[Items 1 - 3] [00:00:11] >> I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. IF YOU WOULD PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. >> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. >> ALL RIGHT, IF WE CAN HAVE THE ROLL CALL. >> MS. SARAH ARNOLD WILL BE ABSENT. TROY BLEVINS. >> PRESENT. >> CHARLES SCOTT. >> HERE. >> MICHAEL GORDON. >> HERE. >> IRVING KASS. >> HERE. [4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA] >> AND MAYOR SWEENEY AND MYSELF WICKS WILL BE ABSENT. >> THANK YOU. APPROVAL OF AGENDA. I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME CHANGES MIGHT BE NECESSARY WITH THIS. BEFORE WE GET GOING, 7 AND 8 PRETTY MUCH NEED TO STAY WHERE THEY'RE AT BECAUSE OF STAFF OBLIGATIONS. NINE IS GOING TO BE PRETTY SIMPLE BUT I UNDERSTAND IRVING YOU WOULD WANT TO MOVE ABOVE TEN AND 11. >> NO, I'M FINE WITH BE THE CITY GOING FIRST AND THEN MY PRESENTATION BUT I THINK WE SHOULD DO THE BUDGET DISCUSSION AFTER WE HEARD THE TWO PROPOSALS. THAT'S MY ONLY RECOMMENDATION. >> AND THE ONLY REASON I'M SAYING EIGHT SHOULD STAY WHERE IT'S AT IS BECAUSE BBC HAS STAFF HERE ALSO. SO I WAS THINKING MOVE NUMBER 12 EITHER BETWEEN EIGHT AND NINE OR BETWEEN NINE AND TEN. SO YOU WOULD JUST BE AFTER SUSAN'S PRESENTATION BECAUSE OF THAT. ARE YOU GOOD WITH THAT? >> WHATEVER, AS LONG AS IT'S BEFORE THE BUDGET DISCUSSION. >> OKAY, ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE AGENDA, ANYBODY ELSE HAVE... I DO THINK NUMBER NINE IS GOING TO GO PRETTY QUICK. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF ACCOMMODATIONS OR CHOICES. SO I'M MOVING NUMBER 12 TO 9(B). ALL RIGHT. THEN 10 AND 11 WILL FOLLOW THAT. CAN I GET A MOTION, PLEASE? >> SO MOVED. >> ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION IN SECOND. [5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES] ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> ALL RIGHT, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. >> I MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. >> SECOND. >> ALL RIGHT, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> AYE. >> PUBLIC COMMENT. DO WE HAVE ANYONE HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ALREADY ON THE AGENDA? CHARLES YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ IT YET. WE CLOSE THAT PORTION OF PUBLIC COMMENT. [7. FY2027 SPORTS TOURISM GRANT POLICY] ALL RIGHT, NUMBER 7, BOBBY. SO WE HAVE SPORTS TOURISM GRANT POLICY. ROBERT MCFARLANE. ROBERT. NEVER CALLED YOU BOB. ROBERT. >> BOBBY MCFARLANE SPORTS TOURISM DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST. THIS IS OUR UPDATED GRANT POLICY. WE DO THIS EVERY YEAR JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALWAYS CHANGING AND ADAPTING AND GETTING BETTER. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE FREE TO ASK. >> ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES, BOBBY, THAT WE NEED TO KEEP OUR EYE ON? >> I WOULDN'T SAY SIGNIFICANT. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT IS PROBABLY MYSELF BEING REMOVED AS AN EVALUATOR. I WAS EVALUATING BUT MY HANDS WERE IN SO MANY DIFFERENT POTS WITH IT IT WAS DETERMIND DURING OUR MEETING THAT IT WAS BEST IF I REMOVED MYSELF AS EVALUATING AND DOING MORE OF THE RECEIVING PART. THAT'S THE BIGGEST CHANGE. >> DO YOU HAVE ANYBODY FROM STAFF EVALUATING. >> THE MEMBER OF THE ADMINISTRATION, KATHY PONTS IS GOING TO TAKE MY PLACE. >> OKAY. >> THEN 60 DAYS WAS THE CURRENT FOR MOST EVENT MOVED DOWN TO 45 DAYS, THAT WOULD BE THE OTHER BIGGER ITEMS. >> THIS THOUGH HAS TO GO THROUGH REC ADVISORY. >> CORRECT. >> ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> SO IN OTHER WORDS, SOME [00:05:18] CONVERSATION ABOUT THE NAME OF THE EVENTS. SO A BIT OF A CHANGE. I KNOW WE HAD THAT PREVIOUSLY BUT WE UPDATED THE WORDING ON THE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS, LETTER G. THE DIFFERENCE IS THE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO ALL ORGANIZATIONS, HUB OR EVENT NAME MAY NOT REFERENCE OR INCORPORATE THE NAME, NICKNAME OR BRANDING OF ANY OTHER COUNTY OR GEOGRAPHIC AREA. >> THANK YOU. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO... TO APPROVE THE POLICY? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> I'LL SECOND. >> ALL RIGHT. A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAIR -- >> YOU NEED PUBLIC COMMENT. >> AYE? OPPOSED? I SHOULD HAVE DONE PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE WE DID THE VOTE. SO DO WE HAVE ANYONE, A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS TOPIC? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, BOBBY. >> THANK YOU. [8. VCB DATA DASHBOARD LIVE DEMONSTRATION] >> ALL RIGHT, THAT TAKES US TO BBC DASHBOARD LIVE PRESENTATION. 20 OR 30 MINUTES. I'M ASSUMING THAT'S 20 AND A MISPRINT ON THE SECOND PART. >> THANK THANK YOU, SUSAN. >> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. DULY NOTED. I'M SUSAN PHILLIPS WITH THE BBC. I'VE GOT SOMETHING WE'RE WORKING AND OUR DATA DASHBOARD PRODUCT. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR A WHILE. WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW TO BE BETTER DATA DRIVEN AND STRATEGIC IN OUR THINKING AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE DO SURROUNDED OR CONNECTED TO ADVERTISING AND TO PAID MEETING AND ALSO TO MARKETING. WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE HERE IN THE NEXT FEW MINUTES IS A DEMONSTRATION WHICH REPRESENTS THIS MAJOR MILESTONE FOR US. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE PROUD TO HAVE THAT A LOT OF DESTINATIONS DO NOT HAVE AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE US FORWARD INTO THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. WHILE THIS WILL CONTINUE TO EVOLVE OVER TIME IT IS GOING TO GIVE US A STRONGER EVALUATION FOR PERFORMANCE AND RETURN ON INVESTMENT. I'M PLEASED TO INTRODUCE SOMEONE CRAIG SEANAG ER DIRECTOR OF PROMOTION AND DAVE FARARA FROM HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM PROGRAM. THEY'RE GOING TO PRESENT THE DASHBOARD TO YOU AND AFTERWARDS I'LL GIVE MORE CONTEXT TO IT AND TALK ABOUT GIVING YOU ACCESS. SO THANK YOU. >> DAVE, I'LL LET YOU START, A LITTLE OVERVIEW. >> ALL RIGHT, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA FIND HERE IS WE CREATED A DATA VISUALIZATION DASHBOARD. COMING IN CONSTANTLY FROM MULTIPLE AREAS. THE FOCUS IS TO BRING ALL DATA TOGETHER SO THIS WAY YOU CAN LOOK AT IT SIMULTANEOUSLY TO SEE HOW THEY REACT WITH EACH OTHER. WE SPEED UP INFORMATION TO IDENTIFY TRENDS JUST TO GET AHEAD AND TO GIVE THE TOURISM INDUSTRY A BETTER CHANCE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND GROWTH AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF NEW OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME WHILE LOOKING AT TRENDING DATA IN THE PAST COMPARING US TO SIMILAR MARKETS. THOSE ARE THE BASICS THAT WE PUT HERE. THERE ARE TEN DIFFERENT MAIN DATA AREAS THAT ARE PUT TOGETHER. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE MAIN REPORTS THAT COME FROM THE STR, THEY'RE KIND OF LOOKING AT ST. JOHNS AND THEN LUMP TOGETHER OUR DIFFERENT COMPETITIVE SETS. AND DATA IN TERMS OF TAX COLLECTIONS. EIGHT OR NINE MARKETS BASED ON ZIP CODE AND LOCATION SO REALLY WE'RE CREATING A WAREHOUSE TO PUT ALL INFORMATION TOGETHER AND TO ALLOW SOMEBODY WHO HAS TO MAKE DATA DRIVEN DECISIONS THEY CAN LOOK AT MULTIPLE DATA SOURCES AT ONCE TO SEE HOW THEY IMPACT EACH OTHER TO TRY AND MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS FOR ST.~JOHNS COUNTY GOING FORWARD. >> THANK YOU, SIR. IN ADDITION TO LOOKING AT MULTIPLE DATA SOURCES SIMULTANEOUSLY IT'S ALSO GOING TO BE A REALLY NICE EASY WAY TO FIND THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR WITH ONE CLICK OF A BUTTON AS OPPOSED TO TRYING TO GO TO DIFFERENT PORTS. SO WE'RE NOT GOING THROUGH ALL OF THESE TODAY BUT I DID WANT TO FOCUS ON TDT, STARVATION RENTALS AND SOME OF OUR CAMPAIGN DATA RESULTS BUT IT'S A REALLY NICE EASY TOOL TO USE. WE'LL START OFF WITH TDT DATA. SO YOU'LL FIND ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE THAT IT WILL GIVE YOU MULTIPLE CHOICES, DROPDOWNS. WHAT SET OF DATA THAT YOU WANT [00:10:01] TO LOOK AT. IN THIS EXAMPLE WE'VE GOT OCTOBER THROUGH MARCH CHECKED. WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT 2026. IF WE WANT TO LOOK AT 2025-2026, MULTIPLE YEARS WE CAN DO SO. I'LL PULL UP '25-'26 SO YOU CAN SEE HOW IT LOOKS. AND THEN IT WILL ALLOW YOU ALSO TO LOOK AT THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE OR IF YOU WANT TO BREAK DOWN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTY YOU CAN DO THAT AS WELL, FOR THE EASE OF LOOKING AT IT WE'RE JUST GONNA LOOK AT ST.~JOHNS COUNTY AS A TOTAL. ON THIS YOU CAN SEE THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 IS IN BLUE. FISCAL YEAR 2026 IS IN PURPLE. WHAT'S GREAT, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING, FOR EXAMPLE,-- I'M GONNA MAKE THIS A BIT BIGGER-- SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING... SORRY. IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT STARTING IN OCTOBER YOU'LL SEE YOUR NUMBER WITH THE SAME TOTAL UNDERNEATH IT BUT AS YOU MOVE INTO THE NEXT MONTH IT'S GONNA GIVE YOU A RUNNING TOTAL, NOT A YEAR-TWO-DAY TOTAL BUT A RUNNING TOTAL OF THE SET THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. WE MOVE TO FEBRUARY 2025 YOU'LL SEE THAT THE 2025 OCTOBER THROUGH FEBRUARY WAS 8,925,000 INSTEAD OF 1,900,000. >> THAT NUMBER THE TOP TOTAL AND THE NUMBER IN PERENTHESIS THE RUNNING TOTAL. ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND SIDE OF EVERY PAGE THAT TAKES YOU BRACK BACK TO THE SCREEN AND THE RENTAL VACATION DATA YOU DECIDE WHICH SET YOU WANT TO LOOK AT WHETHER IT'S OCCUPANCY, REV PAR, ALL THE NUMBERS AND DATA POINTS IN THE REPORT ARE LISTED HERE SO YOU CAN LOOK AT THEM, SELECT WHICH SET OF DATA YOU WANT TO LOOK AT, PICK YOUR MONTHS THAT YOU WANT TO LOOK AT AND THEN PICK YOUR FISCAL YEARS AS WELL. SO IN THIS CASE WE'VE GOT OCTOBER OF 2025 THROUGH APRIL OF 2026 AND IN THIS CASE WE HAVE GOT... SORY. >> IF YOU SCROLL UP TO THE TOP ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE. >> THERE IS WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR. SORRY, THE SCREEN IS NOT MOVING AS QUICKLY. AGAIN WE CAN LOOK AT IT BY ZIP CODE AND FOR THIS PRESENTATION WE'LL JUST TAKE A LOOK AT A2. AND IT WILL SHOW YOU ALL YOUR NUMBERS FROM ACT THROUGH APRIL-- OCTOBER THROUGH APRIL. >> OKAY, QUESTIONS? >> GO BACK HOME AGAIN. TAKING A LOOK AT THE STAR REPORT. WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT MULTIPLE COUNTIES. MULTIPLE COMPETITORS. IN THIS CASE WE HAVE CHARLESTON AND ALL OF ST.~JOHNS COUNTY LISTED. AS YOU ARE HOVERING OVER THE COLUMNS, WHEN YOU HAVE HOVER OVER IT PULLS UP ALL THE DETAILS OF IT. YOU CAN SEE HOW WE ARE DOING COMPARED IN THIS CASE TO CHARLESTON. AND WE'RE LOOKING AT OCCUPANCY HERE, AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING AT OCTOBER THROUGH FEBRUARY RIGHT NOW. SO TDT STARVATION RENTAL AND THE LAST THING I WANTED TO SHOW YOU WAS THE CAMPAIGN, SO THIS IS THE RESULTS OF OUR DIGITAL EFFORTS. FROM HERE YOU CAN SELECT WHETHER YOU WANTED TO LOOK AT LEASH OR B TO B. SELECT WHICH OF THE CAMPAIGN TRAFFIC SITES THAT YOU WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT. WE CAN LOOK AT CLICKS, WE CAN LOOK AT COSTS, WE CAN LOOK AT IMPRESSIONS. AGAIN SELECTING THE MONTH AND THE FISCAL YEAR. WE'VE GOT AS I SAID EARLIER WHEN YOU SCROLL OVER THE NUMBERS IT WILL GIVE YOU THE BACKUP FOR [00:15:01] EVERYTHING. AS I SAID THERE'S A LOT MORE ON HERE BUT IT'S A NICE EASY TOOL TO WORK WITHIN. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER THEM. >> BEFORE WE GO INTO QUESTIONS I WANT TO GIVE YOU GUYS AN OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE. WE KNOW THIS IS NOT A ONE-AND-DONE. WE'LL CONTINUE TO INVOLVE THIS. EVEN AFTER WORKING ON THIS IT WENT THROUGH MULTIPLE ITERATIONS. IT'S TO THE POINT THAT WE CAN SHOW IT TO YOU, AND THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL CHANGES WITH YOU WE LOOK TO LAYER IN AI. WITH AI WE CAN LOOK AT PREDICTIVE MODELING AND WE CAN LOOK AT TRENDS AND WHAT WE WANT TO GET TO OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND NEXT YEAR IS TO BE ABLE TO TIE OUR ADVERTISING EFFORTS TO LOOK AT THE DEMAND TRENDS AND WHERE THE PEAKS AND VALLEYS ARE AND DETERMINE THE CHANNELS TO CHANGE TO MAKE THIS MODIFICATION SO AT THE END OF THE DAY WE CAN GENERATE AS MUCH REVENUE AS POSSIBLE AND KEEP THE COSTS AS LOW AS POSSIBLE. IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, THERE WILL BE AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY TO GIVE YOU INSIGHT AND WHAT'S GOING ON IN OTHER MARKETS AND WE CAN DRILL DOWN TO A COMP SET COMPARISON AND PROVIDE THAT SO THE REPORTS THAT YOU'LL SEE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE SOME OF THOSE BUT WE ARE TRYING TO RAISE THE BAR ON THIS. IN CLOSING I HOPE THAT YOU ALL ARE AS EXCITED ABOUT THIS AS US DATA GEEKS ARE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAKING VERY GOOD DECISION FOR YOU BUT IT'S A STEP TOWARDS THE FUTURE AND INTEGRATING AI INTO WHAT WE'RE DOING AS WELL. WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. >> I HAVE ONE QUESTION, AND, MAYOR, YOU MAY HAVE THE SAME QUESTION. WE TALKED TO A TAX COLLECTOR ABOUT THE INDIVIDUALS IN THE CITY BECAUSE OF THE CROSSOVERS INTO THE ZIP CODES. WE'RE WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET SOME OF THAT SPECIFIC DATA. WILL THIS BALANCE WITH WHAT YOU GET FROM THE COUNTY WHEN THEY MAKE THAT ADJUSTMENT? >> IT SHOULD. YES, ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL PULL IN AS DATA IS AVAILABLE. YES, WE WANT TO GET DOWN TO AS MUCH GRANULARITY THAT WE CAN. IT'S ALL OF DATA WITH THESE REPORTS AND THE ADVERTISING METRICS, WE'RE PULLING IN DATA FROM THE AGENCY AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING. YOU CAN MEASURE WHAT IS GOING ON TAX COLLECTION AND ADVERTISING-WISE. >> TO ADD TO THAT, TROY, WHEN THE ADJUSTMENT IS MADE AND WE GO INTO THE MAIN DATA SET AND MAKE THE ADJUSTMENTS ANYWHERE THAT TAX COLLECTION DATA IS REPRESENTED IN ANY OF THE DASHBOARD THAT ADJUSTMENT IS AUTOMATICALLY MADE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO INTO EACH INDIVIDUAL ONE BECAUSE WE'RE HOUSING IT IN ONE SECURE DATA SET. SO IF WE MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT ON HOW WE MEASURE IT AND REPORT IT ON ONE DASHBOARD CONSIDERATIONS IT'S FLESHED OUT AND YOU'RE NOT COUNTING ON JUST ONE REPORT. >> THROUGH DANA WE'LL SEND YOU A LINK AND YOU CAN TEST IT OUT. BUT WE DON'T WANT JUST ANYONE ACCESSING IT AND YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS WHERE IT'S ONLINE AND WE CAN CONFIRM AND GIVE YOU A PASSWORD BUT AGAIN I HOPE THAT YOU TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT IT, KICK THE TIRES AND UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT A ONE-AND-DONE BUT IT WILL CONTINUE TO EVOLVE OVER TIME. LOOKING AT WHAT WE HAVE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA WE'RE THE ONLY ONE OF OUR SIZE AND LAST WEEK I SAW THAT THERE ARE OTHERS WITH THESE TOOLS AND THEY DO WELL BUT WE'LL GET THERE SOON. >> I LOOK AT BEST PRACTICE IN ORLANDO AND THEY'RE DOING IT ON A MUCH BIGGER SCALE AND I HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT THE ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTRE-- CENTER AND MIMIC IT AND IN ST.~JOHNS COUNTY WE CAN HAVE SOMETHING JUST AS POWERFUL BUT IT WILL TAKE TIME AND THE FOUNDATION IS SIMILAR TO THE FOUNDATIONS THAT THEY HAVE SET IN THAT BIG MARKET. >> CHARLES. >> SO I LIKE THIS A LOT. TO YOUR POINT THAT. GOING TO BE MY QUESTION BEFORE SUSAN STARTED TO SPEAK AGAIN AFTER THE PRESENTATION IS WHERE CAN YOU TAKE IT WITH THE PREDICTIVE MODEL? PALM BEACH ONE OF THE ONES THAT YOU LOOKED AT. THEY'VE BEENING TO THIS FOR A WHILE AND THEY'VE GOT DATA COMING IN FROM THE BOOKING RESERVATIONS. SO WITHIN SIX MONTHS OUT THEY'RE WITHIN A PERCENT, A PERCENT AND A HALF ACCURACY AND THEY'VE BEEN TESTING THIS FOR QUITE A WHILE WITH THE AI PIECE KICKING, AND THE PREDICTION AND THE FORECASTING MODEL. THAT'S WHERE THE BENEFIT COMES, OBVIOUSLY LOOKING AT ALL OF THIS STUFF THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS GREAT BUT THE TRUE BENEFIT TO ALL PARTNERS IS WHAT [00:20:03] HAPPENS WHEN YOU CAN PREDICT WHAT HAPPENS SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS OUT. THAT'S POWERFUL. >> JUST TO TOUCH ON THAT I'VE BEEN EXPERIMENTING WITH CONSUMER PRICE INDEX AND GASOLINE INDEX AND COMMODITY PRICING AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND HOW WHEN THOSE HAPPEN WHAT LAG WE MAY HAVE HERE ON HOW IT MAY IMPACT SOME OF OUR MARKETS. SO IT'S PRELIMINARY USING SOME AI COMPONENTS BUT FOR SOME OF THEM WE GOT UP TO 98% CONFIDENCE USING HISTORICALLY DATA TO SEE HOW IT TRANSLATES. THE REAL-WORLD APPLICATION FOR THIS IS LIMITLESS FOR WHAT I CAN DO FOR ST.~JOHNS COUNTY. AS FAR AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF FLABBER COLLEGE AND DIRECTOR OF HTM I'M HAPPY TO BE DOING THIS BECAUSE WE TALK TO STUDENTS ABOUT THIS ALL THE TIME AND IT GIVES ME A CHANCE TO SAY HEY, THIS IS WHAT I TALK ABOUT IN THE CLASSROOM AND WHAT I'M DOING FOR REAL. THERE'S A LOT OF REAL GOOD APPLICATION THAT CAN COME INTO THIS. >> NICE WORK. >> MILTON FROM PALM BEACH WAS PRESENTING LAST WEEK BUT DIDN'T WANT TO PRESENT HIS NEW PROGRAM BUT THEY'RE GETTING READY TO MONETIZE IT AND PLANNING ON TAKING IT ACROSS THE STATE TO AND SELLING TO OTHER DESTINATIONS. THEY'RE WAY DOWN THE PATH BUT WE WANT TO TAKE AS MUCH OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FROM THESE GUYS AS POSSIBLE AND TO EMULATE THEM. EXACTLY. >> ANY OTHER COMMENTS? FROM ANYONE? ALL RIGHT. WHAT'S THE TIMELINE ARE WE TALKING ABOUT US BEING ABLE TO REALLY ACCESS EVERYTHING? >> I CAN SEND THE LINK OVER TO DINA TODAY. >> IT'S READY NOW. >> EXACTLY, YOU'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS TO GET A PASSWORD FROM US. MR. CHAIR, IF THERE'S ENOUGH TIME, WE TRY AND KEEP THIS VERY SHORT AND TRY AND SIMPLIFY IT AS MUCH AS WE COULD BUT I DO HAVE A VIDEO THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO SHOW TO YOU, THIS IS A VERY SHORT ONE. THIS IS THE "WHEEL OF FORTUNE" VISITING FLORIDA, I THINK IT WAS APRIL 24TH. >> TAKE A VIP TOUR OF THE ST.~AUGUSTINE DISTILLERY AND EXPLORE THEIR LIGHTHOUSE AND THE NATION'S OLDEST CITY. $700,730 AND WIN A VISIT TO ST.~AUGUSTINE AND VISIT WHEEL OF FORTUNE.COM. >> WITH THAT WE ARE EXPECTING ALL E-MAIL OPTIONS BECAUSE THEY GAVE AWAY A PRIZE LIVE AND IT SHOULD GENERATE 8.5 MILLION IMPRESSIONS MINIMUM. WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> THANK YOU. >> GOOD JOB. >> THANK YOU. . >> ALL RIGHT, DINA, THAT BRINGS [9. TDC BOARD MEMBER VACANCY] US TO THE APPOINTMENT. SO IF YOU CAN KIND OF TALK US THROUGH THE PROCESS, I DON'T KNOW IF LEX NEEDS TO TALK US THROUGH. THIS IS FOR ACCOMMODATIONS AND WHAT I SAW WE ONLY HAD ONE. DENY OR APPROVE. >> WE'RE TEN APPLICATIONS RECEIVED; HOWEVER, ONLY ONE WAS FOR AN ACCOMMODATION POSITION. THIS POSITION IS FOR AN ACCOMMODATIONS POSITION. >> WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE THREE. >> AT LEAST THREE, YES. >> AND MICHAEL IS COMING OFF. THAT WOULD MAKE US TWO AND WE WOULD PRETTY MUCH HAVE TO FILL IT WITH ACCOMMODATIONS IS THE WAY THAT I UNDERSTAND IT. >> YES, ALSO IN JULY, MS. PHILLIPS' TERM WILL BE EXPIRING. SO WE ARE CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS TO FILL THAT VACANCY, ALTHOUGH SHE-- SHE IS ELIGIBLE TO SERVE ANOTHER TERM AND IF SHE WISHES TO SERVE ANOTHER TERM SHE CAN FILL OUT AN APPLICATION AND IT WILL BE BROUGHT TO YOU AT THE JULY MEETING. >> OKAY. ALL RIGHT. MICHAEL, DO YOU WANT TO DO THE HONORS? >> I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE WILL AKLIN WITH GATE HOSPITALITY AND PONAMAKER PUB. BEEN THERE FOR 0 30 YEARS AND E KNOWS THE ACCOMMODATIONS IN THE NORTHEAST PART OF ST.~JOHNS COUNTY AND I UNDERSTAND HE'D BE A TREMENDOUS ASSET TO THIS BOARD. >> I'LL SECOND THE NOMINATION. >> ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. LET'S OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC COMMENT WANTS TO COME UP AND SPEAK? NOT SEEING ANY. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION FROM THE BOARD. I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE SOMEBODY FROM PONTE VEDRA ACCOMMODATIONINGS. [00:25:02] ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> OPPOSED? LIKE SIGN. HE'S NOT OFFICIALLY IN UNTIL THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ACCEPTS. >> AND THAT WILL BE AT THE HOPEFULLY AT THE SECOND MEETING IN JUNE. SO, MR. GORDON, YOU CAN STILL SL ATTEND THE JUNE TDC MEETING. >> WAIT A MINUTE. >> [LAUGHTER] WHATEVER YOU NEED. THANK YOU, MIKE. >> YOU CAN WEAR SHORTS. >> [LAUGHTER] [12. ST. JOHNS COUNTY YEAR-ROUND CULTURAL PLATFORM DISCUSSION] >> NO TIE, NO TIE REQUIRED. >> WE MOVED THE ST.~JOHNS COUNTY YEAR AROUND PLATFORM CULTURAL DISCUSSION TO THIS SECTION RIGHT NOW. WE ARE NOW AT 9(B). >> IRVING, THE FLOOR. >> I'M JUST WAITING TILL THE PRETENDING. ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO QUITE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY GOT TOGETHER AND WE RECEIVED INPUT FROM THE ST. JOHNS CULTURAL COUNCIL, THE CULTURAL EVENTS INCORPORATED, A LOT OF LOCAL TALENTED CULINARY INDIVIDUALS. THE VISITORS AND CONVENTION BUREAU, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, AND QUITE A NUMBER OF OTHER INDIVIDUALS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY TO COME UP WITH THIS PLAN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND IT'S ALL ABOUT WHAT WE DO WELL: MUSIC, CULTURE, FOOD, WINE, HISTORY, THE OUTDOORS, LOCAL CREATIVITY AND HOSPITALITY AND INTEGRATING THESE STRENGTHS MORE DEEPLY INTO THE CORE FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY. SO I HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION, IT'S ABOUT 25 SLIDES BUT IT GOES FAIRLY QUICK BUT BASICALLY THE OVERLYING THOUGHT AND JEFF BROUGHT PART OF THIS UP LAST MEETING, IS WE LIKE TO EXPAND SING OUT LOUD TO THREE DISTINCT PERIODS OF THE YEAR WITH EVENTUALLY HAVING IT BECOME A FABRIC OF ST.~JOHNS COUNTY 365 DAYS A YEAR. SO LET ME TAKE YOU THROUGH EXPANDING SING OUT LOUD INTO A RESIDENTIAL FIRST ECONOMIC INVESTMENT ENGINE. OKAY. DID THAT DO IT? IT MOVES IT TOO FAST. THE THESIS IS THE STRATEGY IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH RESIDENTIAL CENTERED CULTURE. ST.~JOHNS COUNTY NEEDS TO SPREAD OUT DEMAND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. A PLATFORM CAN STABILIZE LOCAL BUSINESSES, STRENGTHEN WORK QUALITY OF LIFE. SING OUT LOUD BECOMES THE ORGANIZING PLATFORM, MUSIC, CULINARY, WELLNESS, PUBLIC SPACE ACTIVATION AND CREATIVE ECONOMY DEVELOPMENT. THIS IS NOT AN EVENT PLAN, IT IS A DEMAND OPTIMIZATION STRATEGY. THE ECONOMICS OF OUR AREA ARE PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD. WE HAVE ABOUT 3.8 BILLION IN TOURISM ECONOMIC IMPACT OVER 30,000 JOBS ARE SUPPORTED AND OVER $24 MILLION IN ANNUAL TAX REVENUE. THE CONSTRAINT IS VOLATILITY, NOT DEMAND. PEAK PERIODS PERFORM WHILE OFF-PEAK PERIODS UNDER-UTILIZE OUR ASSETS. SEASONAL REVENUE SWINGS MAKE BUSINESS PLANNING AND REINVESTMENT HARDER. WORK FORCE INSTABILITY INCREASES HIRING, TRAINING AND RETENTION COSTS, AND RESIDENTS EXPERIENCE PEAK CONGESTION WITHOUT ENOUGH YEAR-ROUND COMMUNITY BENEFIT. THE BIGGEST ROI OPPORTUNITY IS SMOOTHING THE DEMAND CURVE. FILLING THE SLOW MONTHS ST.~JOHNS COUNTY DOES NOT NEED MORE PRESSURE DURING PEAK TIMES. IT NEEDS MORE ACTIVITY DURING SLOWER MONTHS. PEAK MONTHS KEEP STRONG, SLOW MONTHS ADD ACTIVITY WHERE IT'S NEEDED MOST. STEADIER BUSINESS REVENUE, STRONGER YEAR-ROUND JOBS AND BETTER RESIDENCE' QUALITY OF LIFE. THE SIMPLE TAKEAWAY, WE'RE FILLING THE VALLEYS, NOT INCREASING THE PEAKS. THIS IS A RESIDENT BENEFIT IS THE CENTER OF THE MODEL. WHAT IMPROVES DAILY LIVES ALSO STRENGTHS THE COUNTY'S [00:30:04] INDUSTRIES. MORE YEAR-ROUND EXPERIENCES FOR FAMILIES, WORKERS AND RETIREES. STRONGER COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS THROUGH PUBLIC SPACE AND CULTURAL PROGRAMMING. MORE CONSISTENT LOCAL BUSINESS ACTIVITY AND LOCAL EMPLOYMENT. STRONGER COMMERCIAL TAX BASE HELPS REDUCE PRESSURE ON RESIDENTS OVER TIME. RESIDENTS' QUALITY OF LIFE AND INDUSTRY GROWTH REINFORCES EACH OTHER. THIS IS A SHARED VALUE STRATEGY. BETTER RESIDENT EXPERIENCES INCREASE LOCAL SPENDING AND CIVIC SUPPORT. MORE ATTRACTIVE LIFE-STYLES IMPROVE TALENT, ATTRACTION AND RETENTION. STABLE BUSINESSES CREATE STRONGER EMPLOYMENT PATHWAYS AND STRONGER INDUSTRIES EXPAND THE ECONOMIC BASE THAT FUNDS PUBLIC SERVICES. THE SAME INVESTMENT CAN SERVE RESIDENCES, BUSINESSES AND GOVERNMENT. THE PLATFORM, FROM AN ANNUAL EVENT TO A YEAR-ROUND CULTURAL OPERATING SYSTEM. EXPAND SING OUT LOUD TO A YEAR-ROUND PLATFORM. THIS EVENT BECOMES THE INFRASTRUCTURE. MOVE FROM A SUCCESSFUL ANNUAL MUSIC EVENT TO A COUNTY-WIDE CULTURAL PLATFORM. USE SING OUT LOUD AS THE ANCHOR BRAND FOR MUSIC, CULINARY WELLNESS AND CULTURAL ACTIVATIONS. CREATE REPEATABLE SEASONAL PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT RESIDENTS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES AND BUILD A PLATFORM THAT CAN ATTRACT SPONSORS, GRANTS, VISITORS, AND PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS. SING OUT LOUD CAN BE THE COUNTY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ENGINE. NEXT SLIDE. CREATE A FLORIDA-BASED AUSTIN-LIKE DESTINATION MODEL. A PROVEN CONCEPT LOCALIZED TO ST.~JOHNS COUNTI' STRENGTH. AUSTIN DEMONSTRATORS HOW IT CAN BE A DESTINATION AND NOT A STRENGTH. THEY SHOULD CREATE THEIR OWN HISTORICAL VERSION. THE DIFFERENTIATION IS CULTURAL +COAST +HISTORY AND STYLE. IT'S A GULF COAST DESTINATION FOR RESIDENTS FIRST AND ATTRACTS VISITORS BECAUSE OF ITS AUTHENTICITY. NOT A BIG-CITY MODEL, BUT A COASTAL CULTURAL LIFESTYLE MODEL. PLATFORM COMPONENTS, MUSIC, CULINARY, WELLNESS, PUBLIC SPACE AND CREATIVE ECONOMY. PILOT ACTIVATION PROGRAM. THIS IS WHERE JEFF ALLUDED TO AT THE LAST MEETING. THIS SEPTEMBER WE'LL DO A REGIONAL LAUNCH. MID-JANUARY THROUGH MID-FEBRUARY WE'LL DO A RESIDENTIAL ACTIVATION. AND IN MAY WE'LL DO THE NATIONAL SHOWCASE. EACH ACTIVATION ANSWERS A DIFFERENT ECONOMIC QUESTION, BUILD, STAINSES AND SCALES. SEPTEMBER-- BUILD, STABILIZES AND SCALES. SEPTEMBER 26, REGIONAL CULTURAL LAUNCH AND START WITH STRONG MANAGEABLE PROOF OF CONCEPT. OBJECT BUILD SHOULDER SEASON MOMENTUM AND VALIDATE OPERATIONAL COORDINATION. PROGRAMMING, REGIONAL ARTISTS, LOCAL MUSICIANS AND CULINARY PARTICIPATION, MUSIC INDUSTRY NETWORK, BUSINESS EDUCATION, TALENT DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATING AND ELEVATING VENUES. AUDIENCE, RESIDENTS, REGION VENDORS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS. STEP MEASURES, FOOT TRAFFIC, PARTICIPATION AND RESIDENT ATTENDANCE AND HOTEL LIVE. PROVE THE PLATFORM THAT MOVES INTO DEAND IN A SOFTER PERIOD. THE SECOND ONE IS JANUARY THROUGH MID-FEBRUARY-- ACTUALLY MID-JANUARY TO MID-FEBRUARY, OBJECTIVES, STABILIZE ONE OF THE LOWEST DEMAND PERIODS WHILE PRIORITIZING RESIDENTS. PROGRAM WELLNESS, RESTAURANT WEEKS, WORKSHOPS, SMALL-SCALE MUSIC, LOCAL MUSICIANS, CULTURAL EXPERIENCES, OPPORTUNITY FOR ST. JOHNS' RESIDENTS TO EXPERIENCE OUR COMMUNITY AT A PREFERRED PRICING. AUDIENCE, RESIDENTS FIRST, SUPPORTED BY REGIONAL DRIVE MARKET. SUCCESS MEASURES, ALL SEASON REVENUE, PUBLIC SPACE USAGE, RESIDENT PARTICIPATION, AND BUSINESS COMMUNITY. PURPOSE, DEMONSTRATE VALUE WHERE THE COUNTY NEEDS IT MOST. MAY, NATIONAL, CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC SHOWCASE. THIS IS THE PERFORM SCALING INTO NATIONAL POSITIONS. OBJECTIVE, CREATE NATIONAL VISIBILITY AND HIGH-VALUE [00:35:02] VISITATION. PROGRAMMING, NATIONAL ARTISTS, CULINARY EVENTS, INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS, DESTINATION WIDE ACTIVATION, MONTH-LONG CELEBRATION OF MUSIC AND LOCAL VENUES. AUDIENCE, VISITORS, SPONSORS, MEDIA, INDUSTRY PARTNERS AND RESIDENTS. SUCCESS MEASURES, OCCUPANCY, VISITOR SPENDING, SPONSORSHIP, EARN MEDIA AND BRAND REACH. FINANCIAL MODEL, A TARGET INVESTMENT AGAINST A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR ECONOMIC BASE. THIS SEPTEMBER WE DO HAVE SOME MONEY IN THE BUDGET. IF WE CAN FIND SOME NOW THAT WE'RE PACING A LITTLE BIT AHEAD FOR WHAT WE FORECASTED FOR THIS YEAR. I KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME PROGRAMS THAT INDIVIDUALS WOULD LIKE TO DO. SO IT WOULD BE NICE. BUT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. WE'RE LOOKING AT AN ADDITIONAL $500,000 IN EACH OF THE ACTIVATION PERIODS ON TOP OF WHAT WE ALREADY SPEND. THIS IS GOING TO BE MONEY THAT WOULD BE SPENT MOSTLY BY THE CULTURAL COUNCIL AND BY THE CULTURAL EVENT INC. AND THE MONEY WILL BE THOUGHT OF AND DECIDED HOW IT NEEDS TO BE SPENT BY ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT THE TEAM IS ALREADY WORKING ON PUTTING TOGETHER BUT IT'S GONNA TAKE ABOUT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS TO CREATE ALL OF THE ELEMENTS TO MAKE THIS PROJECT SPECIAL. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A MILLION-AND-A-HALF DOLLARS. IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY TILL YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT SLIDE. INVESTMENT, A MILLION-AND-A-HALF DOLLARS. ACTUALLY WHEN YOU COUPLE IN DOING A PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AND SPONSORSHIPS WE COULD GENERATE THAT CLOSER TO TWO-AND-A-HALF MILLION DOLLARS WITH A MILLION AND A HALF COMING FROM TDT. BUT ON A CONSERVATIVE MODEL OF GETTING A HALF TO ONE PERCENT LIFT YOU'LL SEE THAT THE ESTIMATED ECONOMIC IMPACT OF SPENDING A MILLION-AND-A-HALF DOLLARS IS BETWEEN 18 AND $36 MILLION A YEAR. WHICH IS BASICALLY A 12 TIME MULTIPLE. AND THE REAL KEY IS SMOOTHING OUT DEMAND. IF THE ENDZONE IS ONE FLAT LINE ALL THE WAY ACROSS BUT AT THE MOMENT YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE'RE REDUCING THE VALLEY PERIODS AND THE IDEA IS TO MAKE OUR BUSINESS LEVEL SMOOTH YEAR-ROUND. MAJOR INDUSTRY BENEFITS DIRECTLY. RESIDENTS FIRST, ACTIVATION STRENGTHENS THE COUNTY'S CORE ECONOMIC SECTORS. TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY MORE CONSISTENT, OCCUPANCY AND REVENUE. OCCUPANTS AND RETAIL, STEADIER CUSTOMER FLOW AND SMALL OPERATING MARGINS. SMALL BUSINESSES REDUCE REVENUE VOLATILITY AND HIGH SURVIVAL RATES. REAL ESTATE AND DEVELOPMENT, STRONGER LIFESTYLE APPEAL AND LONG-TERM VALUE. WORK FORCE, MORE STABLE EMPLOYMENT AND BETTER TALENT RETENTION. THIS PLATFORM IMPROVES THE PERFORMANCE OF THE WHOLE LOCAL ECONOMY. IMPLEMENTATION REQUIRES PUBLIC/PRIVATE ALIGNMENT, COUNTY LEADERSHIP DEFINES THE FRAMEWORK, PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS CONTRIBUTE PROGRAMMING AND EXECUTION. CAPACITY, COMMUNITY RELEVANCE AND ACCESS, UNIFYING CALENDAR SHARED MET RICK AND PHASED REPORTING CREATES ACCOUNTABILITY. MEASURE WHAT MATTERS, ECONOMIC OFFSEASON REVENUE, OCCUPANCY LIFT, VISITOR SPENDING, SALES ACTIVITY. COMMUNITY, RESIDENTS PARTICIPATION, PUBLIC SPACE UTILIZATION, QUALITY OF LIFE FEEDBACK. BUSINESS, RETENTION OF OPERATING SEASON EXTENSION, PARTICIPATION RATES, WORK FORCE, EMPLOYMENT STABILITY, RETENTION, TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES. THEY ASK APPROVED PILOT ACTIVATION SEPTEMBER '26, MID-JANUARY THROUGH MID-FEBRUARY '27 AND MAY '27. AUTHORIZED DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUBLIC/PRIVATE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE, ALIGN INITIAL FUNDING OF 2.5 TO 3.5 ACROSS PUBLIC, PRIVATE AND EARNED SOURCES. LAUNCH DETAIL PROGRAMMING, SPONSOR DEVELOPMENT AND MEASUREMENT PLANNING. AND THE GOAL IS TO GO FROM DESTINATION TO AN IDENTITY. TODAY WE'RE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE VISIT. THE FUTURE, IT'S A PLACE WHERE [00:40:02] PEOPLE CHOOSE. AND THAT IS MY PRESENTATION. >> THANK YOU, IRVING. COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD. >> GOOD, GALE. >> I HAD A QUESTION, THE SAME AS I HAD BEFORE. WHERE DO YOU FORESEE THE BUDGET COMING FROM WITHIN THIS STRUCTURE OF TDC? >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. WHEN I LOOK AT THE ECONOMY AND WHERE THE HEADWINDS ARE AND WHERE THE TRENDS WOULD BE, TWO THINGS THAT I NOTICED. ONE OF THEM IS THAT WE'RE DOING A LITTLE BETTER THIS YEAR THAN WE THOUGHT SO OUR BASE GOING INTO NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO BE HIGHER. WE HAVE ROLL OVER MONEY ALREADY, BUT I BELIEVE BASED ON WHAT I'M SEEING FROM THE ECONOMY AND SOME DEMAND CHANGES AND IN A WEIRD WAY, AND THIS SOUNDS BACKWARDS, AND THE PROFESSOR MAY HAVE HAD A DIFFERENT OPINION ON IT. HIGH GAS PRICES MAY BE OUR FRIEND. AND THE REASON BEING IS WE'RE A DRIVE DESTINATION AND IT'S A LOT CHEAPER TO DRIVE WITH HIGH GAS PRICES THAN IT IS TO FLY. SO YOU'RE GONNA SEE A LOT OF BEHAVIORS CHANGING. AIRLINES ARE CUTTING BACK ON FLIGHTS AND THEY'RE CHANGING THINGS. THEY'RE ALSO SEEING THAT THE YOUNGER TEND TO TRAVEL MORE. WE'RE A BIT MORE OF AN AFFORDABLE DESTINATION THAN OTHERS THIS SUMMER. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF INTERESTING TRENDS WHERE I THINK NEXT YEAR'S REVENUE GROWTH IS GOING TO BE ABOUT 6%. 6% OVER $25 MILLION IS ROUGHLY WHAT THIS PROGRAM COSTS. >> SO I HAVE ANOTHER PART TO MY QUESTION BECAUSE YOU SAID THE CULTURAL COUNCIL AND CULTURAL INC. WHO ENTITIES THAT WE HAVE HERE. MY QUESTION IS, DOES THIS ENHANCE OR DETRACT FROM WHAT THE GRANTS ARE DOING NOW AS PART OF THE NONPROFIT -- >> IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY IMPACT EXCEPT THIS IS AN IN ADDITION TO THAT. THAT'S NOT TAKING ANYTHING AWAY FROM ANY PROGRAM. THIS IS-- THIS IS NOT TAKING THINGS AWAY. FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU LOOK AT IT FROM 10,000 FEET, JANUARY WAS THE ONLY MONTH WHERE TDT TAXES WENT DOWN THIS YEAR. EVERY MONTH IS UP OVER LAST YEAR EXCEPT THAT MONTH. AND WE-- IF WE HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN WE WOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING BECAUSE WE ALL WERE COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT WE REDUCED DEMAND FOR JANUARY AND WE SAW WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES WERE BECAUSE OUR BED TAX COLLECTIONS WERE DOWN 10%. OR 9%. I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT NUMBER BUT THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER. WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT WE SEE WHERE WE HAVE EXPOSURE TO BED TAX GOING DOWN WE NEED TO BE PROACTIVE AND SO WE CAN MANAGE THIS EFFECTIVELY AND THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY OF MANAGING IT IS CELEBRATING WHAT WE DO WELL AND EXPAND IT AND MAKE IT SOMETHING THAT IS NOT ONLY FOR TOURISTS BUT ALSO MORE IMPORTANTLY ARE OR OUR RESIDENTS BECAUSE THERE ARE 375,000 PEOPLE WHO ALL HAVE MONEY WHO MAY WANT TO SPEND IT SOMEWHERE. LET'S LET THEM SPEND IT IN OUR COUNTY. SO TO ME IT'S A PURE-- IF IT WAS MY OWN BUSINESS AND I WAS HAVING A REALLY BAD JANUARY I'M NOT GONNA LET THAT HAPPEN THE NEXT JANUARY, I'M GONNA HAVE A MEETING AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S TE SMARTEST THING I CAN DO AND WHAT IS THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE WAY THAT I CAN CREATE BENEFIT TO MY MARKETPLACE. AND I THINK EXPANDING SING OUT LOUD AND CREATING JOBS, CREATING HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES, CREATING AN INDUSTRY WHERE DOWN THE ROAD IF WE DO THIS WELL WE MAY HAVE A UNIVERSITY THAT HAS A MAJOR MUSIC PROGRAM IN OUR COMMUNITY TO TEACH PEOPLE. HOW DO WE START GETTING PEOPLE-- I'M THE CEO OF A MAJOR COMPANY AND I DECIDED I WANT TO MOVE MY TECH COMPANY TO ST.~JOHNS COUNTY BECAUSE I THINK THE MUSIC HERE IS REALLY COOL AND IT'S A GREAT QUALITY OF LIFE. ALL OF THOSE THINGS ADD TOGETHER AND I THINK IT IS OUR MOST COST-EFFECTIVE WAY IS TO CELEBRATE CULTURAL MUSIC. I THINK IT'S A WAY OF LIFE. ALL SUCCESSFUL TOWNS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY ARE CELEBRATING IT. NASHVILLE JUST GOT THE [00:45:02] SUPER BOWL FOR 2030. THEY DIDN'T-- YES, THEY GOT IT BECAUSE THEY BUILT THE NEW STADIUM BUT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO RESPOND -- >> THEY SPENT $5 BILLION -- >> YES, BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK OF NASHVILLE-- THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO YOUR MIND ABOUT NASHVILLE VERSUS THINKING OF INDIANAPOLIS. >> YEAH, NASHVILLE YOU THINK -- >> IT'S BRANDING. WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN IT GOES TO NEW ORLEANS? YOU THINK OF THE BRANDING. WE HAVE TO BRAND ST.~JOHNS COUNTY AS A COOL BRAND FOR HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT REASONS. AS A -- >> IRVING, WE HAVE SEVERAL OTHER QUESTIONS COMING YOUR WAY. YOU'RE IN SALESMAN MODE, ALL 100%. BUT, CHARLES, I KNOW YOU WANTED TO TALK. BUT I THINK WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. SO GO AHEAD. >> I THINK YOU MIGHT BE RIGHT ON THE GAS THING. I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THAT TILL YOU SAID IT BECAUSE I'VE CANCELED TWO TRIPS ALREADY BECAUSE OF WHAT THE FLIGHTS WERE GOING TO COST. ESPECIALLY IN THE PAST TWO YEARS WE'VE BEEN SEEING AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF TOURISM GOING TO EUROPE AND OTHER DESTINATIONS OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES. THAT TREND IS APPEARING TO KIND OF REVERSE A BIT AND PEOPLE STAY HOME. YOU MIGHT BE ON TO SOMETHING THERE. MY BIGGEST QUESTION IS WHO OWNS IT? MEANING WHO IS GOING TO BE IN CHARGE OF THE ENTIRE THING BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS GOTTA COME DOWN TO SOMEBODY WHO HAS GOT TO RUN THIS THING? >> MY INTERPRETATION OF WHAT I WAS HOPING WOULD HAPPEN WITH THIS IS THIS WOULD BE MONEY THAT WE GIVE TO JEFF'S AREA AND MONEY THAT WE WOULD GIVE TO GABE'S AREA AND LET THE PROFESSIONALS MANAGE THIS LET'S NOT CREATE A NEW ORGANIZATION WITH ADDITIONAL OVERHEAD. THIS ALL FALLS UNDER THE TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL BUT IT'S JUST ANOTHER PROGRAM WE HAVE DONE BUT LET'S USE THE EXISTING STAFF. MAYBE SOME OF THE MONEY NEEDS TO GO TO MARKETING. I HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THE SUPER DETAILS BUT WE'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN LOCAL CHEFS, BETWEEN THE CULTURAL STAFF, BETWEEN THE CULTURAL COUNCIL AND EVERYONE SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE OVER THERE MAY HAVE GREATER INPUT AND INSIGHTS INTO HOW THEY WOULD DO THIS BUT THEY NEEDED THE TOOLS TO DO IT BUT I HAVEN'T MET A SINGLE PERSON WHO DIDN'T THINK IT WAS A COOL IDEA AND LEVERAGE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. WHICH ARE THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE DO WELL BUT I'M NOT LOOKING TO BUILD ANY NEW ORGANIZATION. I WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH IT EXCEPT HELP SUPPORT IT. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE I ASK MINE? OKAY, ALL RIGHT. I LOVE IT. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT WHERE YOU HAD IS CONVERT CULTURAL IDENTITY INTO A MEASURABLE ECONOMIC IMPACT. I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THIS IS THERE A WAY-- I MEAN THE 1.5 CONCERNS ME BECAUSE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS WE KIND OF DEVASTATED OUR RESERVES. IS THERE A WAY TO PUT OUR TOE IN THE WATER AND GET THIS? BECAUSE I'M 100% BEHIND HAVING OUR IDENTITY OUT THERE AND I THINK THE CULTURAL, I THINK OUR CULINARY HAS COMPLETELY SKYROCKETED SINCE COVID. I AGREE WITH ON A TANK OF GAS, IF YOU CAN GET A TANK OF GAS INSTEAD OF AN AIRPLANE YOU'RE COMING HERE SO I DO LIKE THOSE THINGS. BUT MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE A WAY TO EASE INTO IN THIS YEAR AND THEN GO FULL ON, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I'M STILL SKEPTICAL, I'M LOOKING AT WEEKENDS IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER WITHOUT HAVING SING OUT LOUD, SO I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE TWO MONTHS. I'M CONFIDENT ABOUT JUNE AND JULY. MY MAY IS HURTING RIGHT NOW. BUT I'M VERY NERVOUS ABOUT AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER FOR THE CHECKS THIS YEAR. SO THAT'S MY HESITATION. IS CONCEPTS BEAUTIFUL. THE NUMBER NUMBER CONCERNS . IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO KIND OF EASE OUR WAY THAT THIS WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK? >> THERE PROBABLY IS AND WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS WHEN I LOOKED AT THE BUDGET AND WE KNOW THAT DAVID'S GONNA MAKE A NICE PRESENTATION AND IS GONNA HAVE MONEY WHICH LAST YEAR WHEN WE LOOKED AT IT WE WERE ONLY LOOKING FOR THE ONE YEAR AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING FOR THAT. SO WE'LL HAVE A FEW ITEMS TO LOOK AT WHICH WE CAN GET INTO MORE DETAILS WHEN WE GET INTO THE BUDGET DISCUSSION BUT THERE ARE ALSO THINGS IN THE BUDGET WHERE LAST YEAR THEY BECAME QUESTIONS OF WE WANTED TO CONTINUE DOING ALL OF THOSE [00:50:02] THINGS. SO I THINK IT'S MORE, LET'S SEE HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE. IF WE HAVE TWO COOL IDEAS, THIS AND THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, HOW MUCH CAN WE AFFORD ONCE WE LOOK AT IS THERE ANY ROOM IN THE BUDGET BETWEEN TOPLINE GROWTH AND MAYBE SOME EXPENSES THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING OVER THE YEARS THAT WE THINK ARE NOT AS IMPACTFUL AS THESE TWO PROGRAMS. I WANT TO WITHHOLD. OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN DO ANYTHING WITH LESS MONEY. WE'LL MOVE SLOWER. I DON'T THINK IF WE TOLD DIANA AND JEFF THAT THEY HAD TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT FOR $350,000 INSTEAD OF $500,000 THEY WOULD REJECT THAT MONEY, BUT THEY-- WE'LL JUST GET TO THE ENDZONE SLOWER. SO THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO DO THE BUDGET DISCUSSION AFTER THIS. >> I UNDERSTAND. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF. IF WE LOOKED AT DOING A PROGRAM LIKE THIS CAN WE DO THIS QUARTERLY BY, YOU KNOW, REEVALUATING EVERY QUARTER OF WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THE DOLLARS AMOUNTS? BECAUSE IF WE GET HIT HARD IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN ABILITY TO KIND OF PULL BACK A LITTLE BIT. I KNOW THIS TAKES SOME LONG-TERM PLANNING BUT I LIKE TO SEE IF WE CAN DO THAT WITH A QUARTERLY -- BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS CHANGING SO QUICKLY. IS THAT A POSSIBILITY? >> CHAIR, IF I MAY ASK, ARE YOU SAYING IF WE PROJECT A CERTAIN LEVEL OF REVENUE AND THEY COME IN LOWER THAN THAT DO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO RECOMMEND BACK TO THE COUNCIL A REDUCTION OR A DIFFERENT PLAN FOR THE BUDGET? >> I THINK WE WOULD HAVE TO STRUCTURE IT LIKE THAT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO COMMIT MONEY WE DON'T HAVE. AND GET OUT-- YOU KNOW, GET THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE TYPE SITUATION. I'M HOPING THAT'S NOT A SITUATION BUT I THINK IT'S EASIER TO ADJUST THE OTHER WAY THAN TO COMMIT AND HAVE A CONTRACT AND NOW WE'RE OBLIGATED AND TDC IS, YOU KNOW -- DOESN'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO DO WHAT WE'VE OBLIGATED OURSELVES TO DO. >> SURE. SO YOU'RE RIGHT. ONCE WE HAVE A CONTRACT IN PLACE IT IS CERTAINLY MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO REDUCE AN OPERATION. WE'VE CERTAINLY DONE THAT BEFORE ON THE LARGER BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' SIDE. THE OTHER SIDE IS WE LOOK AT REVENUES AND IF WE START BEATING THOSE REVENUES I TALK TO THE OFFICE AND MANAGEMENT BUDGET, WE CAN RECOGNIZE THOSE GAINS, IF YOU WILL, AND THEN CONTINUE TO-- SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO MORPH THE PLAN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. >> AND THAT'S KIND OF-- I KIND OF LIKE TO KEEP IT FLUID. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO YOU, IRVING, IF WE KEEP IT FLUID EVERY THREE MONTHS AND REEVALUATE. IF WITH THE PROGRAM IS DOING WELL, WE ADD TO IT AND IF WE HAVE TO PULL BACK -- >> IT STARTS TO GET A LITTLE-- I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING AT IT FROM A BUDGET POINT BUT IT'S DIFFICULT IF YOU START SOMETHING AND THEN PULL BACK. IT'S LIKE OPERATING A RESTAURANT THAT'S ALWAYS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AND I GO TWO WEEKS FROM NOW AND IT'S CLOSED FOR A PRIVATE PARTY. I'M NOW GOING TO STOP AND THINK IF I'M EVER GOING TO GO AGAIN ON TUESDAY NIGHTS. SO I HAVE BY CLOSING FOR A PRIVATE EVENT YOU'RE IMPACTING HOW YOU BUILD YOUR BRAND. SO YOU NEED TO-- IF WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT BUILDING A BRAND OF THE COUNTY WE'RE BETTER OFF STARTING OFF MORE CONSERVATIVELY AND NEVER GO BACKWARDS BECAUSE IT LOSES CREDIBILITY IN THE MARKETPLACE. SO WE NEED TO BE SMART ABOUT IT. YOU WOULDN'T OPEN UP A HOTEL AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE'RE NOT TAKING IN AS MUCH MONEY SO WE'RE GOING TO STOP MARKETING. NOT IN THE SHORT RUN. >> SO I'LL PUT IT IN MY SPORTS BRAIN, SO WE GIVE THEM A BASE CONTRACT AND IF WE GET PERFORMANCE CRITERIAS WE GET PERFORMANCE OUT OF IT AND THEY GET A LITTLE EXTRA ON THE OTHER SIDE I FELT DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? >> THAT MAKES MORE SENSE. >> I STILL COME BACK TO MY FIRST QUESTION BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE LIMITED COMING IN THE OTHER END SO DOES THAT COME OUT OF WHICH LEVEL? ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR? >> IT WOULD BE COMING INTO BUT WOULDN'T AFFECT THE BOTTOM LINE, IT'S AN ADDITIONAL TWO AND TWO, IF I UNDERSTOOD THAT CORRECTLY -- >> DON'T KNOW -- >> I ASKED THAT, CHAIRMAN, EXCUSE ME, BECAUSE EVERY YEAR IT GETS REDUCED IN TERMS OF WHAT MY NONPROFIT COMMUNITY ASKED FOR AND WE'VE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A HISTORY DESTINATION FOR A LONG [00:55:05] TIME AND WE'RE GOING TO PUSH IT ASIDE FOR SOMETHING THAT'S NEW, I'M NOT AGAINST WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, DON'T GET ME WRONG BUT I FEEL PART OF MY RELATE IS TO SAY WHAT ABOUT ALL THE REDUCTIONS IN THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN OUT HERE DOING ART, CULTURE AND HISTORY FOR ALL OF THESE YEARS THAT GET LESS THAN WHAT THEY QUALIFY FOR MOST OF THE TIME SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER PART OF THAT MONEY EVEN THOUGH MONEY IS COMING IN AND GIVE IT TO SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT. >> MY READ ON THIS IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT. I THINK IS SO IMPORTANT FOR THE COUNTY THAT MAYBE IT BECOMES A SIXTH CATEGORY AND WE DO AN ALLOCATION WHERE MONEY COMINGS OUT OF A BIT OF FIVE PENNIES AND HAVE IT COME INTO AN ALLOCATION THAT GROWS OVER 20 YEARS. I'VE NOT SPOKEN TO OR TALKED TO ANY COMMISSIONERS BUT I WOULD BE HARD-PRESSED TO BELIEVE THAT THEY WOULDN'T THINK BY HAVING SMART GROWTH IN OUR COMMUNITY AND SOMETHING THAT OUR RESIDENTS COULD BE HAPPY FOR COULDN'T BE AND A ELEMENT THAT WOULD BE WORTH LOOKING AT AND WHY SHOULD WE GO UP A MILLION-AND-A-HALF DOLLARS NEXT YEAR AND PUT MORE MONEY IN THE SAND POT? LET'S LOOK AT HOW WE CHANGED THE ALLOCATIONS TWO TIMES SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD-- THREE TIMES ACTUALLY, IN THE PAST AND MAYBE WE CAN LOOK AND TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE PROCESS. I WASN'T TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PAY FOR IT TODAY. I WAS INTERESTED IN SEEING IF THIS MAKES SENSE AS A WAY TO MOVE FORWARD. I THINK IT'S 101 BASIC OF RUNNING A GREAT COUNTY. I THINK EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTY IF YOU GO BACK TEN YEARS AGO FROM THE AMPHITHEATRE TO TODAY AND GREAT IMPACTS THAT GABE AND HIS TEAM HAVE DONE OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS HAS REALLY ELEVATED OUR COUNTY AND BRAND AWARENESS. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF BUSINESS THAT IS MOVED HERE BECAUSE OF THE AMPHITHEATRE AND SING OUT LOUD. I THINK ALL OF THE-- WE WOULDN'D WITH ALL THE COMMISSION SUPPORT IF PEOPLE DIDN'T THINK THOSE WERE ALL GREAT. IF YOU START LOOKING AT ALL OF THOSE ELEMENTS WE NEED TO THINK WAY OUTSIDE THE BOX TO LOOK AT FIRST IF IT'S A GOOD IDEA OR NOT AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA BUT I'M ONLY ONE PERSON. IF ANYONE THINKS IT'S A GOOD IDEA WE SHOULD THEN FIGURE OUT HOW THIS IMPROVES EVERYTHING WITHOUT SACRIFICING THINGS THAT WE THINK ARE UPON BUT IF WE HAVE THINGS WE THINK ARE NOT IMPORTANT AND JUST BEEN DOING BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR 20 YEARS AND THEY FEEL LIKE SACRED COWS AND HAVE NO BENEFIT, THEN I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SPENDING MONEY THERE. >> ALL RIGHT. ANYMORE? >> MR. CHAIRMAN, JUST TO COMMENT. I THINK YOU KIND OF SAID IT, THIS IS A CONCEPT AND I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE REALLY GOOD TO GO BACK TO THE -- WITH THIS CONCEPT BACK TO STAFF AND REALLY TALK ABOUT IT AND PUT A PROPOSAL BASED ON THIS TO THIS COUNCIL. I THINK THAT'S A BETTER WAY TO DO IT, TALKING ABOUT HOW TO FUND IT. BUT THE REASON WHY YOU TALKED ABOUT IT TODAY BECAUSE THERE'S EXCITEMENT ABOUT IT AND A SOLUTION FOR THE COUNTY IN MANY PLACES BUT IT'S STILL A CONHE C- CONCEPT. MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO BACK TO THE COUNCIL. >> THAT'S WHY I BROUGHT IT TODAY IS BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT US TO NOT THINK ABOUT THIS WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE BUDGET BECAUSE TO ME THERE'S 25, $26 MILLION AND WE HAVEN'T DECIDED ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO USE ONE PEN PENNY OFT YET. OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE THINGS IN THERE BUT I ALWAYS LOOK TO BUDGETS IS RIGHT NOW I HAVE $26 MILLION IN MY CHECKING ACCOUNT AND HOW DO I WANT TO SPEND IT? NOT THAT I HAVE $26 MILLION WORTH OF BILLS. I ALWAYS STARTED WITH THIS IS HOW MUCH I HAVE TO SPEND. IF I CAN ONLY SPEND 26 WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME? THAT'S HOW I ALWAYS RAN A BUDGET. >> YEAH, AND I LIKE THAT, MICHAEL, ALSO. I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT IS ENCUMBERED AND WHAT'S AVAILABLE FROM THAT. STAFF WILL GIVE US A BETTER IDEA. I'M IN SUPPORT OF IT AND I DON'T WANT TO HURT ANY OF THE NONPROFITS. I THINK THAT'S VERY KEY AND I THINK THAT THIS BOARD HAS PROVEN THAT BY WHEN THE STATE WALKED AWAY -- >> THAT WAS ONE YEAR. ONE YEAR. >> YEAH, BUT WE WROTE A PRETTY [01:00:04] BIG CHECK WHEN THE STATE STEPPED AWAY FROM YOU. >> EXCUSE ME, I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR, I HAVE A VENUE SO I DON'T WANT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THAT AND YOU HAVE A VENUE THAT'S PART OF IT BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE NONPROFITS ARE IN INCLUDED IN THAT AS PART OF THE BENEFICIARY RINN IN THE PLANNING OF HOW YOU'RE-- BENEFICIARY AND IN THE PLANNING OF HOW YOU'RE GONNA TO DO THIS. WE WORK WITH THE CULTURAL AND YOU PRIVATIZE AND THEY MAKE MONEY BUT WE ALSO SUBSIDIZE THEM TO A GREAT DEGREE INCLUDE TDC DOLLARS AND MANAGEMENT. MAAS OF THE OTHER NONPROFITS DON'T GET THAT LEVEL SO ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT MAKE SURE THAT THE-- I'M NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT ME AND LINCOLNVILLE BECAUSE I'M THE ONLY PERSON HERE REPRESENTING A NONPROFIT AT THIS TIME ATTRACTION. BUT THEY AS A RESULT A VENUES. RATHER-- WE HAVE A BIG EVENT COMING UP IN WEEK IN THE NEXT MONTH, AT THE END OF THIS MONTH AT THE WOMEN'S EXCHANGES, THAT'S A NONPROFIT. WE'RE ALL CREATING VENUE SPACES TO MAKE HAPPEN BUT MOST OF WHAT I'M HEARING HERE IS SMALL BUSINESSES AND BUSINESSES AND I DON'T WANT YOU TO LEAVE THAT PART OF OUT OF EQUATION. WE'RE A NONPROFIT BUT WE HAVE TO CREATE REVENUE IN ORDER TO BE SUSTAINABLE. >> THIS IS SO MUCH DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IN YEARS PAST. FOR MY MIND, FOR EXAMPLE, I LIVE ON COUNTY ROAD 2010 -- 210, THE TALENT OF THE AMPHITHEATRE IN HELPING THE VENUES WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE COUNTY LIVE ON 210. I GO TO A RESTAURANT CALLED AL DENTE. THEY'RE A GREAT ASTRONAUT. THURSDAY NIGHT-- RESTAURANT. THURSDAY NIGHT THEY PLAY MUSIC AND I DON'T GO BECAUSE THE SOUND SYSTEM IS SO SUBSTANDARD AND THEY'RE PACKED AND THE GUY ALWAYS SOUNDS TERRIBLE. IF WE BELIEVE MUSIC IS AN ELEMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY THEN WE HAVE STANDARDS IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND AS A COUNTY WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET PEOPLE PLAY MUSIC SUBSTANDARD AND HELP TO TEACH THOSE PEOPLE HOW TO MAKE IT AN "A" SO THE 30,000 PEOPLE DRIVING DOWN 210 EVERY TIME I'M GOING HOME AND THEY GO INTO THAT RESTAURANT HAVE A MUCH BETTER EXPERIENCE WITH MUSIC. THAT IS AS IMPORTANT AS ANYTHING IN HERE. IT'S ABOUT HOW WE MAKE ST.~JOHNS COUNTY AN "A" IN EVERYTHING WE DO BUT ESPECIALLY IN CULTURE. SO IT'S FOR 375 PEOPLE. IT'S NOT FOR DOWNTOWN ST.~AUGUSTINE. THERE IS ALWAYS DOWNTOWN-- DOWNTOWN ST.~AUGUSTINE IS ALWAYS THE HUB. IN 1955, THE YEAR THAT I WAS BORN, THERE WERE 24,000 RESIDENTS IN ST.~JOHNS COUNTY AND 13,000 OF THEM WERE IN THE CITY OF ST.~AUGUSTINE. THERE WERE 12,000 PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY NOT IN ST.~AUGUSTINE. TODAY THERE'S 375,000 AND 16,000 IN THE CITY OF ST.~AUGUSTINE. THERE'S 350-ISH THOUSAND PEOPLE IN THE WHOLE COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE TO BE THINKING ABOUT MORE THAN JUST WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT DOWN HERE. SOMETIMES WE MISS THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TOURISM. >> THE CHAIR: ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM ANYONE? OKAY. YEAH, I THINK, WITH MICHAEL, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WITH STAFF WE FIGURE OUT FROM THAT POINT AND BRING IT BACK AFTER THAT. ALL RIGHT. THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM 10. INITIAL DISCUSSION ON '27 [11. CIT OF ST. AUGUSTINE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS FUNDING REQUEST] TOURISM BUDGET. JESSIE. >> CHAIR BLEVINS, I WANTED TO SUGGEST SINCE WE HAVE MEMBERS FROM THE ST.~AUGUSTINE HERE IF THEY WANT TO PRESENT THEIR NIGHTS OF LIFE INFORMATION AND THEN END WITH THE BUDGET DISCUSSION. >> THE CHAIR: DOES THE BOARD HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT? ALREADY, THANK YOU, JESSIE. DAVID. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, ADVICE [01:05:05] CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU TODAY. MY NAME IS DAVID BIRCHAM. I'M THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE'S CITY MANAGER. I ACKNOWLEDGE JIM SPRINGFIELD IN THE AUDIENCE AS WELL AND MY SENIOR STAFF MEMBERS AND MAYOR NANCY SIKES-KLINE. A MEMBER OF YOUR BOARD. IT'S AN UPDATE FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. LAST YEAR I APPEARED BEFORE THE BOARD AND WENT OVER THE PROBLEMS THAT THE CITY FACED IN THE 2024 SEASON. INCLUDING TRAFFIC CONGESTION, ILLEGAL PARKING, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY CONCERNS, ILLEGAL DEVELOPING, A LACK OF RESTROOMS, AND SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH LAW ENFORCEMENT STAFF TO HANDLE THE SECURITY AND TRAFFIC ISSUES AND NOT ENOUGH STAFF TO HANDLE THE CLEANING AND SANITATION OF THE LARGE NUMBER OF VISITS WE SAW IN 2024. SO IN 2025 WE CAME UP WITH A PLAN TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES AND DURING THE LAST SEASON WE ROLLED OUT THIS PLAN WITH YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT AND THE PLAN WORKED AND LAST SEASON WAS A SUCCESS. WE LEARNED A LOT AND WE INTEND TO IMPROVE OUR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS EVENT MANAGEMENT FOR THE 2026 SEASON BUT WE DO NOT THAT WITHOUT YOUR HELP. LAST YEAR THE BOARD RECOMMENDED FUNDING THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS AT $1.2 MILLION, THANK YOU AGAIN, AND THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS THE ULTIMATELY-- ULTIMATELY APPROVED 895 IN FUNDING. THE LAST YEAR FOR THE PREVIOUS SEASON WERE $1.2 MILLION. WITH COUNTY BED TAX REVENUE PAYING FOR HUNDRED THOUSAND OF THAT-- 800,000 OF THAT AND THE CITY PAYING FOR $400,000 OF THAT AND A SPLIT OF ONE-THIRD CITY FUNDING AND TWO-THIRDS BED TAX FUNDING. THIS YEAR WE WE HAVE TRIMMR EXPENSES MARGINALLY. ASKING FOR 800,000 AGAIN FROM BED TAX REVENUE AND THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION 300,000. THERE ARE ASPECTS OF THE EVENT THAT ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR BED TAX FUNDING SUCH AS ADDITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, OVERTIME, YOUR ATTORNEY HAS OPINED THAT PORTABLE RESTROOMS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING SO THERE ARE EXPENSES THAT WILL BE BORN BY THE CITY. WE'VE ALSO PUT TOGETHER A FIVE-YEAR FUNDING PLAN THAT'S THE LAST PAGE OF YOUR PACKET. IT SHOWS FUNDING ROUGHLY THE SAME FOR THE '26, '27, '28 SEASONS AND THEN TRENDING DOWNWARD IN 2029 AND 2030 WHEN THE KING STREET CITY-- WEST KING STREET GARAGE WILL BE OPENED. WE BELIEVE THAT WILL LOWER OUR SHUTTLING EXPENSES AND WE'LL ALSO BE BUILDING MORE PERMANENT CITY RESTROOMS AT THE CASA DELGO ON ST. GEORGE STREET TO REDUCE OUR PORTABLE RESTROOM EXPENSES. AS YOU KNOW THE VCB DID A STUDY AFTER THIS SEASON'S EVENT AND DETERMINED IN THE EVENT BROUGHT IN OVER $120 MILLION IN OVERALL ECONOMIC VALUE TO THE ST.~JOHNS COUNTY AND THE CITY HOSTED OVER 171,000 VISITORS OVER 58 DAYS. WHICH SHOWS A VERY GOOD RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT. NOW I HAVE INCLUDED A POWER POINT PRESENTATION IN YOUR PACKET. I PROMISE I'M NOT GOING TO TORTURE YOU BY GOING THROUGH EVERY SLIDE SO I'M JUST GONNA HIT SOME HIGHLIGHTS. STARTING OFF WITH THE '24-'25 SEASON. THIS JUST GIVES YOU A LIST OF THE PROBLEMS WE FACED DURING THE '24 SEASON. AND HOW WE ADDRESSED IT IN 2025, THE PREVIOUS SEASON. WE EXPANDED SHUTTLE OPERATIONS FROM 12 DAYS TO 33 DAYS. THAT IS THE MAJOR EXPENSE FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, IS SHUTTLING. WE INCREASED THE PARKING GARAGE RATE FROM $20 TO $40. THIS DID NOT INCREASE THE RATE FOR ST.~JOHNS COUNTY RESIDENTS. ST.~JOHNS COUNTY RESIDENTS CAN USE THE DOWNTOWN PARKING GARAGE FOR $3. THAT DID NOT CHANGE. SO THIS INCREASE IN RATES FOR THE DOWNTOWN GARAGE APPLY TO ONLY PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF ST.~JOHNS COUNTY. WE EXPANDED THE THE THE TR CIRCULATOR USED TO CIRCULATE [01:10:15] PEOPLE DOWNTOWN. WE CREATED A CIRCULATOR TO ANASTASIA ISLAND AND PICKED UP FOLKS FROM A1A BEACHSIDE FROM THE PIER AND AT HOTELS ON ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH AND DELIVERED THEM TO THE BASE OF THE BRIDGE OF LIONS. THAT TURNED OUT TO BE VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL. WE CREATED TEMPORARY RESIDENTIAL PERMIT PARKING ZONES IN DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOODS. TO PROTECT THESE DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOODS WHAT WE SAW IN 2024 WAS A TREMENDOUS NEGATIVE IMPACT TO THE RESIDENTS DOWNTOWN. THIS PAST SEASON WE CREATED RESERVED RESIDENTIAL PARKING DOWNTOWN WITHIN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS AND WE MODIFIED THE ACCESS TO THESE NEIGHBORHOODS AND IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL. WE ALSO CREATED WORK FORCE-- RESERVED WORK FORCE PARKING LOTS DOWNTOWN. I MUST TELL YOU THAT THAT PROGRAM WAS NOT AS SUCCESSFUL AS WE HAD HOPED FOR. WHAT WE SAW DURING THIS PAST SEASON WAS 79 CLOSURES OF THE DOWNTOWN PARKING GARAGE. THAT'S WHEN IT WAS FULL. WE SAW A LITTLE OVER-- WE SHUTTLED A LITTLE OVER 69,000 PASSENGERS OVER 58-- I'M SORRY, OVER 33 DAYS. THE ISLAND CIRCULATOR SHUTTLED OVER 69,000 PASSENGERS AND ISSUED 920 RESERVE RESIDENTIAL PERMITS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON WE WILL CONTINUE TO COORDINATE WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND ST. AUGUSTYN BEACH WHO HANDLE SECT MANAGEMENT AND SECURITY. WE WILL CONTINUE WITH THE ISLAND CIRCULATOR AND LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND THAT. WE'LL REACH OUT TO THE DAVID SHORE'S NEIGHBORHOODS AND LINCOLNVILLE NEIGHBORHOODS TO GET THEIR OPINION AS TO WHETHER THEY WOULD LIKE TO JOIN THE RESIDENTIAL RESERVED PARKING PROGRAM IN A SIMILAR MANNER THAT MODEL LAND COMPANY NEIGHBORHOOD DID, AVATRACK AND NORTH CITIES. IN 2024 THERE WAS A HUGE DEFICIT IN REST RESTROOM FACILITIES SO WE CONTRACTED IN 2025 TO BRING IN PORTABLE RESTROOMS AND BROUGHT IN 75 PORTABLE RESTROOMS DURING THE PEAK SEASONS AND PAID FOR A THIRD PARTY PRIVATE SERVICE TO CLEAN THOSE BATHROOMS AS WELL AS TO PICK UP LITTER AND TRASH THAT'S GENERATED BY 371,000 VISITORS OVER 58 DAYS. THIS KEPT THE DOWNTOWN AREA CLEANER, MUCH MORE SANITIZED AND THE RESTROOM FACILITIES REDUCED THE BURDEN ON PRIVATE BUSINESSES WITH THEIR CUSTOMERS ASKING TO USE THEIR BATHROOMS. WE INTEND TO CONTINUE THAT PROGRAM. IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL. PUBLIC SAFETY IS ALWAYS AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS. IN 2024 WE SAW A MAJOR CONCERN WITH TRAFFIC CONGESTION, ILLEGAL PARKING, PEOPLE PARKING IN FRONT OF FIRE HYDRANTS. PEOPLE PARKING ON THE FORT GRAIN. WE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. WE ALSO SAW A LARGE NUMBER OF POP-UP SHORT-TERM RENTALS. OVER 100 CAME ONLINE JUST DURING NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. WE SAW POP-UP ILLEGAL PARKING LOTS THROUGHOUT THE DOWNTOWN AREA. PEOPLE TRYING TO MONETIZE THEIR FRONT YARDS DURING THE SEASON. SO LAST SEASON, WE LEANED HEAVY ON THOSE AND CODE ENFORCEMENT MANAGED THOSE SHORT-TERM RENTALS. WE GOT THEM REGISTERED. WE-- OUR COORDINATION WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL. A LOT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT PRESENCE THAT WAS ADDED TO OUR INVENTORY WAS NOT NECESSARILY SEEN BY THE PUBLIC BUT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAS A VERY ROBUST WAY TO MONITOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA. THEY HAD A CAMERA ON A LIFT IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE FORT. OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE DRONES OVERHEAD AND WE HAVE SECURITY CAMERAS THROUGHOUT THE DOWNTOWN AREA THAT WERE MONITORED THROUGHOUT THE SEASON. [01:15:04] WE ALSO PURCHASED WHAT ARE CALLED MERIDIAN BARRICADES. I DO WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THE PURCHASE OF THOSE BARRICADES WAS NOT DONE WITH BED TAX MONIES. WE USED GENERAL FUND REVENUES TO PURCHASE THE BARRICADES. THOSE ARE THE BIG MEDAL L-BRACKETS THAT PROTECTED THE PEDESTRIAN AREA OF THE DOWNTOWN FROM CARS THAT DRIVE DOWN ST. GEORGE STREET. IN 2024 WE SAW A TRAGEDY IN NEW ORLEANS WHEN A TERRORIST DROVE DOWN BURBOUN STREET AND WE DON'T HAVE ABILITY TO PREVENT THAT BUT NOW WE HAVE INSTALLED BARRICADES TO PREVENT THAT FROM EVER HAPPENING. I'M GOING THROUGH THE COMMUNICATIONS. THE SECOND SLIDE IS MORE IMPACTFUL. LAST SEASON WHAT WE SAW WAS A MOBILE DOWNLOAD OF THE MOBILE APP HAD A TOTAL OF 79,000 DOWNLOADS. AND THE VCV DID THE HEAVY LIFTING WITH THEIR APP THAT WE COLLABORATED WITH THEM THAT SHOWED PARK-AND-RIDE SHUTTLES IN AREAS THAT WERE AVAILABLE AND ALSO GAVE INDICATIONS OF WHERE PARKING LOTS WERE FULL AND NOT FULL IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA THROUGHOUT THE SEASON. WE DO HAVE A FEDERALLY FUNDED SMART ST. AUGUSTINE PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN COMPLETED. DESIGN HAS BEEN COMPLETED WHICH WOULD CREATE DYNAMIC MESSAGING SIGNAGE ALL THE WAY FROM THE INTERSTATE INTO TOWN WHICH WOULD DIRECT PEOPLE DRIVING INTO DOWNTOWN FOR THE EVENT TO GO TO OUR SHUTTLE LOTS AND IT INCLUDES A COORDINATED SYSTEM WHERE OUR STREET LIGHTS CAN BE MANAGED REMOTELY RATHER THAN HAVING AN OFFICER AT THE INTERSECTION TURNING THE LIGHTS ON AND OFF TO GET TRAFFIC THROUGH AND INTERSECTION. WE CAN HAVE A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER AND A CONTROL CENTER LOOKING AT ALL INTERSECTIONS SIMULTANEOUSLY AND MANAGING IT MORE EFFICIENTLY. THE DESIGN OF THIS HAS BEEN COMPLETED BUT UNFORTUNATELY OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS HOLDING UP IMPLEMENTATION DOLLARS. WE REACHED OUT TO DOT TO FIND OUT WHAT THE HOLD-UP IS AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET THAT BACK ON TRACK. WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT NOW ON THIS SLIDE IS THE ACTUAL REVENUE AND EXPENSES FOR LAST SEASON. SO WE ANTICIPATED SPENDING $850,000 OF BED TAX REVENUE AND WE CAME IN A BIT SHORT OF THAT. WE ACTUALLY EXPANDED $79 7,000 OF BED TAX REVENUE AND $403,000 OF CITY EXPENSES. THE OVERALL EXPENSE OF THIS 58-DAY EVENT IS $1.2 MILLION. IF ANYONE WANTS TO KNOW HOW MUCH IT COSTS, $1.2 MILLION. WE THINK THAT'S A REASONABLE PROGRAM WE CREATED AND WE DON'T SEE ANY MAJOR CHANGES FOR THE EXPENSE SO WE'RE ASKING FOR SIMILAR FUNDING. $798.09. I'LL ROUND THAT TO $800,000 AND THE CITY WILL COMMIT $302,000 FOR THE CATEGORIES THAT THE ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING AND THAT GETS US UP TO $1.1 MILLION. BECAUSE WE MOVED THE EVENT, THE CITY COMMISSION MOVED THE EVENT SCHEDULE FROM A EARLY WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS IN NOVEMBER AND SHIFTED IT TO THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY, WE'RE NOW WHERE IT LANDS THE LAST DAY OF THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS WOULD BE ON MARIN LUTHER KING DAY AND THERE WILL BE NO NEED FOR SHUTTLE AND SECURITY BECAUSE AFTER NEW YEAR'S THE NEED FOR THAT DOES DROP OFF. THE LAST PAGE OF YOUR-- IN YOUR-- IN YOUR BHINDER IS THE FIVE-- BHINDER IS THE FIVE-YEAR FUNDING PROJECTION. WE ANTICIPATE WHEN THE WEST KING STREET PARKING GARAGE IS COMPLETED, IT SHOULD BREAK GROUND THIS SEPTEMBER AND TAKE TWO YEARS TO BUILD. THAT WILL RELIEVE SOME PRESSURE ON OUR MAJOR EXPENSE WHICH IS SHUTTLING AND PROVIDE AN INVENTORY OF ANOTHER 700 PARKING SPACES FOR VISITORS. IT'S WITHIN A WALKABLE DISTANCE TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA. WE ALSO HAVE A PROGRAM TO GREATLY EXPAND THE NUMBER OF PUBLIC RESTROOMS ON ST. GEORGE STREET AT THE INTERSECTION OF HIGH PAULO STREET AND [01:20:05] ST. GEORGE STREET, ROUGHLY HALFWAY DOWN ST. GEORGE STREET FROM VIP TO THE PLAZA AND IN DOING SO WE ANTICIPATE REDUCING OUR NEED TO FUND PORTABLE RESTROOMS. I THINK DINA IS PUTTING THAT UP ON THE OVERHEAD. THAT'S OUR REQUEST. WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR HELP. WE ASKING FOR YOU TO CONSIDER FUNDING THIS SEASON'S NIGHTS OF LIGHTS AND ASKING FOR $800,000. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> THE CHAIR: WHO WANTS TO GO FIRST? CHARLES? >> THANK YOU, DAVID. A QUESTION FOR YOU, ON THE INCREASE ON THE PARKING GARAGE DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY USERS ARE OUT OF COUNTY COMPARED TO RESIDENTS? YOU SAID THAT THE RESIDENTS PAY $3 AND OUT OF COUNTY PAY THE FULL. WHAT WOULD BE THE ADDITIONAL $20 PER AND WHICH WOULD HAVE MADE YOU A GOOD AMOUNT OF MONEY UNLESS MOST OF THEM ARE RESIDENTS. >> WE DID MAKE A FAIR AMOUNT OF MONEY AT THE END OF THE MONTH. WE TRACK THROUGH THE SEASON, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, JANUARY. I THINK IF I CAN ASK-- SHE DOESN'T REMEMBER EITHER. I THINK WE MADE ABOUT $600,000 MORE THIS SEASON THAN LAST SEASON. IF YOU LOOK AT THE OVERALL VISITATION NUMBERS THAT V CB PUBLISHED IN THEIR STUDY. 372,000 VISITORS, I'LL ROUND THE NUMBERS, 372,000 VISITORS CAME TO THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS AND 93,000 IN COUNTY. NOT ALL OF THOSE PARKED AT THE GARAGE BUT THAT GIVES YOU A SORT OF PROPORTIONATE BREAK DOWN BY THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE AND ATTEND THE EVENT VERSUS THOSE WHO DON'T LIVE HERE. >> SO THE ADDITIONAL MONEY MADE OFF THE PARKING GARAGE COMPARED TO THE YEAR BEFORE, YOU'RE SAYING 600,000 MAYBE? >> YES, NOW THE PARKING GARAGE REVENUES ARE RESERVED TO PAY BACK THE NOTE ON THE GARAGE. THE MAINTENANCE AND INSURANCE ON THE GARAGE FOR THE EMPLOYEES THAT WORK THERE. IT WILL ALSO BACKSTOP THE WEST KING STREET GARAGE WHEN IT OPENS. WHAT WE FOUND WHEN WE OPENED THE DOWNTOWN GARAGE WAS THAT IT TOOK A FEW YEARS BEFORE IT BECAME SELF-SUSTAINING. WE CANNOT PLEDGE OUT OF ALARM REVENUES TO PAY BACK EXPENSES FOR THE WEST KING STREET GARAGE. SO THE ADDITIONAL REVENUES WE MAKE FROM THE DOWNTOWN GARAGE ARE GOING TO HELP CARRY THE NEW CITY GARAGE ON WEST KING STREET UNTIL IT BECOMES SELF-SUSTAINING. ONCE IT BECOMES SELF-SUSTAINING OUR COMMISSION CAN DECIDE WHETHER THEY WANT TO USE ANY ADDITIONAL REVENUES FROM THESE GARAGES FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS OR FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE. AGAIN, WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS A MODEL IN WHICH WE BECOME MORE SUSTAINABLE AND NOT ASK THE COUNTY FOR BED TAX MONEY. >> FOLLOW-UP. WHEN DOES THAT PARKING GARAGE GET PAID OFF? DO YOU KNOW? >> THE DOWNTOWN GARAGE? >> I MEAN IT'S BEEN THERE A WHILE. >> 2034. >> OKAY, THANKS. >> THE CHAIR: ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT, FIRST OFF, DAVID, I'M GONNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS. THE TRAFFIC PLAN, I THINK I'M THE ONLY ONE HERE WHO LIVES DOWNTOWN, MAYOR, YOU LIVE ON THE ISLAND SO YOU CAN SEE BIT OF IT. I LIVE ON A MODEL LAND AND WHEN I FIRST SAW THE BARRICADES, IT WAS LIKE THE DUMBEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN BUT IT WORKED IMMEDIATELY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. WHATEVER NEEDS THAT PAT ON THE BACK PLEASE GIVE THEM THAT PAT ON THE BACK. MY QUESTION IS STAYING WITH THE PARKING GARAGE, SAW BEAUTIFUL PLANS HAPPENING FOR FRANCIS FIELD. IS THERE A TIMELINE ON THAT AND THE PLANS I SAW ON THE EAST SIDE OF THAT FRANCIS FIELD IS GOING TO HAVE SOME MAJOR RENOVATIONS. IS THERE A WAY TO USE EVEN JUST THE EAST SIDE AND WOULD THAT MONEY BE ALSO PROTECTED THE SAME AS THE GARAGE MONEY? SO I HIT YOU WITH ABOUT FIVE THINGS RIGHT THERE. SO IF WE PARK ON FRANSY FIELD, THE EAST SIDE OF FRANCIS FIELD BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING RENOVATIONS WITH THE NEW PART THAT YOU GUYS ARE COMING UP WITH, WOULD-- WOULD THAT MONEY ALSO PROTECTED OR ALREADY A PART OF THE PAYBACK OF THE-- OR WOULD [01:25:09] THAT BE ABLE TO GO TO THE CITY TO RECOUP SOME OF THE MONEY? WOULD THAT BE AVAILABLE MONEY TO YOU, WHAT BUCKET WOULD IT GO IN? >> WELL, WE ARE NOT-- WE'RE NOT CURRENTLY ALLOWED TO USE FRANCIS FIELD AS A SURFACE PARKING LOT. FOR TWO REASONS. THE FIRST REASON IS THAT IT WAS DONATED TO THE CITY UNDER VERY SPECIFIC TERMS AND IT WAS DONATED TO THE CITY FOR RECREATION. FOLLOWING THAT THE CITY COMMISSION PASSED A RESOLUTION THAT CLARIFIED THE USE OF FRANCIS FIELD AND DID NOT INCLUDE A PARKING LOT. SO WE WOULD HAVE TO UNWIND -- >> IT WOULD HAVE TO TAKE A RESOLUTION. JUST FOR CLARIFICATION BECAUSE MY HISTORY AT THAT FIELD IS VERY, VERY LONG. THAT'S WHERE MY ORIGINAL OFFICE WAS. THERE WAS -- FREDDIE FRANCIS ONLY DONATED THE FENCE AROUND THE ORIGINAL FRANCIS FIELD. HE DID NOT PUT ANY STIPULATIONS ON THAT. THERE'S NO DOCUMENTATION OF THAT. BELIEVE ME, I LOOKED FOR IT BEFORE I GOT KICKED OUT OF THERE. SO I-- I LOOKED FOR IT SEVERAL TIMES. BUT IF THERE'S A RESOLUTION IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REVERSED TO ALLOW PARKING THERE BECAUSE AT SOME POINT WE DID ALLOW PARKING THERE. >> THAT IS CORRECT. WE DID. AND WE PROBABLY SHOULD NOT HAVE. I'D HAVE TO GO BACK TO OUR CITY'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND RECREATE THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS THAT WERE APPLIED TO THE CITY WHEN THAT PROPERTY WAS DONATED TO THE CITY. IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE STICKING POINTS AND THEN ANOTHER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE USE OF THAT PROPERTY FOR PARKING WOULD HAVE TO BE PASSED BY THE CITY COMMISSION. THEN AS YOU SAW, WE HAD PLANS FOR PLANTING, YOU KNOW, TREES, LANDSCAPING AND HARDSCAPING IMPROVEMENTS TO MAKE IT A PARK RATHER THAN JUST AN EVENT FIELD AND IF WE WERE USING IT AS A SURFACE PARKING LOT, WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT -- >> I'M TALKING ABOUT JUST THE ONE-TIME USE. WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR THE OTHER PARKING GARAGE, ANOTHER ADDITIONAL REVENUE. WE KNOW WE'RE GONNA TURN IT INTO A PARK AND THIS SECTION'S GONNA BE-- IT'S GONNA BE BEAUTIFUL. ALL THE PLANS WERE BEAUTIFUL. IF YOU GUYS DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO SEE IT BUT THAT SECTION THAT WE KNOW WE'RE GONNA TEAR UP AND IF WE CAN GET A ONE-TIME USE AND GET A HALF MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE CITY, THAT'S WHERE MY MINDSET IS AND EASE THE PAIN WHILE WE WAIT FOR THE OTHER PARK PGA GARAGE. THAT'S WHERE-- PARKING GARAGE. THAT'S WHERE MY MINDSET IS. >> THAT WAS MY SAME QUESTION, CAN YOU DO IT TEMPORARILY JUST FOR ONE SEASON. >> IT WOULD 100% BE TEMPORARY BECAUSE ONCE YOU BUILD THAT PARK THAT'S NO LONGER-- I'M JUST TRYING TO BUY US ONE MORE SEASON WHILE YOU GUYS ARE BUILDING THAT PARKING GARAGE. IF WE CAN TIME IT RIGHT. >> I CAN CERTAINLY BRING THAT UP TO THE CITY COMMISSIONERS. I DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO AUTHORIZE THAT. BUT IT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT MANY, MANY TYPES. MANY TIMES. >> THE CHAIR: SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR DAVID? >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. >> THE CHAIR: THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. [10. INITIAL DISCUSSION OF FY27 TOURISM BUDGET] JESSE, BACK TO YOU. THAT CLICKER IS GOING TO NEED A NEW BATTERY. GONNA HAVE ARTHRITIS IN HER THUMB. >> ALL RIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON, CLAIRE BLEVINS, TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL MEMBERS, JESSIE DUNNS FROM ST.~JOHNS COUNTY ADMINISTRATION. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS I WELCOME YOU TO THE 2027 BUDGET PROCESS. THAT PROCESS STARTS EACH YEAR IN MARCH. WE START THE CALCULATING. WE START GETTING INFORMATION AND DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. AND WE KIND OF MONITOR THE PROCESS THROUGH. WE SEE WHAT TYPE OF REVENUES ARE COMING IN. WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET REQUESTS, THE ASKS. ACTUALLY, WHAT IS FASCINATING IS TO BE HERE AND KIND OF WATCH AND EXPERIENCE SOME OF THESE -- THESE COSTS COME TO LIFE. JUST TO GIVE YOU A KIND OF-- AND FOR THE PUBLIC WATCHING, LAST YEAR'S BUDGET WAS ABOUT $1.9 BILLION IS WHAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ADOPTED IN SEPTEMBER. EVERYONE ALWAYS THINKS IT'S ALL PROPERTY TAX OF THAT $1.9 BILLION. [01:30:07] ABOUT $400 MILLION IS PROPERTY TAXES AND THE REST OF IT THAT GT JOHNS COUNTY. INCLUDING TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, AND TOURISTS TAX DOLLARS, WHICH LAST YEAR CAME TO ABOUT $38 MILLION OVERALL, INCLUDING CARRY FORWARD. SO TO KIND OF GIVE AN OVERVIEW, THE TOURIST GOVERNING REVENUES ARE GOVERNED BY BILL 125, BILL 104, AND COUNTY ORDINANCE 20 2024-42. AND THAT BREAKS UP THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX IN TO FIVE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. ST JOHNS COUNTY IS CURRENTLY ELIGIBLE FOR AND LEVIES THE MAXIMUM 5% OF TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAXES. THOSE DOLLARS MUST BE UTILIZED FOR TOURISM ELIGIBLE EXPENSES, AND WITHIN OUR ORDINANCE, 5% IS SPLITTING TO FIVE CATEGORIES. AND YOU CAN SEE THERE ARE PERCENTAGES, THAT 5% IS SPLIT OVER THESE FIVE CATEGORIES. 1.6% OF THOSE DOLLARS GO IN TO CATEGORY ONE. .6% IN TO CATEGORY TWO, ARTS CULTURE AND HERITAGE. .6% GOES INTO CATEGORY THREE LEISURE AND RECREATION. AND SO FORTH AND SO ON. CATEGORY FOUR AND CATEGORY FIVE. SO THE BUDGET PROCESS, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF NUMBERS ON HERE, THIS IS KIND OF JUST A CAPTURE FROM AN EXCEL WORKSHEET. THE BUDGET PROCESS MARCH THROUGH SEPTEMBER, AND MOST OF THAT PROCESS, I WILL SAY, EVEN THOUGH WE LOOK AT ALL REVENUES, A LOT OF THE PROCESS IS SPECIFIC TO STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO THE VALUATION OF PROPERTY TAX, VALUATION OF PROPERTIES, AND ESTABLISHING... FOR PROPERTY TAXES IN JULY. SO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS STARTED THEIR BUDGET SESSIONS IN ORDER TO MAKE THOSE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS. THE FIRST REAL STATUTORY REQUIREMENT FOR US IS JULY 1ST. WITH THE FINAL VALUATION OF ASSESSED VALUES, AND THEN ULTIMATELY, IN ORDER TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDS A BUDGET IN JULY, WHICH THE COUNTY COMMISSION WILL LOOK AT, AND CONTINUE THAT PROCESS THROUGH SEPTEMBER, WHERE THERE ARE TWO ADOPTION HEARINGS, BOTH FOR THE MILITARY RATES, AS WELL AS FINAL BUDGET. AND I TELL YOU THAT BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE REQUIREMENTS ARE RELATED TO PROPERTY TAXES. AND TO SET THESE AND LOCK THOSE VALUATIONS IN PLACE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT OTHER REVENUES, AND I USED TO WORK IN THE BUDGET OFFICE, WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT OTHER REVENUES THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A STATUTORY STRUCTURED PROCESS FOR PROPERTY TAXES, THERE IS NOTHING THAT WOULD STOP US FROM LOOKING AT-- LET'S SAY FOR INSTANCE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX REVENUES, THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER. SO RIGHT NOW, THIS WORKSHEET HERE HAS TDT DOLLARS, THROUGH MARCH. SO EVERYTHING RECEIVED THROUGH MARCH. WE STILL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME LEFT IN THE EAR. SO WE HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEM ADJUSTING OUR REVENUES, EITHER UP AND DOWN THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS AS WE TREND THOSE REVENUES. A LITTLE LESS RESTRICTION ON THOSE TOURIST BELLMAN TAXES, AS WE BRING THAT BUDGET IN TO LAND IN SEPTEMBER. I KNOW WE HAVE CERTAINLY MADE ADJUSTMENTS IN THE PAST. NOT LAST YEAR AS MUCH, BUT IN RECENT YEARS, WHERE WE WOULD MAKE ADJUSTMENTS THROUGH LATE AUGUST, AS WE LANDED THAT BUDGET IN SEPTEMBER. RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF NUMBERS ON THAT PAGE. WE ARE TRENDING ABOUT 2% HIG HIGHER-- 2% ABOVE LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME. FOR WHAT THAT IS WORTH, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE WILL BE 2% HIGHER OVERALL, IT JUST MEANS THAT AT THIS POINT IN THE PROCESS WE ARE ABOUT 2%. WHEN WE BUILT THE BUDGET WE PROJECTED 3 PERCENT, SO EVEN THOUGH WE ARE UP 2% OVER LAST YEAR, WE ARE STILL TRENDING, AND FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, THROUGH [01:35:03] MARCH, WE ARE STILL TRENDING BELOW WHAT WE HAD PROJECTED WHEN WE BUILT THE BUDGET, WHICH WAS AT-- A 3% INCREASE. AT THIS POINT WE WILL CONTINUE THE PROCESS. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF NUMBERS UP THERE. IF YOU LOOK THERE, MAYBE THE THIRD ROW FROM THE BOTTOM, IT IS THE THIRD ROW FROM THE BOTTOM, THE TOTAL REVENUES, YOU CAN SEE FROM 22 TO 23, WE HAD AN INCREASE FROM ABOUT 22.2 MILLION, TO $23.2 MILLION. AND IT'S HELD THAT LINE FOR THE LAST COUPLE YEARS. 23.2, 23.2. ALMOST 23.2. WE ARE AT ABOUT 11.9 RIGHT NOW. IF WE PROJECT THOSE NUMBERS AT OR ABOUT THAT 2% WE WILL COME IN CLOSER TO ABOUT $23.6 MILLION. SO WE ARE ABOUT UP MAYBE $400,000 IF WE STAY AT THAT 2% LEVEL. IF THE SUMMER KICKS IN AND WE SEE A DIFFERENT LEVEL PROJECTION, BE AT 1 PERCENT, 4 PERCENT, WE WILL ADJUST THOSE REVENUES AND WE CAN CERTAINLY COMMUNICATE THAT BACK THROUGH THE COUNCIL AS THE SUMMER PROGRESSES. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, MAY I ASK JESSE A QUESTION? >> ARE YOU AT A POINT WHERE YOU ARE READY FOR QUESTIONS? >> IT HAS TO DO WITH THE REVENUES. WE KNOW THAT JANUARY WAS AN ANOMALY BECAUSE OUR BUDGET WASN'T ACCURATE BECAUSE WE DID NOT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE SHORTENING OF NIGHTS BY THREE WEEKS IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR. SO IF WE TOOK JANUARY COMPLETELY OUT AND PRETENDED IT DID NOT HAPPEN, IT LOOKS LIKE I'M LOOKING AFTER THE FISCAL YEAR. OCTOBER IS UP 6 PERCENT, NOVEMBER IS UP 6 PERCENT, DECEMBER IS UP ALMOST 4%. FEBRUARY IS UP 3.6. AND MARCH IS UP 1.4. THAT DOES NOT SOUND LIKE A 2% AS A REAL TREND OF WHAT'S HAPPENING. I THINK THAT THE ANOMALY IS THROWING THE NUMBERS OFF, AND I BELIEVE THAT THE MARKET IS UP MORE LIKE THREE TO 4% THIS YEAR IN COLLECTIONS, AND THAT NEGATIVE 9.2 IS THROWING US OFF. AND IF WE HAD THE THREE WEEKS OF NIGHTS LIGHTS THIS YEAR THAT WE HAD THE PREVIOUS YEAR, THEN THAT NUMBER WOULD HAVE BEEN POSITIVE, AND WE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT A DIFFERENT NUMBER. SO FROM A PURE WAY OR DO YOU THINK THAT WE WILL BE AT THE END OF THE YEAR, AND WHERE FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR, I THINK WE NEED TO TALK THAT THROUGH. THAT IS ALL. >> OKAY. CERTAINLY THAT WILL BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION. IS WHAT OBSERVATIONS WE HAVE. CERTAINLY THE TOURIST OF ELEMENT COUNCIL IS AN ADVISORY BODY TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. ULTIMATELY THOUGH, WE WILL LOOK AT ACTUAL REVENUE COLLECTIONS. I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THE ANOMALY-- I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE ANOMALY IN JANUARY, BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE 12 PERIODS OF REVENUE WE WILL COLLECT. THE IT AN ANOMALY OR NOT, THERE WAS A 9% REDUCTION FROM A ONE-YEAR PERIOD TO THE OTHER. SO WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO TREND THOSE REVENUES. IT MAY HAVE AN EFFECT ON HOW WE WANT TO LOOK IN 27, BUT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TO BASE IT ON COLLECTIONS. SO AT THIS POINT WE ARE AT 2% FOR THIS YEAR, AND DOES WE MOVE INTO IT, WE WILL START THIS PROCESS CONSERVATIVELY AND WE WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THAT PROCESS. SO FOR INITIAL DISCUSSIONS, WHEN WE INITIALLY STARTED THIS POWERPOINT IT WAS A 1.5% FOR 26. WE ARE AT 2%. I THINK WE WOULD ALL LIKE TO SEE HIGHER, BUT WE WILL SAY AT THIS POINT THAT WE ARE AT ABOUT 2% FOR 26, INCREASE OVER 25, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK. IT IS NOT OVER. WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THOSE REVENUES. AND AS WE START OUR 27 PROCESS, WE ARE STARTING AT 1.5%, THERE IS NO REASON WHY WE COULD NOT START A 2 PERCENT, OR MORE, BUT WE CERTAINLY HAVE TO GO IN ON THIS TOGETHER. SO, LOOKING AT THESE DOLLARS, THIS WAS BASE ON ONE HALF-- IS THERE A QUESTION? >> THROUGH THE CHAIR, MAY INTERRUPT FOR A QUESTION. I MIGHT HAVE WRITTEN IS DOWN WRONG. BUT YOU SAID ON THE LAST SLIDE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE ESTIMATING-- NEXT SLIDE. >> THIS ONE. YES, I'M SORRY. [01:40:01] >> 23.8 MILLION. I WROTE DOWN 23.6. I THOUGHT IT WAS SIX. >> IT'S BASED ON A ONE AND A HALF, I LOOKED AT THESE REVENUES LATE LAST WEEKEND IT WAS CLOSER TO 2%. AT THE 2% FOR 26, IT'S ABOUT 23.6%. IF WE WERE TO INCREASE THAT 2% FROM 27, RATHER THAN 23.8, IT'S ACTUALLY CLOSER TO $24.1 MILLION. MAYOR, WE WILL BRING THE DETAIL BACK ON THIS. THIS IS REALLY A VERY CURSORY REVIEW, KIND OF JUST KICKING IT OFF. HOW WE APPROACH THIS PROCESS, WHAT REVENUE-- HOW WE WILL LOOK AT THE REVENUES. SO WE WILL BRING BACK THAT DETAIL JUNE 19TH. AND I THINK THAT THAT IS A GREAT POINT. WE NEED TO GET INTO THAT DETAIL IN JUNE, THAT'S GOING TO BE AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION, BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO BRING BACK-- STAFF IS GOING TO BRING BACK THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE WOULD ANTICIPATE, THE OPERATIONS FOR 2027. WHAT WE WOULD ULTIMATELY WANT TO RECOMMEND TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS THROUGH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. SO IMPORTANT WE ARE IN SOMEWHAT AGREEMENT OR CONCURRENCE, AS WE MOVE THROUGH THAT PROCESS. HERE IS AN EXAMPLE IF WE WERE TO USE 1.5%, 3%. THIS IS WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO GET FROM THIS COUNCIL LET THE END OF THIS, MAYBE A CONSENSUS OF WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE FOR A PERCENTAGE AS WE MODEL KNOWING IN TO 2027. 2026 IS GOING TO BE WHATEVER IT IS WE COLLECT, BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE COUNCIL WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO USE AS WE GO TOWARDS THE END OF THIS PRESENTATION. >> THE CHAIR: I THINK AROUND 3% I AM COMFORTABLE WITH. AND IF WE DON'T MEET THAT, I AM COMFORTABLE WITH THE SHORTFALL OF WHAT WE HAVE IN OTHER LOCATIONS. AND I THINK THAT WE SAID EARLIER THAT WE WOULD RATHER BE CONSERVATIVE THAN AGGRESSIVE. SO I THINK THAT WE STAY WITH THAT 3% LIKE WE DID THIS YEAR. I AM HOPEFUL WE GET TO THAT 3% THIS YEAR, BUT I THINK THAT THAT IS THE SAFEST NUMBER. FOR WHERE WE ARE AT. THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS. >> I THINK THAT IF YOU REMOVE TWO VARIABLES FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, TARIFFS, AND THE CONFLICT, IN IRAN, HE WOULD'VE LOOKED AT THE BASE BEING MUCH HIGHER. ANTICIPATING NEXT YEAR TWO THINGS FROM THE ECONOMY THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT HARD TO SEE, BUT THEY ARE THERE. ONE OF THEM IS THE MAJOR STIMULUS THAT IS HAPPENING NOW AS WE CONTINUE THROUGH THE YEAR. OF THE BILL THAT WENT IN TO EFFECT IN JANUARY, AND HOW THAT IS GOING TO AFFECT DISCRETIONARY SPENDING, AND WHEN THE UNCERTAINTY GOES AWAY AND GAS PRICES COME DOWN, AND WE DO NOT CREATE ANOTHER HEADWIND LIKE THOSE TWO HEADWINDS, I THINK THAT NEXT YEAR'S ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IS GOING TO BE A LOT STRONGER. AND IT WILL ACTUALLY NOT BE DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT THAN HISTORICAL GROWTH, IT'S JUST THAT THE LAST TWO YEARS HAVE BEEN MUTED FROM WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN IF THOSE TWO THINGS DID NOT OCCUR. SO I THINK THAT THE $25 MILLION NUMBER IS NOT AN OUTRAGEOUS NUMBER, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU COUPLE IT WITH THOSE FACTORS IN HOW MANY NEW ROOMS HAVE ENTERED THE MARKET IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. SO I THINK 3% IS WHAT VERY CONSERVATIVE. I THINK THIS YEAR IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BETTER. I THINK NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO BE DRAMATICALLY IMPROVED, AND I THINK WE ARE GOING TO BE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED. THAT IS JUST MY OPINION FROM LOOKING AT THE MARKET. >> IF WE ARE LOOKING AT THE HISTORIC DATA, UP WE GO BACK TO THE REVENUE PAGE THE TDT REVENUE PAGE THAT HE HAD, IN 2023 WE INCREASE 4.5, THEN WE WERE ZERO. BEEN REPORT TWO. WE DIDN'T HAVE THE CONFLICT, WE DIDN'T HAVE TARIFFS AT THAT POINT. I THINK THE THREE-- SEVEN WOULD SCARE THE HECK OUT OF ME. THREE I THINK IS HOPEFUL. BCAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE A STORM THE LAST TWO YEARS. [01:45:04] SO I MEAN THERE IS ALWAYS A FACTOR IS WHAT I AM SAYING. AND I HOPE-- I 100% HOPE THAT YOUR CRYSTAL BALL IS RIGHT. BECAUSE EVERYBODY BENEFITS. BUT ONCE WE GET THAT MONEY OUT, WE ARE NOT GETTING IT-- GETTING IT BACK. SO I DON'T THINK WE CAN COVER AGAIN IF WE GET A 0% GROWTH ON THAT 7% DIFFERENCE. THAT'S WHERE MY FEAR FACTOR COMES IN. >> I'M PRETTY MUCH AGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. I CAN'T SEE A SPENDING OR PLANNING TO SPEND WHAT WE DON'T HAVE. I WOULD LOVE TO BE IN THAT PLACE OF OPTIMISM, BUT NONE OF US KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE NEXT SIX WEEKS OR SIX MONTHS IN TERMS OF THE OVERALL. >> I AGREE ABOUT THE 3%. TWO, 3%. >> THE CHAIR: SO WHAT I AM SEEING HERE CONSENSUS WISE, IT LOOKS LIKE 3%. I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO VOTE ON THAT. WE JUST NEED A NOD. >> I WON'T HOLD ANY OF THESE PERCENTAGES AGAINST YOU. WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE-- THAT ONE WE MIGHT. WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE AS EACH MONTH WILL BRING BACK WHERE OUR TDT REVENUES ARE, AND I THINK THAT THAT OBSERVATION IS A FAIR OBSERVATION. BUT WE NEED TO GO IN TO THIS BUDGET PROCESS WITH SOMETHING FOR JUNE SO WE CAN START WITH 3 PERCENT, KNOWING THAT WE MAY HAVE AN ANOMALY IN HERE AND WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT GOING IN TO 27. GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS, WHAT WE ARE GOING TO BRING FORWARD WILL BE-- AND I AGREE WITH THE STATEMENT, EACH YEAR IS A NEW BUDGET. WE FIND OUT WHAT TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX REVENUES WE HAVE, AND THEN WE UTILIZE THOSE AND LEVERAGE THEM FOR VARIOUS-- I DON'T LOOK AT ANY OF THESE AS SUBSIDIES, I LOOK AT THEM AS CONTRACTS FOR SERVICE. EACH ONE OF THESE RELATIONSHIPS IS A CONTRACT FOR A SPECIFIC SERVICE, ULTIMATELY TO EITHER BRING BACK ADDITIONAL TOURIST DEVELOP DOLLARS, OR TO PROVIDE TOURISM RELATED ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. SO I WILL SAY, THE LAST THING ON REVENUE, WE HAVE SEEN, AND CHAIR BLEVINS MENTIONED THIS, OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, THE TOURIST OF ELEMENT COUNCIL HAS RECOMMENDED WHAT I WOULD CALL A DELIBERATE DRAWDOWN OF RESERVES. THERE WERE ACCUMULATIONS OF RESERVES, IF YOU THINK OF THAT AS YOUR SAVINGS. AND WE HAVE LEVERAGED THOSE DOLLARS TO A POINT WHERE WE ARE NOT SEEING A LEVEL OF RESERVE. SO WHAT WE MAY HAVE LEVERAGED FOR RECURRING OPERATIONS, WE WILL SEE LESS REVENUE AT LEAST FOR THE STANDPOINT OF NOT HAVING THAT RESERVE. DON'T WANT THAT TO BE A NEGATIVE LOOK, BUT A REALITY IN THIS, SO WHEN WE BRING THIS BACK JUNE 15TH WE WOULD LIKE TO GET HEADSTRONG INTO THE DETAIL ON THAT. BUT HERE ARE THE VARIOUS CATEGORIES AND CONTRACTS FOR SERVICE. CATEGORY ONE, DESTINATION MARKETING. AND I WILL NOT READ ALL THESE, BUT YOU SEE THE VARIOUS CONTRACTS FOR SERVICE THAT HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT FROM YEAR TO YEAR. CATEGORY TWO AS WELL. HERE ARE THE CONTRACT FOR SERVICE. CATEGORY THREE. LEISURE AND RECREATION. SUBCONTRACT FOR SERVICE, AND THERE ARE SOME INITIATIVES IN THERE. INCLUDING WATER ACCESS AND ARTIFICIAL REEF EIGHT MINTS AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. CATEGORY FOUR HAS VISITOR INFORMATION CENTERS. THE KNIGHTS OF LIGHTS INITIATIVE, BEACH SHUTTLES. CULTURAL EVENTS, INC. ALLOCATION. SOME OF OUR TOURISM DEPARTMENT STAFF, AND CATEGORY FIVE, OUR BEACH ASSETS, WHICH THE DOCTOR WILL FOLLOW ME, AND HE WILL TALK A BIT ABOUT WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT FOR 2027 FOR THE BEACH ASSETS. BUT THAT COVERS YOUR BEACH OPERATIONS AS WELL AS YOUR COASTAL READ NOURISHMENT PROGRAM MOVING FORWARD. WITH THAT WE WILL BE AGAIN BRINGING BACK AT THE JUNE 15TH MEETING, OUR INITIAL DRAFT OF THE 2027 TOURIST DEVELOPMENT [01:50:06] BUDGET. CERTAINLY PLENTY OF TIME TO HAVE DISCUSSION. IT'S MID-JUNE. WE WILL RECOMMEND A BUDGET FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSION. A TOTAL BUDGET IN JULY. AND I WILL REITERATE AGAIN THAT THERE IS STILL TIME THROUGH I WOULD SAY LATE AUGUST, EVEN PUSHING IT EARLY SEPTEMBER FOR CHANGES IN THAT BUDGET. AND WITH THAT I WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. >> ANY QUESTIONS FOR JESSE. >> I HAVE ONE MORE TECHNICAL QUESTION, CATEGORY FOUR, WE USED TO PAY FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER. SOME OPERATIONAL FEES AND A DEBT. HAS ALL THAT BEEN PAID OFF? >> THE CONVENTION CENTER HAS BEEN PAID OFF, YES. >> THE HOTELS THERE STILL PAY THE EXTRA BIDDING? THAT WAS A PART OF IT, AND I JUST DID NOT KNOW IF THAT'S. >> I WILL CHECK. LET ME CHECK ON THAT. I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT COULD QUESTION. >> THAT SHOULD BE THERE WITH THE DEBT BEING PAID OFF. >> ALL HAVE TO GO BACK IN THOSE DOLLARS WOULD NOT HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS FUN. THE FUND WOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH THE CONVENTION CENTER FUND. >> THEY NEVER COLLECTED ENOUGH AND WE ALWAYS HAD TO SUBSIDIZE. I JUST DIDN'T SEE IT IN CATEGORY FOUR. AND I WAS WONDERING. OKAY, THANK YOU. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> ON THE TPC SUPPORT? IS USED TO BE LIKE $200,000. NOW I THINK THE LAST ONE WAS SOMEWHERE, $325,000 ISSUED. WE USED TO BEYOND THE 17, NOW ARE HALFWAY UP THE 16TH. AND IT USED TO BE KIND OF MANAGED BY THE UCB FOR THE USE OF ENTERTAINING POTENTIAL CLIENTS, P.R. FIRMS AND THAT SORT OF THING THAT WOULD BENEFIT THIS DESTINATION IN THE FUTURE. IN THE PAST FEW YEARS IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S BEEN THAT MUCH AS FAR AS THE ATTENDEES AND THAT. IT LOOKS MORE LIKE COUNTY EMPLOYEE BENEFIT. CAN WE REVERT THAT BACK TO THE BCB SO THEY ARE RUNNING THAT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE TOURISM TAX DOLLARS, WHICH IS WHAT IT'S COMING FROM? SO IT CAN BENEFIT FUTURE VISITS? >> I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT, BUT I CAN FIND OUT. AND IF THERE IS-- IS THERE A CONSENSUS FROM THIS COUNCIL? >> WHAT CHARLES IS TALKING ABOUT IS TO HAVE OUR WHOLE PRIVATE LOCATION, IT WAS 100% RUN THROUGH THE BCB. NOW IT'S A SHARED HOSPITALITY HOUSE AND THERE ARE-- I'VE BEEN THE LAST FEW YEARS, I'VE SEEN WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. I'M NOT SURE WHO CONTROLS WHO IS GOING IN THERE, BUT BEFORE THERE WAS A LOT MORE BUSINESS, ENDED IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S BEEN MORE OF A GATHERING. IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE SAYING? >> THAT WAS THE INTENT OF WHY WE SPONSORED IN THE BEGINNING. WAS TO USE IT AS A TOOL FOR THE BCB IN THE DEVELOPMENT FOR THE FUTURE. WHETHER IT BE MEDIA, P.R., POTENTIALLY ENTERTAINING GROUPS THAT MIGHT BE PLANNING CORPORATE VISITS HERE, CONFERENCES AND SUCH. >> IT WAS KIND OF A RECRUITING THING, AND NOW IT'S A GATHERING. >> LET ME GO BACK AND TALK WITH STAFF AND REVIEW THE CONTRACT AND WE WILL BRING BACK INFORMATION TO THIS COUNCIL AT THE JUNE MEETING. >> THE CHAIR: I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER LIGHTS, JESSE. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THE CHAIR: DR. JOE? >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JOE, I AM THE DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR ST JOHNS COUNTY. THE REASON LINE HERE IS A COASTAL MANAGEMENT FALLS UNDER EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. SO THAT'S WHAT WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT TODAY. A COUPLE MONTH AGO I SAT IN FRONT OF THE BOARD AND REVIEWED AND INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY UPDATE. AND IT WAS FELT THAT THIS WOULD BENEFIT FROM SOME OF THE PROJECTS, THE PRESENTATION I GAVE THERE ON SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WERE COMING UP WITHIN THAT NEXT YEAR-- NOT NEXT YEAR, BUT THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS. TO SHOW YOU I GUESS THE LARGE UNFUNDED PIECES THAT WE HAVE COMING UP. SO YOU'VE SEEN-- I BELIEVE YOU'VE SEEN SOME OF THESE, IN OUR FIRST TWO SLIDES HERE, BUT BEACH IS IMPORTANT TO US. [01:55:05] IT DRAWS A BIG CROWD. AND WHEN THEY'RE HERE THEY GO TO THE BEACH. A HAPPY AND HEALTHY BEACH BRINGS IN TOURISM, ALL THE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, IT'S A GREAT ASSET. SO COASTAL MANAGEMENT IS CHART-- IN CHARGE OF BASICALLY BRINGING THE BEACH BACK OR PROVIDING THE SAND FOR THE BEACH. WE DON'T DO THE OPERATIONS OR THE LIFEGUARDS, OR THE GUYS AT-- WE ARE THE GUYS AT BRING SAND AND PUT IT ON THE BEACH. SO WE HAVE 42 MILES OF BEACH THAT WE OVERSEE. WE HAVE-- WE BREAK IT UP INTO 11 DIFFERENT SHORELINES DISTINCT SHORELINES. TWO INLETS, AND 24 MILES OF PERFECT BEACH. THAT MEANS THAT IF THE STATE NOW COMES IN AND HAS MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, SOME-- I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH FROM NORTH TO SOUTH ARE BEACH AREAS AND WHAT THE PROJECTS ARE AND WHAT'S COMING UP AND WHAT'S BEEN DONE. STARTING OFF, THIS IS A PROJECT THAT WE COMPLETED IN 2024. ALMOST 2 MILLION PEOPLE HERE FROM THE COUNTY LINE TO THIS OTHER SPOT. MOSTLY FUNDED THROUGH THE STATE AND THE COUNTY. HOWEVER, DEBBIE AND MILTON CAME RIGHT AFTER THAT AND DID A LITTLE BIT OF DAMAGE TO IT. SO WE ARE GETTING READY TO GO BACK INTO THAT PROJECT AGAIN, THIS YEAR OR NEXT YEAR. DEPENDING ON HOW THE CLEARANCES ARE. BUT IT WILL BE COMPLETED SOMETIME NEXT YEAR. WERE LOOKING AT PUTTING ABOUT A MILLION QBR-- CUBIC YARDS BACK ON THE BEACH. AND IT'S A GOOD PROJECT. IT BASICALLY PUSHES THE WATERLINE OUT AND BUILDS UP THE BASELINE. IF YOU CAN REMEMBER AFTER MATTHEW AND IRMA, THEY HAD TO BRING IT ALL BACK TO THE HOUSE IS, AND PEOPLE WERE PUTTING UP TUBES AND ALL KINDS OF HARD STRUCTURES. NOW WE HAVE A NICE NATURAL LOOKING BEACH UP THERE. BECAUSE WE DID THAT PROJECT WITH THOSE FUNDS, THAT OPENED US UP TO FEMA. REIMBURSEMENT. SO WE ARE GETTING 75% FROM FEMA, 12.5% FROM THE STATE AND 12 AND HAVE PERCENT COME FROM THE COUNTY. FOR THIS NEXT PROJECT WERE GETTING, THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. WE HAD SOME MONEY SAVED OVER FROM LAST TIME, SO THIS PROJECT IS FULLY FUNDED FOR THIS TIME. SO THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS. AND THE APPROVAL OF THIS PROJECT. WHAT IS NOT FUNDED THROUGH THIS PROJECT IS THE MAINTENANCE OF THIS. SO WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU LOOK AT, OR FEMA LOOKS AT, HIS YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN YOUR BEACH. IF YOU HAVE BEEN ENGINEERED BEACH AND YOU MAINTAIN IT AND A STORM AFFECTS IT, THEY WILL COME BACK AND DO WHAT THERE DOING RIGHT NOW. 75% CAUTIONARY, 12 AND HALF PERCENT FROM THE STATE. BUT YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE BEACH. SO WE HAVE KIND OF A MAINTENANCE PLAN AT A CERTAIN POINT IN TIME. IF THE BEACH OR ROADS WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND PUT THE SANDBAG. THERE'S NO IDENTIFIED FUNDING SOURCE FOR THAT RIGHT NOW. SO THAT'S WHAT WERE LOOKING AT. WE KNOW IN THE FUTURE THIS IS GOING TO BE ERODED AGAIN. WHAT THE INROAD IS, WERE NOT SURE. FIVE YEARS, TEN YEARS, 12 YEARS, ANOTHER BIG STORM? WE DON'T KNOW. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT AND LOOKING FOR THOSE FUNDS AND REOCCURRING I GUESS POT OF MONEY OR SAVINGS ACCOUNT STAFF. THERE IS AN NST YOU CREATED UP THERE. WE HAVE NOT LEVIED ANY FUNDS AGAINST IT, BUT THERE IS THAT IN PLACE, AND WE HAVE THE OPTION IF WE WANT TO. AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT AS WELL. SOUTH IS A REALLY GOOD KIND OF A POSTER CHILD IF YOU WILL IN THE SENSE OF START TO FINISH OF KIND OF A FULL INERTIA, IF YOU THINK, THE COMMUNITY CAME TO THE COUNTY MANY YEARS AGO. AND WANTED TO GET A PROJECT GOING. SO THEY WORK WITH US AND BASICALLY THEY PAID FOR THE MAJORITY OF THIS THROUGH MST YOU DOLLARS. AND COUNTY FUNDS AND GRANTS FROM THE STATE. AND OTHER PLACES WE CAN GET FUNDS FROM. BUT IN 22 WE BUILT A PRETTY LARGE PROJECT OUT THERE. AND IT SEEMS LIKE ONCE YOU PUT SAND OUT THERE THE STORM COMES IN, NICOLE CAME IN AND 2022 AND BASICALLY TOOK A LOT OF THE SAND AWAY. SO WE HAD DEBBIE HASWELL. AND AS I SAID, WE HAVE FEMA PUT STAND THERE-- SAND THERE. AND ENGINEERED PROJECT, AND WE WENT AFTER FEMA AND USE THEM AS AN INSURANCE POLICY. WE ALSO HAD SOME FUNDS IN THAT PROJECT AS WELL. DEP, THE STATE CAME UP WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDS, AND THAT WAS FULLY FUNDED FOR THIS YEAR. MOST LIKELY TO BE COMPLETED END OF THIS YEAR OR EARLY NEXT YEAR. PUTTING ABOUT A BILLION CUBIC YARDS OF SAND OUT THERE. THE BOARD IS ALSO GOING TO PROVE THAT PROJECT. SO WHAT IS MISSING HERE IS THE [02:00:01] LONG-TERM MAINTENANCE OF THIS. THE REASON WHY SAY THAT THIS WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH A COMPANY-- WITH ARMY CORP. FOR MANY YEARS TO GET A PROJECT HERE THAT WE CALL COASTAL STORM RISK-MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. SO THIS IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CORPSE FOR 50 YEARS, WHERE THEY COME IN AND RE-- GO ALONG OUR BEACH IN CERTAIN INTERVALS, FIVE, TEN, 12 YEARS. WE ARE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS RIGHT NOW. THE PERMITTING AND ENGINEERING AND DESIGN WORK, WHICH IS FUNDED AND WE ARE WORKING THROUGH RIGHT NOW. BUT WHAT IS NOT FUNDED IS THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS. THIS IS A HUGE DOLLAR AMOUNT. SO WHAT HELPS WITH THE CAUTIONARY AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES IS ACCESSED TO THE BEACH. THE MORE ACCESS YOU HAVE TO THE BEACH THE MORE THE BEDS COME IN AND THE STATE WILL COST SHARE WITH US. AND LES BERNARD ON THE RESIDENTS. SO RIGHT NOW, WITH THE INITIAL CONSTRUCTION COST OF WHAT WE HAVE ACCESS FOR IN THAT AREA, IT'S A $60 MILLION CONSTRUCTION PROJECT WITH 50 MILLION COMING FROM NONFEDERAL SHARE IS, WE HAVE LITTLE ACCESS UP THERE. OVER THE LIFE OF THE PROJECT, THE COUNTIES OR NONFEDERAL SPONSORS ARE ON THE HOOK FOR $120 MILLION. THE TRAIN IS KIND OF LEFT THE STATION. WE ARE GOING DOWN THIS PATH AND WE ARE ALREADY COMMITTED WITH PERMITTING ENGINEERING DESIGN WORK, WHICH IS COUNTY FUNDED, TO GET ALL THE DESIGN AND PERMITTING BACK IN PLACE. WE HAVE EASEMENTS, YOU GET 100% PERPETUAL EASEMENT FROM ALL THE RESIDENTS OUT THERE. BUT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE CONSTRUCTION TIME IS IN 28. MOST LIKELY IT'S GOING TO BE HERE AFTER THAT, DEPENDING ON IF WE GET EVERYTHING UP AND RUNNING THE RIGHT WAY. AS I SAID EARLIER, WHAT HELPS WITH CAUTIONARY IS ACCESS. WE HAVE RIGHT OF WAYS EVERY 700 FEET UP THAT BEACH ON AVERAGE. WE CAN OPEN UP ACCESS. SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT IS A TROLLEY SYSTEM. SO I WAS LISTENING EARLIER, HOW THE CITY MOVES PEOPLE AROUND, IT SEEMED LIKE A GREAT IDEA. WE WORK TO SOME OF THE CITY, SOME OF THE ENTITIES ON WHAT THAT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE, SO WE ARE IN THE INITIAL PHASES OF KIND OF DEVELOPING WHAT A TROLLEY SYSTEM WOULD LOOK LIKE UP THERE. BECAUSE IF WE DO HAVE A TROLLEY SYSTEM, WE CAN KIND OF TIED INTO DROPPING PEOPLE OFF ALONG THE BEACH OUR FINAL SPOT IS SIGNIFICANT. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY TWO TO $4 MILLION INITIAL INVESTMENT TO OPEN UP A TROLLEY SYSTEM. WHEN I THINK TROLLEY SYSTEM MIGHT THINK OF A SMALL BUS STOP THAT CAN GO SO MANY FEET DOWN THE BEACH. A LANDING PAD WHERE YOU CAN DROP PEOPLE OFF AND COME BACK 45 MINUTES, AND HOUR LATER, PICK IT BACK UP, AND IT WOULD RUN THE LENGTH OF THE BEACH. AND WHERE IT ENDS IS WHERE THE DISCUSSION GOES. DOES AGO ALL THE WAY UP, DOES IT TURN INTO IGUANA? HEAD DOWN INTO MILANO? THOSE ARE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE WOULD LIKE SOME FEEDBACK ON FROM ANYBODY WHO HAS INFORMATION OR AN OPINION ON THIS. BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAD NOT DONE. AND WE KNOW THE VALUE OF THE SPOT. SO TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE THE NUMBERS. THE INITIAL COST SHARE IS $60 MILLION, BUT INSTEAD OF 50 MILLION, THE COUNTY WOULD HAVE TO PUT NONFEDERAL SHARE, IT'S DOWN 35 MILLION WITH OPENING TROLLEY STOPS. AND THE LIFE OF THE PROJECT IS DOWN TO 92 MILLION OVER 50 YEARS. SO IT'S A HUGE COST SAVINGS. THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT, AND THEN HOWEVER LONG IT COST TO OPERATE IS WORTH THE INITIAL INVESTMENT. SO THAT IS WHAT THE COUNTY IS GIVING US THE GREEN LIGHT TO LOOK AT THIS. AND WE ARE WORKING WITH A FIRM ON PUTTING THOSE PIECES TOGETHER SO WE CAN COME BACK TO THE BOARD AND SHOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. COMMUNITY OUTREACH, THERE IS A GOOD COMMUNITY UP THERE THAT HAS, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORDS, A HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION. THESE PROPERTIES THAT COME TO US AND TALK TO US ABOUT THIS, AND ARE REALLY POSITIVE FOR THIS BECAUSE THEY SEE THE VALUE. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THERE IS REALLY NO FUNDING SOURCES. AND MST YOU IS ONE OF THE THINGS WE WILL HAVE TO LOOK AT. THEY ARE ALREADY PAYING TWO MILL FOR THE LAST PROJECT. AND NOW WE ARE LOOKING BETWEEN 35 AND 50 MILLION-DOLLAR PROJECT JUST FOR THE INITIAL CONSTRUCTION. SO WE WILL HAVE TO SEE WHAT THAT IS. ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP% REDUCE THAT BURDEN IS GOING TO BE VALUABLE FOR THE RESIDENTS. >> SO MORE SELF WE HAVE AN ARMY CORPSE PROJECT IN PLACE ALREADY. IT'S A FIFTY-YEAR PROJECT. THE CAUTION YEARS ARE THERE-- THE COST SHARES ARE THERE. IT'S NOT JUST NONFEDERAL THE COUNTY AND STATE CHIPS IN. WE HAVE USED OUR TDT TAX FUNDS [02:05:02] TO HELP PAY FOR THAT. THEY HAVE A LITTLE LESS MST YOU, WHICH IS RECESSED EVERY YEAR. THE TROLLEY SYSTEM I WAS TALKING ABOUT WOULD BENEFIT THIS PROJECT AND CHANGE COST SHARES IN HERE BECAUSE WE OPEN UP ACCESS HERE AS WELL. AND IF WE HAVE THAT ACCESS, THOSE FEDERAL SHARES, THEY ARE EVALUATED EVERY YEAR, SO WE COULD CHANGE THOSE AS WE GO. THEY ARE ON A 12 YEAR CYCLE RIGHT NOW. EVERY 12 YEARS WE HAVE TO PAY SOMETHING. WHATEVER THAT COST IS AT THAT TIME. BUT THE BEST THING WITH THE ARMY CORPS PROJECTS, AND THIS IS WHY WE PUSH A LOT OF THESE,-- THEY ARNON NOURISHMENT INTERVALS. EVERY TEN OR 12 YEARS, WE HAVE A NOR'EASTER OR SOMETHING THAT COULD REDUCE-- REDUCE THE BEACH SIGNIFICANTLY, THE ARMY CORPS COMES IN AND REPAYS-- PAYS FOR IT 100% ON THEIR DIME, AND THEY HAVE DONE IT ALREADY FOR US. AT THE PEER, THE LAST ONE WAS-- THE PEER MAC, THE LAST ONE WAS A PROJECT THAT THEY CAME IN AND PAID FOR ON 100% OF THEIR DIME. THIS IS WHY GETTING THOSE ARMY CORPS PROJECTS IS VALUABLE FOR US BECAUSE IT GUARANTEES OUR BEACH FOR 50 YEARS. ULTIMATELY FOR THE LIFE OF THE PROJECT IF WE MAINTAIN IT, IT WILL BE REAPPROPRIATED AFTER THAT. SO IT'S A GOOD TOOL TO ENSURE THAT OUR BEACHES ARE ALWAYS THERE. PORPOISE POINT, IT IS VERY COMPLICATED. NOTHING WE DO ON THE BEACH IS EASY. SO IF YOU KNOW OF THIS AREA, RIGHT DOWN AT THE POINT THERE, WE HAVE THE ROCKS AND WE WON'T GET INTO THE SCIENCE OF IT TOO MUCH, BUT SAND LEAKS THROUGH HE AIR AND FILLS IN PORPOISE POINT. AND REDUCES THE SAND YOU SEE ON THE BEACH. SO IF YOU CAN TIGHTEN THOSE ROCKS, IF YOU WILL, YOU CAN TRAP MORE SAND. THE ARMY CORPS OWNS THAT. THEY WILL NOT DO THAT BECAUSE, IF THEY DO THAT, PORPOISE POINT KIND OF WASHES AWAY. BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE NO SAND HEATING PORPOISE POINT. AND ALL THAT SAND DOWN THERE WOULD BE GONE. SO WE HAVE A GRANT TO HELP US WITH A PERMIT ENGINEER DESIGN, WHICH WE HAVE. TO STABILIZE PORPOISE POINT. IF WE CAN STABILIZE PORPOISE POINT THE ARMY WILL COME BACK IN AND STABILIZE THE WHOLE AREA. SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE WHOLE COAST DOWN THERE BENEFITING FROM THESE PROJECTS. WE WENT FORWARD WITH THIS DESIGN AND ENGINEERING WORK FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, THEY GAVE US $2 MILLION TO DO THIS. AND WE WERE IN THE FINAL PHASES OF OUR PERMIT. THERE ARE NO CONSTRUCTION DOLLARS FOR THIS. THAT IS $20 MILLION ESTIMATED TO DO THIS WORK. YOU CAN CONCEPTUALLY SEE THERE ARE SOME ROCKS IN THE WEST SIDE AND ON THE EAST SIDE. SOMEWAY BARRIERS, AND THAT'S A WERE TRYING TO STABILIZE ON THE BEACH THERE. BUT ANOTHER AREA WHERE THERE IS NOT FUNDING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION PIECE ACROSS AN INLET, THE BEACH, IF YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME, YOU KNOW WHAT THE BEACH USED TO LOOK LIKE AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE NOW. THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE WHERE THE ARMY CORPS CAN COME IN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH US AND BUILD THAT BEACH BACKUP. THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST COST SHARES, IF NOT ONE OF THE BEST IN FLORIDA, BECAUSE OF THE ACCESS. WE HAVE ACCESS DOWN THERE, AND THE SHARE IS SIGNIFICANT. SO TDT CONTRIBUTES TO THIS, A NAAN FELLOW SHARE. THE STATE DOES AS WELL. AND ONE THING I WANTED TO THROW IN HERE ABOUT THIS EASEMENT THING, JUST SO YOU GUYS KNOW, IF YOU HEAR US PUSHING THIS, IS THEY HAVE TO HAVE 100% PERPETUAL EASEMENTS. THEY WANT EASEMENTS ACROSS THEIR WITH THOSE PROPERTIES FOREVER. 25 YEARS AGO WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROJECT, THEY WERE ONLY FIFTY-YEAR EASEMENTS. SO IF WE DO NOT GET 100% EASEMENTS, THE COURT HAS SAID THEY WILL NOT COME BACK AND THEY WILL DISCONTINUE THIS PROJECT. SO WE WORK WITH THE CITY, THE CITY BEACH TO SIGN THEIR EASEMENTS. WE HAVE ABOUT 41 OF THE 62 PROPERTIES OUT THERE THAT ARE SIGNED ON TO THIS EASEMENT. BUT IF WE DO NOT GET THEM THEY WILL GO AWAY AND WE WILL BE ON THE HOOK IF WE WANT TO PUT SAND BACK ON THAT BEACH. WHICH AS YOU GUYS KNOW, SAND IS% EXPENSIVE TO PUT ON A BEACH. CRESCENT AND BUTLER. THESE ARE ONE OF THE SECTIONS THAT WE SAID-- WE KIND OF TOUCHED ON A BIT IN THE SENSE THAT WE'VE DONE SOME SMALL DUNE RESTORATION PROJECTS AFTER SOME MAJOR STORMS. MY FEAR FROM THE COASTAL SIDE IS THAT WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT THIS BEACH LONG TERM. BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT IT TO TURN INTO WHAT MILANO DID. [02:10:01] IT WAS A NICE BEACH, WE CAN LOOK AT THE PICTURES. PICTURES WERE CREATED UP THERE. HUGE WHITE BEACHES, AND NOW WE HAVE VERY LITTLE BEACHES. I'M WORRIED THAT IN 20 OR 30 YEARS THIS MIGHT BE THAT. WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS NOW, AND WE ARE IN COASTAL-- LOOKING AT A COASTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT IS HELPING US DETERMINE SOME OF THE SCIENCE BEHIND THAT AND SEE WHAT THE BEACH IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE. WE ALSO ARE ACTIVELY LOOKING AT AN ARMY CORPS PROJECT DOWN THERE, A FEASIBILITY STUDY. THEY WILL COME IN AND STUDY IT AND DETERMINE IF IT'S WORTH THEM COMING IN AND HELPING. SO WE ARE DOING THAT EVERY YEAR TRYING TO GET THEM TO STUDY THIS FOR US. SUMMER HAVEN IS VERY COMPLICATED. THAT'S THE BEST WORD I CAN USE TO DESCRIBE IT. A LOT OF DIFFERENT FORCES DOWN THERE INTERACTING WITH THE INLET. NONFEDERAL, NAAN MANAGED. YOU HAVE THE RIVER THAT WAS THERE. IT'S FLOODED, AND NOW IT SAND FROM THE LAST SEVERAL STORMS, OVER WASHES AND BREACHES. WE HAVE OTHER PROBLEMS WITH ESCARPMENTS. SNAKE ISLAND HAS THE ROCKS THAT HAVE BEEN WASHED OVER. A LOT OF PROBLEMS DOWN THERE. WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO TRY TO DO BITE-SIZED SOLUTIONS DOWN THERE. A BIG FIX IS WE'VE HAD STUDIES OF $150 MILLION TO STABILIZE THE AREA. AND THERE IS NO FUNDING FOR THAT. BUT FOR SMALL PROJECTS THERE ARE. SO WERE WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY'VE GIVEN US THREE DIFFERENT OPTIONS RIGHT NOW. ONE DREDGING THE RIVER, PLACING SAND BACK ON THE BEACH, MORE TOWARDS THE WEST AND THE EAST. WE HAVE A RIGHT AWAY PROBLEM THERE. THERE IS A SECOND PROJECT LOOKING AT OUR MARINE THE HOMES IN FRONT OF THE SOUTHERN HOMES, WITH THE HOMEOWNERS PARTICIPATION. SOME TYPE OF ROCK STRUCTURE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE BEACH TO HELP PROTECT THE RIVER. BECAUSE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF HAVING TO CLOSE THE RIVER. THERE IS NO FUNDING FOR ANY OF THOSE PROJECTS RIGHT NOW. THE BOARD HAS GIVEN US FUNDING FOR THE COMANAGING AND DESIGN OF THE PROJECT THAT I TALKED ABOUT, BUT OTHER THAN THAT WERE TRYING TO LOOK FOR FUNDING AND HELP IDENTIFY PLACES WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY POOL DIFFERENT RESOURCES FOR THIS AREA. TO SUM IT ALL UP, TO THROW SOME BIG SCARY NUMBERS OUT THERE, THIS IS WHAT WERE DEALING WITH TO TRY TO FIND FUNDING FOR. AGAIN, THERE IS NO IDENTIFIED FUNDING NOW TO MAINTAIN THIS ONE BEACH. THE SOUTH, BETWEEN 35 AND 50 MILLION-DOLLAR AN INITIAL PROJECT COMING IN THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS. A TROLLEY SYSTEM TO LOWER THAT COST. PORPOISE POINT IS ABOUT 20 MILLION DIPPER LOOKING AT STABILIZING AND SHORTING OUT MILANO. AND SUMMER HAVEN, A CONSERVATIVE AFT-- ESTIMATE OF AROUND $20 MILLION. SO IT'S PRETTY EXPENSIVE. WE ARE WORKING WITH OMB TRYING TO SEE HOW WE CAN SPLIT THE PENNY AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO TRY TO HELP PUT SOME OF THESE PROJECTS. SOME OF THE PROJECTS ARE BEING PAID WITH DEBT SERVICES OUT OF THAT. SO THERE'S NOT A LOT OF THAT MONEY EARMARKED JUST FOR SAND PURPOSES OR ANY NEW PROJECTS. AND I THINK ABOUT 2 MILLION OF THOSE FUNDS GO TO BEACH OPERATIONS, REPLACING-- NOT REPLACING SAND ON THE BEACH. SO THERE'S A BRIEF SHORTFALL THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FUND THESE PROJECTS. AND WITH THAT I AM DONE. AND I CAN TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS. >> THE CHAIR: ANY QUESTIONS ANYONE? >> THANK YOU. GREAT PRESENTATION. PROBABLY THE MOST IN-DEPTH PRESENTATION I'VE SEEN ON SAND THROUGH THE YEARS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M INTRIGUED BY THE TROLLEY SYSTEM. AND I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CHARLIE'S, AND I DO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE THE TROLLEYS AS-- THE TROLLEYS AS PARKING. AT THE SYSTEM IS INTENDED FOR VISITORS, NOT FOR RESIDENTS. TO MOVE RESIDENTS UP AND DOWN THE. BUT VISITORS ARE GOING TO NEED PARKING AND YOU'RE GOING TO NEED DIRECTIONAL SIGNAGE. AND I WONDER WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT ARE? >> GREAT QUESTION. AND THAT IS WHY WE STARTED OFF-- WE WENT TO THE CITY. THE STAFF LEVEL, AND HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT A YEAR AGO. TO GET SOME IDEAS. AND THEN WE WENT IN TO THE COUNTY AND BROUGHT IN ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, PUBLIC WORKS, EVERYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY TOUCH THIS. PARKS AND RECORDS IN THERE AS WELL. THEY ARE FUNDING SOME OF THIS STUDY. [02:15:02] SO THAT DIRECTION HELPED US GET INTO A CONSULTANT TO HELP US IDENTIFY ALL OF THOSE. THE QUESTIONS AND THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO, WHERE WERE GOING TO PARK, HOW LONG WERE GOING TO GO BACK, WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE-- WHAT WOULD THE ARMY CORPS ALLOW? BECAUSE YOU TAKE AWAY THE RECREATIONAL PIECE FOR A SECOND, JUST THE FUNDING PIECE, DOESN'T HAVE TO RUN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, EIGHT DAYS, WHAT IS ALL THAT? WE ARE WORKING WITH ALL OF THEM AS WELL. SO THE PUT BACK TO US ALL THE TIME IS IF YOU'RE GOING TO USE FEDERAL FUNDS, SOMEONE FROM KENTUCKY CAN COME HERE AND USE THAT BEACH. HOWEVER YOU GET THEM THERE, THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE. SO WERE LOOKING TO FIGURE THAT OUT RIGHT NOW. >> THAT'S INTERESTING, THANK YOU. THAT GIVES ME A BETTER PERSPECTIVE. BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU HEAR VERY OFTEN, THAT WERE SPENDING DOLLARS ON THE BEACH, THE NOURISHMENT PROJECTS, IT'S HOW DOES IT BENEFIT TOURISM? SO WE CAN GET THOSE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. >> AND WE WOULD LOVE TO CONNECT THE TROLLEY TO ANYTHING, DOWNTOWN, ANYWHERE, WHEREVER WE CAN DO IT, THAT'S THE IDEA. I WAS LOOKING AT THE COST SHARE FOR MYSELF AND MY TEAM, WE BRING ON OTHER PEOPLE AND IT OPENS UP AND YOU CAN-- ONE OF THE REASONS THAT JOY WANTED ME TO COME HERE AND TALK IS THE TROLLEY SYSTEM SO YOU GUYS CAN BE AWARE THAT THIS IS A POSSIBILITY THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT NOW. >> I THINK THAT'S GREAT AND IT'S BRINGING IN A GOOD ASPECT THAT'S NEEDED. SO THANK YOU. >> I HAVE MULTITUDE OF QUESTIONS. I HEARD YOU HAVE AN MST YOU, BUT YOU HAMMETT INITIATED ANY OF THE COLLECTION CHIPS? SO WHY HAS THAT NOT BEEN INITIATED IF IT'S ALREADY VOTED ON? >> THE ORIGINAL INTENT WAS TO GO BACK SEVERAL YEARS, AND WE DID NOT HAVE FUNDING FOR THE INITIAL PROJECT. >> FOR THE AUDIENE LISTENING OUT THERE, AND EXPLAIN AN MST YOU IN TWO SENTENCES? >> ABSOLUTELY. IT'S A TAX ON THE RESIDENTS THAT VOTED TO TAX THEMSELVES. TO HELP FIND WHATEVER THE PROJECT WAS. SO WE WENT TO THE COMMUNITY, WE TOLD THEM WHAT THE PROJECT WAS. AT THE TIME WE HAD A $30 MILLION SHORTFALL AND IF THEY WANTED THIS PROJECT WE NEEDED FUNDS. SO THAT'S WHERE IT STARTED. WE ARE REALLY-- ABLE TO OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL YEARS WORK WITH DIFFERENT GRANTS AND THE STATE AND BE ABLE TO FIND HOW TO APPROPRIATE THE MONEY UNFUNDED SO THERE WAS NO NEED FOR A LEVY AT THAT TIME. >> AND THE MONEY YOU GOT, FOR THE HISTORY, WAS AT THE MONEY WE GOT FROM THE STATE? WHEN SPEAKER RENNER WAS IN PLACE? LIKE TWO YEARS AGO? SO THAT ELIMINATED THE NEED FOR THE MST YOU? SO THAT'S NOT COMING ANYMORE, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. THEY VOTED TO TAX THEMSELVES? SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND ALLOW THEM TO TAX THEMSELVES. BUT I SAW THOSE NUMBERS, WILL NEED EVERY PENNY WE CAN. >> AND THAT'S WHERE I TALKED ABOUT THESE OPTIONS. AND THEY CAN SEE THIS AND SEE WHERE THE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ARE. >> BUT THAT WAS THE REASON WHY WE HAVEN'T COLLECTED YET. SO PORPOISE POINT, AT ONE POINT WE WERE ABLE TO DO-- IT WAS IN A BEACH RESTORATION, BUT IT WAS KIND OF-- WE USED THE BIRD THAT WAS THERE THAT NESTS IN THE SAND, AND IT BASICALLY BODICE ABOUT TEN YEARS. HAS UP AND LOOKED AT AGAIN? >> NOT THAT I KNOW OF. I'D HAVE TO TALK TO MY TEAM. THE ONLY THING I KNOW IS THAT WE DID A COUPLE FAMOUS PROJECTS, BUT THAT IS IT. >> I WOULD SUGGEST REEVALUATING THAT, IT SAVED US, WE HAD THE AUTOBAHN SOCIETY BEHIND IT. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MONEY APPEARED. >> WHEN WE HIRED A CONTRACTOR TO HELP US WITH THE STABILIZATION THEY LOOKED AT ALL THAT. >> IT'S AN UGLY LITTLE BIRD BUT IT SAVED US A LOT OF MONEY. >> WE HAVE THE SAME ISSUES. >> ALL RIGHT. I HAVE TWO MORE. THE MAYOR TALKED ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT. SURFSIDE AND NORTH BEACH ARE PRETTY MUCH THE ONLY PARKING PLACES WE HAVE. MY MATH IS ONLY ABOUT 120 PARKING PLACES ALTOGETHER. SO THIS TROLLEY SYSTEM IS MORE FOR FUNDS AND AVAILABILITY TO FUNDS. BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT ACCESS. WHAT OTHER AREAS HAVE YOU BEEN LOOKING AT TO CREATE PARKING? BECAUSE THOSE ARE FILLED EVERY WEEKEND. [02:20:02] >> ABSOLUTELY. WE ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT ANY OPEN LOTS THAT BECOME AVAILABLE FOR SALE TO POTENTIALLY LOOK AT CREATING MORE SPOTS. IF YOU FOLLOW THE SARAH NOT A PROPERTY RECENTLY, AND WE'VE ACQUIRED SOME LAND OUT THERE, LANDING A COUPLE SPOTS. IT'S NOT ENOUGH IN THE SENSE OF THE PEOPLE. BUT IT'S SOMETHING. SO WE ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL SPOTS. WE ARE WORKING AND GOING OUT TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO IN THESE AREAS, OPENING UP SPACES. TO ALLOW FOR PARKING. BY THE EXXON. THERE ARE SPOTS THAT WERE LOOKING AT. THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT LOTS ARE EXPENSIVE, AND THEY GO QUICK. AND THE SPEED OF GOVERNMENT IS NOT THAT FAST TO BUILD A NEARBY LOT. WE ARE LOOKING AT AN INITIATIVE OF TRYING TO SET SOME FUNDS, AND AVAST TO BE MORE NIMBLE SO WHEN SOMETHING BECOMES AVAILABLE TO BE ABLE TO JUMP ON IT QUICKLY. WE ARE GOING PARKS IN REXALL THAT WE ARE EXPLORING ALL DIFFERENT OPTIONS. SO ANYTHING YOU GUYS CAN PROVIDE, I AM ALL EARS. >> I HAVE IDEAS ON THAT. WE DON'T WANT PRICES TO GO UP. ALL RIGHT. THE ONE AT CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH. THAT WAS STARTED IN THE 90S. IT IS A FIFTY-YEAR PLAN. SO WE ARE ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THAT PLAN. IS THAT STILL ON A FIVE YEAR INTERVAL? OR HAS THAT EXPANDED? IT SEEMS LIKE IT WAS SET UP AS FIVE YEARS AND IT'S EXPANDED NOW. SO WHAT IS THE INTERVAL? >> IT'S STILL EVERY FIVE YEARS. BUT THE FCC OR INTERVAL WORK WILL OFFSET THAT. SOMETIMES IT'S THREE YEARS, COURTS RIGHT ON THAT EDGE, THEY PUSH IT. >> IF THERE IS NO STORM, THE ONLY RESPONSIBLE THE WE HAVE IS FOR THE ESCARPMENT REMOVAL. AND SUMMER HAVEN, GOOD LUCK. WE HAVE THROWN EVERYTHING AT THAT THING FOR A LONG TIME. MOTHER NATURE IS GOING TO FIND A WAY. VERY GOOD PRESENTATION. I WOULD LIKE FROM OMB, IF WE COULD GET EXACTLY WHAT IS ENCUMBERED OUT OF CATEGORY FIVE. BECAUSE I KNOW THERE IS A BIG CHUNK OF MONEY IN THERE. BUT IF WE COULD IDENTIFY THIS IS WHAT IS ENCUMBERED, IT MIGHT KEEP OUR GROUP FROM OVER HERE FROM GOING OH, WE CAN USE THAT ARE GETTING. SO IF WE CAN GET THAT TRULY COVERED IN WHAT IS RESERVED, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S LISTED ALL IN RESERVE, AND IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR YOU AND-- IN YOUR POSITION. SO WE NEED TO HAVE IT IDENTIFIED AS ENCUMBERED. >> THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I WAS HERE TO MAKE SURE YOU SAW THE BIGGER PICTURE OF THE PROJECTS. BECAUSE THERE NOT COMING SEVERAL YEARS DOWN THE LINE, THEY ARE COMING RIGHT NOW. >> I KIND OF LIKE TO SEE THAT SEPARATED OUT OF WHAT'S ENCUMBERED AND WHAT IS ACTUALLY THERE. VERY GOOD PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, DOCTOR. >> THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT. REPORTS DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANYTHING, OR ARE YOU GOOD? THUMBS UP FROM BOTH OF YOU. THANK YOU. [14. MEMBER COMMENTS] I'D WANT TO MAKE US MAD BY COMING UP HERE. GOOD IDEA. MEMBERS, COMMENTS. ANYBODY? ANYBODY? >> LAST WEEK THE CULTURAL COUNCIL IN CONJUNCTION WITH HOW MANY PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED AN AWARD FOR THE HISTORIC PRESENTATION-- PRESERVATION OF PLACES, FOR ST JOHNS COUNTY AND... [INDISCERNIBLE] >> THE CHAIR: CONGRATS. A LOT OF PEOPLE WORK HARD ON THAT. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. I THINK * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.