICE HOTELS AND I DON'T WANT TO HURT ANY OF THOSE BY REMOVING SOME OF THIS MONEY BUT I THINK THEY NEED TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF THE MESSAGE ACROSS. AND RED FISH, YOU KNOW, WHO TOOK THE TIME TO SHOW UP HERE AND I THINK THEY CAN BE THE BENEFICIARY OF DOING THAT.
[01:00:02]
>> JUST MY THOUGHT. YES, SIR ?FRJTS ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS I HEARD IN THIS CONVERSATION IS THE IDEA OF -- I DON'T KNOW IF WE ASK THE QUESTION OF THE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS IF THEY'RE PLANNING ON APPLYING TO JACKSONVILLE'S TDC AS WELL AS OURS BUT I THINK THAT IS RELEVANT INFORMATION.
AND IF THEY HAVE BEEN -- IF WE KNOW THAT INFORMATION PRIOR TO US BEING ASKED, IF THEY'VE BEEN AWARDED MONEY, I THINK THAT'S ALSO RELEVANT INFORMATION T QUESTIONERS THAT I WOULD ADD TO THE APPLICATION IS ARE YOU PLAN TOG APPLY TO ANY OTHER TDC'S FOR FUNDING, AND BEFORE THIS MEETING, HAVE YOU BEEN AWARDED FUNDING FROM ANY OTHER TDC'S BECAUSE IPG THAT WOULD PLAY INTO MY THOUGHT PROCESS AS TO ME FEELING CONFIDENT TO ALLOCATE DOLLARS TO SOMEBODY.
IF I KNEW THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE'S TDC WAS GIVING THEM 25 THOUSAND DOLLARS, LIKE SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE WELL TAKEN CARE OF. WE DON'T NEED TO THEN FUND YOU
AS WELL. >> JAMIE, CAN WE HAVE THAT? >> YES.
>> ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, ANYONE ELSE? AND NORMALLY AS CHAIR, I DON'T THINK I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION, IF SOMEBODY CAN MAKE A MOTION ON WHERE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD
WITH THIS. >> YEAH, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION. I THINK I GOT IT.
>> OKAY. >> I'LL DO IT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE FUND THE SLATE WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT WE TAKE THE LOWER FUNDED JFC APPLICATION AND REMOVE THAT AND THEN ALLOCATE THE DOLLARS FROM THAT LOWER FUNDED SCORING, YOU KNOW, REQUEST AND ALLOCATE
THOSE DOLLARS INTO THE ANCIENT CITY RED FISH BASH. >> ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? >> I'LL SECOND. WEFRJT.
>> WE HAVE A SECOND FROM GALE. I GUESS WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO PUBLIC COMMENT NOW THAT WE HAVE
THIS MOTION. >> YES, GO AHEAD AND DO THAT. >> SO WE'LL GO BACK TO PUBLIC
COMMENT, IF ANYONE HAS ANYTHING WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THIS. >> I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T GET UP HERE AND SAY THANK YOU ALL, WE'RE NOT GOING AWAY, WE'LL KEEP DOING THAT BEASTS GOOD THING AND I APPRECIATE EVERY ONE OF YOU ALL, THANK YOU, JAMIE.
>> ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? NOT SEEING ANY, LET'S DO A ROLL
CALL VOTE. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> YES.
>> [INAUDIBLE] >> YES. >> [INAUDIBLE]
>> YES. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> YES.
>> [INAUDIBLE]. MAYOR NANCY SIKES-KLINE? >> YES.
>> MAYOR SWAOEN NAO*E? >> YES. >> AND MICHAEL WICKS?
>> YES. >> ALRIGHT, THANK YOU, JAMIE. >> THANK YOU.
>> ALRIGHT, THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 10, THE ACH GRANT GUIDELINE AND IS
[10. FY27 ACH GRANT GUIDELINES RECOMMENDATION]
RECOMMENDATIONS. >> HELLO, BRENDA SWAN WITH THE ST. JOHNS CULTURAL COUNCIL, I'M
HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT THE GUIDELINES. >> DO YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION
FOR US? >> OKAY, THE GUIDELINES ARE IN YOUR PACKET.
AS IT SAYS UP THERE, MINOR CHANGES REFINING PEAK PERIODS AND CORRECTIONS, TYPOS AND READVISING DATES TO CORRESPOND WITH THE FISCAL YEAR SO THERE AREN'T SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES FROM
LAST YEAR AT THIS POINT. >> ALRIGHT. >> I WAS JUST GOING THE ASK WHAT SOME OF THOSE MINOR POINTS WERE AND WHAT THE CHANGES WERE TO THE PERIOD BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE RECEIVED LIKE A REDLINED VERSION SO I'M HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME TELLING WHAT'S
DIFFERENT. >> YEAH, WITHOUT KNOWING PRIOR --
>> THE ONLY THING ADD TODAY THAT SECTION WAS TO -- THAT'S REALLY -- *EFRTION ELSE WAUZ TYPO OR CHANGING 26 TO 27, IN THAT SECTION, WE ADDED IF YOU HAVE -- ADD THURSDAY OR MONDAY TO YOUR EVENT THAT GOES TO THE WEEKEND, THAT YOU WOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO THE 5 POINT
[01:05:07]
DEDUCTION. >> I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT, THAT WAS FOR AN
EVENT THAT'S IN A PEAK PERIOD? >> IF AN EVENT IS IN A PEAK PERIOD BUT IF YOU HAVE A THURSDAY OR A MONDAY AS AN EVENT, WE RECEIVED DATE FROM SUSAN AT THE VCB THAT MOST WEEKNIGHT ARES 50% OR LESS SO WE ADDED IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE COME AND STAY AN EXTRA WEEKNIGHT, YOU ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THE PEAK PERIOD. SO, THURSDAY AND A MONDAY F YOU
ADD THAT TO YOUR WEEKEND EVENT DURING A PEAK PERIOD. >> ALRIGHT, JUST BY DINGING
THAT DAY GETS YOU THOSE POINTS BACK? >> CORRECT.
>> OKAY. ALRIGHT. >> THAT'S DHASH OBVIOUSLY
APPLIES TO SINGLE EVENTS, NOT YEAR-ROUND. >> UNDERSTOOD.
BACK TO THE BOARD, ANY QUESTIONS? I LIKE IT TOO.
ALRIGHT. DO WE E HAVE A MOTION HERE FOR THESE RECOMMENDATIONS?
>> SO MOVED. >> ALRIGHT, I HAVE A MOTION BY CHARLES COX, A SECOND?
>> SECOND. >> SECOND BY MICHAEL. ALRIGHT, SO LET'S OPEN IT UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC. SO, IF ANYONE HAS ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 10. ALRIGHT, NOT SEINING IT,
ALRIGHT, DO A ROLL CALL. >> YEAH, SO I HAVE A QUESTION, I'M SORRY.
>> GO AHEAD. >> I WAS THINKING YOU WERE GOING TO GO THROUGH SOME OF THE REST OF IT, YOU WERE DOING THE FIRST PART. THERE ARE SOME CHANGES TO -- THAT AFFECTS SOME OF US LIKE THE YEAR-ROUND, COULD YOU SMRIEN THAT A LITTLE MORE ON
THAT? >> THERE WAS NO OTHER HANGS. >> THERE'S NO CHANGE IN THAT,
IT JUST THE WAY IT'S STRUCTURED IS DIFFERENT WHEN I READ IT. >> OKAY.
I DIDN'T MAKE ANY OTHER CHANGE ON THE DOCUMENT. >> I'M SORRY, IT JUST LOOKED DIFFERENT. IT TALKS ABOUT -- THIS FIRST PART DOESN'T CHANGE, RETAIL MARKETS, PERFORMING ART ORGANIZATIONS, SPECIAL EVENTS. GIVE ME ONE SECOND.
>> GALE, IF YOU CAN MOVER YOUR MICROPHONE A LITTLE CLOSER TO YOU.
>> SO IT'S SAYING THAT JUST TO BE CLEAR THAT IT HAS BEEN SOMEONE THAT HASN'T PERFORM
INED THE AREA IN THE LAST 90 DAYS. >> THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN IN THERE.
>> YEAR-ROUND PERFORMING ARTS ORGANIZATION AND SINGLE SPECIAL EVENTS NOT INCLUDED, MUSIC FESTIVALS MUST HAVE 75% PERFORMANCE OF THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS THAT PERFORM IN ST.
JOHNS COUNTY IN THE PREVIOUS TWO YEAR ARES WITHIN THE MARKET AREA FOR THE PAST 90 DAYS.
>> THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN IN THERE. >> OKAY.
>> OKAY, I JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR BECAUSE WE DIDN'T DO PERFORMANCES LAST YEAR.
>> OKAY. >> ALRIGHT. MADAM CLERK, I THINK WE'RE
READY FOR THE VOTE. >> TROY BLEVINS? >> YES.
>> COX? >> YES. >> MICHAEL GORDON?
>> YES. >> F*IP PHILLIPS ?FRJTS YES. >> SIKES-KLINE?
>> YES. >> MAYOR BEST SWAOEN NAO*E? >> YES.
>> MICHAEL WICKS? >> YES. >> THANK YOU.
>> MR. CHAIR, I WOULD ASK IN IF TAOU KHUR IF WE CAN BE PROVIDED A REDLINED VERSION IN THE FUTURE SO WE CAN CLEARLY SEE WHAT CHANGES ARE BEING MADE, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR
EVERYONE. >> YEAH, GREAT, THANK YOU. >> I DON'T THINK WE HAD THAT
ONE BEFORE. >> YEAH, WE'VE ASKED FOR THAT. THANK YOU, DENA.
[11. MONTHLY REPORTS PROVIDED IN PACKETS]
ALRIGHT, THAT TAKES US TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 11, MONTHLY REPORTS.IT'S IN THE PACKET. DENA, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO TALK -- IS SUSAN
GOING TO TAKE CARE -- OKAY. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE, I'M SUSAN PHILLIPS FROM THE VCB, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT I PROVIDED TO YOU IN THIS MONTH'S PACKET, A LOT OF PRESENTATIONS, NOT NECESSARILY FOR TOWS GO THROUGH TODAY UNLESS IF YOU WOULD LIKE THAT. I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE GREAT THINGS GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY FROM A TOURISM PERSPECTIVE AND FIRST OF ALL I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF OUR CURRENT STATS AND WHAT WE SAW FOR DECEMBER. WHEN WE LOOK AT TDT COLLECTIONS THROUGH DECEMBER 31, WE WERE UP 3.9% FOR DECEMBER AND AT 5.3% FISCAL YEAR TO DATE, THAT CERTAINLY IS THE DIRECTION IN WHICH WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO TREND.
CURRENTLY ALL OF OUR OWN CHANNELS WHICH IS OUR EARN MEDIA, OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, OUR WEBSITE AND PR ARE WORKING WELL WITH GOOD METRIC AND IS THE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTERS
[01:10:03]
CONTINUE TO DO WELL WITH THE EXCEPTION OF JACKSONVILLE WHICH THAT ONE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION SO WE HAVE SEEN OUR NUMBERS DECLINE. WHILE DEMAND WAS FLAT FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHT INS THE HOLIDAY SEASON IN DECEMBER, WE DID SEE A 2.9% INCREASE IN ADR AND A TOTAL REVENUE INCREASE OF 1.2% YEAR OVER YEAR. THAT'S DESPITE POCK PANSY BEING DOWN 2.6% YEAR OVER YEAR. WHAT WE SAW WAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN OCCUPANCY AND ADR IN THE PONTE VEDRA AREA, THAT WAS NICE, I THINK WE SAW ABOUT A 22% INCREASE SO, THAT WAS HUGE FOR DECEMBER. THE BEACH WAS FLAT AND THE DOWNTOWN HISTORIC DISTRICT WAS JUST NOMINALLY UP, I THINK IT WAS UP 2-3% SO, THAT DRILLED TO LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS FOR DECEMBER. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST MONTH, WORLD GOLF VILLAGE CONTINUES TO BE KOUN AND THEY'VE BEEN DOWN DOUBLE DIGITS, THEY HOPEFULLY HAVE SOME NEW ROOM RENOVATIONS GOING ON THIS YEAR AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL DRIVE BETTER PERFORMANCE FOR THEM . IF WE LOOK AT ACROSS FLORIDA, IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR COMP IN YOUR PACKETS, WE DID WELL FOR DECEMBER COMPARE TODAY OUR COMP SET. A LOT OF THE WEST FLORIDA CITIES WERE DOWN FROM 20-25% YEAR OVER YEAR. SO WITH US BEING FLAT OR NOMINALLY DOWN FOR DECEMBER, THAT WAS PRETTY DARN GOOD CONSIDERING THE ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT WE'RE FACING, SO I WANT TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT NIGHTS OF LIGHTS.I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT NIGHTS LIGHTS MOVING FORWARD, WE MADE IT THROUGH THE SYSTEM AND MADE A LOT OF SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENTS THANKS TO THE CITY AND COUNT DI -- COUNTY AND TO ALL OF YOU FOR HELPING.
WE HAD AN ECONOMIC STUDY COMPLETED, THAT STUDY IS READY TO BE SHARE AND HAD WE WOULD -- THEY HAVE ASKED ME IF WE COULD HAVE THEM PUT ON THE AGENDA FOR THE MARCH MEETING, FOR THE MARCH TDC MEET SOG YOU CAN SEE THE INFORMATION FROM THAT STUDY AND IN ADDITION THEY HAVE COMPLETED THE YEAR-ROUND ANNUAL VISITATION AND ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
THEY WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT THAT AS WELL. SO MR, CHAIR F THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT, WE CAN HAVE THEM SET UP TO COME IN NEXT MONTH AND I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE INTERESTED IN SEEING THE NUMBERS ESPECIALLY FROM NIGHTS OF LIGHTS.
SO, A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS I WANT TO MENTION TO YOU AND I DON'T BELIEVE I MENTIONED THIS TO YOU LAST MONTH, WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF GREAT THINGS GOING ON. WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITCHING VISITED FLORIDA TO GET ON TO WHEEL OF FORTUNE AND I'M NOT GOING TO PLAY VANNA TODAY, I DON'T HAVE NOIG SHARE WITH YOU ON THAT, WE CAN GIVE AWAY TWO GRAND PACKAGES FOR FOUR PEOPLE TO COME HERE FOR OUR DESTINATION, THERE WOULD BE A PRERECORD OF THE WHEEL OF POR CHUN SEGMENT SOMETIME NEXT MONTH, IT WILL AIR IN MAY, THIS IS PART OF VISIT FLORIDA'S FLORIDA 250 CELEBRATION SO WE'RE EXCITED TO BE INCLUDE INED THAT.
WE HAD THE FLORIDA LOTTERY FOR TE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, E THEY'RE FILMING A COMMERCIAL WHICH WILL BE TIED AGAIN TO THE 250TH CELEBRATION SO, WE'LL BE PART OF THAT AS WELL.
AND OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS, WE WORKED WITH THE VISIT FLORIDA FILM CREW, THIS IS FOR AGAIN FOR FLORIDA'S 250TH BUT THEY WERE HERE FILMING, THEY CAME IN LAST WEEK AND WRAPPED UP THEIR FILM, THEY'RE FILMING FOR THE 250TH TO INCLUDE OUR HISTORY, THEY'RE GOING TO INCLUDE FORT MOSAI, FLAGLER COLLEGE, A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT TOPICS AND WE'LL BE PART OF THA, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. I THINK *F I BELIEVETHAT DOCK EWE SERIES WILL BE AIRED SOMETIME IN MAY. AND I'M TRYING TO MAKE SURE I'M NOT MISSING ANYTHING, IN FRONT OF YOU YOU HAVE A FISCAL YEAR 2025 ANNUAL REPORT, EACH OF YOU HAVE A COPY OF THAT. ALSO THERE IS A SPRING CALENDAR OF EVENTS, WE WORK ON THAT JOINTLY WITH JEFF POT AND IS HIS TEAM WITH THE CULTURAL COUNCIL AND WE HAVE A 2026 TRAVEL PLANNER SO I HOPE YOU'LL TAKE THOSE HOME AND ENJOY THEM, READ THEM AND SHARE THEM, WE'RE PROUD OF THAT WORK. SO NOW I WANT TO SHOI YOU A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAPPENED, WE HAD THIS BIG THING CALLED ST. JOHNS COUNTY DAY TAT CAPITOL, THIS WAS IN TALLAHASSEE BACK ON FEBRUARY 6 AND LET ME SEE IF I CAN GET TO THAT.
OKAY, WELL, WE'LL SKIP PAST THAT AND COME TO THAT IN A MOMENT.
THIS IS THE ADVERTISING REPORT WE HAVE FOR JANUARY, YOU HAVE THIS IN YOUR PACKET BUT WHAT I WANTED TO SHOW TO YOU WAS SOFM THE NEW COMMERCIALS THAT WE HAVE.
[01:15:01]
AND DENA, DO YOU WANT TO GO -- I THINK I CAN PLAY THE FIRST ONE.YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE. ( SHOWING VIDEO ) >> I THINK BETTER THAN A DAY TAT BEACH, HOW ABOUT A WEEK WHERE EVERY SUNRISE BRINGS A NEW TWIST.
WHERE YOUR APPETITE FOR ADVENTURE IS MET WITH A BOUNTY OF SITES, SOUNDS AND FLAVORS.
( END OF VIDEO ) >> AND DENA, I THINK WE HAVE THREE MORE VIDEOS TO SHOW.
( SHOWING VIDEOS ) >> THE AGE OF DISCOVERY DIDN'T END 500 YEARS AGO.
IT'S ALIVE AND WELL TODAY. FROM ANCIENT OAKS, WILD BEACHES TORX CULTURAL TREASURES AND SANCTUARIES FOR THE SOUL. ST. AUGUSTINE PONTE VEDRA AND THE BEACHES, WELCOME TO THE NEW
WORLD. ( END OF VIDEO ). >> THERE'S A BEACH IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA THAT STRETCHES MORE THAN 42 MILE AND IS OVER 450 YEARS WHERE THE PAST AND PRESENT COME TOGETHER IN A CELEBRATION OF ART, CULTURE, NATURE AND COMMUNITY.
ST. AUGUSTINE PONTE VEDRA AND THE BEACHES, WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD.
( SHOWING VIDEO ). >> YOU CAN STILL FIND QUIET PLACES THAT TELL INCREDIBLE STORIES. WHERE NATURE IS ABUNDANT AND ALL THE FLAVORS AND INGREDIENTS COME TOGETHER IN HARMONY. ST. AUGUSTINE PONTE VEDRA AND THE BEACHES, WELCOME TO THE NEW
WORLD. ( END OF VIDEO ) >> WHAT I WANTED TODAY SHOW YOU WERE THESE EXAMPLES, WE'RE THRILL WITCHED OUR ADVERTISING AGENCY AND THEIR WORK, THEY COMPLETED THIS SHOOT BACK IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR AND WE'RE START TOING DO A PHASED ROLL OUT OF THIS CAMPAIGN. CURRENTLY FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR, WE HAVE NEARLY ONE MILLION DOLLARS IN ADVERTISING THAT IS BEING SPENT ON THIS AND THE NUMBERS ARE ALREADY PRODUCING RESULTS. SO, I WOULD LOVE ANY FEEDBACK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE ON THIS CAMPAIGN SO FAR , WHAT YOU'RE SEINING. -- SEEING.
>> MAYOR? >> LOOKS GOOD, I LIKE THE ONE WITH -- I THINK IT WAS MELINDA CAME TAT LAST MEETING AND SAID YOU NEED TO TALK ABOUT 42 MILES OF HISTORY, WHAT WAS THE
ORIGINAL -- >> 42 MILES OF BEACHES. >> 42 MILES OF BEACH AND IS THE REST IS HISTORY. I LIKED THAT YOU PICKED UP ON THAT ONE, IT WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT DIDN'T HAVE PEOPLE DRINKS OUT OF GLASSES, WINE. I THINK THEY ALL LOOK GREAT.
>> ANYONE ELSE? >> LOOKS GOOD. >> GREAT.
>> WHO'S THE DEMO FOR THESE ADS? >> REALLY THE ADS ARE TARGETED ANYWHERE FROM THE MILLENNIALS TOUP THE BOOMERS AND EVERYTHING IS SEGMENTED OUT IN THE MARKETPLACE.
>> THEY FEEL LIKE THEY TREND A LITTLE PROBABLY OGLER AND HIGHER INCOME WHICH IS PROBABLY
WHAT WE WANT, BUT -- >> YEAH, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, MAYOR, IS FOR ABOUT 7 MILLION OF THE [INAUDIBLE] PURSUERS IN EACH CATEGORY, IT IS A HIGHER SPAN, EVEN FOR THE MILLENNIALS, WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE HIGHER SPEND FOLK THAT IS ARE COMING HERE.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE EVER LOOKING AT FAMILIES, BUT I WOULDN'T SAY ANY OF THESE ADS FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO ENTICE LIKE FAMILY WIDTHS KIDS TO COME HERE, BUT I DON'T KNOW,
AGAIN, IF THAT'S A TARGET DEMO OR NOT. >> IT IS A GREAT SEGWAY, WE WILL BE ROLL HATING OUT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, WE'RE WRINGING ON THAT RIGHT NOW, THAT WOULD BE AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT LOOK, THIS IS MORE OF THE ASPIRATION HIGH END, WE WANT PEOPLE TO SPEND LONGER, SPEND MORE MONEY, WE WANTED TO COME OUT STRONG AND LEVERAGE ALL OF OUR CULTURAL AND OUR DESTINATION ASSETS BUT I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE FAMILY SEGMENTS
TOO. >> OKAY, LET'S SEE IF -- MAYBE I CAN -- THIS IS GREAT.
>> LET ME ADD ON TO THAT, WHAT THE MAYOR SAID, IS DURING LIKE SLOW TIMES, OUR FOURTH GRADERS KEEP US GOING DOWNTOWN AND THEY BUY ON ST. GEORGE STREET F YOU'RE O A SHOP OWNER ON ST.
GEORGE STREET THA,'S WHEN THEY DO THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM, SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE MORE
[01:20:01]
OF THE FAMILY SITUATIONS, I'LL BE EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THEY COME UP WITH NEXT MONTH.ER >> IEP HOPING NEXT MONTH WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT.
SO NOW I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT ST. JOHNS COUNTY DAY AT THE CAPITOL.
WHAT WE DID IS WE HAD A BOOTH AT THE CAPITOL, THIS WAS OUT ON THE NRAZ SA, I WILL TELL YOU, IT WAS VERY CHILLY THERE, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT LATER AND YOU'LL SEE THAT, THAT WAS A GREAT DAY THOUGH AND WE FELT OUR ROLE IN GOING TO THIS EVENT WAS TO HELP UPLIFT EVERYTHING THAT WAS BEING DONE FOR THE COUNTY BUT ALSO TO HAVE PEOPLE LOOK AT TRAVELING TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY AS A DESTINATION. SO, YOU'VE GOT THIS IN YOUR PACKET, WE REALLY WANTED TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS, GET THE FOLK INS TALLAHASSEE TO LOOK AT THIS AND CREATE SOME BUZZ AROUND THE E EVENT THAT WAS HAPPENING TAT CAPITOL. WHAT WE DECIDE TODAY DO WAS GO IN WITH A PAID MEDIA PLAN, WE PUT THIS TOGETHER IN W OUR AGENCY IN TEN DAYS, IT WAS A QUICK TURN, WE WANTED TO GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND NOT ONLY HAVING A MESS SEAMING TO COME AND VISIT US BUT COME VISIT US AT THE CAPITOL. I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL OF THIS.
I DON'T THINK THIS AD IS GOING TO PLAY, WE'LL GET IT TO YOU LATER.
THERE WAS A CALL TO ACTION THAT SAID COME VISIT US BUT ALSO COME VISIT US AT THE DAY AT THE CAPITOL. WE HAD RADIO, WE HAD TV AND A WHOLE LOT OF COVERAGE AND HAD SOME BRAND AMBASSADORS WEBSINGER LAD A RADIO STATION COME OUT AND DO A LAO*IFR REMOTE. WE WERE TRYING TO PROMOTE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS EVENT.
( WATCHING VIDEO ) >> IT IS THE FIRST TIME COUNTY LEGISLATIVE DAY, I'M HERE WITH SUSAN FROM THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY VISITOR AND IS CONVENTION BUREAU, TELL US WHY YOU'RE
HAVING THIS AMAZING EVENT AT THE CAPITOL HERE IN TALLAHASSEE? >> HI, WE ARE SUPER EXCITED --
>> I'M NOT GOING THE HAVE YOU ALL LISTEN TO ME AGAIN. LET'S SEE IF I CAN GET BACK TO
THIS AND I HAVE TO PUT MY GLASSES ON I THINK SO I CAN SEE. >> I HAVE A QUESTION, WHY ARE
THEY CALLING IT THE FIRST ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE DAY? >> I THINK THAT WAS INFORMATION THAT WE WERE GIVEN. SOMEONEBACKER SOMEBODY TOLD ME AFTERWARDS --
>> IT'S DEFINITELY NOT. >> I DON'T THINK IT'S HAPPENED THOUGH IN 20 YEARS OR SOMETHING
LIKE THAT AND -- BUT IT HASN'T HAPPENED. >> I HAD A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ASK ME TO DRESS UP AS DE LEON WHEN I MET WITH GOVERNOR BUSH. ( SHOWING VIDEO )
>> THERE'S 350 YEAR OF FLORIDA HISTORY IN A SINGLE AFTERNOON AT ST. JOHNS COUNTY DAY, CELEBRATE PONTE VEDRA AND THE BEACH WIDTHS LOCAL MUSIC, CULTURE AND CUISINE AND FRESH PRODUCE FROM THE PLACE WHERE FARM TO TABLE WAS BORN, VISIT ST. JOHNS COUNTY DAY THURSDAY FEBRUARY 5 FROM NOON TO 6:00 AT THE CAPITOL COURTYARD, LOOK LEARN MORE APT ST. JOHNS COUNTY
DAY.COM. >> 450 YEARS OF FLORIDA HISTORY, CELEBRATE WITH MUSIC, CULTURE AND CUISINE THURSDAY FEBRUARY 5 FROM NOON UNTIL 6:00 AT THE CAPITOL COURTYARD, VISIT
ST. JOHNS.COM. >> AT THE CAPITOL YARD -- >> OKAY.
>> AT THE COURTYARD INAL HAS TALLAHASSEE -- >> DENA, DO YOU THINK YOU CAN
GET IT PAST THAT SLIDE, PLEASE. >> AT THE CAPITOL COURTYARD IN TALLAHASSEE, --
>> SUSAN, I THINK WE CAN MOVER -- MOVE ON FROM THIS PORTION. I KNOWER YOU'RE TRYING YOUR
BEST OVER THERE. >> I REALLY AM. >> I THINK WE GET THE POINT.
THANK YOU. >> HERE YOU CAN SEE THESE ARE THE BRAND AM BAZ DOOR -- THIS IS A RADIO REMOTE LIVE SHOW WE HAD, IT TURNED OUT GREAT, THEY HAD PHOTOS AND EVERYTHING, THEY GA*I AWAY PRIZES AND IN ADDITION, WE HAD DIGITAL BILLBOARDS ALL AROUND THE AREA TELLING PEOPLE WHERE TO GO TO, HOW DO COME SEE US AND HERE ARE SOME OF THE BRAND MESSAGING GRANDS WE HAD ON ON THE BILLBOARDS, THERE WAS ONE SPECIFIC FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY DAY, ANOTHER ONE FOR OUR NEW CAMPAIGN, WELCOME O THE NEW WORLD AND THERE'S LOCATIONS OF ALL THE DIGITAL BILLBOARDS AND THEN WE HAD THESE WONDERFUL FLORIDA STATE, PLEASE DON'T GET MAD AT ME, WONDERFUL FLORIDA STATE STUDENTS HELPED US, THEY HELPED OUT PASS OUT MATERIALS,
[01:25:03]
SOME MATERIALS WE HAD WAS COLLATERAL FROM SOME OF THE OTHER SBIT -- ENTITY THAT IS CAME OUT FOR THE DAY. THAT WAS A GREAT DAY WEBSINGER WERE GLAD TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE WEBSINGER HAD A GREAT TIME BUT IT WAS 30 DEGREES OUTSIDE WEBSINGER HAD 30 PER MILE WIND GUSTS BUT WE MADE THE BEST OUT OF IT AND IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL TIME.THE LAST THING I WANT TO MENTION TO YOU, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON A DATA DASHBOARD FOR ABOUT A YEAR, MAYBE NOT DWHIET LONG, WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD OVER THE PAST SIX MONTH AND IS I'M GOING O SHOW YOU SOME SCREEN SHOTS, WE'RE NOT READY TO GO LIVE YET, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE WE'VE EVOLVING, WE'RE STRINGING TO PUT ALL OF OUR INFORMATION FROM SMITH TRAVEL AND ALL OF THE METRICS FROM OUR WEBSITE PERFORMANCE, INFORMATION FROM THE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER, SOCIAL MEDIA AND ALSO WE'RE GOING TO BE OVERLAYING IT WITH OUR ADVERTISING AGENCY METRICS AS WELL AND THEN WE'LL BE DINGING IN THE ATTRACTIONS SO THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT THIS DATA DASHBOARD AND AT ANY POINT IN TIME SEE HOW WE'RE TRENDING, SOME OF OUR REPORTING BACK TO 2015, WE'VE LOADED THOSE BUT WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOOD TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A BRIEF LOOK AT THIS, KIND OF A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW WITH SOME SCREEN SHOTS.
ONCE WE HAVE THIS COMPLETED, YOU WILL ALL HAVE ACCESS TO THIS SO YOU CAN GO IN AND DRILL DOWN AND LOOK AT THE METRICS TOO AND COME UP WITH ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, SO THIS JUST GIVERS YOU HIGH LEVEL WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE. AND LET'S SEE, I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT FROM HERE. I DON'T HAVE MY GLASSES ON FOR THIS, YOU CAN SEE THE TRENDS WE'RE TRYING TO SHOW, OUR COMP SITE FOR SMITH TRAVEL AND WE'LL BAIBLTD IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOP RIGHT HAND CORN E WE'LL BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH AND SORT THIS OUT WEBSINGER EEL BE ABLE TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE INFORMATION NOT ONLY FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY BUT WHERE WE HAVE INFORMATION FROM OUR COMP SET UP, WE'LL HAVE THAT INFORMATION TOO, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SORT IT BY YEAR, MONTH, SORT IT BY QUARTER. ONE OF THE THING WES EAR ADDING IN RIGHT NOW IS THE CAPABILITY TO DO CHANGES TO LOOK AT COMPARISON AND CONTRASTING YEAR OVER YEAR, MONTH OVER MOTHER, SO -- MONTH, SO IT WILL BE RESXW*US IN ONE SITE, WE CAN ACCESS THIS.
>> CAN I HOLD YOU UP ONE SECOND T MAYOR HAS TO GO, SHE HAS AN EARLY MEETING, MAYOR, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING BEFORE YOU NEED TO GO TO YOUR MEETING? I KNOW YOU'VE GOT GET --
>> THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT, SORRY, TOIF RUN, I HAVE A WORKSHOP ON PROPERTY TAXES THIS AFTERNOON. YES, THERE IS -- I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO ANYONE THAT'S LISTENING HERE AT THE COUNTY FOR -- INCLUDING US AND ST. JOHNS COUNTY DAY, WE HAD A TREMENDOUS TIME. I THOUGHT IT WAS AN AMAZING EFFORT.
I THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT GOING TOR WARD. I THINK IT MADE A BIG IMPACT AND A BIG IMPRESSION SO I DEFINITELY APPRECIATED THAT AND I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE RUNNING THE ADS, THAT'S GREAT. AND I WANT TODAY LET YOU GUYS KNOW THAT ON MARCH 8, WE ARE WORKING WITH CONSULATE GENERAL'S OFFICE OF IRELAND AND THEY WILL BE OPENING AN EXHIBIT IN THE VISITORS INFORMATION CENTER IN A SIDE ROOM, IT'S NOT IN THE MAIN PART OF THE VAC, THEY REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE IRISH HISTORY AND HOW EARLY THAT WAS, WE CAN ADD THAT TO THE LIST OF THE LONG STRING OF DIFFERENT CULTURES AND BACKGROUNDS THAT WE CELEBRATE AND WE TALK ABOUT HERE THA, WE'RE ALWAYS FINDING NEW INFORMATION THA,'S ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS ABOUT ST. AUGUSTINE AND THE LAYERS OF HISTORY IS WE'RE FINDING NEW THINGS TO TALK ABOUT AND IT'S A WHOLE NEW SEGMENT BRINGING THE IRISH AND MAKING THEM FEEL WELCOME HERE AS WELL. WE HAVE SOMETHING FOR THEM AND I THINK IN A LOT OF WAYS, WHEN YOU HAVE SO MUCH HISTORY, YOU HAVE A LOT FOR EVERYONE, YOU'LL BE HEARING MORE ABOUT IT.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE SENDING YOU INVITATIONS TO THAT OPENING AS WELL, BUT THANK YOU
FOR STOPPING AND LETTING ME -- INDULGING ME. >> YOU HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT MEET SOING I KNOW YOU HAD TO GET THERE. SORRY, SUSAN.
>> SUSAN, GREAT JOB. >> I'M SORRY. I'LL CONTINUE, THIS WILL BE QUIM, THESE ARE DIFFERENT SCREEN SHOTS, THIS IS LOOKING FOR THE REVENUE FROM SMITH TRAVEL, THIS IS ADR, SO EVERY SINGLE METRIC WE HAVE WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THIS THAT'S GOING TO BE YOUR DEMAND PATTERNS AND IT WILL ALSO INCLUDE THE VACATION RENTALS ANALYTIC, IT WILL NOT ONLY HAVE SMITH TRAVEL BUTALS VACATION RENTALS, AVERAGE BOOKING WINDOWS, NIGHTS AVAILABLE, GUEST CHECK-INS, AND TDT COLLECTIONS TOO I THINK IT'S
[01:30:02]
IMPORTANT TO LOOK HISTORICALLY AND SEE HOW WE'RE TRENDING AND PERFORMING AND THIS IS GIVE THING FISCAL YEAR TO DATE, HOW WE'RE PERFORMING ON TDTT THE VISITOR TOR INFORMATION CENTERS, I MENTIONED THAT TO YOU EARLIER AND SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T REPORTED ON, WE HAVE VIES SA VIEW DATA, IT IS THE CREDIT INFORMATION, SO WE'LL BE SHOWING YOU FROM A CREDIT CARD COUNT PERSPECTIVE AS FAR AS HOTEL AND IS LODGING, THE TRANSACTION COUNT, HOW THE SPENDING IS GOING T SPEND AMOUNTS T AVERAGE TICKET, RESTAURANTS AND DINING, THESPEND AMOUNT ON THAT, AVERAGE TICKET -- >> WHY DOES IT SAY IN GEORGIA
BELOW IT. >> WE CAN DRILL DOWN TO BY STATE AND LOOK AT IT BY STATE TO SEE BASED ON A CREDIT CARD SPEND, ARE PEOPLE IN GEORGIA SPENDING MORE THAN NEW YORK.
>> IT'S -- THAT'S WHERE THIS STATE, IT COMES FROM. >> EXACTLY, SA O ON THE RIGHT, THE LABELS WE HAVE, YOU CAN DRILL DOWN INTO THAT INTO STATE, INTO DIFFERENT TIME OFS THE YEAR, DIFFERENT VALUES, DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITY SOS YOU MIGHT WANT TO SEARCH ON.
WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION, WE HAVEN'T HAD TO SHARE IT BEFORE BUT I THINK THIS WILL BE HELPFUL IN MAKING DECISIONS MOVING FORWARD. IT HELPS GUIDE US NOW.
WE LOOK AT THIS TO SEE WHERE ARE THE PATTERNS OF VISITATION COMING FROM, WHERE THEY'RE SPENDING MONEY, THIS TIES NOT ONLY IN OUR WEBSITE WE'RE LOOKING INTO THAT VISITATION, WE CAN OVERLAY THIS INFORMATION AS WELL, THESE ARE THE CREDIT CARD SPENDS SO WE KNOW THESE ARE VERIFIED MONIES BUT THAT IS ONLY FOR VISA. I'M SORRY I HAD A LONG PRESENTATION TODAY, WE HAD GREAT INFORMATION TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER
ANY QUESTIONS. >> WHAT STATE SPENDS THE MOST MONEY, DO YOU REMEMBER?
>> YOU WOULD ASK ME THAT. REALLY RIGHT NOW, I WOULD WANT TO SAY --
>> EXCLUDING FLORIDA. >> I WAS GOING SAY FLORIDA'S GOING TO BE OUR TOP BECAUSE WE GET EVERYONE FROM ACROSS THE STATE COMING HERE. PROBABLY BEYOND THAT, IT'S GOING TO BE NEW YORK, NEW YORK IS GOING TO BE PRETTY HIGH FROM AN ACTUAL SPEND PERSPECTIVE AND
ALSO GEORGIA. >> OKAY. GOOD QUESTION.
>> I'M INTERESTED IN SOME OF THE ANALYTICS AROUND THE VACATION RENTALS, AIRBNB'S AND VRBO'S, I HAD AN EXPERIENCE RECENTLY I HAD RENTED A VRBO, THE PERSON I RENT -- RENTED FROM APPROACHED ME AND SAID IF YOU WANT TO COME BACK NEXT YEAR, YOU CAN AVOID GOING THROUGH VRBO, WE CAN DEAL DIRECTLY, AND YOU CAN AVOID SOME COSTS, I CAN AVOID SOME COSTS AND I WOULD ASSUME THAT THE THEY'RE ALSO PROBABLY IF THEY'RE WILLING TO DO THAT, THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE COMPLIANT ON THEIR TAX COLLECTION SO, WHAT THE ANALYTICS THAT I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN WOULD BE HOW HAS OUR TAX COLLECTIONS IN THAT SPACE GROWN AS A PERCENTAGE OF OUR TOTAL TAX COLLECTION, SO I ASSUME BASED ON THE GROWTH IN THAT INDUSTRY THAT IT'S BEEN INCREASING, AND THEN IMD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR COMPLIANCE AND HOW WE ENSURE COMPLIANCE AND PREVENT TAX AVOIDANCE BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THE ONE AREA THAT TAX AVOIDANCE IS VERY -- COULD BE VERY EASY. CAN YOU GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF
INSIGHT INTO THAT. >> I CAN. THE COUNTY SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THE COUNTY HIRE ADD COMPANY CALLED HOST COMPLIANCE AND HOST COMPLIANCE BASICALLY WILL COME IN AND THEY WILL ENSURE THAT FOLKS ARE PAYING THE FEES. THEY'LL TURN THEM INTO THE TAX COLLECTOR, I KNOW THE TAX COLLECTOR HERE WORKS DIRECTLY WITH THEM.
WE'VE HAD IN PLACE, IT'S BEEN FIVE YEARS OR LONGER, AND IT SEEMS TO BE DOING VERY WELL.
I KNOW THAT IN DUVAL COUNTY, I HAD A CALL A YEAR OR TWO AGO AND TALKED TO THE TDC DIRECTOR THERE. THEY WERE WONDERING TO DO, DUVAL COUNTY CAN'T HAVE ANYTHING IN PLACE AND I TOLD THEM, I SAID YOU NEED TO CONTACT OUR TAX COLLECTOR HERE AND LOOK AT HOST COMPLIANCE, I UNDERSTAND THAT'S BEEN WORKING WELL.
WE DON'T RECEIVE INFORMATION ON THAT THOUGH FROM THE TAX COLLECTOR ALTHOUGH I SUPPOSE WE COULD REACH OUT AND ASK AND THAT MIGHT BE ANOTHER GOOD ANALYTIC TO INCLUDE IN THIS
REPORT. >> I WOULD LAO*F TO HAVE THE TAX COLLECTOR OR HOST COMPLIANCE DO A PRESENTATION TO THIS BOARD TO GIVE US SOME INSIGHT INTO HOW ALL OF THAT WORKS BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE WHEN YOU'RE IN A GROWTH PATTERN OR LACK THEREOF THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW, THAT ONE OF THE THINGS WE SHOULD PROBABLY FOCUS ON IS MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT LEAVING DOLLARS OUT THERE BY NOT -- BY THE AVOIDANCE THINGS THAT SEEM TO
[01:35:04]
BE PRETTY EASY, YOU KNOW, IT JUST DAWNED ON ME RECENTLY BECAUSE I DON'T THINK LIKE THAT BUT THERE ARE A AN AWFUL LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DO, SO I WOULD LOVE SOMEBODY TO COME IN AND GIVE THAT INFORMATION TO THIS BOARD AND MAYBE THERE ARE SOME WAYS AS WE DISCUSS IT AS GROUP, WE MAIBLT COME UP WITH SOME IDEAS OR PROTOCOLS AND WHAT THINGS ARE BEING DOPE AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF BECAUSE I ALSO KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME TALK RECENTLY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL OF PREVENTING CORPORATIONS FROM BUYING SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL HOMES, RIGHT, BECAUSE OF THE HOUSING SHORTAGE IN THE COUNTRY. THERE'S A LOT OF PROPOSALS OUT THERE THAT WOULD SEVERELY LIMIT OR RESTRICT BIG CORPORATIONS FROM BUYING SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES. BUT THAT'S E VERBAL ESSENTIALLY WHAT A VRBO IS OR AN AIR BNB OR A SINGLE FAMILY HOME THAT'S TURNED INTO A VACATION RENTAL. WE DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S BEEN DONE BY BIG CORPORATIONS OR A MOM AND POP, WE DON'T HAVE DATA ON THAT, SO I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW BECAUSE I KNOW THE VRBO THING, THE VACATION RENTAL IS A BIG ISSUE AND IT AFFECTS PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOODS B DIFFERENTLY, SO I WOULD LIKE TO GET A LOT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ALL OF THAT. I THINK IT WOULD HELP USPROVIDE GUIDANCE AND UNDERSTAND THAT ISSUE MUCH BETTER. >> AND, MIKE, AS A PERSON THAT'S HAD VACATION RENTALS LOCALLY, WE'RE ONE OF THE FEW COUNTIES THAT VRBO AND AIRBNB, THEY'LL COLLECT THE BED TAX AND THE SALES TAX BUT OUR TAX COLLECTOR DOES NOT ACCEPT IT FROM THEM, YOU HAVE TO ASK FOR THAT MONEY BACK FROM AIRBNB AND THAT MONEY BACK FROM VRBO.
I THINK WE'RE ONE OF FIVE COUNTIES THAT DOESN'T ALLOW VRBO AND YOU HAVE TO SELF-REPORT AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION OF PEOPLE THAT ARE NEW TO VRBO AND AIRBNB'S, THEY'RE LIKE, THEY'RE ACHING CARE OF IT. COMPLETELY INNOCENT IN THEIR MINDSET BUT THEY'RE NOT PAYING THOSE TAXES, SO I THINK THERE'S DEFINITELY A GAP THERE.
WE MIGHT WANT TO HAVE AT SOME POINT MRS. RAVEN COME IN AND TALK TO US ABOUT A OUR TAX COLLECTOR COMING IN AND TALKING TO US ABOUT THAT THOUGHT PROCESS ABOUT WHY WE'RE ONE OF THOSE COUNTIES THAT DOESN'T ACCEPT IT DIRECT BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S MONEY OUT THERE
THAT -- >> I CAN ALMOST ASSURE YOU THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY OUT THERE, IT'S A FLAT KIND OF GROWTH MODE, I THINK THA* THIS IS WHERE YOU HAVE TO SHIFT YOUR FOCUS TO, WE CAN PROMOTE THE DESTINATION MORE TO INCREASE REVENUE TELEVISNG'S LOTS OF THINGS WE CAN DO, BUT IF WE'RE ALLOWING A LOT OF AVOIDANCE OR WE'RE NOT DOING OUR JOB CORRECTLY IN THE COLLECTION PROCESS, IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE TO ME SO I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD AREA THAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON HERE OVER THE NEXT YEAR.
>> MR. CHAIRMAN, WE HAD THIS PRESENTATION DONE TO US ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO ABOUT THIS EXACT THING SO IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD TIME FOR A FOLLOW-UP AND AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS VERY LITTLE COLLECTION AND THEN IT WAS EXPLAINED WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN AND HOW THEY WERE GOING TO TRY TO COLLECT IT, THEY WENT THROUGH WHAT TROY JUST TALKED ABOUT WHICH IS THE DIFFICULTY, BUT THE TRUTH IS AIRBNB, VRBO, THEY GET TREMENDOUS LIFT FROM THE VCB, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THOSE TAX DOLLARS FROM THEM, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE OWNER OR THROUGH AIRBNB AND VRBO, SO IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE ANOTHER PRESENTATION ON THAT, THANKS.
>> ALRIGHT. ANYONE ELSE? >> I JUST HAD A QUESTION.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL L YOU GUYS DID FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY DAY, TLIFS AND IT WAS WONDERFUL. THE ADVERTISING THAT YOU DID, WHAT WAS THE TARGET FOR THAT ADVERTISEMENT, FOR RESIDENTS OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY O COME OUT TO, FOR TALLAHASSEE TO COME OUT TO
IT? >> WE WANTED TO BRING THE FOLK FROM THE COMMUNITY OUT AND TRY TO AMP MRI FI AND GET THE MESSAGE OUT THERE WEBSINGER FLEW THE LEGISLATIVE FOLKS WOULD STOP BY, BUT MORE OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO STIR UP THE CAL HAS SEE GAYER AND HAVE A TWOFOLD APPROACH, HAVING THEM TO VISITOR US NOT ONLY AT ST. JOHNS COUNTY DAY, IF THEY DIDN'T THINK ABOUT TAKE AGO VACATION THERE, COME THERE. THE BOARD CHAIR AND I WERE OUTSIDE, WE WERE TALKING TO FOLKS AND EITHER THEY HAD BEEN THERE, THEY WANTED TO COME HERE, THEY HAD SOME PERSONAL STORIES AND IS PERSONAL CONNECTIONS, SO IT WAS FLIES TO HEAR THEM AND THEY WANTED TO TAKE ALL OF OUR MATERIAL WHICH WAS EVEN BETTER.
>> AWESOME. ALRIGHT. I THINK MAYBE FROM A BAND
[01:40:02]
AWARENESS, IT'S PROBABLY GOOD TO RUN THOSE ADS IN ALIGNMENT WITH ST. JOHNS COUNTY DAY.I THINK IN MY EXPERIENCE WRINGING IN TALLAHASSEE, LOCALS ARE NOT COME TOING THE CAPITOL THAT DAY, IT'S TOO HARD TO GET THERE. MAYBE DRIVING THEP TO VISIT THE BOOTH ISSING AS EFFECTIVE, RUNNING THOSE ADS IN ALIGNMENT HELPS BROADEN THE AWARENESS AND
THE DRAW TO THE COUNTY. >> I AGREE, THANK YOU. >> AND THE COUNTY CAME IN TO MULTIPLE LOCAL SHOWS, RADIO AND PAD CASTODCAST SHOW AND IS COMMISSIONERS TOOK TURNS GETTING THE WORD OUT. THE MONDAY RIGHT BEFORE T CHAIRMAN WAS ON MY NETWORK AND THE OTHER LOCAL NETWORK AND ALL THE LOCAL RADIO STATION SOS THE COUNTY PICKED UP A LOT OF THAT
WEIGHT FOR LOCAL STUFF. >> I FORGOT ONE THING IF I COULD MENTION JUST IN THE EXCITEMENT OF ALL THE GREAT STUFF WE HAVE GOING ON, THERE'S SO MUCH WE HAVE TO PROMOTE AND MARKET HERE IN THE COUNTY, WE ARE -- AN ADVERTISING AGENCY WAS ABLE TO DO A MEDIA TO GET US INCLUDED AND NOT ACROSS THE ENTIRE NATION, WITH SOME OF THE AFFILIATES BUT WE WERE INCLUDED IN THE OPENING OF THE OLYMPICS AND ALSO WITH SUPER BOWL, SO PRETTY IMPRESSIVE AND I HEARD A LOT OF FOLKS ALL OVER THAT SENT E-MAILS OR COMMENTS SAYING I SAW YOUR AD, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT, IT WAS COOL, THINGS WE HAVEN'T DONE IN THE PAST THAT WE'RE TRYING TO TEST AND DO WITH OUR NEW ADVERTISING AGENCIES, WE'RE GOING TO GET THEM TO GIVE A GOOD COG AND
PONY SHOW IN THE FUTURE. >> IF YOU GUYS HAVEN'T SEEN IT I LOVE YOUR BACK AND FORTH WITH
[INAUDIBLE]. >> YOUR SPEAKER WENT DOWN. >> IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN SUSAN'S -- SIT JUST ON SOCIAL MEDIA, PENSACOLA ABOUT BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN BEING THE OLDEST CITY,
IT'S REALLY CUTE. >> AND WE HAD FUN WITH THAT, IT WAS FROM THE 1500'S AND WE KIND OF SPAR IN A CHEEKY WAY WITH VISIT PENSACOLA, WE STARTED -- THIS WAS LOOKING TAT AMERICA'S 250TH, WHAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS THE NATION, BRINGING DOWN TO THE LEVEL OF FLORIDA, WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE 250TH AND TALK ABOUT OUR HISTORY AND NOW WE'RE TRANSITIONED THAT CAMPAIGN SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ST. AUGUSTINE AND PONTE VEDRA AND TEEING E.G. UP FOR THE
250TH SO IT'S A LOT OF FUN. CAMEO ROLES, FUN VIDEOS. >> THANK YOU, SUSAN.
[12. MEMBER COMMENTS]
ALRIGHT, I THINK WE'RE AT MEMBER COMMENTS. SO, LET'S START DOWN HERE.>> THANKS, TRY, I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW VICE CHAIR AND CONGRATULATIONS TO
OUR OLD VICE CHAIR, TROY, CONGRATULATIONS, WELL DESERVED. >> DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING,
CHARLES? >> I'M GOOD. >> GALE, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING?
>> I HAVE PROBABLY TALKED ENOUGH, CONGRATULATIONS. >> ALRIGHT.
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, COMING OUT AND I THINK -- DO WE NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN? NO?
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.