Oct 19, 2026 Tourist Development Council

THE EVENT WILL BEGIN SOON. THE EVENT WILL BEGIN SOON.

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THE EVENT WILL BEGIN SOON. THE EVENT WILL BEGIN SOON.

[Item 1 - 3]

THE EVENT WILL BEGIN SOON. THE EVENT WILL BEGIN SOON.

>> I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER FIRST IF YOU'D JOIN US WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD.

COME INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

>> ALL RIGHT, ROLL CALL. >> COMMISSIONER ARNOLD IS ABSENT. TROY BLEVINS.

>> PRESIDENT. >> GAIL FIELDS WILL BE ABSENT.

MAYOR BETH SWEENEY. AND MICHAEL WITZ IS ABSENT.

[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

>> CHAIR BLEVINS: ALL RIGHT, APPROVAL TO THE AGENDA.

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA?

>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.

>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. >> MAYBE WE PUT THEM AS WRITTEN.

>> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR.

ALL RIGHT. OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. PASSES.

ALL RIGHT, PUBLIC COMMENT IF WE HAVE ANYONE WHO IS HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO SOMETHING THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA PLEASE STEP FORWARD TO CHARLES YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE TO READ YOUR THING. YEAH.

ALL RIGHT. I'M GOING TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. ALL RIGHT.

MAYOR SWEENEY, YOU REQUESTED A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO RECOGNIZE

SOME PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE. >> I DID.

I WANT TO RECOGNIZE PROFESSOR ZACH COLE AND HIS FROM FLAGLER COLLEGE AND HIS DESTINATION PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT CLASS ARE HERE TODAY SITTING IN SO WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU.

>> CHAIR BLEVINS: WELL. SO FOOTBALL TEAMS STILL

UNDEFEATED, AND QUOTE. >> MAYOR SWEENEY: YEAH, NEARLY

60 YEARS. >> CHAIR BLEVINS: I JUST WANT TO

[7. ST. JOHNS CULTURAL COUNCIL PROGRAM UPDATEs]

SO I'LL WRITE CLICK A JEFF, I BELIEVE THAT BRINGS US TO YOU.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ST. JOHN'S COUNTY COUNCIL COLLEGE. HERE TODAY WITH A COUPLE QUICK UPDATES, LOOKING BACK AT FISCAL 26 AND SOME OF THE BIG DELIVERABLES WE HAD FOR YOU. STARTING OFF ONE OF OUR TWO OF OUR BIG PROJECTS LAST FISCAL YEAR, WE'RE WORKING ON AN OFFICIAL PUBLIC ART PLAN FOR OUR COUNTY AND A FIVE YEAR CULTURAL PLAN THAT WILL HELP SET THAT ROADMAP FOR HOW WE WORK WITHIN THE CONFINES OF ST. JOHN'S COUNTY, TWO BOTH ATTRACT VISITORS AND MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE LOCALS UNDERSTAND HOW WE INTERSECT AND WORK TOGETHER. I WAS REALLY HOPING TODAY THAT I'D DROP OFF TO A DRAFT DOCUMENTS OF EACH OF THESE.

BUT OUR PRINTER DIDN'T GET INTO HIS IN TIME, SO YOUR HEAD'S UP TODAY IS THAT OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS, ONCE I GET A HEADS UP, ONCE I GET HARD COPIES OF THESE COVER WILL BE REACHING OUT INDIVIDUALLY TO EACH OF YOU TO SET UP A SHORT TIME TO GO OVER THEM. ALL TEASE IT OUT A LITTLE BIT.

THE PUBLIC ART PLAN. LET ME START WITH THE CULTURAL PLAN. SO THE CULTURAL PLAN HAS FIVE MAJOR PILLARS IN IT, AND THESE ARE AREAS WHERE WE KNOW PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS WILL INTERSECT TO DRIVE TOURISM FORWARD IN OUR COMMUNITY. THROUGH THINGS LIKE UNTOLD STORIES LIKE THINGS LIKE PUBLIC ART.

I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK WE DID WITH OUR CONSULTING TEAM DESIGNING LOCAL. WE DID UPWARDS OF EIGHT PUBLIC INPUT SESSIONS THAT WE INTERVIEWED MORE THAN 75 PEOPLE, ONE ON ONE WE MET WITH THE LEADERS OF DOZENS OF CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS AND WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS IS THE PRODUCT OF ALL THAT WORK AND IT IS REALLY GOING TO SET THE TONE FOR WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. SO I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE DETAILS TODAY. THE CULTURAL PLAN ITSELF IS ABOUT 110 PAGES DEEP AND WE'RE WORKING TO CUT IT DOWN.

SO THE TOPICS WE TALK ABOUT WITH YOU ARE MORE POINTED THAN HERE, PLEASE WAR AND PEACE. SO THAT IS COMING.

THE PUBLIC ART PLAN IS SOMETHING I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A LITTLE BIT

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TWO BIG REASONS WE WERE WORKING ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT TELLS US EXACTLY HOW TO DO THIS AND AND IT DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT TO LAUNCH A PUBLIC ART PROJECT WHILE WE WERE STILL SETTING THE GUIDELINES, BECAUSE WE WERE MOVING THE GOALPOST.

THE KICKERS OUT THERE TRYING TO SCORE THE GOAL.

SO WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS OUR TWO SPRING PROJECTS.

AND THIS IS A COMBINATION OF A COUPLE DIFFERENT THINGS BECAUSE

THIS IS ALL THE RESEARCH. >> REPORTER: IN THE PUBLIC ART PLAN THAT TALKS ABOUT BEST PRACTICES FOR HOW YOU FUND THESE, BUT FOR HOW YOU DO THE CALL TO ARTISTS, HOW YOU MAINTAIN THESE THINGS, AND HOW YOU MAKE SURE THAT THEY EXIST LONG-TERM. SO THE TWO PROJECTS THAT WE WILL DO THIS SPRING WITH THE HELP OF OUR TDC PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT BUDGET. ONE IS A MURAL.

AND SO WE ARE, BOTH OF THESE CAME ABOUT AS WE WERE DOING OUR INPUT SESSIONS. AND THE MURAL AT CITY HALL ON THE BEACH. WE WERE ASKED WHAT THEY WERE LIKE. COME HERE, WE WORK WITH YOU AT THE PIER. WHAT ABOUT THIS PROJECT WHICH IT WAS READY MADE. A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANT TO POINT OUT THERE, WITH THE BUDGET PERIOD WE'RE PAINTING THREE SIDES OF THIS AND THIS BUDGET IS ALL INCLUSIVE.

SO IF THEY GOT A TO RENT A LIFT, IT'S GOT TO FEED THEMSELVES IT'S ALL IN THERE, WHICH IS REALLY GREAT.

SECOND ELIGIBILITY. OPEN TO FLORIDA BASED ARTISTS.

THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TO LIVE IN THIS STATE WITH REFERENCE TO OUR OWN BACKYARDS. SO ALL THE OTHER THINGS EQUAL, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THE NOD TO PEOPLE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WE DO HAVE A PANEL SET UP TO VET ALL OF THESE.

THE OTHER PROJECT IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR COUNTY PARKS DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE THREE LOCATIONS IN THE COUNTY THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED AND WHAT YOU SEE UP THERE IS A REPURPOSED WINDMILL TURBINE PARK.

SO AS THEY DECOMMISSIONED THESE COMPANIES LISTED THEM UP THEY TURNED THEM INTO BENCHES AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS A VINYL ART INSTALLATION PROJECT, SO THIS WILL ACTIVATE THREE DIFFERENT ARTISTS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THE REALLY COOL PROJECT.

BOTH OF THESE CALLS FOR ARTISTS ARE LIVE RIGHT NOW, SO IF YOU KNOW AN ARTIST, TOLD THEM ABOUT THEM REALLY, A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITIES. LASTLY, TO PUT A NICE LITTLE BOW ON THIS, ONE OF OUR GOALS WAS PARTNERSHIP.

AND DID THEY COME WITH THE HELP OF THE VKB, WE LAUNCHED AN OFFICIAL HISTORIC COAST MURAL TRAIL.

SO WE ARE LITERALLY TELLING YOU THE WORLD ABOUT ALL THE HARD WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE PAST DECADE HERE IN ST. JOHN'S COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT PUBLIC ART COMPLIMENTS ALL THE OTHER GREAT THINGS WE DO SO HUGE THANKS TO MY FRIENDS AT THE VCB. TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND GO EXPLORE PUBLIC ART. SO WITH THAT, I WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. I WILL OPEN IT UP.

ANY QUESTIONS? THE ONLY? I HAVE YOU'VE IDENTIFIED WHICH THREE PARKS ARE WE TALKING AB

ABOUT. >> PURE PARK GETS ONE.

AND DID YOU HAVE THE OTHER LOCATIONS.

SORRY. >> CHAIR BLEVINS: ON ALPINE GROVE. RIVERTOWN? OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. >> YOU'RE WELCOME.

>> CHAIR BLEVINS: YOU KNOW, THANK YOU.

>> HOW ARE YOU PICKING THE ARTISTS THIS WAS PART OF OUR PUBLIC ART CALLED. THE PUBLIC ART PLAN, SO IN THE PLANT, IT TALKS ABOUT HOW YOU HAVE A SELECTION COMMITTEE MADE UP OF NOT ONLY ARTISTS BUT REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND SO WE'VE PUT TOGETHER OUR VERY FIRST SELECTION TEAM'S AND IT INCLUDES MYSELF AS THE CULTURAL COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE, BUT ALSO A LOCAL ARTIST, A MEMBER OF THE MUNICIPALITY IN WHICH THIS WILL GO IN OR IN THE CASE OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, A MEMBER OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TEAM.

SO BOTH OF THESE CALLS WILL HAVE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES THAT THE ARTIST THAT'S APPLIED TO DO IT BUT IT'S A PRETTY GREAT PROCESS.

AND IT DOES. WE HAVE A SCORING RUBRIC THAT WAS DEVELOPED BY DESIGN AT LOCAL WHO IS ACTING AS OUR FRACTIONAL KIND OF PUBLIC ART ADMINISTRATOR ON THIS.

SO ALL VERY WELL VETTED. WE JUDGE ON ARTISTIC MERIT.

WE JUDGE ON EXPERIENCE, SO YOU HAVE TO CREATE A MURAL ELSEWHERE OR DOES IT WORK LIKE THIS THAT BOTH OF THESE HAVE SLIGHT THEMES TO THEM. SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE ONE AT THE BEACH, ONE WALL HAS TO BE A WELCOMING POSTCARD TYPE.

PICKUP WITH THE PARK BENCHES, WE HAVE A FUN ONE.

WE HAVE A ART ONE TICKET IN HISTORY.

ONE. SO ALL THIS KIND OF PLAYS TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ARTISTS ARE MEETING THAT DIRECTION, SET BY THE DIVISION AND THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

ITSELF. >> CHAIR BLEVINS: ARE YOU

LOOKING FOR -- >> I KNOW I'M SHORT JEFF, BACK I DON'T SEE YOUR MICROPHONE. THERE WE GO.

>> ARE YOU LOOKING FOR MORE LOCATIONS FOR THE MURALS?

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IF WE GO TO SOME PRIVATE -- >> YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, TROY. I'M SORRY, CHAIRMAN WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR AREAS TO PUT MURALS UP ON AND WE DO THAT WE GENERICALLY THING CALLS FOR WALLS.

THAT IF ANYBODY KNOWS OF A SPACE THAT COULD USE SOME VINIFICATION, JUST REACH OUT TO THE CULTURAL COUNCIL PICK.

WE TRY TO KEEP A DATABASE OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES AND DEPENDING WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED WITHIN OUR COUNTY, WE KNOW THE RIGHT COURSE OF ACTION TO MAKE SURE WE GET THE APPROVALS THAT WE NEED. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT -- AGAIN, I WANT TO POINT OUT IN THE PUBLIC ART PLAN IS IN THE PAST, WE'VE FOCUSED JUST ON THE FUNDING TO CREATE THESE, AND WE NEVER REALLY HAD A PLAN IN PLACE FOR MAINTENANCE, AND SO AS MURALS FADE OVER TIME, WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM? IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE FIRST? SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE FOCUSING IN ON THESE IS BEING VERY DELIBERATE THAT THEY'RE JUST NOT GOING TO GO UP AND THEN THREE YEARS FROM NOW, NEED A WHOLE BUNCH OF LOVE AND

ATTENTION. >> CHAIR BLEVINS: ALL RIGHT, ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE JEFF MOVES ON QUESTION YOU GAVE ME A PACKET. DO YOU WANT TO DO THAT AFTER JEFF'S NEXT SESSION OR IN BETWEEN?

>> I ACTUALLY THINK WHAT BRENDAN, AND THEN I CAN GIVE MY

INSIGHT. >> CHAIR BLEVINS: OKAY, ALL

[8. DISCUSSION - PROPOSED CHANGES TO FY28 ARTS, CULTURE & HERITAGE GRANT GUIDELINES SCORING CRITERIA]

RIGHT? >> IS THAT APPROPRIATE, JEFF?

>> CHAIR BLEVINS: YEAH, THAT FEELS RIGHT TO ME.

I WILL DO A LITTLE PRECISION, SO ON YOUR AGENDA, THE SECOND PIECE OF BUSINESS WE'RE ASKING YOU TO DISCUSS TODAY IS RELATED TO ACH GRANT AND SO THIS IS A BIG PART OF OUR CONTRACT.

THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR, BUDGET APPROVED $800,000 TO GIVE OUT WE'VE ALREADY GONE THROUGH THAT PROCESS OF APPROVING THAT 26 ENTITIES THAT WILL GET THAT MONEY AND HOW IT'S AWARDED.

SO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS FISCAL 2028.

A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND IS WE ADMINISTER THIS PROGRAM, BUT THE SCORING RUBRIC IS VERY MUCH SET BY THE DIRECTION OF TDC.

AND SO AFTER AT LAST ROUND OF SCORING, ALL THE JUDGES GOT TOGETHER AND WE DID A LITTLE DEBRIEF.

AND WE TOOK WHAT WE LEARNED DURING THAT PROCESS WE TOOK WHAT WE HEARD FROM A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

WE TOOK FEEDBACK FROM VARIOUS TDC MEMBERS AND TODAY WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT A COUPLE SIMPLE IDEAS ON HOW WE BELIEVE WE CAN MAKE THE GRANTS GOING RUBRIC, HOW WE CAN IMPROVE IT SO THAT IT'S FOCUSING ON THINGS WE REALLY WANT HAPPENING IN OUR COUNTY, WHICH IS EVENTS THAT BETTER REFLECT OUR BRAND AND THAT HAVE A VERY HIGH CALIBER THAT WE WANT TO BE DOING WITH TOURISM. ALSO A GREAT PARTNER, EVENTS.

THE FACT THAT WE'RE JUST AN EVENT THAT EXISTS AND QUALIFIES FOR THESE FUNDS DOESN'T ALWAYS FEEL LIKE IT'S ENOUGH, AND SO SOMETIMES WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE THINGS ARE FUNDING.

REALLY CHECK THE BOX IN TERMS OF WHAT WE WANT TO PUT OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD FOR SAINT JOHNS COUNTY, SO I'M GOING TO INVITE UP MY DIRECTOR OF GRANTS AND OPERATIONS, BRENDA SWAN, BECAUSE SHE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS PROGRAM FOR MANY MORE YEARS THAN I HAVE, AND SHE'S GOING TO TALK YOU THROUGH A COUPLE OF THE THINGS THAT THE COMMITTEE HAD SUGGESTED AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO IMPLEMENT THOSE. AGAIN, THE WHOLE IDEA HERE IS THAT WE'RE GETTING SOME FEEDBACK AND DIRECTION FROM THIS COMMISSION SO THAT AS WE EXECUTE THE NEW GRANT PROGRAM, IT MEETS THE GOALS AND METRICS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO BRENDA.

>> THANKS, JEFF AND YOU GUYS HAD MOST OF THESE CHANGES IN ADVANCE. AND I CAN WALK THROUGH THEM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE READ THEM AND OUR GOALS HERE THAT YOU ALSO SAW IN YOUR PACKET THAT JEFF WENT OVER IS WANTING TO INCREASE EMPHASIS ON THE IMPACT OF THE ACTIVITY IN TERMS OF TOURISM, AS WELL AS WHY PEOPLE COME HERE AND WHAT THEY WANT TO COME HERE FOR AND OF COURSE, UNDERSTAND THAT NEED AND IMPORTANCE OF THE GRANT TO THE ORGANIZATION OR EVENT PRODUCER. SO BEFORE YOU ALL HAVE QUESTIONS? DID YOU LOOK THROUGH IT?

AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU DID. >> YOU KNOW THAT I LOOKED THROUGH IT AND I'VE GOT SOME OBSERVATIONS.

I THINK IT WAS REALLY WELL DONE. WHAT YOU PUT TOGETHER.

THERE'S JUST A PART THAT REALLY I LEARNED WHEN I WAS PUTTING TOGETHER SAID OUT LOUD AND HAVING IN THIS CONVERSATIONS WITH ARTISTS AND WITH MUSICIANS AND RESTAURANTS THAT I THINK IS A VERY IMPORTANT COMPONENT. I KNOW TROY ALREADY HAS IT.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE LEARNED THE MOST IS WHEN I WAS TALKING TO THE CHEFS. PEOPLE FEEL THAT A LOT OF EV

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AND SO WE'RE PUTTING OUT WHAT I LIKE TO SAY IS WE'RE GETTIN MEATBALLS. WE SHOULD HAVE FILET MIGNON.

BECAUSE IF YOU'RE ASKING PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING MONEY TO LEAN ON THE BACKS OF LOCALS, IT'S NOT FAIR.

AND WHAT I READ THIS DOCUMENT IS WE'RE NOT AS WORRIED ABOUT THE QUALITY AS WE ARE ABOUT THE ATTENDANCE.

AND THAT IT MAJOR MARKETING ISSUE.

YOU CAN HAVE EVENT THAT PASSES ALL THE SMELL TESTS AND DOES EVERYTHING GREAT, BUT IT HURTS THAT BRAND OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AS ST. JOHN'S COUNTY, AND SO EVEN THOUGH IT MAKES IT MONEY, HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO TAKE QUITE AS MUCH MONEY TO FIX THE MARKET IMPACTS OF HAVING A SUBSTANDARD EVENT.

SO I LOOKED AT THIS WHOLE THING FROM 10,000 FEET OF HOW WE CAN DRIVE QUALITY TAKE CARE OF OUR LOCALS TO BUILD THAT BRAND.

WHAT DOES SAINT AUGUSTINE IS AND ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

REALLY GIVE THEN THE CULTURAL COUNCIL TOOLS TO CHANGE OUR WHOLE IDENTITY AS A CULTURAL FOOD AND BEVERAGE WINE, ART, MUSIC, DESTINATION. AND LOOK AT IT FROM A 10,000-FOOT LEVEL. AND START LAYERING THESE EVENTS THAT ARE DONE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO BE COMPLIMENTARY TO THE BRAND NOT COMPETING WITH IT AND HOLDING A QUALITY STANDARD THAT IS NECESSARY. I'M NOT GOING TO READ THIS MEMORANDUM, BUT IN HERE THERE'S SOME PRETTY IMPORTANT THINGS, AND THERE'S SOME THAT I'M GOING TO READ, ONE PART THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. QUALITY IS THE THRESHOLD.

IF IT'S NOT A QUALITY EVENT. WE SHOULDN'T BE SENDING IT.

SECOND, NO FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATION.

SHOULD ASK FOR FREE STUFF FROM OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY.

IT SHOULD BE PAID TO PLAY FOR EXAMPLE AND JUST TO GIVE EVERYONE AN UNDERSTANDING AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT NICE TO FEEDBACK MR. SAID OUT LOUD. SIP OUT LOUD.

TOOK A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF EFFORT TO PUT TOGETHER BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID IS WHEN I SAT DOWN WITH EACH HAVE TO PARTICIPATE NORMALLY THEY'RE ASKED TO PAY FOR A BOOTH AND DO THEIR OWN FOOD. PAY FOR THEIR FOOD.

I GAVE, I WROTE A CHECK PERSONALLY TO ALL FIVE RESTAURANTS. FOR $3,000-APIECE.

NOT TO PAY FOR NOT TO BUY FOOD, BUT TO TAKE 10 CUPS OF THE CHEFS AND GIVE THEM THE ARTISTIC FREEDOM TO REALLY SHOWCASE THEIR TALENTS. AND THE IMPORTANT PART WAS BY DOING THAT, THE WATER TO PARTICIPATE, A, AND, ANYONE WHO IS AT THAT EVENT WAS BLOWN AWAY AT THE QUALITY FOOD AND BEVERAGE THAT WAS PRESENTED AND I NEVER TOLD ONE CHEF.

THEY HAD TO MAKE. IT'S NOT UP TO ME IT'S UP TO THE CULINARY TALENT. AND ALL I DID WAS TAKE THE HANDCUFFS OFF HER. THAT'S HOW WE GROW OUR CULINARY BRAND. WE SUPPORT THE PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD TO SUPPORT. AND THEN I UNDERWROTE QUITE A BIT, BUT I ALSO HAD SOME GREAT SPONSORS THAT STEPPED UP AND HELPED. BUT WE ONLY CHARGED $13,000 FOR AN EVENT THAT COSTS $40,000 TO PUT ON.

AND BECAUSE WE WANTED TO SUPPORT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED GOT PAID AND THEN SPONSORS HELPED ME PAY FOR THIS EVENT AND ENDED UP WRITING A CHECK FOR ABOUT $15,000.

BUT THAT IS THE ENTREPRENEURIAL MODEL OF HELPING OUR COMMUNITY AND THE NEXT GENERATION GROW. AND I THINK THAT IS THE RIGHT MODEL THAT WE SHOULD START INCORPORATING INTO OUR GRANTS

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AND I FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT IT.

AND WE ALREADY HAVE FIVE MORE CIP OUT LOUD EVENTS PLANNED FOR THIS YEAR AND THEY'RE ALL GOING TO BE BASED ON SUPPORTING THE LOCALS AND FOR RESIDENTS AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO LET ANYONE PARTICIPATE WITHOUT COMPENSATING THEM FULLY.

AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT'S THE RIGHT WAY THAT WE SHOULD BE GOING FORWARD. AND I'M ONLY ONE VOICE.

BUT I FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT IT.

>> THANK YOU, IRVING. FIRST, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO THINK ABOUT YOUR RESPONSE AND PROVIDE THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED.

HERE. AND I WOULD SAY THAT THE CULTURAL COUNCIL AGREES BASICALLY WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. AND I THINK THAT SOME OF THESE WILL BE MOST OF THESE, THAT NUMBER SIX ON PAGE 5, YOUR DIRECTION TO THE CULTURAL COUNCIL, BUT I FEEL LIKE PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THOSE COULD BE INCORPORATED INTO THE GUIDELINES AND INTO THE PROCESS THROUGH THE RUBRIC AS WELL, BECAUSE SOME OF IT IS MORE APPROPRIATE IN ONE PLACE OR THE OTHER.

AND I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT WHEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT FOR PROFIT EVENTS. THAT YOU MEAN FIRST OF ALL, JUST EVENTS AND NOT THE YEAR ROUND ORGANIZATIONS THEN SECONDLY, SOME OF OUR EVENTS ARE DONE BY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.

WHERE DOES FOR PROFIT COME IN ON THAT WITH YOUR --

>> COUNCILMEMBER KASS: THE BIGGEST THING THAT I HAVE, AND WE'RE NOT HAVING THIS EVENT ANYMORE.

BUT THE CELTIC FESTIVAL WAS A NONPROFIT, BUT THERE WAS A 60,000-DOLLAR A YEAR SALARY IN THEIR BUDGET.

I THINK THAT IF ALL OF US WHO WERE SITTING AT THIS TABLE DO NOT TAKE A SALARY, THEN PEOPLE WHO WERE GIVING PUBLIC MONEY TO SHOULDN'T TAKE EIGHT SALARY WHEN IT COMES TO NONPROFITS, THERE SHOULD BE SOME SORT OF FLEXIBILITY.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN BUSINESS MODEL BUT WE WANT TO GIVE YOU THAT FLEXIBILITY BUT WE SHOULDN'T LOOK AT A BUDGET THAT IS PAYING SOMEONE A SIGNIFICANT DOLLAR FOR A NONPROFIT.

THAT'S TAKING ITS SALARY. THAT IS BEYOND A REASONABLE NUMBER OF WHAT WE THINK IS APPROPRIATE.

I JUST THINK IT'S WRONG, AND I'VE ALWAYS HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE CELTIC FESTIVAL. AND I'VE SAID IT FOR YEARS.

GOING TO HAVE A 60,000-DOLLAR SALARY WHEN THEY WERE GENERATING ABOUT $180,000 IN PROFIT, EXCEPT FOR THE COUPLE YEARS WHERE THEY HAD INCLEMENT WEATHER AND THEY WERE USING THOSE EXCESS FUNDS TO FUND ROMANZA. AND THAT'S NOT WHAT I CALL A SOUND BUSINESS PLAN I'M NOT TRYING TO PICK ON ANYONE.

BUT IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM FAIR. >> OKAY.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY THANKS FOR THE CLARIFICATION.

>> GO AHEAD. >> I DON'T DISAGREE WITH ANYTHING MR. KASS IS SAYING I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT AS FAR AS THE APPLICATION GOES, HOW YOU ADDRESS SOME OF HIS CONCERNS, BECAUSE AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THESE FUNDS ARE JUST FOR MARKETING? AND SO THERE'S NO COMMITTEE,

SO DIFFERENT? >> YOU CAN DO JUST MARKETING, BT IT PAYS FOR PROGRAMMING EXPENSES AS WELL SO 25% OF THE GRANT AWARD HAS TO BE SPENT ON MARKETING BECAUSE THE OTHER 75%

IS PROGRAM EXPENSES. >> ORGANIZATIONS ARE APPLYING ARE THEY REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THEIR ENTIRE EVENTS BUDGET OR JUST THE MARKETING PLAN?

>> THE ENTIRE EVENT BUDGET AND ALSO THEIR -- SO WE CAN ASK THAT IN THE RUBRIC FOR THEM TO LOOK FOR THINGS LIKE HOW MUCH OUR

EVENT ORGANIZERS MAKING. >> WHAT OTHER TALKING TO THE CHEFS IS THERE SOME EVENTS THAT WE'RE FINDING THIS YEAR THAT NO ONE WILL PARTICIPATE IN ANY BECAUSE THEY DON'T THINK THEY'RE BEING TREATED FAIRLY. SO THOSE EVENTS ARE NOT GETTING THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THE BEST OF THE BEST OF OUR COUNTY.

WE'VE SET UP A MODEL THAT DISINCENTIVIZING OUR OWN TALENT TO PARTICIPATE IN EVENTS. SUPPORTING.

>> THAT'S WHERE I THINK WITH THE CHANGE IN THE SCORING THAT YOU PUT HERE WHERE YOU HAVE LOCAL TALENT AND 10 POINTS SEPARATELY, I THINK THAT CAN HELP SOME OF THAT.

>> HOW DO YOU MEASURE QUALITY ON A FIRST TIME EVENT?

>> SO IT'S GOING TO BE BASED ON THEIR APPLICATION IN THAT CASE.

MAYBE IF THEY'VE DONE OTHER SIMILAR EVENTS HERE OR ELSEWHERE, AND HOW THOSE HAVE TURNED OUT.

SO SOME OF IT IS JUST GOING TO BE SUBJECTIVE AND WHAT THE

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AND SO WHAT WE DO FOR THEM. IS FOR NEW EVENTS THAT COME UP WE ALLOW SOME FLEXIBILITY WITH THE SCORING.

THEY CAN GET UP TO FIVE POINTS ADDITIONAL FROM THAT REVIEWERS IF THAT REVIEWERS FEEL BECAUSE ALSO IT AFFECTS THEIR ATTENDANCE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T REALLY JUSTIFY THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ACTUAL NUMBERS TO SHOW. SO THAT THOSE THAT FLEXIBILITY

IN THERE. >> ALL RIGHT, ANYBODY ELSE? BRENDA THANK YOU FOR THIS. I HAVE A QUESTION.

IT LOOKS LIKE THIS FIRST ONE, THE ATTENDANCE RATIO SCORE.

THEY DO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT IMPRESSIONS BECAUSE GOING ON THE SPORTS SIDE THE MASTERS, WHEN THEY'RE HERE, WE DON'T GET A WHOLE LOT OF ATTENDANCE. BUT IT'S SHOWN NATIONWIDE.

IF YOU HAVE AN EVENT THAT COMES TO YOU, THAT VALUE OF THAT IS

TOUGH TO MEASURE. >> SO WOULD THAT BE MORE LIKE

MARKETING? >> IT'S SO HEAVILY ON THE ATTENDANCE SIDE, THERE SHOULD BE A BALANCE AND WHAT THE IMPRESSIONS DOES IN COMPARISON TO THE ATTENDANCE.

BECAUSE IF WE'RE GETTING NATIONAL TELEVISION COVERAGE FOR AN EVENT, A CULINARY COOKOFF, OR SAY, BOBBY FLAY COMES HERE FOR AN EVENT AND ONLY 100 PEOPLE SHOW UP.

NOW WE'RE GETTING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WATCHING THAT HAS VALUE.

>> I THINK SOME OF IT WOULD COME UNDER QUALITY BECAUSE YOU'RE PAYING SOMEBODY AT THAT LEVEL. AND BRING SOMEONE HERE AT THAT LEVEL. I THINK IT WOULD BE THAT COULD BE CHALLENGING TO PREDICT THAT NECESSARILY.

IN AN APPLICATION, I THINK THAT'S WHERE THAT CHALLENGE

WOULD COME IN AS AN APPLICANT. >> AND THAT'S WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A COMPONENT OF IMPRESSIONS TO HAVE THAT VALUE.

THAT JUST WHERE I'M LOOKING AT IT, IF I RUN A COUPLE OF EVENTS IN MY LIFE AND SOME OF THEM WEREN'T THAT WELL ATTENDED.

BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE SAW IT. >> AND SOME OF THAT IS TRUE WITH SOME OF THE EVENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE WORK WITH.

TOOK A RELATIVELY SPEAKING, THE ATTENDANCE ISN'T GREAT, BUT THEY'RE AT LEAST PUTTING THE MARKETING DOLLARS, PUTTING THE OTHER. ABOUT ST. AUGUSTINE AND ST. AUGUSTINE HAS AN OPERA? ALL THAT? HOW INTERESTING. SO YOU'RE HEARING SAINT AUGUSTINE AND THE PLACES YOU MIGHT NOT SEE THIS FUNDING, BUT THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU'RE SEEING.

>> I THINK THAT TIES INTO PART OF WHAT'S IN HERE.

OF THE BRAND AND THE -- IF THAT MESSAGE THAT WE'RE CREATING AS A WORLD CLASS CULTURAL DESTINATION, THE MORE THAT WE GIVE OPPORTUNITIES, TO THE BCB COME TO THE CULTURAL COUNCIL COME TO OTHERS TO TELL THE STORIES OF WHAT THESE EVENTS ARE THROUGH THINGS LIKE WHO HAMMOND, THE MORE THAT ONE AND ONE STARTS EQUALING THREE. AND SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS

MORE MACRO AS -- >> THAT'S ON YOUR SIDE, NOT IN THE DOCUMENT THAT BRENDA'S PRESENTING.

THE BRAND PORTION IS ON YOUR DOCUMENT.

NOT THE ONE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

SO YOU JUST SAW MY POINT FOR ME. >> THANK YOU.

I DIDN'T REMEMBER. >> SO IT'S ON THE ONE THAT YOU HAVE. YOU KNOW? SO I'M ON THE SAME PAGE WITH YOU.

ON IT. >> I THINK WHAT I COULD DO IS MIX THAT IN AND WHEN WE BRING THE GUIDELINES BACK ALSO HAVE THAT RUBRIC FOR YOU ALL TO REVIEW SO THAT YOU CAN SEE WHAT THEY'RE EVALUATING ON COM AND YOU'LL HAVE THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE ON THE APPLICATION AS WELL SO YOU CAN GET A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

INCORPORATE IT INTO WHAT THE PALACE LOOK AT AND WHAT THEY CAN BE I WAS GOING TO BE SOME SUBJECTIVE PART OF THIS, BUT THEN WHAT THEY'RE BEING ASKED TO SCORE A HIGHER SCORE VERSUS A LOWER SCORE AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE CAN GET INTO SOME OF THAT MORE NUANCED HIGH, WHAT DOES QUALITY MEAN AND THIS IS HOW WE DEFINE IT. AND WHAT MARKETING, HOW ARE WE MEASURING MARKETING, MARKETING AND NOT JUST FOR YOUR EVENT, BUT FOR THE COMMUNITY FOR THE WHOLE --

>> I HAVE TWO OTHER WORDS, AND I THINK THAT KEY WORD BRAND IF WE CAN WORK THAT IN AND THE QUALITY OF BRAND, I THINK THAT IT MIGHT TAKE CARE OF THE IMPRESSIONS PORTION THAT I'M LOOKING FOR THE OTHER ONE IS THE TIMELINE. I THINK PROFITS AND NONPROFITS, I THINK WE'VE HAD SOME NON-PROFITS WHICH ERVIN

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I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A TIMELINE ON THOSE PROFITS AND NONPROFITS AND IF THEY NEED TO SHIFT INTO THE ANNUAL SIDE OF IT INSTEAD OF JUST THE EVENT SIDE I THINK THAT I THINK THERE'S A

BALANCE THAT COULD HAPPEN THERE. >> MS. SWANN: YEAH, WE COULD TALK ABOUT THAT SOME MORE, BUT I WILL SAY RIGHT NOW.

OUR DEFINITION OF ANNUAL OR YEAR ROUND IS THEY HAVE TO HAVE A FACILITY. SO THAT WOULD IMPACT SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT KIND OF -- 12 DON'T WE GIVE MONEY TO THE

ORCHESTRA? >> MS. SWANN: YES, THEY'RE NOT CONSIDERED A YEAR ROUND ORGANIZATION.

>> CHAIR BLEVINS: OKAY. I THOUGHT THEY WERE PART OF THE

ANNUAL AND NOT THIS. >> MS. SWANN: NO, THEY ARE THEY'RE CONSIDERED AN EVENT SERIES IS HOW THEIR --

>> CHAIR BLEVINS: SO THEY FALL UNDER THIS --

>> MS. SWANN: RIGHT SO BASICALLY THE REASON FOR THAT IS I THINK IT COMES DOWN TO THE PEAK.

AND IRAN ORGANIZATIONS ARE EXEMPT BECAUSE THEY'RE OPEN ALL THE TIME, WHEREAS SOMETHING LIKE THE OPERA OR EMMA OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEY HAVE EVENTS SEPARATE TIMES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, SO WE JUDGE IT BASED ON THE NUMBER OF EVENTS THAT ARE IN

PEAK PERIOD VERSUS NOT. >> CHAIR BLEVINS: OKAY.

AND YOU JUST TOUCHED ON MY LAST, IS ABOUT PEAK PERIOD AS A HOTEL, YOUR PEAK. VERY VALUABLE TO US.

I SEE IT'S FIVE POINTS. BUT WHEN THE GRADING COMES DOWN A PEAK PERIOD FOR MAYOR SWEENEY IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT THAN A PEAK PERIOD FOR WILLIAM. SO THOSE LOCATIONS COULD ACTUALLY, INTO PLAY. ALSO.

I MIGHT BE TRYING TO -- I MIGHT BE MAKING IT WAY MORE CONFUSING,

POTENTIALLY. >> CHAIR BLEVINS: BUT.

THE THING IS, I DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR ANYTHING IN JULY AT THE BEACH. WHERE HE MIGHT NEED IT IN JULY.

OUR COUNTY PEAK. SHIFT QUITE A BIT.

SO THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR GRADERS, THAT MIGHT BE A FACTOR IN THAT PEAK PERIOD. INSTEAD OF JUST DOING THIS IS THE BLACKOUT DATE. IT'S MARTIN LUTHER KING, WE CAN PICK, WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO BE SOLD OUT SO LABOR DAY.

THOSE ARE EASY ONES. BUT THERE'S OTHERS CRITERIAS THAT COME INTO THAT. AND I DON'T KNOW --

>> MS. SWANN: WE CAN ALSO DO -- WE COULD DO AWAY WITH THE PEAK

PERIOD. >> CHAIR BLEVINS: NO, WE CANNOT.

[LAUGHTER] >> MS. SWANN: I WOULD SIMPLIFY

IT. >> CHAIR BLEVINS: NO, BUT I'M THROWING A PROBLEM AT YOU THAT I DON'T HAVE A SOLUTION UNLESS YOU HAVE THE EXPERTISE. THERE TO BE ABLE TO --

>> MS. SWANN: WE COULD. >> I THINK MAYBE WE'RE APPROACHING THIS UPSIDE DOWN. WOULD IT MAKE MORE SENSE THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, SUSAN DESIGNS A LIST OF WHERE SHE WOULD LIKE TO SEE EVENTS HAPPEN IN EACH AREA OF TOWN, EXAMPLE DOWNTOWN ST. AUGUSTINE END OF JANUARY THROUGH -- BEFORE PRESIDENTS LINCOLN INSTEAD OF SAYING NO, YOU DIDN'T HIT A PEAK PERIOD START GETTING PEOPLE TO THINK ENTREPRENEURIAL ABOUT IT'S EASIER TO GET APPROVED IF YOU BUILD SOMETHING DURING A VALLEY PERIOD AND WE CREATE 10 VALLEY PERIODS OR SIX VALLEY PERIODS FOR EACH AREA. SO GIVE POINTS INSTEAD OF

TAKING THEM AWAY. >> CHAIR BLEVINS: I DEFINITELY

LIKE THAT BETTER. >> COUNCILMEMBER KASS: BECAUSE NOW WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO BUILD SOMETHING TO BUILD SOMETHING INSTEAD OF SAYING NO AND PENALIZING YOU BECAUSE YOU DID IT FOR THE WRONG TIME PERIOD THAT SOUNDS TO BE MORE PROACTIVE IF WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

>> MS. SWANN: YEAH, I WOULD HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE POINTS ON THAT, JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GO OVER 100 RIGHT NOW, THE WAY YOU HAVE IT WRITTEN. SO WE'D HAVE TO --

>> COUNCILMEMBER KASS: WELL, MAYBE IF YOU DO AN EVENT THAT'S IN A VALLEY PERIOD, YOU GET AUTOMATICALLY 10 POINTS, IT'S NOT UP FOR DISCUSSION. YOU'D GET A 10-POINT BONUS IF WE REALLY NEED SOMETHING IN MARCH FOR THE BEACH, SOMEONE COMES UP WITH AN EVENT FOR THE BEACH IN MARCH, YOU START OFF WITH 10

POINTS. >> MS. SWANN: SO THE ISSUE

THERE -- >> COUNCILMEMBER KASS: ENCOURAGI

NG PEOPLE TO -- >> MS. SWANN: BUT IF SOMEBODY'S ALREADY SCORING A 95, THEN MOST WE'RE ABLE TO GET IS FIVE EXTRA POINTS WHERE SOMEBODY ELSE COULD --

>> COUNCILMEMBER KASS: BUT THE IDEA IS NOT ABOUT POINTS BECAUSE THE IDEA IS GETTING PEOPLE TO DEVELOP EVENTS WHEN WE NEED THEM. THEN THE NEXT THING IS ONLY HAVING EVENTS THAT ARE ONES THAT WE WANT, NOT ONES THAT GIVE

[00:35:02]

IF WE'RE REALLY LOOKIN AT THIS AS MAJOR MACROECONOMICS AND DRIVING THE ENTIRE ECONOMY OF THE COMMUNITY HIGH, WE TAKE THIS MONEY AND WE INVEST IT WHERE IT HELPS US NOT HAVING TO BE POLITE TO PEOPLE THAT WE GOT THE BEST OF THINGS THAT WEREN'T REALLY WHAT WE WANTED INSTEAD OF STARTING TO ASK WHAT WE NEED.

IF WE'RE THINKING FROM A ZERO BASED BUSINESS MODEL, YOU WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO DO THINGS WHEN WE NEED IT AND TO CREATE THINGS THAT WE WANT. THAT TO ME IS JUST A FUNDAMENTAL WAY OF LOOKING AT IT. AND WE'RE ALWAYS JUST SAYING, WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A NICE PROPOSAL AND YOUR GOOD PEOPLE AND I LIKE THIS. IT'S AT THE WRONG TIME, AND IT'S CLOSE TO WHAT WE NEEDED. SINCE IT WAS THE BEST OF WHAT WE ASKED, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU THE MONEY.

THAT IS BEING NICE IT'S NOT BEING STRATEGIC.

AND WE SHOULD BE AS STRATEGIC AS POSSIBLE.

WITHOUT -- WITH BEING FAIR AND NOT SHOOTING GOOD PEOPLE DOWN.

BUT WE SHOULDN'T GIVE REWARDS TO SOMEONE WHO DOES A NICE JOB IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO FIND THAT WE REALLY DIDN'T NEED TO, IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE AT ALL.

THAT'S NOT SMART BUSINESS. >> CHAIR BLEVINS: YEAH, ALL RIGHT, YOU JUST TOOK ME BACK TO MY CHILDHOOD.

MY GRANDFATHER WOULD ALWAYS SAY TO MY GRANDMOTHER, WE'RE GOING TO GO BROKE WITH YOU SAVING THE MONEY, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE

WE'RE AT. >> MEMBER KASS: I JUST WOULD

LIKE US TO BE STRATEGIC. >> CHAIR BLEVINS: WE NEED.

>> I GUESS MY QUESTION IS HOW IS THE NEED DEFINED AND BY WHO? AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO GET OUT HERE.

>> IT'S CALLED A MARKETING PLAN. THIS SHOULD BE PART OF THE 2028 MARKETING PLAN. AND IT SHOULD BE SYNERGISTIC BETWEEN GABE AND THE CULTURAL COUNCIL AND SUSAN.

WE GET IT ALL AT THE SAME PAGE. SO WE'RE ALL MARCHING TO WHAT WE THINK A GOOD ONE LOOKS LIKE. IF WE KNOW WHAT THE END ZONE IS AND THEN WE USE ALL THE ELEMENTS TO HELP US GET TO THE END ZONE, WE GET THERE QUICKER AND WE DON'T GET SIDETRACKED WITH THINGS THAT ARE INCONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE BRAND IS SUPPOSED TO BE. SO THAT MACROECONOMICS.

>> ANNOUNCER: MARKETING AND IT'S HOW DO WE TAKE SILOED THINKING AND BRING IT INTO MORE WORLD CLASS THINKING? THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD DO IF YOU HAD THE INN CLUB WOULD BE A GREAT EXAMPLE. THERE'S A LOT OF BUSINESSES UNDER THAT ROOF, BUT IT SHOULD ALL BE THE CLUB.

IT SHOULD NOT BE 10 THINGS TO 10 DIFFERENT PEOPLE, IT SHOULD BE ONE IDENTICAL SEAHORSE, EVERYTHING YOU DO SHOULD BE THE SEAHORSE. AND THAT'S A VERY SIMPLE THING TO SAY. BUT IT'S A VERY COMPLEX THING TO IMPLEMENT. IS THAT FAIR?

>> YEAH, THAT'S FAIR. >> MY ONLY, AT THE SAME TIME, WE DON'T WANT TO PENALIZE THE ONES THAT DO BRING EVENTS AND TRULY E RECOGNIZED BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE REWARD THE ONES DURING THE PERIODS THAT WE NEED THEM TO BUT WE DON'T WANT TO PUSH AWAY THE EVENTS THAT ARE HELPING AND BRINGING PEOPLE TO THE COMMUNITY, FIGURE OUT HOW YOU DO THAT, I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER FOR YOU. BUT I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO PENALIZE THE ONES THAT DO BRING THE EVENTS.

>> YOU KIND OF END UP PENALIZING IF YOU PUT THINGS TO COOK BECAUSE YOU'RE PENALIZING THEM THEN ON THE ATTENDANCE SIDE AND SO YOU GOT KIND OF A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD.

>> MS. SWANN: YEAH, EXACTLY, NO MATTER WHAT, THERE'S GOING TO BE FEWER PEOPLE IN THE VALLEY. AND WHEN CAN I DO THIS EVENT.

WHERE THERE'S THE MOST EYEBALLS THAT MIGHT COME TO IT.

SO YOU KIND OF SCREWED EITHER WAY, I GUESS.

>> MS. SWANN: YOU MIGHT BE ON TO SOMETHING, CHARLES, ACTUALLY.

>> REDUCING DOWN YEAR AFTER YEAR I AGREE WITH THAT.

AND IT HASN'T HAPPENED YET. BUT 30 YEARS AGO, IT STARTED THAT WAY. I MEAN, PROBABLY NOT, 30, MAYBE 20 YEARS AGO. WE KIND OF SAID, YOU COULD ASK FOR IT AND THEN IT'S GOING TO GET REDUCED AND I THINK THERE WAS A FIVE-YEAR CAP ON IT, AND I'M NOT SURE WHEN THAT WENT A

AWAY. >> THIS THEORY OF REDUCING BY 20% WAS DISCUSSED WITH ALL THE COMMISSIONERS WHEN WE WERE VOTING TO SET UP THE CULTURAL COUNCIL AND HOW IT'S SET UP TODAY BACK 10, 15 YEARS AGO, WHEN WE -- THE WHOLE INDUSTRY

[00:40:04]

WE'RE NOT A PARTNER AT. AND THAT WAS THE CONCEPT THAT EVERYONE THOUGHT MADE SENSE. AND IT REDUCED THE -- IF THE BUDGET'S $100,000, EACH YEAR, YOU DROP IT BY 20.

BUT EACH YEAR, YOU ADD A NEW EVENT THAT YOU FUND AT 180 KEEP ON ROLLING OVER BECAUSE YOU KNOW, IF YOU FUND FIVE, ONLY THREE ARE GOING TO WORK, BUT WHEN YOU WAKE UP 20 YEARS LATER, YOU NOW HAVE -- YOU BASICALLY HAVE 15, 20 EVENTS THAT ARE QUALITY EVENTS THAT ARE SUSTAINABLE LONG-TERM, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO LOOK AT VERSUS GOING IN THE SAME CIRCLE AND POSSIBLY THEY HELP AND POSSIBLY THEY DON'T AND WHATEVER, BUT THAT IS A MUCH BETTER STRATEGIC THOUGHT AND WHAT WE ACTUALLY WANT CULTURAL FOOD AND BEVERAGE WASN'T A WORD IN BIG TIME IN MARKETING 20 YEARS AGO.

SPA DIDN'T EXIST 40 YEARS AGO. I RAN THE ONLY SPA I THINK IN FLORIDA IN 1984. WE WERE IN ROBERT LEACH'S LIFETIME AT THE RICH AND FAMOUS TOP 10, BUT THERE WERE ONLY 11 SPAS IN THE WORLD BACK THEN.

AND TODAY, YOU WOULD NEVER THINK THAT A SPA HAS ALWAYS BEEN AROUND. SO THINGS ARE GOING TO CHANGE EVERY FEW YEARS, SO WE NEED TO BE NIMBLE.

I'M NOT TRYING TO SQUASH ANYONE. I'M TRYING TO BE STRATEGIC AND SMART. THAT'S ALL.

>> MS. SWANN: I GET THAT. I THINK SOME OF IT COVER TO COVER THIS IS A COMPETITIVE GRANT PROCESS AND WE HAVE THE APPLICATIONS. WE HAVE.

>> MEMBER KASS: WHY DON'T WE SOLICIT ONES.

WE NEED? >> MS. SWANN: WE CAN WORK ON

THAT PERIOD MR. CHAIR? >> CHAIR BLEVINS: GO AHEAD.

>> I THINK AT ONE POINT, IS ANYTHING BEING DONE SINCE A LARGE PORTION OF THE FUNDS ARE REQUIRED TO BE USED FOR OUT OF COUNTY MARKETING? WHAT'S BEING DONE TO COORDINATE THOSE MARKETING EFFORTS, IF ANYTHING, I THINK AT ONE POINT, THERE WERE INCENTIVES LIKE ART MATCHING FUNDS.

IS THAT STILL HAPPENING. >> MS. SWANN: YES, THAT'S HAPPENS AND WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO WORK WITH THE VCP AND OTHER

CO-OPS AS WELL. >> OKAY, PERFECT.

>> CHAIR BLEVINS: BRENDA, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US?

>> MAYOR SWEENEY: NOT AT THIS TIME.

THANK YOU. >> CHAIR BLEVINS: ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU BRENDA.

[9. MONTHLY REPORTS PROVIDED IN PACKETS]

APPRECIATE IT. >> MAYOR SWEENEY: THANK YOU.

>> CHAIR BLEVINS: ALL RIGHT, MONTHLY REPORTS.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M SUSAN PHILLIPS, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE ST. JOHN'S COUNTY VISITORS AND CONVENTION BUREAU.

I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS TODAY I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THE FULL REPORT, BUT THIS WILL BE A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT TWIST. YOU HAVE A TWO-PAGE, SUMMARY AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY HERE IN FRONT OF YOU, AND I'M GOING TO SUMMARIZE THAT AND GO INTO A COUPLE OF AREAS TO TALK ABOUT OUR CURRENT PERFORMANCE. , OUTLOOK IN TARGET MARKETS.

AND THEN I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT A LITTLEBIT OF IT WAS ON THE PR SIDE, SOME OF THIS WAS ALLUDED TO TODAY, BUT I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL, SO FIRST OF ALL, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR CURRENT PERFORMANCE, WE STILL CONTINUE TO SHOW RESILIENCE EVEN IN THE MIDST OF THE ECONOMIC CONCERNS AND ALL THE TWISTS AND TURNS THAT WE'VE SEEN THROUGHOUT THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. THROUGH AUGUST, OUR COLLECTIONS WERE UP TO 20 TO .25 MILLION. THAT'S UP 1.9%.

AND THEN WHAT WE'RE SEEING BASED UPON OUR DATA DASHBOARD AND OUR PREDICTIVE MODELING THAT WE INCORPORATED INTO OUR DASHBOARD, CAMERA, WE'RE ESTIMATING THAT WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE AT A RECORD $23.6 MILLION. WHO REVENUE HAS RISEN 1.5% TO 270 MILLION. HOWEVER, I, WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS OCCUPANCY IS NOT EXACTLY WHERE WE WANT IT.

IT IS DOWN TO 63.7%. SO OVERALL DEMAND IS HOLDING.

BUT WE'RE FEELING SOME OF OUR EXISTING INVENTORY.

BUT WE STILL NEED TO FOCUS ON OUR MIDWEEK AND OUR SHOULDER SEASONS, SO THAT IS OUR PRIORITY.

SO THAT IS KIND OF WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

IF YOU LOOK AT OUR OUTLOOK MOVING FORWARD AND AGAIN, WE ARE INCORPORATING ALL SORTS OF DATA ANALYTICS INTO OUR DASHBOARD, I WANT TO TALK TO YOU FIRST ABOUT KNIGHTS OF LIGHTS.

YOU KNOW, WHEN WE SWITCH OVER FOR THE FISCAL YEAR INTO 2027, WE IMMEDIATELY KICK IN OUR NEW NIGHT SUPPLIES ADVERTISING.

SO THAT'S OUR FOCUS RIGHT NOW IT'S GOING TO BE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS. THE ANTS ARE IN PLACE.

WHAT'S EVEN BETTER IS THAT OUR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS APP IS UPDATED AND IN PLACE IF YOU DON'T HAVE THIS DOWNLOADED ON YOUR PHONE,

[00:45:01]

I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT LAST YEAR WE ENDED WITH THE APP WAS IN DEVELOPMENT IN ST. AUGUSTINE AND THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE.

WE ENDED UP WITH ABOUT 90,000 DOWNLOADS.

WE ARE RIGHT NOW UP TO 110,000 DOWNLOADS.

SO FOLKS ARE ALREADY VISITING THE APP ALREADY LOOKING ONLINE.

THERE IS DEMAND FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, WHICH IS A GOOD THING FOR ALL OF US AND IN THIS ROOM. IN ADDITION, IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS OH, MY TEAM IS GOING TO GO OUT WITH THE KNOW BEFORE YOU GO CAMPAIGN. YOU SAW THIS LAST YEAR IT'S PRETTY MUCH A REPLICATION WITH SOME UPDATES, AND THIS WILL HAVE OUR QR CODES ALL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY IF YOU GO INTO A PUBLIC COMMENT, IF YOU GO INTO ANY OF THE BUSINESSES WE ARE PUTTING ALL OF THIS MATERIAL OUT THERE WITH POSTERS SO THAT WE CAN EDUCATE OUR VISITORS WHEN THEY COME IN MARKET, AND ALSO OUR RESIDENTS, TO BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF OUR DOWNLOADS FOR THE APP THIS PAST-YEAR WERE VISITORS.

THEY WERE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE THAT MOVING FORWARD. AND LIKE I SAID, I'LL START IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS. IN ADDITION, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE COMMITTED TO THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, WHEN WE WENT INTO ASK FOR THE WHAT WE CONSIDERED IMPROPER WEEKS FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS IS WE MADE A COMMITMENT TO THEM THAT WE WOULD CONTINUE TO DO AN ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY LAST YEAR, WE PERFORMED THE FIRST RESEARCH STUDY EVER, AND THE 32 YEARS OF NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. AND IT REFLECTED THAT THERE WAS $120 MILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT, SO WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS YEAR IS WE'VE ALREADY STARTED THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE STUDY.

THAT WILL BE DONE AND PROBABLY PRESENTED IN LATE FEBRUARY OR EARLY MARCH. AND THAT WAY WE CAN ALL ASSESS THE IMPACT OF NIGHTS OF LIGHTS AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY ADDITIONAL CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MET.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO KNOW THAT LAST YEAR WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE WITH THE DATES OF NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. IT STARTED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER THAN WHAT MANY OF US WANTED AND EDITED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, BECAUSE THERE WAS A COMPROMISE, ESSENTIALLY, THAT EVERYONE WORKED THROUGH TO MAKE IT BETTER FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR THE RESIDENTS AND THE VISITORS, AND ALSO SMALL BUSINESSES.

SO WE HAVE AN EIGHT WEEK TIME PERIOD THAT WILL START NEXT MONTH AND AGAIN, I THINK IT'S GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO SEE SOME REALLY GOOD POSITIVE RESULTS FROM THE ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY.

AND IF NOTHING ELSE, WE'LL BE MAKING VERY GOOD DECISIONS BASED UPON RESEARCH AND NOT A GUT FEELING.

SO LOOKING FORWARD, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PLUGGING ALL OF OUR NUMBERS INTO OUR DATA DASHBOARD, WE'RE TRYING TO DO SOME FORECASTING. WE HAVEN'T EVER BEEN ABLE TO REALLY GIVE YOU GUYS FORECAST INFORMATION, SO WE'RE TAKING SOME STEPS ON THIS AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT RIGHT NOW WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT REPAR IS GOING TO GROW ABOUT 3.3 PERCENTAGE POINTS FOR THERE. OF OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER.

WHEN WE'RE LOOKING INTO JANUARY THROUGH MARCH, WE'RE ESTIMATING ABOUT 3.9 PERCENTAGE POINTS, THAT'S JUST ON REV PERIOD AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO DELVE INTO THE DASHBOARD AND SEE WHAT OUR FORECASTING IS LOOKING LIKE. SO WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT OVER $24 MILLION IN TAXES FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. AND WE'RE GOING TO DO EVEN MORE THAN THAT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR MODELS ARE SHOWING US IS THAT AND THIS IS NOT ANYTHING THAT'S ROCKET SCIENCE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, WE ARE RETRENCHING AND LOOKING AT REALLY THE FLORIDA MARKETS, LOOKING AT THE SOUTHERN MARKETS AS WELL.

A LITTLE BIT OF THAT NEW YORK MARKETS.

BY PRIMARILY OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT FLORIDA, ORLANDO, TAMPA, GAINESVILLE, SAVANNAH, CHARLESTON, AND ESPECIALLY ATLANTA.

SO THOSE ARE PRIMARY MARKETS FOR US MOVING FORWARD.

AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT OUR WEATHER, WHILE WE WERE GETTING A LITTLE BIT COOLER WEATHER RIGHT NOW, OUR FRIENDS UP NORTH ARE GOING TO HAVE HOPEFULLY A LITTLE BIT OF A COOLER WEATHER PATTERN AND WE WANT TO COME DOWN TO FLORIDA. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE CAREFULLY MONITORING THIS NORTHEAST MARKETS AND DETERMINING WHERE WE CAN THROW IN LAST MINUTE ADVERTISEMENT FROM A DIGITAL PERSPECTIVE, WE TRY TO GET THEM TO COME HERE.

AND ALSO, WE'RE STILL WATCHING THE CANADIAN MARKET.

NOW, THE CANADIAN MARKET WE PULLED BACK FROM.

WE'RE NOT DOING ANY TYPE OF ADVERTISING.

BUT WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE IF THERE'S A PERIOD OF TIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE WHEN WE CAN GO INTO THAT MARKET AGAIN.

AND THIS WILL BE VERY SPECIFIC AND NOT A LOT OF MONEY SPENT ON IT. BUT WE DO NEED TO START TESTING.

SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE NOW, WHERE WE'RE MOVING FORWARD, BUT I ALSO WANT TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT COLLABORATION.

AND I THINK SOME OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH ABOUT THIS, THAT ABOUT A YEAR AGO, I -- EXCUSE ME, I CALLED UP GABE PELLISSIER AND I SAID, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU. I SAID, I ALWAYS WANT TO STAY IN MY OWN LANE, I DON'T WANT TO STEP ON ANYONE'S TOES.

BUT I SAID, IF THERE WAS THE OPPORTUNITY, I SAID, I THINK WE'RE MISSING SOME PR OPPORTUNITIES, BUT IF THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE TOGETHER AND LOOK AT PR AS A GROUP INSTEAD OF IN SILOS, WOULD THAT BE BENEFICIAL TO YOU?

[00:50:04]

YOU WOULD HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE.

WE WOULD PAY FOR IT, BUT WE WANT YOU TO HELP MAKE DECISIONS, YOU AND YOUR TEAM. SO THAT WAS THE GENESIS OF THE CONVERSATION AND HE WAS THRILLED WITH IT.

FROM THERE, I MOVED FORWARD AND TALKED TO JEFF POTTS AND ULTIMATELY WE SUBMITTED RFPS INTO THE MARKETPLACE EARLIER THIS YEAR. THIS RFP THAT COLLECTIVELY AS A GROUP, WE AGREED UPON WITH METRICS AND DIFFERENT PRICE POINTS AND ALL OF THAT. WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE THAT LOOCKERMAN GROUP WHICH IS PRIMARILY OUT OF CHARLESTON.

WE WORK WITH THEIR TAMPA OFFICE. THEY ARE NOW DOING SPECIFICALLY OUR MUSIC ARTS, CULTURAL AND HERITAGE, AND THAT STARTED ON JULY 1ST AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO SEPARATELY ONBOARDED A GULF AND ECO TOURISM FOCUSED AGENCY, WHICH IS THE BUFFALO GROUP. AGAIN, GETTING US INTO THOSE VERTICALS. OUR ORGANIZATION AND MY TEAM DO A GREAT JOB. ACROSS THE DESTINATION.

TALKING ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.

BUT THIS IS REALLY SPECIAL SO THAT WE CAN GENERATE THE RIGHT COVERAGE, THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO LOOK AT US AND FOLKS THAT HAVE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND IT WILL TAKE US YEARS TO DEVELOP BECAUSE SO I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT IN THE FIRST MONTH OF REPORTING, WHICH IS FOR SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR, WE HAD 16.1 MILLION, ACTUALLY 16-POINT TO MILLION IN MEDIAN IMPRESSIONS AND REACH. THE TWO GROUPS ARE DOING VERY WELL. WE HAVE -- NOT WEEKLY CALLS, BUT BIWEEKLY CALLS WITH THEM. THEY HAVE PERFORMANCE REPORTS THEY SENT TO US AND THE NICE THING IS THAT WE'RE ALL COLLABORATING TOGETHER. SO TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW THIS WORKS, WHEN BLUE GROUP SENDS OVER THE THEIR PITCHING AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO SOME OPTIONS, THEY SEND A REQUEST TO US AND THE GROUP THAT WE HAVE IS ON MY TEAM.

WE HAVE DONE MARKET FITS WITH THE AMPHITHEATER AND I SHOULD SAY IT'S JCCE. WE ALSO HAVE RYAN HALL.

WE HAVE BEN CRAMER. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE JEFF POTTS AND HIS TEAM. WE SIT AT THE TABLE, NOT LITERALLY, BUT FIGURATIVELY, ON OUR ZOOM CALLS AND WE GO AROUND AND DETERMINE, FIRST OF ALL, IF IT'S A MUSIC ENTITY OR A MUSIC JOURNALIST, WE ASK DIANA AND THE TEAM, IS THIS OF INTEREST TO YOU? DOES THIS MAKE SENSE TO YOU? IS THIS A GOOD PLAYER? AND IF -- AND THEN OF COURSE, ALTERNATIVELY, IF IT'S ART AND HERITAGE THAT GOES TO JEFF WHAT'S THAT DETERMINATION IS MADE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS A VALUABLE MEDIA OUTLET, SOMEBODY THAT THEY WOULD WANT TO BRING IN MARGARET, THEN WE HAVE THE RESPECTIVE INDIVIDUALS, EITHER DIANA AND HER TEAM OR JEFF AND HIS TEAM START WORKING UP AN ITINERARY. THEN VCP, IS TO SIMPLY HANDLE THE PAYMENTS. SOMEBODY HAS TO PAY FOR THIS BECAUSE WE TAKE CARE OF THE LODGING AND SOME OF THE MEALS AND ALL OF THAT. WE COLLECTIVELY, WE WORK ON THE SCHEDULES AND BRING THESE FOLKS INTO TOWN AND THEN HOLD THE PR AGENCY ACCOUNTABLE. SO THAT IS COLLABORATION.

AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT IT REALLY FEELS GOOD BECAUSE I THINK IT'S BEING DONE RIGHT IT'S NOT ABOUT WHO GETS THE CREDIT FOR IT, IT'S ABOUT HOW WE CAN EXECUTE AND DO THE VERY BEST JOB FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GENERATE AS MUCH RETURN ON INVESTMENT AS POSSIBLE FOR EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR THAT WE SPEND, SO IT'S NOT TAXING THE CULTURAL COUNCIL'S BUDGETS IT'S NOT TAXING THE SGC, C'S BUDGET. I KEEP AN EYE ON IT, AND WE MANAGE IT. BUT WE LET OUR STAKEHOLDERS COME OUR FRIENDS HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE TO HELP MAKE THE DECISIONS. SO I WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU TODAY, JUST A QUICK UPDATE AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY

QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE. >> CHAIR BLEVINS: NO QUESTION?

MAYOR? >> THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR DOING, SUSAN. JUST VERY QUICKLY, ON THAT FIRST-PAGE THAT YOU GAVE US ON THE PROJECTED RECORD IN PDT REVENUE, DO YOU KNOW WHAT PERCENTAGE YEAR OVER YEAR THAT

WE'RE LOOKING AT? >> MS. PHILLIPS: I THINK WE WILL END UP CLOSE TO 2%, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO HIT THAT 3%. I JUST SAW THE INITIAL NUMBERS CAME IN FROM SWIFT TRAVEL ABOUT AN HOUR AGO.

AND WE DID OKAY IN SEPTEMBER, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT

EQUATES TO TWO DOLLARS. >> OKAY, THANK YOU.

>> MS. PHILLIPS: YOU'RE WELCOME.

>> CHAIR BLEVINS: ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT.

I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU. I KNOW WE DO THESE MONTH BY MONTH. AND WE'VE LEARNED THROUGH OUR ANALYTICS GOING MONTH BY MONTH AND CAN SOMETIMES BE A LITTLE DECEPTIVE BECAUSE OCTOBER IS GOING TO HAVE FIVE SATURDAYS.

HOW DO YOU TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT, LIKE IF YOU'RE DOING OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR AND FOR SATURDAYS AND HOW DO YOU TAKE

[00:55:01]

>> MS. PHILLIPS: WE STILL ARE LOOKING AT IT REALLY AS A MONTH BY MONTH. YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

WHEN WE GET INTO THE GRANULARITY, LIKE, LET ME JUST GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, GABE AND HIS TEAM, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS FOR SEE OUT LOUD AND TRYING TO SEE HOW SEPTEMBER LIFTED YEAR OVER YEAR OVER YEAR.

SO WE DO GO IN AND MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS.

YOU ON A MANUAL BASIS, IF THERE WERE FOUR SATURDAYS VERSUS FIVE, WITH THESE REPORTS, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW IT'S DONE.

I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU. BUT I KNOW THAT OUR DATA THAT WE PUT IN DOES HAVE YEAR OVER YEAR AND EVEN IF WE LOOK AT THE SMITH TRAVEL REPORTS, THAT ALSO SHOWS YOU WHERE YOU HAD HURRICANES, WHERE YOU HAD ANOMALIES AND THINGS THAT MADE A DIFFERENCE, SO THAT'S INCORPORATED INTO THIS.

>> CHAIR BLEVINS: OKAY. YEAH, OH, WE'RE AT ABOUT 2.4 IS WHERE WE'RE AT FOR THE YEAR. % ON THE GOOD SIDE.

ON THE GOOD SIDE. WITH THAT, I KNOW OUR BUDGET, AND JESSE, THIS IS COMING TO YOU.

OUR BUDGET WHERE WE PROJECTED IN THREE OR WE HAD TO.

WHERE WE'RE AT AND WE HAD A NUMBER AND WE BROUGHT IT DOWN.

BUT WHERE DID WE END UP FALLING ON THAT NUMBER FOR GOING INTO NEXT YEAR? ARE WE GOING TO BE IN TROUBLE?

>> OKAY, SO 4-3 OUR BUDGET PROCESS, WE CHANGED OUR PROJECTIONS AND FOR -- FOR LAST YEAR AND WE ADJUSTED OUR REVENUE PROJECTIONS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR AS THE SUMMER PROGRESSED.

FOR LAST YEAR, WE PROJECTED 2 1/2% AND THEN SIMILARLY, WE PROJECTED FOR THIS YEAR 2 1/2%. WE'RE NOT FINISHED WITH ALL COLLECTIONS FOR THE LAST FISCAL YEAR.

AS OF LAST THURSDAY WE'RE JUST SHY OF 2.2%.

SO THAT DOES BRING US IN A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE 2 1/2%.

AGAIN, WE STILL HAVE ONE MORE MONTH COLLECTION TO INCORPORATE INTO THOSE NUMBERS. AS WELL.

THE THAT THIS IS THE 27 BUDGET HAS A 5% STATUTORY REDUCTION ON THAT. SO THAT WILL HELP IF WE DON'T ACHIEVE THAT 2 1/2%, BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT 5% REDUCTION ON THERE.

AND I CAN CALCULATE WHAT THAT COMES TO, WHERE WE WOULD NEED TO COME IN FOR A WE'RE STILL TREADING THE 2 1/2%?

>> THAT WAS MY QUESTION. >> I'M COMFORTABLE UNTIL THEY COME IN, DIFFERENTLY AND THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE

CONVERSATION. >> CHAIR BLEVINS: ALL RIGHT, YOU TALKED ABOUT OCCUPANCY BEING DOWN TO COUNTY WIDE.

OR 63. WHERE WE AT LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME BECAUSE ADR IS UP. BUT OCCUPANCY IS DOWN.

SO THAT MAKES THE REVENUE -- >> MS. PHILLIPS: I'M SHOWING THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY -- AND THAT'S DOWN 1.6 PERCENTAGE POINTS.

>> OKAY, ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

>> I HAVE ONE MORE THING I WILL MENTION AS WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE AS MUCH INFORMATION TO YOU ALL, WE DON'T WANT TO UPLOAD THE. I SENT OVER THE ADVERTISING REPORTS. BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IF YOU HAVE THE APPETITE FOR IT, THIS WAS A SIMPLE EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW THAT WAS TWO PAGES, JUST TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASY TO GO INTO, BUT I ACTUALLY GET A 21-PAGE OVERVIEW THAT'S PRETTY IN-DEPTH.

IF IT'S A VALUE THAT YOU WANT ME TO INCLUDE THAT IN THE PACKET, I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT THESE ARE THE TOOLS THAT WE NOW HAVE

AVAILABLE AND AS. >> REPORTER: MORE PREDICTIVE MODELING TOOLS IN PLACE WITH OUR DASHBOARD, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE HELPFUL TO YOU TO LOOK FOR THEM ON PAGES IS TOO MUCH, THAT'S FINE WE CAN JUST DO A TWO PAGE OR.

BUT IT'S THAT WHICH YOU PREFER. >> CHAIR BLEVINS: WHEN I'M PERSONALLY GOOD WITH JUST THE EMAIL THAT'S A LOT OF TREES WERE KILLING. SO I MEAN, IF ANYBODY NEED IT, IN A HARD COPY? SO NO, I THINK IF YOU COULD JUST EMAIL THAT TOO US, THAT WOULD BE GOOD BECAUSE THANK YOU.

>> VERY GOOD, THANK YOU. >> CHAIR BLEVINS: ALL RIGHT.

JEFF, I'M ASSUMING YOU'VE ALREADY GIVEN US EVERYTHING? YOU'VE DONE ALL YOUR MAC TIME FOR THE DAY? OKAY. ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO WITH MEMBERS' COMMENTS. WE WILL START OUT HERE.

MAYOR, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? CHARLIE? ALL RIGHT. I THINK WE CAN

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.