[00:00:04]
>> CHAIRMAN: I'M GOING TO CALL THE JUNE 15TH MEETING OF THE TDC TO ORDER. YOU WILL NOTICE ON YOUR AGENDA THAT IT'S LISTED AS THE JUNE 5TH MEETING AND THAT'S NOT US.
SO, WE'RE THE JUNE 15TH MEETING. I AM GOING TO ASK DIANE TO DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
ALLEGIANCE ] THANK YOU, DIANE, DENA? SOMEBODY CALL THE ROLE HERE. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE TARA.
>> IT'S GOING TO BE ME. >> DANNY BERENBERG.
>> COMMISSIONER SIKES-KLINE? >> HERE.
>> COMMISSIONER WALDRON. >> HERE
>> CHAIRMAN: THANK YOU, TARA. WOULD YOU REVIEW AGAIN OUR ONE-MINUTE DELAY SO EVERYBODY CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS.
>> SURE. SO, JUST AS A REMINDER TO EVERYONE, WE DO HAVE SOME OF OUR TDC BOARD MEMBERS ARE CALLING IN TODAY AND WE ALSO WILL BE PROVIDING THE CALL-IN OPTION FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ANYBODY WHO IS WATCHING THE LIVE STREAM ON THE COMPUTER SYSTEM OR ON THE LOCAL COMCAST TELEVISION STATIONS THERE CAN BE A DELAY UP TO 60 SECONDS.
WHEN WE CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY OF THESE ITEMS WE'RE GOING TO WAIT 60 SECONDS TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NOBODY CALLING IN
BEFORE WE MOVE ON. >> CHAIRMAN: THANK YOU.
[Item 4]
I'M GOING TO CALL FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.AS I'VE MENTIONED, JUNE 5TH ON THE AGENDA IS REALLY JUNE 15TH.
>> BOARD MEMBER: SO MOVED. >> BOARD MEMBER: SECOND.
>> CHAIRMAN: ANY DISCUSSION? NO.
SEEING NONE, I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
>> WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO DO A ROLL CALL SINCE WE HAVE MEMBERS PARTICIPATING ON THE PHONE. SO, I'M GOING TO DO ROLL CALL
>> COMMISSIONER GEORGE? >> YES.
>> TOM MANNO. SORRY, HE IS ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER SIKES-KLINE? >> YES.
>> CHAIRMAN: THE AGENDA IS APPROVED, I BELIEVE.
[Item 5]
CALL FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.>> BOARD MEMBER: MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
>> BOARD MEMBER: SECOND. >> CHAIRMAN: IS THERE
DISCUSSION? >> BOARD MEMBER: WE MIGHT WANT TO CHANGE RICHARD GORDON'S NAME TO RICHARD GOLDMAN.
I CAUGHT IT, RICHARD. [LAUGHTER]
>> CHAIRMAN: WE'LL MAKE THAT CHANGE.
CAN WE HAVE A ROLE CALL? >> DANNY BERENBERG?
>> YES. >> COMMISSIONER GEORGE?
>> YES. >> COMMISSIONER SIKES-KLINE?
>> YES. >> COMMISSIONER WALDRON?
>> YES >> CHAIRMAN: THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED I BELIEVE. BEFORE I CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT LISTED ON THE AGENDA, OTHERWISE I WANTED TO MENTION THAT TODAY'S MEETING IS GOING TO BE QUITE SHORT.
WE NEED TO BE DONE BY 3:30. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE. I'LL TRY NOT TO RUSH YOU ALONG BUT STILL WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THE TIME.
COULD YOU READ THE ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> SPEAKER: AT THIS TIME THE BOARD WILL HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS NOT ON THE REGULAR AGENDA.
REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS WILL HAVE THEIR OWN PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
ANY PERSON WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD SHOULD COME TO THE PODIUM OR INDICATE ON THE PHONE. STATE HIS OR HER NAME AND ADDRESS. EACH PERSON WILL BE PROVIDED THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND SHALL COMPLY WITH THE BOARD'S RULES OF DECORMUM. COMMENTS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE BOARD AS A WHOLE AND MAY NOT INCLUDE A DEMAND FOR AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE FROM THE BOARD.
[00:05:01]
NO PERSON MAY ADDRESS THE BOARD WITH SLANDEROUS REMARKS OR BOISTEROUS BEHAVIOR. MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE SHOULD REFRAIN FROM DISRUPTIVE DEMONSTRATION AND I WOULD ASK ANY SPEAKER THAT PRESENTS OVERHEAD MATERIALS, PLEASE PRESENT THAT MATERIAL TO THE STAFF OF THE CLERK OF COURT TO BE ENTERED INTO PUBLIC RECORD. THANK YOU.>> CHAIRMAN: THANK YOU, DIANE. BEFORE I CALL THOSE TO COME FORWARD THAT WISH TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS, TARA, WE NEED A ONE
MINUTE DELAY NOW? >> YOU WILL CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT THEN WE'LL SIT HERE FOR 60 SECONDS.
>> CHAIRMAN: OKAY. I CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
OKAY. IS THERE ANYONE IN THE ROOM THAT WISHES TO MAKE A COMMENT AT THIS POINT? SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON. TARA, THE ITEM ON THE BUDGET
[Item 7]
PLEASE. >> TARA: START OFF WITH A RECAP OF THE INITIAL BUDGET THAT'S BEEN PUT FORTH FROM THE ADMINISTRATION TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
ONE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IN THE ROOM HAS A SENSE OF WHERE WE STAND BUT ALSO TO GIVE CONTEXT OF THE TWO PROMOTIONAL PLANS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PRESENTED THIS AFTERNOON.
WHEN THE BUDGET WAS PRESENTED AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS EARLIER OR ADMINISTRATIVE WORKSHOP EARLIER IN THE YEAR, IT WAS INDICATED THAT THE REVENUES FOR FISCAL WE'RE -- YEAR '21 ARE ON THE CONSERVATIVE SIDE F. HOWEVER WE'RE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BUDGETING PROCESS. SO, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY IF IT SO SEEMS APPROPRIATE THE COUNTY COULD ADJUST THOSE REVENUE PROJECTIONS AND THE ASSOCIATED EXPENSES UP UNTIL THE TIME THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS GIVES FINAL APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET IN SEPTEMBER.
SO, TODAY WHAT YOU WILL SEE IS THAT THE PROMOTION PLANS THAT ARE PRESENTED BY THE VCB AND THE CULTURAL COUNCIL.
IN THE VCB'S CASE THEY HAVE AIMED FOR THE THE HIGHER END AND THEY'RE GOING TO EXPLAIN HOW IF WE DON'T SEE AN INCREASE IN REVENUE PROJECTIONS AND ALLOCATED EXPENDITURES FOR FISCALEE 21 HOW THEY'RE GOING TO GAUGE THAT DOWN.
IN TERMS OF THE CULTURAL COUNCIL, THEY HAVE CREATED THEIR PROMOTIONAL PLAN FOR THE CURRENTLY ALLOCATED BUDGET AND THEY'RE GOING TO EXPLAIN HOW IF WE DO SEE AN INCREASE IN REVENUES AND ALLOCATED EXPENSES FOR FISCAL YEAR 21 HOW THEY'RE GOING TO GEAR THAT UP. WITH THAT SAID, I HAVE A TABLE FOR CATEGORIES 1-4 THAT ARE UP HERE JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING GOING INTO FISCAL YEAR 21.
YOU CAN SEE AT THE MOMENT I HAVE CATEGORY ONE WHICH IS DESTINATION MARKETING. AND FOR FISCAL YEAR 21 THERE'S AN ANTICIPATED EXPENDITURE FROM THIS CATEGORY OF $3,941,709.
YOU CAN LOOK BACK THROUGH THE TABLE GOING TOWARDS THE RIGHT AND WHAT YOU WILL SEE IS-- I GUESS WE SHOULD START FROM THE LEFT. LET'S START FROM THE LEFT.
YOU CAN LOOK ACROSS THAT CONTRACTUAL SERVICES YOU WILL THAT FY19 ACTUAL EXPENSES WITH JUST OVER $5 MILLION.
THAT IN FISCAL YEAR 20 WE ADOPTED A BUDGET OF $5.2 MILLION FOR THE VCB'S BUDGET. THERE WAS ABOUT $12,000 FOR INTERNAL ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS FOR MANAGING THOSE EXPENDITURES.
AND THEN WE WERE HOLDING ON TO A RESERVE OF $348,000.
SO, GOING INTO FISCAL YEAR 20, WE HAD-- EVERYTHING WAS GOING REALLY GOOD THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STOPPED GOING REALLY GOOD BECAUSE OF CORONAVIRUS SO WHAT WE ENDED UP DOING WAS ROLLING THAT $5.2 MILLION BACK TO $3,159,000 TO ADJUST FOR THE
[00:10:08]
LOSS IN BED TAX COLLECTIONS DUE TO COVID-19 SO LOOKING FORWARD TO FISCAL YEAR 21 WE HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO ARE SPECULATING ON WHAT THAT IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE AND WHAT THE COUNTY IS MOVING FORWARD AT THIS POINT IS A PROJECTION FOR REVENUE WHICH EQUATES IN THE $3.9 MILLION ALLOCATION TO CATEGORY 1 TO MAXIMIZE THAT MONEY.THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET HAS DECIDED THEY WOULD NOT CHARGE THIS CATEGORY IN DIRECT ADMIN COSTS THIS YEAR SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THAT SECOND ROW THERE IS BLANK.
AND YOU WILL SEE THAT ACROSS OUR CATEGORIES.
THEN WE DIDN'T HOLD ON TO ANY RESERVES THIS YEAR.
EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING INTO THAT ACCOUNT OR THAT CASES IN THE FUND BALANCE IS GOING TO BE ALLOCATED TO THAT 3.29 MILLION.
CATEGORY 2, ARTS CULTURAL HERITAGE, THE SAME TREND HERE.
WE'VE GOT ACTUAL EXPENSES FOR CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
WHICH CONTRACTUAL SERVICES IS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THE ST. JOHNS CULTURAL COUNCIL RECEIVES.
IT WAS $1.1 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 19.
WE ADOPTED A BUDGET OF ALMOST 1.2 FOR FISCAL YEAR 20.
BUT WITH THE REDUCTION OF TAXES FROM CORONAVIRUS THE COUNTY HAS SCALED THAT BACK TO $722,000 AND THEN LOOKING FORWARD TO FISCAL YEAR 21 THAT PROJECTED REV KNEW IS GOING TO RESULT IN $804,000 ALLOCATIONS FOR THE CULTURAL COUNCIL NEXT YEAR.
AGAIN, IN DIRECT ADMIN COSTS HAS BEEN WAIVED FOR FISCAL YEAR 21 FROM THIS CATEGORY. WE SEE A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN GRANT ALLOCATION. WE WENT FROM AN ADAPTED OF $606,000 FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 DOWN TO $275,000 FOR FISCAL YEAR 21.
SPECIAL EVENTS, THAT HAS GONE TOWARDS THE SING OUT LOUD EVENT, THEY WILL BE RECEIVING $50,000. THE TRANSFER FOR FUNDS GOES TO SUPPORTING AMPHITHEATER. AND THAT IS 150,000.
WE'RE NOT MAINTAINING RESERVES GOING INTO FISCAL YEAR 21.
THAT RESULTS IN A TOTAL CATEGORY BUDGET OF $1,279,128.
CATEGORY 3, LEISURE AND RECREATION.
THERE'S A LOT MORE LINES IN THIS BUDGET.
BUT THE TREND IS OVERALL THE SAME.
YOU CAN SEE OUR ADOPTED BUDGET-- I'M GOING TO READ DOWN THE BLUE LINE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TABLE FOR THIS ONE.
WE SPEND ABOUT $1.9 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 19 FOR ACTUAL EXPENSES THAT THE ADOPTED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 WAS $2.1 MILLION. WE'VE ROLLED THAT BACK FOR FISCAL YEAR 20, AGAIN, AS A RESULT OF CORONAVIRUS TO $1.5 MILLION. AND THAT GOING FORWARD INTO FISCAL YEAR 21 WE'RE ONLY ANTICIPATED ABOUT $1.1 MILLION GOING INTO THAT CATEGORY. AND THEY'VE JUSTED FOR THAT THROUGH A VARIETY OF REDUCTIONS TO THE PROGRAMS ACROSS THAT CATEGORY. AND THEN MOST LINES OF ALL AND TINIEST ON THE SCREEN IS CATEGORY 4.
AGAIN I'M GOING TO LOOK AT THE BOTTOM BLUE ROW AT THE VERY BOTTOM BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE STUFF ABOVE IF YOU HAVE INTERESTS.
THE ACTUAL EXPENSES FOR '19 WERE ABOUT $2.4 MILLION.
THE ADOPTED FISCAL YEAR 20 BUDGET WAS $3.9 MILLION.
WE'VE ROLLED THAT BACK TO ABOUT $2.6 MILLION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BECAUSE OF THE IMPACTS OF CORONAVIRUS.
AND GOING INTO NEXT YEAR THIS CATEGORY IS ANTICIPATED TO RECEIVE ABOUT $1.8 MILLION. SO THAT IS MY SHEETS FOR THIS SECTION. LIKE I SAID, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR SPEAK IN MORE DETAIL ABOUT ANY OF THE
CATEGORIES. >> BOARD MEMBER: TARA, COULD YOU EXPLAIN TO US THE WAY THE FISCAL 21 REQUESTED NUMBERS WERE DEVELOPED? FOR EXAMPLE, WERE THE CULTURAL-- WAS THE CULTURAL COUNCIL, WAS THE VCB ASKED FOR THEIR INPUT? BECAUSE THESE ARE PRETTY DRACONIAN-- I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND WHY, BUT YOU ARE LOOKING AT 31 AND 43 PERCENT CUTS AND WE HAVE A MARKETING PLAN FOR THE VCB THAT IS $1.3 MILLION.
$1.371 MILLION IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET TO SUPPORT THE VCB PLAN. JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THESE DOLLARS AND THESE NUMBERS EVOLVED
>> TARA: SO THE WAY THAT THE NUMBER THAT THE VCB IS PLANNING
[00:15:05]
TOWARDS, THAT IS A NUMBER THAT'S SIMILAR TO FISCAL YEAR 19'S ACTUAL REVENUE COLLECTIONS. SO, WHEN I WAS TALKING WITH THE VBC AND THE CULTURAL COUNCIL STAFF AND LOOKING AT KIND OF THE DATA THAT RICHARD'S BEEN PROVIDING AND THE ANECDOTAL DATA FROM OUR INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS IT WAS THE-- IT'S BASED ON THE AMOUNT THAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE A POSSIBILITY, A REASONABLE POSSIBILITY FOR TAX COLLECTIONS FOR NEXT YEAR.THERE'S A LOT OF UNKNOWNS THAT ARE GOING INTO MOVING FORWARD INTO NEXT YEAR. THERE'S QUESTIONS IF THERE WILL BE A SECOND WAVE. WILL WE SEE STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS.
WILL WE SEE PEOPLE'S HESITANCY TO TRAVEL.
AND WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO NAVIGATE THROUGH AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF UNKNOWNS AND COMING UP WITH SOMETHING THAT SEEMED ROAM.
BUT CONSIDERING THE TOURISM ENGINE HERE IN ST. JOHNS WAS CHUGGING FULL TIME AHEAD PRETTY GOOD FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS.
AS OF THE END OF FEBRUARY WE'VE SEEN A FIVE TO SIX YEAR GROWTH FOR THIS YEAR'S BED TAX COLLECTION.
THE THOUGHT WAS WE WILL LIKELY TAKE SOME SORT OF A HIT FROM CORONAVIRUS INTO NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
IT SEEMS INEVITABLE THAT WE WILL.
AND AS FAR AS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS A REASONABLE REDUCTION. AND SO, AGAIN, LOOKING AT EVERYBODY'S INPUT, ONE OF THE REASONABLE ALTERNATIVES SEEM TO BE SOMETHING SIMILAR TO FISCAL YEAR 19 ACTUAL COLLECTIONS.
>> BOARD MEMBER: SO IF ADDITIONAL REVENUE COMES IN IS THERE ANY PROVISO TO RAISE THESE NUMBERS? OR ONCE THESE ARE APPROVED THAT'S IT?
>> AS IT'S PRESENTED, WHAT YOU SEE IN THIS CATEGORY 1, THERE'S THAT RESERVE OF LINE. IF THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE RESERVES, AS WE GO THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR, THE TDC CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AND THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS CAN TAKE ACTION TO ALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS TO A LINE IN THIS BUDGET.
IN THIS CASE, WHAT IS CURRENTLY PRESENTED TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DOESN'T HAVE RESERVES.
SO THE CEILING FOR EXPENDITURES WOULD BE $3.9 MILLION FOR NEXT
YEAR. >> BOARD MEMBER: I'M JUST SCRATCHING MY HEAD BECAUSE IN THE LAST MEETING WE INCLUDED A $2 MILLION LOAN TO MARKET OUR COMMUNITY.
THEN I SEE THESE PROJECTED CUTS WHICH SEEM TO BE COUNTER INTUITIVE TO WHAT WE DID AT THE LAST MEETING.
I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY. >> WELL THE WHY I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN ANSWER THE WHY. BUT THE $2 MILLION WAS FOR FISCAL YEAR 20. AND THE THOUGHT WAS IF YOU LOOK AT THE PROJECTED-- FY PROJECTED VERSUS ADOPTIVE, THEY TOOK A $2 MILLION REDUCTION. SO THE $2 MILLION LOAN WOULD MAKE THEM WHOLE AND ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE OPERATING AND MARKETING IN A TIME WHEN IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
AND SO THEN I GUESS GOING INTO FISCAL YEAR 21 IT REALLY TIES INTO THE PROJECTED REVENUE. SO WHAT YOU ARE SEEING HERE IS THE EXPENSES FOR PROJECTED REVENUE.
I'VE TALKED TO A NUMBER OF GUYS INDIVIDUALLY ON THE PHONE AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAD SUGGESTED OR A POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE OR MAYBE A CONTINGENCY PLAN, IF YOU WILL, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED IS TO PUT SOME AMOUNT OF MONEY AND, I MEAN, HONESTLY AT SOME POINT IT'S ARBITRARY AMOUNT BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TAX COLLECTION IS GOING TO BE, BUT PUT SOME AMOUNT OF MONEY IN RESERVES AND THEN WE COULD ALL HAVE A COLLECTIVE UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT RESERVE OFS IS THERE. IT'S NOT MONEY THAT'S COLLECTED.
WE DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO BE COLLECTED.
BUT AT LEAST IT PUSHES UP THE POTENTIAL CEILING FOR NEXT YEAR'S EXPENDITURES. AND IN ORDER TO SPEND THAT MONEY IT WOULD TAKE TWO THINGS. ONE, A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE TDC, THEN IT WOULD TAKE APPROVAL ACTION BY THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS. SO THAT'S KIND OF-- FROM TALKING TO A FEW OF YOU ON THIS BOARD AS WELL AS A FEW OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS IN THE INDUSTRY, THAT WAS MY I GUESS MIDDLE OF THE PLAN FOR KIND OF CONSERVATIVE ALTERNATIVE APPROACH TO BUILDING IN A LITTLE EXTRA FLEXIBILITY FOR THIS.
>> BOARD MEMBER: WHERE WOULD THE RESERVE OF COME FROM?
>> WE SPEND MONEY AS WE GO. NEXT YEAR THIS $3.9 MILLION THAT'S THERE, THERE'S ONLY A FEW THOUSAND THAT'S ACTUALLY REAL DOLLARS IN AN ACCOUNT. IT'S ALL BED TAX COLLECTIONS FOR NEXT YEAR. SO, YOU ARE HEDGING YOUR BETS ESSENTIALLY BUT PUTTING IN A DO NOT TOUCH WITHOUT FURTHER
[00:20:03]
APPROVAL FUND. SO IT GIVES YOU THE OPTION TO RAISE YOUR CEILING OF EXPENDITURES IF THINGS GO WELL.SO, KIND OF THE SCENARIO WOULD BE IF NEXT, LET'S SAY, FEBRUARY WE HAD A REALLY GOOD NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, STR IS LOOKING VERY POSITIVE, THE BED TAX COLLECTIONS WE HAVE RECEIVED-- BECAUSE WE'RE ALWAYS TWO MONTHS BEHIND IN BED TAX COLLECTION REPORTING BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE SYSTEM IS SET UP-- THEN THE COLLECTIVE WE, THE COUNTY, THE STAKEHOLDERS, TDC, AT LEAST YOU WOULD HAVE AN OPTION TO CONSIDER SOME ALTERNATIVE.
IF IT DOESN'T PAN OUT AND COME FEBRUARY IT'S JUST HORRIBLE, IT'S A BLOOD BATH, THERE IS NO MONEY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET TO THE $3.9 MILLION PROJECTED HERE, THAT MONEY WOULD SIT INTO RESERVES AND WHEN WE WENT INTO FISCAL YEAR 22 BUDGET WE'D JUST WIPE IT OFF THE BOOKS BECAUSE IT WAS NEVER REALLY THERE.
>> BOARD MEMBER: AND THE MECHANICS, IF I REMEMBER GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING, LET'S SAY THAT 2021 WE BUDGET AT WHATEVER THE NUMBER IS, 3.9, AND WE DO A MILLION DOLLARS BETTER, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO SPEND THAT MONEY UNTIL 2022; IS THAT CORRECT? OR IS IT 2023? BECAUSE IT CAN'T BE ALLOCATED AS AVAILABLE UNTIL AFTER THE AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
WOULD HAPPEN IN APRIL. >> SO THAT IS TRUE OF ANY MONEY THAT'S NOT SPENT IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
SO IF I DON'T SPEND MONEY THIS FISCAL YEAR OUT OF CATEGORY 1 IT DOESN'T BECOME AVAILABLE UNTIL-- IT SKIPS A YEAR.
IT IS A SKIP-YEAR FUND. >> BOARD MEMBER: SO IF WE HAD BUDGETED TOTAL $9 MILLION FOR THE WHOLE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, REVENUES AND WE ENDED UP DOING $11 MILLION, WE'RE ONLY ALLOWED TO SPEND THE $9 MILLION UNLESS IT'S BUDGETED AND WE CAN'T SPEND THAT ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR TWO YEARS?
>> SO FARCE THAT SCENARIO, THE ADDITIONAL, THE GROWTH ABOVE WHAT WAS ANTICIPATED, THE COUNTY ONLY PROJECTS OR ESTIMATES OR GUESSES ON SEPTEMBER'S REVENUE. SO IF YOU GROSSLY UNDER PROJECT REVENUE AND WE GET TO AUGUST, WHICH IS WHEN WE'RE A KIND OF MAKING EVERYTHING RIGHT THERE AT THE END, THE ONLY MONTH THAT'S LEFT TO BE REALLY OFF IS THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER.
AND AT THAT POINT FINANCE ADJUSTS.
SO, FOR INCREASED GROWTH OR REBOUND, YOU CAN PICK THAT UP THE FOLLOWING YEAR. UNSPENT FUNDS IN THE CATEGORY
ARE-- THEY SKIP FORWARD A YEAR. >> BOARD MEMBER: SO IF WE WERE SITTING HERE AT THE END OF MARCH AND MARCH TURNED OUT TO BE LIKE MARCH IS SUPPOSED TO BE EVERY YEAR EXCEPT THIS YEAR AND IT IS A RECORD MONTH FOR THE COUNTY AND IT'S GREAT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE LOOK, OH WE THOUGHT WE WERE PACING, WE BUDGETED TO DO $9 MILLION BUT IT'S OBVIOUS THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR WE'RE AT $11 MILLION, WOULD WE BE ABLE TO SPEND ANY OF THAT MONEY ON MARKETING OR WOULD WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE FOLLOWING
YEAR? >> YOU WOULD HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL
FISCAL YEAR 20-- >> BOARD MEMBER: I THINK THAT IS THE CRUX OF THE PROBLEM THAT WE NEED ADDRESS.
IS THERE A WAY THAT IF WE FIND OUT SIX MONTHS FROM NOW THAT WE'RE DOING SUPER BETTER, MUCH BETTER, CAN WE SPEND THE MONEY TO IMPACT NEXT SUMMER. IF NOT WHAT I SUSPECT WILL HAPPEN IF WE APPROVE THE BUDGET ON HOW IT IS RIGHT NOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE DÉJÀ VU ALL OVER AGAIN WITH WHERE WE WENT TO THE COMMISSIONERS AND ASKED FOR AN EMERGENCY $2 MILLION.
BECAUSE RICHARD'S BUDGET AND CHRISTINA'S BUDGET ARE GOING TO BE ABOUT $2 MILLION SHORT AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM FOR THE SUMMER THAT WE HAD THIS YEAR.
SO, IS THERE A WAY WE CAN WORK WITHIN THE RULES TO GIVE US THE FLEXIBILITY IF WE SEE IT IS GOING WELL THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF THING WHERE WE GO TO THE COMMISSION
FOR ANOTHER LOAN? >> YES THAT'S THE RESERVE OF OPTION. YOU PLUG SOME DOLLAR VALUE IN TO THAT RESERVE OF LINE. SO, IF YOU LOOK AT THIS FISCAL YEAR, RIGHT, AND WE'RE GOING TO PRETEND-- IF YOU LOOK AT FISCAL YEAR 20 ADAPTED AND WE TAKE CORONAVIRUS OUT OF THE WORLD, RIGHT, WE WENT IN TO FISCAL YEAR FOR CATEGORY 1 WITH A VCB BUDGET OF $5.2 MILLION. THE COUNTY TOOK ABOUT $12,000 FOR PROCESSING INVOICES AND THINGS FOR THE VCB.
THEN WE WERE HOLDING A RESERVE OF IN THAT CATEGORY FOR
[00:25:02]
$348,695. SO IF CORONAVIRUS NEVER HAPPENED AND WE WERE STANDING HERE TODAY AND YOU SAID HEY TOURISM IS GETTING MORE COMPETITIVE WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE A PUSH FOR THE SUMMER, THE VCB HAS A GREAT IDEA, WE'D LIKE TO GIVE THEM ADDITIONAL MONEY, I WOULD SAY YOU HAVE $348,695 IN RESERVES YOU CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS TO LET THE VCB SPEND THAT THIS YEAR THEN YOU WOULD SAY YEA OR NAY AND WE'D TAKE IT TO THE VCB. IF THEY SAY YEA VCB COULD SPEND THAT IN THE WAY THEY PRESENTED TO US.THAT MEANS YOU ALL VOTE YES. THIS THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SAID NO THEN YOU WOULD BE LOCKD IN TO YOUR $5.2 MILLION BUDGET FOR THE VCB FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
>> BOARD MEMBER: AND WHAT HAPPENS IF IT'S THE OTHER WAY? IF WE THINK IT'S-- WE DO A BUDGET AND WE HAVE THE RESERVE OF, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET IS 3.1 AND WE PUT IN $2 MILLION IN RESERVE OF ADD ONLY DO 2.5. WHAT HAPPENS THEN.
>> I WOULD IMAGINE YOU WOULD SEE SOMETHING WE DID THIS YEAR.
WE HAD AN OH-NO MOMENT WHEN WE WERE SHUTTING DOWN EVERYTHING AND WE KNEW PEOPLE WEREN'T GOING TO BE COMING HERE AND SPENDING MONEY SO WE ROLLED DOWN OUR EXPENSES BY $2 MILLION FOR THIS CATEGORY. SO, YOU CAN ROLL IT DOWN.
SO, THE $3.9 MILLION IS YOUR HARD CEILING.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A RESERVE OF, IT IS YOUR HARD CEILING.
IF YOU DO HAVE A RESERVE OF IT IS YOUR SOFT CEILING YOU CAN PUSH UP A LITTLE BIT BY THE AMOUNT OF THE RESERVES.
>> BOARD MEMBER: IF I CAN ASK A QUESTION BASED ON IRVING'S QUESTION. IF IT IS A GOOD YEAR WE DON'T HAVE $2 MILLION EXTRA TO SPEND, WE HAVE TO SPEND THAT LATER.
BUT WHAT IF THE 3,400-- ABOUT $348,000 IS NOT ENOUGH, WE CAN GO FOR ANOTHER LOAN THAT WE KNOW CAN BE PAID BACK BASED ON WHAT THE BED TAX IS GOING TO SHOW, CORRECT?
>> SO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OVERSEES A GENERAL FUND RESERVE OF. AND CERTAINLY IT COULD BE THE PLEASURE OF THIS BOARD TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THEM TO EITHER MAKE A LOAN OR A GIFT OUT OF THAT CATEGORY OR OUT OF THAT FUND. THE RESERVES.
THE GENERAL FUND RESERVES. >> CHAIRMAN: OTHER QUESTIONS FOR
COMMENTS? >> BOARD MEMBER: HAS THE VCB
SO, KIND OF IN THIS BIG PICTURE HERE, SO WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY, THE REAL GOAL OF TODAY'S MEETING IS TO GIVE YOU ALL, THIS BOARD, INSIGHTS INTO THE PROMOTIONAL PLANS FOR THE VCB AND CULTURAL COUNCIL. THE THOUGHT IS THAT THIS GIVES YOU GUYS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THEM SOME INPUT AND THEY'RE GOING TO-- IF YOU HAVE SIGNIFICANT INPUT TODAY OR A LITTLE INPUT OR WHATEVER YOU MIGHT HAVE, IT GIVES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK AND MODIFY THEIR PROMOTION PLAN AND PRESENT TO YOU IN JULY KIND OF THEIR FINAL PLAN THAT YOU CAN
APPROVE. >> BOARD MEMBER: CAN WE BACK--
GIVE ME A SECOND. SO, KIND OF THE SAME THOUGHT APPLIES HERE. WAS THAT THIS KIND OF SET THE STAGE OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING WITH PROMOTION PLANS IN THAT YOU HAVE SOME TIME TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE BUDGET.
IT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WE PUT BACK ON THE JULY AGENDA AS WELL.
SO, CERTAINLY YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION.
IF YOU GUYS THINK YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING BUT YOU NEED SOME TIME TO THINK IT OVER AND FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU WANT THAT TO BE, THAT'S OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO MEET BACK IN JULY AND THE BUDGET WILL BE ON THE JULY AGENDA. BECAUSE IN JULY I'M GOING TO LOOK FOR A RECOMMENDATION FROM YOU ALL TO APPROVE, REJECT OR SUBMIT SOME SORT OF ALTERNATIVE TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. SO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING TODAY. YOU CAN-- IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, NOT A ONE-SHOT DEAL. IT WILL BE ON YOUR JULY AGENDA.
>> BOARD MEMBER: AND THE NUMBER FROM THE BUDGET WORKSHOP FROM A FEW WEEKS AGO, IS IT THE 3.164 OR THE 3.9 OR IS IT SOMETHING
IT IS THE FISCAL YEAR 21 REQUESTED IS WHAT WAS IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIAL WORKSHOPS.
>> BOARD MEMBER: SO THAT'S WHAT THE FINANCE SIDE OF THE COUNTY IS THINKING IS THE APPROPRIATE NUMBER AT THE MOMENT?
>> THAT IS-- YES, THAT'S REFLECTIVE OF THE BUDGET THAT CAME OUT OF THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET.
>> BOARD MEMBER: OKAY. >> CHAIRMAN: TARA, SHOULD WE-- I THINK THAT RICHARD GOLD AND CHRISTINA ARE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS BUDGET ITEM. SHOULD WE GO TO THEM OR DO WE
[00:30:02]
NEED TO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT. >> YOU ONLY NEEDED TO TAKE PUBLIC-- YOU ONLY HAVE TO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT IF YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE ACTION AND VOTE ON SOMETHING.
YOU ARE CERTAINLY ALLOWED TO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT IF YOU SO CHOOSE BUT YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED UNLESS YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE
ACTION. >> CHAIRMAN: OKAY THE ONLY PUBLIC THAT'S HERE OTHER THAN THOSE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IS ROD MORRIS. ROD, DO YOU HAVE A PUBLIC
>> CHAIRMAN: OKAY. SHALL WE GO ON?
>> YES. >> YOU MIGHT WANT TO MAKE SURE
THERE'S NO ONE ON THE LINE. >> CHAIRMAN: THAT'S A GOOD POINT. THANK YOU, REGINA.
LET'S GIVE IT A MINUTE. IF THERE'S ANYBODY ON THE LINE THAT HAS QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR WANTS TO STATE ANYTHING, PLEASE DO SO NOW. OKAY A MINUTE HAS EXPIRED SO
[Item 8]
WE'LL ASK CHRISTINA STONE TO MAKE HER COMMENTS.CHRISTINA, I HOPE YOU CAN GIVE US SOME INSIGHTS ON YOUR BUDGET PLAN AS WELL AS JUST THE PROMOTION PLAN SO WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING-- WHAT DIRECTION WE'RE GOING IN.
>> YES THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO START BY TALKING ABOUT THE BUCKET BEFORE WE -- BUDGET BEFORE WE GET INTO THE PROMOTION PLAN. BECAUSE THE PLAN YOU RECEIVED LAST WEEK IS BASED ON THAT RECOMMENDED BUDGET NOT BASED ON WHAT THE CULTURAL COUNCIL IS RECOMMENDING.
I DO WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE DID NOT PROVIDE INPUT AND THAT AMOUNT WAS NOT A REQUEST BY THE CULTURAL COUNCIL.
I WAS GIVEN NUMBERS AND SO I CREATED A PLAN THAT COULD BE SUPPORTED WITH THE FUNDS THAT I WAS TOLD WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO US. I THINK THAT THE BUDGET THAT'S BEING PROPOSED IS QUITE PROBLEMATIC FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. I'LL START WITH THE GRANT PROGRAM. THE GRANT GUIDELINES THAT WE APPROVED REQUIRE THAT WE SPEND MORE THAN $400,000 ON ANNUAL AND SPECIAL EVENTS GRANTS. WE HAVE A BUDGET THAT'S PROPOSING LESS THAN $300,000 TOTAL FOR OUR GRANT.
THAT WOULD MEAN THERE WOULD BE NO MONEY AVAILABLE FOR PRODUCT-- RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS OR FOR VISITOR EXPERIENCE GRANTS.
SO A LOT OF THE GREAT FREE EVENTS THAT WE HAVE THAT BRING A LOT OF PEOPLE TO THE COUNTY WOULD HAVE NO FUNDING AVAILABLE AND WE COULD NOT MAKE ANY IMPROVEMENTS TO ANY OF OUR PERMANENT MUSEUMS, VENUES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW WE GET AROUND THE REQUIREMENT AND THE GUIDELINES THAT AT LEAST $425,000 OF GRANT FUNDS WILL BE SPENT IN THAT ONE CATEGORY. SO THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT WE'LL HAVE TO ADDRESS. OBVIOUSLY, IF WE HAVE LESS THAN HALF AS MUCH MONEY TO FUND PROGRAMS AND EVENTS NEXT YEAR, THAT'S GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON VISITORS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO TRAVEL HERE SPECIFICALLY TO ATTEND THOSE SPECIAL EVENTS. SO I WOULD ARGUE THAT WE'RE MISSING OUT ON AN OPPORTUNITY, I THINK FROM EVERYONE, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THIS MORE WITH THE PLAN.
BUT THE RESEARCH THAT WE'VE SEEN SUGGESTS THAT PLACES LIKE ST. JOHNS COUNTY POTENTIALLY ARE GOING TO BE A BIGGER DRAW FOR TOURISTS THAN A LOT OF OTHER PLACES.
THEY WANT TO COME SOMEWHERE THAT'S LESS DENSELY POPULATED.
THEY WANT TO COME SOMEWHERE THAT DID NOT HAVE AS MUCH IMPACT FROM CORONAVIRUS AS OTHER PLACES. IF WE DON'T DO THE NORMAL MARKETING THAT WE DO HOW ARE THEY GOING TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER. SO I WOULD-- I KNOW I'M PROBABLY PREACHING ON THE CHOIR HERE BUT I WANTED TO MAKE THAT POINT.
>> BOARD MEMBER: WHAT WAS THE BUDGET NUMBER THAT YOU HAD?
>> THE NUMBER I WOULD HAVE PREFERD? WELL I WAS NOT ASKED TO PROVIDE A NUMBER BUT WE COULD CERTAINLY OPERATE WELL ON THE $600,000 IN GRANTS AND THE $1.2 MILLION THAT WE RECEIVED LAST YEAR FOR CULTURAL COUNCIL FUNDING.
AND I OF COURSE WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE MONEY AVAILABLE FOR GRANTS ESPECIALLY THIS THE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AREA BUT I THINK THAT LAST YEAR'S BUDGET IS MUCH MORE REALISTIC THAN THE BUDGET WE'RE PRESENTED WITH THIS YEAR.
THE $804,000 NUMBER FOR THE CULTURAL COUNCIL, I, AGAIN, CREATED A PLAN THAT WAS BASED ON THAT NUMBER.
I'M VERY FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE AND, YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO KNOW
[00:35:02]
WHAT WE'D BE FACING IF WE DID RECEIVE THE RECOMMENDED AMOUNT.THAT BUDGET WILL ONLY WORK FOR US IF THE CAP ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES THAT WAS LIFTED WHEN OUR CONTRACT WAS AMENDED THIS YEAR IS ALSO LIFTED FOR NEXT YEAR.
WE HAVE ONLY TWO EMPLOYEES AT THE CULTURAL COUNCIL.
WE CANNOT OPERATE WITH LESS THAN TWO EMPLOYEES AND WE CAN'T PAY THOSE TWO EMPLOYEES IF WE HAVE THE CAP IN PLACE BECAUSE THE CAP GOVERNS OUR SALARIES, OUR BENEFITS, ALL OF OUR REGULAR OFFICE EXPENSES, THE RENT FOR OUR BUILDING AND IT WON'T BE SUFFICIENT. IN ADDITION TO DOING THE WORK THAT WE DO AS A CULTURAL COUNCIL WITH THE WORKSHOPS, THE LOCAL ARTS AGENCY FUNCTIONS, HOLDING THE GRANT WORKSHOPS, THINGS LIKE THAT, WE'RE ADMINISTERING THAT IT WAS $600,000 LAST YEAR.
WE HAVE TO REVIEW ALL THE REPORTS, WORK WITH ALL THOSE GRANTEES, WE REALLY NEED AN ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEE TO HELP WITH THAT FUNCTION. THAT WAS A FUNCTION THAT WAS ADDED LAST YEAR AND WE DON'T RECEIVE A PERCENTAGE OF THAT MONEY TO HELP US COVER OUR ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.
SO, AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO STRESS, WE'RE ALREADY WORKING WITH TRULY A SKELETON CREW, TWO PEOPLE.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO MANAGE EVERYTHING WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR. WE CAN DO IT BUT THAT DOES REQUIRE, IF WE HAVE AN $804,000 BUDGET, THAT WE DO NOT HAVE A LESS THAN 30 PERCENT CAP ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.
SO, JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S CLEAR.
THE PLAN THAT WE CREATED, AS I SAID, WAS BASED ON THE NUMBER THAT I WAS GIVEN. AND ONE MORE COMMENT ON THAT BEFORE I GET INTO THE NUTS AND BOLTS.
FIRST I'LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO ASK QUESTIONS.
WE WILL BE CUTTING OUR ADVERTISING AGENCY BUDGET BY MORE THAN 50 PERCENT IF WE HAVE TO MOVE TO THE $804,000 BUDGET.
AND, AGAIN, WE'RE MISSING OUT ON A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES IF WE REDUCE OUR ADVERTISING SPEND BY THAT MUCH.
>> BOARD MEMBER: IF YOU COULD WALK US THROUGH PAGE 47.
I WAS LOOKING AT RICHARD'S PAGE 91 AND YOUR PAGE 47 AND, YOU KNOW, JUST HELPING US UNDERSTAND WHAT WOULD-- IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU HAVE MENTIONED, I THOUGHT THE PLAN THAT YOU HAD PUT TOGETHER IS EXTRAORDINARY. IT ADDRESSES PRODUCT AND ALSO ADVERTISING BUT ALSO STRENGTHENING PRODUCT.
AND EVERYTHING THAT THIS COMMISSION HAS SAID TO YOU, AT LEAST AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN ON, YOU HAVE ANSWERND AN ADDRESSED IN THIS PLAN. FROM THE WORKING WITH RICHARD TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO OVERLAP BETWEEN THE VCB AND THE SJCC MARKETING, AN EXPANSION OF INCLUDING ARCHITECTURE AS WELL AS HERITAGE AND ART AND CULTURAL, THE BROADEST DEFINITIONS, IT'S JUST SOLID AND REALLY WELL DONE.
I'VE READ IT TWICE. AND I DON'T SEE ANYTHING MISSING. SO, TO HAVE TO PROPOSE THAT KIND OF A CUT AT A POINT AND TIME WHEN THE CULTURAL COUNCIL REALLY SEEMS TO BE EVEN ON HIGHER GROUND, IT JUST WAS REALLY
TROUBLESOME TO ME. >> AND LET ME SAY THAT I BELIEVE WE CAN ACCOMPLISH EVERYTHING IN THE PLAN WITH THE $804,000 BUDGET AND THE $300,000 IN GRANTS BUT IT WILL CERTAINLY NOT REACH AS MANY PEOPLE AS IT OTHERWISE WOULD AND IT WON'T PROVIDE AS MUCH SUPPORT TO OUR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS.
AND THE IMPACT OF THAT IS A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE ECONOMY AS A WHOLE. IF WE'RE INVESTING LESS MONEY IN THOSE LOCAL ART ORGANIZATIONS THEY'RE HIRING FEWER PEOPLE IN THE BUSINESS, IT'S HURTING LOCAL BUSINESSES.
SO IT GOES BEYOND HOW MANY TOURISTS WE CAN ATTRACT.
BUT I BELIEVE THE NUMBERS THAT YOU SEE IN THE PLAN ARE DRASTICALLY REDUCED. THE THINGS WE'D LIKE TO SPEND MONEY ON-- DEVELOPING THAT QUALITY, INVESTING IN -- YOU KNOW RESPONDING TO THE MUSIC STUDY THAT YOU FUNDED LAST YEAR AND INVESTING IN MORE OF THOSE TYPES OF SPECIAL EVENTS TO REALLY ELEVATE OUR REPUTATION AS A DESTINATION FOR TRAVELERS WHO LIKE MUSIC, I THINK I PUT $25,000 IN THE BUDGET TO SUPPORT THOSE KIND OF PROGRAMS. YOU KNOW HOW FAR THAT GOES.
IF WE HAD $125,000 WE COULD DO SO MUCH MORE.
SO I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN, AS I SAID, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE ON A VERY SMALL SCALE WITH OUR BUDGET.
BUT YES IF WE GO QUICKLY THROUGH THE NUMBERS ON PAGE 47.
THEY MAKE A LOT MORE SENSE IF LIKE MS. MATARAZA YOU'VE READ THE PLAN. THE TOP TWO NUMBERS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND FEES CONSULTANTS IS A COMBINATION OF SALARIES FOR OUR STAFF, ADD AGENCY, SOME OF THEIR FEES.
AND ONE WAY WE ARE STRETCHING OUR DOLLARS, AND THAT'S THROUGHOUT THIS PLAN I HAVE THROWN IN A LOT OF IDEAS TO TAKE
[00:40:03]
THE MONEY WE HAVE AND MAKE IT GO FURTHER.SO, ALTHOUGH WE WOULD BE REDUCING OUR AD AGENCY SPEND DRAMATICALLY, WE'D BE HIRING LOCAL PROVIDERS TO DO SOME OF THE WORK THAT THEY WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO DO WITH THE REDUCED BUDGET. AND WE CAN DO THAT AT A MUCH LOWER COST. AND WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE HERE WHO I ACTUALLY ALREADY HAVE DOING SOME WORK FOR ME NOW BECAUSE OF THE BUDGET CUTS THAT WE FACED THIS YEAR AND THEY'RE CREATING SOME GREAT PRODUCT AT A LOWER COST.
SO, SOME OF THAT MONEY YOU SEE THERE FOR SERVICES AND FEES AND CONSULTANTS WOULD ACTUALLY BE GOING BACK INTO ST. JOHNS COUNTY PAYING SOME LOCAL WRITERS, WEB DEVELOPERS, FOLKS LIKE THAT TO ASSIST US. THE 2 6 4 AD AGENCY BUDGET.
A DRAMATIC REDUCTION. WE'LL BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT HOW WE SPEND THAT. THAT'S ONE THING I IMPLEMENTED BEFORE MARCH 1ST WAS TAKING A GOOD HARD LOOK AT THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT IN THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. SO WE HAD ALREADY ELIMINATED SOME CATEGORIES THEY HAD BEEN SPENDING MONEY IN BECAUSE WE WERE SEEING SUCH A HIGH COST PER ENGAGEMENT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK I CAN STRETCH THAT 264 TO THE POINT THAT IT'S NOT THE SAME IMPACT AS YOU TYPICALLY WOULD HAVE FOR SUCH A LARGE REDUCTION BUT IT'S GOING TO MAKE THINGS CHALLENGING. CALENDAR OF EVENTS PRINTING, THAT'S SOMETHING WE DO WITH THE VCB AND THAT LINE ITEM IS DOWN.
WE WON'T BE ABLE TO PRINT AS MANY CALENDARS.
OUR AGENCY RETAINER LAST YEAR WAS $10,000 A MONTH.
THAT'S BEEN CUT PRETTY DRAMATICALLY THIS YEAR.
AND THEY ALREADY-- WE RENEGOTIATED THEIR RETAINER AFTER THE BUDGET CUTS THIS YEAR SO THEY'RE ONLY GETTING $5,000 A MONTH NOW AND WE ARE RECEIVING A LOT MORE BENEFIT THAN WE WERE, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THE DOLLAR AMOUNT BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE AT THAT LEVEL.
THE CULTURAL ENCOUNTERS. I THINK THIS WAS CALLED REENACTMENTS LAST YEAR AND IT WAS LIMITED MOSTLY TO HISTORIC FLORIDA MILITIA. WE'RE EXPANDING THAT SO IT CAN BE FUNDING FOR OTHER THINGS. IT COULD BE FORT MOW DAY FREE TOURS. WE HAVE TO SPEND THIS $12,000 ON GRANT SOFTWARE BECAUSE WE HAVE AN ONLINE APPLICATION SYSTEM.
THAT SYSTEM ACTUALLY-- THE APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN RIGHT NOW AND PEOPLE ARE APPLYING FOR GRANTS AND, UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE SEEING LOTS OF FOLKS APPLYING BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE MONEY TO FUND VERY MANY OF THOSE GRANTS.
FISCAL SPONSORSHIPS IS A CATEGORY.
THAT'S FUNDING THAT WE USE TO MATCH DOLLARS THAT LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVE FROM OTHER SOURCES LIKE VISIT FLORIDA.
SO, BASICALLY IT MATCHES OTHER OUTSIDE DOLLARS THAT ARE SPENT ON ADVERTISING. SO IF A LOCAL ORGANIZATION RECEIVED A $5,000 VISIT FLORIDA GRANT THAT REQUIRED A MATCH WE COULD HELP PROVIDE THAT MATCH SO THAT IS A WAY TO INCREASE ADVERTISING. WE'VE CUT OUR FILM OFFICE SUPPORT FROM $10,000 TO $6,000. THE CAPACITY BUILDING STIPE ENDS, THAT'S A CATEGORY THAT ALLOWS US TO SEND THE MANAGEMENT OF LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO RECEIVE TRAINING AND PRIMARILY IN THE AREA OF MARKETING. THE A1A AND OTHER TOURS PROMOTION. WE SPECIFICALLY MENTION A1A BECAUSE THE TRAIL AND THE GROUP THAT IN THE PAST HAS CREATED MAPS IS GETTING A LOT OF RECOGNITION NATIONALLY AND THEY NEED OUR SUPPORT NOW TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE WHAT A1A THE HERITAGE TRAIL HAS TO OFFER. THE ART OP ALIS WEBSITE OFFICE, THAT'S A COST WE CANNOT REDUCE. IN THE PAST WE'VE HAD SOMETHING LIKE 30 OR $40,000 IN OUR BUDGET FOR CONFERENCES, MEETINGS, TRAVEL AND MILEAGE. I'VE CUT THAT DOWN TO A TOTAL OF $15,000. THE U.S. CULTURAL AND HERITAGE MARKETING COUNCIL. THAT IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT WE'RE A MEMBER MUCH AND AFT SPENDING A LOT OF TIME INVOLVED WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE GROUP AND RECEIVING SUPPORT FROM THEIR ADMINISTRATION I FELT IT WAS WORTH CONTINUING THAT MEMBERSHIP. WE GAIN A LOT.
THEY PROVIDE US WITH A LOT OF TIME CONSULTING TO LOOK AT HOW SUCCESSFUL OUR CURRENT MARKETING EFFORTS ARE, HELPING US EVALUATE OUR MARKETING AGENCY. THE SPECIAL EVENT OPPORTUNITIES, THAT'S PRIMARILY GOING TO BE FOR US TO HELP SUPPORT EVENTS, FREE EVENTS LIKE THE ST. AUGUSTINE MUSIC FESTIVAL, ACTIVITIES AT PORT MOSE, OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME UP WHERE WE CAN PROVIDE MARKETING AND OTHER SUPPORT, THINGS THAT ALIGN WITH THE TDC'S GOALS. THEN THE ADMINISTRATIVE
[00:45:04]
EXPENSES, THAT'S BASICALLY TO COVER OUR RENT AND OTHER OVERHEAD IN OUR OFFICE. SO THAT'S SORT OF A RUNDOWN OF OUR BUDGET. IT IS A VERY BARE BONES BUDGET.BUT, AGAIN, I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT OUR PLAN WITH THAT BUDGET IF WE HAVE TO BUT OUR REACH IS GOING TO BE LIMITED.
>> CHAIRMAN: QUESTIONS FOR CHRISTINA?
>> WE'RE APPROACHING THIS A LITTLE BACKWARDS.
I WANT TO RUN THROUGH SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PLAN WHICH HOPEFULLY YOU HAVE SEEN ALREADY. AND I'M NOT GOING TO GET DOWN INTO THE WOODS ON DETAILS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME AND I WANT TO LEAVE RICHARD PLENTY OF TIME TO COVER HIS PLAN. THERE ARE BASICALLY FOUR COMPONENTS OF THE PLAN. OUR CULTURAL TOURISM MARKETING PROGRAM. THAT'S WHERE OUR STAFF WORKS WITH OUR AD AGENCY AND THIS YEAR IT WILL BE WITH MANY OTHER LOCAL PROVIDERS WORKING AT A LOWER COST TO MARKET ST. JOHNS COUNTY AS A DESTINATION FOR CULTURAL TOURISTS.
IF YOU LOOK THROUGH THE PLAN THERE ARE A LOT OF CHANGES THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THE UNCERTAINTY AROUND CORONAVIRUS AND WHAT TRAVELERS ARE GOING TO BE DOING AND ESPECIALLY THE UNCERTAINLY ABOUT WHEN WE CAN START HAVING LARGE EVENTS AGAIN.
WE'RE FOCUSING MUCH MORE ON MARKETING THE DESTINATION AND NOT THE INDIVIDUAL EVENTS. THAN EVER TO SUPPORT THE ARDER - ORGANIZATIONS WHO RECEIVE GRANTS AND HELP THEM WISELY SPEND THE PORTION OF THOSE GRANTS THAT'S DESIGNED FOR ADVERTISING BUT WITH THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE TO SPEND WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON GETTING THE WORD OUT ABOUT ST. JOHNS COUNTY AND ALL THE GREAT ASSETS HERE ALL THE TIME. WHETHER WE'RE HAVING AN EVENT OR NOT. THE SECOND PART OF OUR PLAN RELATES TO THE GRANT PROGRAM WHICH AS WE'VE DISCUSSED RIGHT THE MONEY THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR. WE ALSO DISCUSS HERE THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE TO THE CULTURAL INDUSTRY AND THERE'S A FAIRLY LENGTHY SECTION ABOUT NEW PRODUCTS AND PROMOTION THAT WE'RE WORKING ON. AGAIN, IN EVERY AREA WE'RE FOCUSED ON THE FACT THAT WE HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES THIS YEAR AND HOW WE CAN STRETCH THOSE RESOURCES AS FAR AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. AND THE WHOLE PLAN IS DESIGNED TO BE VERY FLEXIBLE. WHAT'S VERY CONCERNING TO ME AND YOU ALL RECOGNIZED IT IMMEDIATELY, IF WE HAVE A BUDGET A THIS LOW NUMBER EVEN IF THINGS ARE MUCH BETTER THAN WE EXPECT WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO INCREASE OUR MARKETING EFFORTS. WE'RE GOING TO BE LOCKED INTO THAT LOWER DOLLAR AMOUNT AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE GRANT PROGRAM WHICH WE'RE APPLYING RIGHT NOW AND DECISIONS ABOUT FUNDING, YOU WILL BE APPROVEING THAT AT YOUR AUGUST MEETING.
SO IF WE ONLY ARE ABLE TO GIVE LESS THAN $300,000 IN GRANTS IN AUGUST, I MEAN, THAT'S IT. WE CAN'T GO-- UNLESS WE SOMEHOW MANAGE TO APPROVE NEW GUIDELINES FOR A NEW PROGRAM THAT STARTS IN THE SPRING. BUT IF IT'S NOT APPROVED, WE WILL NOT HAVE ANY SPECIAL EVENTS BEYOND THAT $300,000 WORTH THAT WILL BE APPROVED IN AUGUST. SO WE ARE VERY LIMITED BY THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE. THE MARKETING PROGRAM, THESE ARE THE MAIN ITEMS HAT WE'RE FOCUS ON.
AGAIN, INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON PROMOTING INDIVIDUAL EVENTS, WE'RE VERY FOCUSED ON RAISING AWARENESS OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY AS A DESTINATION AND REACHING INTO SOME NEW AREAS THAT INITIALLY WILL ALL BE DESTINATIONS WHERE PEOPLE CAN DRIVE IN LESS THAN SEVEN HOURS AND ALSO HITTING SOME AREAS THAT THE VCB IS NOT CURRENTLY FOCUSSED ON SO THAT WE SPREAD THE WORD.
WE OF COURSE WILL USE OUR ARTOPOLIS WEB PLATFORM.
WE HAVE A PRETTY ROBUST EMAIL NEWSLETTER CAMPAIGN WE SEND OUT EVERY WEEK THAT SUB-SCRATCHS ARE GROWING DRAMATICALLY ON THAT AND WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF INTERACTION.
SO WE KEEP THAT WEBSITE UPDATED WITH INFORMATION.
HISTORICALLY IT'S BEEN ALMOST 100 PERCENTEVENTS FOCUSED.
WE'RE ADDING SECTIONS TO TALK ABOUT THE HISTORIC SITES, PLACES, NEIGHBORHOODS, THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN SEE WHETHER OR NOT EVENTS ARE HAPPENING. WE ARE GOING TO BE SHIFTING OUR TARGETS BASED ON THE RESEARCH THAT WE REEF THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WE HAD ALREADY FUNDED, BEFORE OUR BUDGET CUTS THIS YEAR, A STRATEGY TO TEST IN SOME NEW MARKETS-- SPECIFICALLY, ASHEVILLE, GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, AN AREA NONE OF US HAVE MARKETED TO IN THE PAST; AND WE HAVE SURVEYS GOING OUT TO TEST THE AWARENESS NOW.
WE'RE GOING TO DO-- IT WILL BE A FAIRLY SMALL CAMPAIGN BECAUSE WE
[00:50:01]
DON'T HAVE A LOT OF FUNDING BUT THEN DO SURVEYS TO SEE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THAT CAMPAIGN AND THAT WILL INFORM THE MARKETING THAT WE DO ACREELS THE BOARD TO ALL THE MARKETS WE'RE TARGETING AFTER THAT. AND, AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TOMAXIMIZE LIMITED RESOURCES. >> CHAIRMAN: JUST A COMMENT HERE. YOU MENTIONED THAT THE NEWSLETTERS KIND OF CHANGING AND IMPROVING.
I KNOW THAT KATHY ODONNELLY HAS BEEN WORKING THAT.
AND I CLOSELY WATCH IT AND IT IS EXCELLENT.
AND IT IS APPRECIATED THAT YOU ARE MOVING AWAY FROM JUST EVENTS AND SHOWING OUR HISTORY. IT'S AN EXCELLENT PIECE.
I HOPE EVERYBODY GETS A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT.
>> THANK YOU. I THINK YOU ARE ALL SUBSCRIBED TO THE NEWSLETTERS. WE HAVE A LOCAL ARTS NEWSLETTER ON TUESDAY WHICH IS MORE FOCUSED ON OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS ARTISTS. AND THE WEDNESDAY NEWSLETTER IS THE ONE DANNY WAS REFERRING TO AND WE HAVE WORKED HARD TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY. IT'S BEEN A BIG TEAM EFFORT THIS YEAR TO INCLUDE A LOT OF CONTENT THAT DEVELOPS THAT INTEREST IN THE AREA AS A DESTINATION AGAIN REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT EVENTS ARE HAPPENING. SO, WITH THE GRANT PROGRAM, WITH THIS REDUCED FUNDING WE REALLY HAVE TO FOCUS ON QUALITY AND ECONOMIC IMPACT. SO IF WE'RE ONLY GOING TO HAVE $300,000 WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE FUNDING THIS YEAR ARE GOING TO BE THE VERY BEST USE OF THAT $300 AND THEY'RE ALL GOING TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ECONOMIC IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY. THE SERVICES TO THE CULTURAL INDUSTRY THAT WE PROVIDE. WE'RE REALLY GOING TO FOCUS ON CAPACITY BUILDING, MAKING SURE THAT THE ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE RECEIVING GRANTS SPEND THAT ADVERTISING MONEY IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY. BASED ON MY REVIEW OF REPORTS WE'VE GOTTEN SINCE I'VE STARTED THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT JUST NEEDING TO SPEND BUT THEY'RE SPENDING IT IN A WAY THAT PROMOTES BOTH THEIR EVENT AND THE ENTIRE DESTINATION IN THE BEST LIGHT POSSIBLE.
SO, I'M ALREADY WORKING ON DEVELOPING COOPERATIVE ADVERTISING PROGRAMS AND NEGOTIATING DISCOUNTS WHICH WILL BE AVAILABLE TO OUR GRANTEES AND TO ANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON MORE COLLABORATIONS SO THAT AS THEY'RE DEVELOPING THEIR MARKETING PLANS AND IMPLEMENTING THOSE, IF THERE ARE ANY WAYS THAT WE CAN THROUGH OUR MARKETING BUDGET SUPPORT THEM, HELP THEIR DOLLARS GO FURTHER, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
ON THE NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES SIDE.
THIS IS THE SECTION THAT I AM MOST EXCITED ABOUT.
BUT, AGAIN, WE HAVE VERY LIMITED RESOURCES.
BUT OVER TIME AS WE RECOVER-- AND I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL RECOVERY STRONGLY-- I THINK IF WE FOCUS ON SOME OF THESE AREAS IT'S GOING TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE IMPACT THE CULTURAL COUNCIL HAS. SO, ENHANCING OUR REPUTATION AS A MUSIC DESTINATION. YOU MADE AN INVESTMENT IN THAT LAST YEAR. WE HAVE A LOT OF VISITORS WHO COME HERE TO EXPERIENCE LIVE MUSIC.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS WE CAN DO ALL YEAR-ROUND IN ADDITION TO SING OUT LOUD TO ENHANCE THAT REPUTATION.
WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH LOCAL MUSICIANS.
THE CORONAVIRUS GAVE US AN OPPORTUNITY THROUGH THE ONLINE CONCERT SERIES THAT WE DID. AND EVENTS LIKE THE ST. AUGUSTINE MUSIC FESTIVAL, LINCOLNVILLE PORCH VEST.
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO HELP SUPPORT AND DEVELOP MORE MUSIC EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND PROMOTE THOSE.
OUR WEBSITE WE ARE ALSO MAKING CHANGES THERE TO SUPPORT THE MUSIC SCENE IN WAYS OTHER THAN JUST THROUGH THE BIG SPECIAL EVENTS. WE HAVE A HISTORY OF PROMOTING ST. JOHNS AS A DESTINATION FOR FOODIES.
I AM WORKING VERY HARD WITH A GROUP THAT DOES FOOD AND WINE EVENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IN FACT, I HAVE A MEETING WITH THEM TONIGHT, AND THEY HAVE A MEETING WITH THE CHAMBER AND OTHER FOLKS AND THEY'RE HOPING TO BRING AN EVENT HERE IN MAY OR JUNE OF NEXT YEAR. THEY ARE VERY SUCCESSFUL AND EXCITED ABOUT WORKING WITH OUR LOCAL CHEFS TO PROMOTE ST. JOHNS COUNTY AS A FOOD DESTINATION. WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT PROMOTING THINGS LIKE URBAN ASADO AND AGAIN OUR NEWSLETTERS WE'VE A STARTED ASKING A WEEKLY BLOG OR ARTICLE THAT FOCUSES ON CULINARY AS WELL AS EVENTS. HISTORY AND I THINK ST. JOHNS COUNTY PLAYED A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND WE HAVE AMAZING HIS HISTORIC SITES AND STORIES TO TELL THE WORLD.
WE ARE DOING THAT ALREADY BUT I THINK THAT WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO LET PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD KNOW ABOUT FORT MOSE AND THE WHOLE HISTORY OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN EXPERIENCE IN ST. JOHNS. AND I THINK THAT'S AN AREA WE SHOULD FOCUS ON AND THE CULTURAL COUNCIL WILL BE FOCUS ON OVER
[00:55:01]
THE NEXT YEAR. WE'RE ALSO WORKING TO COLLABORATE MORE WITH ORGANIZATIONS TO BRING CONFERENCES HERE. WE'RE ALREADY PLANNING SOMETHING WITH THE FLORIDA TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION THAT WOULD BE AN INSIDERS TOUR. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER GROUPS INCLUDING AN OPERA-RELATED GROUP AND AN INTERPRETATION GROUP THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH TO TRY TO BRING CONFERENCES HERE.SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO.
AGAIN, BEING THE OLDEST CITY WITH OUR NATURAL RESOURCES AND OUR CULTURAL RESOURCES, WE ARE A WONDERFUL DESTINATION AND SHOULD BE EASY TO PROMOTE TO THOSE TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONS AND BRING THEM TO THE COUNTY. AGAIN, IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, WE'RE GOING TO START FOCUSING MORE ON USING LOCAL EXPERTS AS MUCH AS WE CAN, HAVE SOME COST SAVINGS AND ALSO KEEP THAT MONEY IN ST. JOHNS AND SHIFT SOMETHING OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES FROM AND OUT OF COUNTY AD AGENCY TO LOCAL PROVIDERS WHO CAN PROVIDE A LOT OF THE SAME TYPES OF CONTENT AND SUPPORT AT A LOWER COST.
WE ARE WORKING ON NEW CONCEPTS FOR OUR NEW CAMPAIGN.
DEPENDING ON THE FUNDING LEVEL. AND I INCLUDED A COUPLE OF VISUALS. THESE ARE THINGS THAT SHEPARD AGENCY HAS BEEN DEVELOPING FOR US WHERE, AGAIN, WE'RE FOCUS MORE ON WHAT'S HERE IN STEPPING COUNTY ALL THE TIME, THE EXPERIENCE YOU CAN HAVE, AND NOT JUST THE SPECIAL EVENTS.
I KEEP SAYING NOT THE SPECIAL EVENTS BUT WE ABSOLUTELY ARE COMMITTED TO PROMOTING ANY SPECIAL EVENTS THAT WE FUND AND NOT JUST THE ONE WE FUND BUT ALL THE EVENTS GOING ON IN THE COUNTY. BUT IN LIGHT OF WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW AND THE UNCERTAINTY AROUND EVENTS WE NEED TO MAKE THIS SHIFT. SO, HERE'S JUST A FEW EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE MARKETING CONCEPTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
THE IDEA IS BEAUTIFUL IMAGES THAT ARE GOING TO CATCH THE IMAGINATION OF PEOPLE WHO MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE EVER HEARD OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY. WE ALSO HAVE MADE A SWITCH IN THE PAST. WE HAVEN'T BEEN AS FOCUSED AS WE SHOULD ON IDENTIFYING THE DESTINATION AND YOU WILL SEE EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING IS GOING TO SAY ST. AUGUSTINE, PONTE VEDRA, THE BEACHES, FLORIDA.
MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THESE BEAUTIFUL THINGS ARE. THESE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT IN THE PLAN FOR BUDGET. THIS SLIDE BREAKS DOWN HOW WE WOULD SPEND OUR VERY LIMITED MARKETING BUDGET.
AND YOU ALL KNOW THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO GO VERY FAR.
AND THIS IS THE BUDGET THAT WE JUST WENT OVER LINE BY LINE THAT INCLUDES THIS MARKETING DOLLARS AND THE OTHER ITEMS IN OUR
BUDGET. >> CHAIRMAN: ANY QUESTIONS OF CHRISTINA? IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE FOLKS PRESENT? SHOULD WE GIVE IT A MINUTE? PUBLIC COMMENT, THEN I WOULD GIVE IT A MINUTE.
>> CHAIRMAN: OKAY. I WILL CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE'LL GIVE IT A MINUTE. .
>> THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND ANY INPUT YOU HAVE OR SUGGESTIONS FOR HOW WE CAN REFINE OUR PLAN ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF BOTH THE CULTURAL COUNCIL AND THE VCB FOR ANY CHANGES THAT ARE POSSIBLE IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
THANK YOU. >> CHAIRMAN: I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU ON YOUR INTEREST IN FORT MOSE AND I THINK IN THE LINCOLNVILLE MUSEUM. I THINK WE ARE SEEING MARCHES ON THE STREETS AND PEOPLE TAKING RENEWED INTEREST IN JUSTICE AND COMMUNITY SPIRIT AND I THINK THAT THE CULTURAL ARTS ARE CERTAINLY PART OF THAT PROGRAM. I APPRECIATE YOU LOOKING AT THOSE MORE CAREFULLY THAN WE HAVE IN THE PAST.
>> THANK YOU. >> CHAIRMAN: OKAY.
I'M GOING TO SAY JUST A THREE MINUTE BREAK HERE THEN WE'LL
COME BACK TO YOU, >> CHAIRMAN: OKAY.
[Item 9]
RICHARD, TAKE IT AWAY. >> RICHARD: BUDGET ISSUE FIRST?
[01:00:04]
OKAY. SO WHAT WE DID WHEN WE DETERMINED OUR RECOMMENDATION FOR THE BUDGET BASED ON TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX COLLECTIONS, WE LOOKED AT WHAT THE DATA WAS IN THE MARKET PLACE IN MARCH. THE ADVANCED BOOKINGS, THE FALLOFF IN ADVANCED BOOKINGS, THE ECONOMIC PROJECTIONS BY THOSE LIKE OXFORD KIND OF METRICS.ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IMPRESSED US WAS THAT FOR THE MOST PART PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT, NO, PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT THE ECONOMY IS BASICALLY STRONG AND THAT WHEN THIS HAS PASSED-- MEANING WHEN THERE'S A VACCINE OR WHEN PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY'RE WILLING TO TRAVEL AGAIN-- WE WILL REBOUND.
AND BECAUSE OF WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TOLD US AND THE WORLD WHAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN TRAVELING TO AND FOR, WE HAVE THOSE IN A BETTER AGGREGATION THAN MOST OTHER DESTINATIONS.
SO, WE'RE PREPARED TO BE ABLE TO BOUNCE BACK OR REBOUND AT A GREATER RATE. SO THAT'S PART OF WHY WE HAVE THE CONFIDENCE TO PLAN ON AND RECOMMEND A TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX COLLECTION RATE ROUGHLY EQUAL TO WHAT WAS COLLECTED IN 2019. RECOGNIZE WE WILL ALSO HAVE ADDITIONAL HOTEL ROOMS THAT WE DID NOT HAVE THEN.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WENT IN TO THOSE PROJECTIONS. I'LL JUST LEAVE FOR YOU THIS ONE ITEM HERE. SO THIS IS BASICALLY ONE OF THOSE REPORTS FROM OXFORD ECONOMICO METRICS WHERE THEY'RE PROJECTING-- AND YOU SEE THE ARROW.
THAT'S THE FIRST LINE OF 2021. THIS IS GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT.
THIS ISN'T JUST TRAVEL. THIS IS THE GENERAL ECONOMY.
THE PROJECTION IS FOR IT TO BE BACK TO NORMAL, IN FACT SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL BY THE FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR.
AND WE BELIEVE BECAUSE OF OUR UNIQUE SITUATION HERE THAT WE'LL ACTUALLY REBOUND FASTER THAN THAT SO THAT'S WHAT REALLY GIVES US THE CONFIDENCE TO BRING YOU A BUDGET PROJECTED AT ABOUT FIVE PERCENT LESS THAN-- 5.4 PERCENT LESS THAN THIS PAST YEAR'S ESTIMATED PROJECTION. AND THAT IS AT AN EVEN $5 MILLION. SHOULD WE HAVE TO GO TO THE $3.9 MILLION, WE WOULD TYPICALLY CUT IN A CONCENTRIC MANNER.
YOU START WITH YOUR MARKETS THAT ARE FURTHER OUT THAT HAPPEN TO BE A LITTLE MORE PRODUCTIVE IN TERMS OF REVENUE.
PEOPLE STAY LONGER AND THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT YOU WOULD REDUCE FROM THERE. YOU WOULD ALSO CUT FROM THE LARGER EXPENSES LIKE MEDIA, TELEVISION, SOME OF THE OTHERS THAT ARE MORE IMPACTFUL. SO, YOU CONSTRICT FROM THERE.
WE WOULD REDUCE THE NUMBER OF MARKETS IN WHICH WE CAN BE PRESENT AND WOULD GO MORE TOWARDS THE BASIC DIGITAL ADVERTISING WHICH WE ALREADY HAVE A ROBUST PRESENCE IN.
SO THAT'S WHAT WOULD BE LEFT TO US.
IN TERMS OF OVERHEAD, WE WOULD VERY LIKELY BE MAKING ADJUSTMENTS, SOME FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT ADJUSTMENTS TO OVERHEAD AS WELL. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT OUR PRIMARY MISSION IN CATEGORY ONE IS TO INCREASE THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAXES BY GENERATING THE KIND OF DEMAND THAT WILL BRING IN MORE DOLLARS. SO, OUR JOB IS TO MAKE THE PIE BIGGER NOT TO FIGURE OUT THE POLICY DECISIONS ABOUT SLICING-- THE NUMBER AND SIZE OF SLICES OF THE PIE BUT TO ACTUALLY MAKE THE PIE BIGGER. WE CAN DO THAT WITH THESE KINDS OF INVESTMENTS. SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE ASKED THAT WE LOOK AT AND SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THIS $5 MILLION BUDGET.
WE'VE ALSO DEMONSTRATED, I THINK, THE ABILITY TO INTERACT WITH THE COUNTY AND SHARE DATA THAT WE RECEIVE WEEKLY TO HELP US MANAGE THE PROJECTIONS FOR BED TAX COLLECTIONS.
AND SO WE BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO TRIM BACK IF SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENED. A RESURGENCE.
IF THE VACCINE IS DELAYED. ANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN SEE COMING, WOE FEEL LIKE WE CAN MONITOR THOSE PROJECTIONS.
[01:05:01]
WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE COLLECTORS OF THE BED TAX ARE ALSO ABLE TO GIVE US VERY EARLY WARNINGS IN TERMS OF BOOKING PACES AND THE RATES THEY'RE CHARGING. SO WE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE COULD PROPERLY MANAGE AN INVESTMENT WHICH IS WHAT WE THINK THE $5 MILLION BUDGET IS. SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS TERRIFIC, IF NOT WE'LL PRESS THROUGH THE WORK OF THE TEAMND IN PUTTING A MARKETING PLAN TOGETHER AT THE $5 MILLION LEVEL. WHAT I WANT TO DO, IF I CAN IS JUST TO SUMMARIZE, IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO READ THE PLAN OR IF YOU HAVEN'T, I HOPE YOU WILL TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.BECAUSE THE SITUATION ANALYSIS COVERS OUR CURRENT CONDITIONS AFFECTING OUR MESSAGING AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE MARKET PLACE. OUR STATE OF THE BRAND TELLS YOU THE STATUS OF WHAT THE PERCEPTIONS OF OUR BRAND ARE RIGHT NOW AND HOW AND WHO WE SHOULD BE MESSAGING TO.
WE ALSO WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THE MEDIA PLAN, BUDGET AND PLANNING FOR THAT, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS INCLUDING THEIR KEY PERFORMANCE METRICS WHICH WE MONITOR EVERY MONTH. AND THEN WE'LL FINISH WITH THE BUDGET BREAKDOWN AND WE CAN DISCUSS THAT.
SO THIS IS THE STUDY THAT I MENTIONED BEFORE AT THE TOP THAT TELLS YOU ABOUT WHY WE BELIEVE THAT THE CONDITIONS ARE RIPE TO MAKE THIS BUDGET. THE HARRIS POLL ALSO SHOWED THAT THERE IS PENT UP DEMAND. I THINK JUST WALKING ON THE STREETS OF ST. AUGUSTINE BACK IN MEMORIAL DAY FRESH OFF THE EASY TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS GIVES YOU A SENSE OF THE LEVEL OF PENT UP DEMAND THERE IS. THE ATTRIBUTES THAT TRAVEL EVERIES ARE LOOKING FOR THAT THEY'RE MOST INTERESTED IN ARE THINGS LIKE BEING NEARBY, THINGS LIKE DESTINATIONS THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE IN THEIR PERSONAL VEHICLES, PLACES WHERE THERE'S WIDE OPEN SPACES AND PARKS AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
WE HAVE THAT HERE IN HAD OUR DESTINATION.
ACCORDING TO THE VIRTUOSO, WHICH IS A MAJOR, UPSCALE NETWORK OF TRAVEL AGENCIES NATIONWIDE, IT'S ALSO SUPPORTED BY DESTINATION ANALYTICS WHO ARE ON THEIR 12TH WAVE OF MONITORING PERSPECTIVE TRAVELERS. AND WE'VE WATCHED THEM EVERY WEEK. TOURISM CRISIS MANAGEMENT TEAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA ALSO REPORTED REINFORCING THAT FOLKS ARE GOING TO TRAVEL BY CAR BEFORE THEY GET INTO AIRPLANES.
AND DESPITE THE UNCERTAINTIES, TRAVEL REMAINS A PRIORITY FOR LIFESTYLES. PEOPLE WANT TO MAKE IT PART OF THEIR LIVES AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM FOR THEIR ENJOYMENT OF THEIR LIVES. LOOKING AT GROUP TRAVEL.
THIS IS A CATEGORY THAT'S COMING BACK LATER.
AND THE CORPORATE PORTION OF IT WILL TAKE THE LONGEST.
PART OF THE REASON FOR THAT IS THAT CORPORATIONS HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR STAFFS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES.
AND SO THAT PORTION OF TRAVEL IS LIKELY TO BE SUPPRESSED UNTIL A VACCINE IS GENERALLY AVAILABLE. ASSOCIATIONS, ON THE OTHER HAND, OWE THEIR EXISTENCE TO ABILITY TO RAISE MONEY AND MEETINGS AND EVENTS ARE PART OF THAT. THE DECISION TO ATTEND AN EVENT PUT ON BY AN ASSOCIATION IS A PERSONAL ONE NOT DICTATED BY YOUR COMPANY. AND SO THERE'S MUCH MORE OPPORTUNITY. AND WE ARE SEEING THAT.
WE ARE SEEING WEDDINGS HAPPEN REMOTELY BECAUSE ABSOLUTELY FOLKS WANT TO HAVE THEIR WEDDINGS AND THEY WANT TO HAVE THEM HERE EVEN THOUGH IT'S DONE REMOTELY.
SO, THERE'S LOTS OF THING WE EXPECT TO HAPPEN ON THE GROUP SIDE AS WELL. INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL WE EXPECT ALSO TO BE DEPRESSED FOR SOME TIME.
BUT THERE IS THE LIKELIHOOD THAT WHILE THE NUMBER ATTENDEES-- THE NUMBER OF ACTUAL EVENTS THAT MEETING PLANNERS WILL CONDUCT ARE LIKELY TO BE EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN WHAT WE WERE AT
[01:10:04]
PRIOR TO COVID. THIS IS JUST MORE ON THAT SUBJECT OF WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE GROUP CATEGORY.THIS LAST ITEM FROM APCO INSIGHTS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE ALL FEEL AND THAT'S PEOPLE WANT TO GET OUT THERE.
WHAT WE ARE HEARING FROM OUR THIRD PARTY MEETING PLANNERS IS THAT FOLKS WANT TO GET OUT AND MEET AS SOON AS THEY FEEL LIKE THE RESTRICTIONS ARE SAFE-- CAN BE SAFELY LIFTED.
THEY WANT TO GET OUT THERE AND MEET.
AS IT RELATES TO TRENDS IN FLORIDA.
FLORIDA RESIDENTS HAVE ALREADY SAID THEY ARE LOOKING TO GET OUT. THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT DINING WITHIN THREE MONTHS OF WHEN THE RESTRICTIONS GET LIFTED.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ THE RESEARCH.
YOU CAN JUST SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING AT CAPS AND AT KATE'S AND THE REEF. THE RESTAURANTS ARE AS FULL AS THEY CAN BE WITH RESIDENTS AND WITH VISITORS.
THE U.S. TRAVEL ASSOCIATION HAS ALSO REPORTED THAT THEY FEEL SAFE-- FOLKS FEEL SAFEST IN THEIR OWN AUTOMOBILES.
AND, AS I SAID, BEFORE WEEKEND GETAWAYS WILL BE A BIG DEAL AND DESTINATION ANALYSTS WHO IS IN THEIR 12TH WAVE HAS SUPPORTED THAT INFORMATION AS WELL. INTERNATIONALLY, WE SIMPLY EXPECT IT TO COME LATER. THAT BUSINESS WILL COME BACK TO US AFTER A VACCINE IS GENERALLY AVAILABLE.
THE GOOD NEWS WE ARE NOT DEPENDENT ON INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL THE WAY MIAMI AND ORLANDO ARE.
THE LAST BULLET JUST SHOWS YOU EXACTLY HOW MANY PEOPLE, THREE BILLION PEOPLE, ARE IN COUNTRIES WHOSE BORDERS HAVE BEEN RESTRICTED BY COVID. SO IT'S A SERIOUS IMPACT.
MAJOR TAKEAWAY FROM PAGE 18 THAT STARTS ON PAGE 18, THE COMPETITIVE SITUATION WE FIND OURSELVES IN.
THE FRAME THAT WE'RE IN IS BASICALLY THAT EVEN AT THE $5 MILLION BUDGET WE'RE PROFOUNDLY UNDERFUNDED RELATIVE TO OUR COMP SET. THESE ARE OUR COMP SET MENTIONED HERE. TWENTY PERCENT LESS THAN VISIT JACKSONVILLE. WHAT IS IT, 52 PERCENT LESS THAN SARASOTA. 58 PERCENT LESS THAN SAVANNAH.
88 PERCENT LESS THAN AMELIA ISLAND.
DAYTONA BEACH ALMOST 1-AND-A-HALF TIMES MORE THAN US.
VISIT TAMPA BAY THREE TIMES LARGER BUDGET.
AND IT JUST GOES ON. TE POINT OF WHICH IS THAT WE'RE AT A COMPETITIVE DISADVANTAGE. WE HAVE GAINED NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION BECAUSE OF THE DESTINATION THAT WE ARE AND THE GREAT WORK OF OUR SALES AND OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM. BUT WITHOUT THE FIREPOWER OF DOLLARS TO SPEND ON PAID ADVERTISING WE ARE GOING TO BE SORELY BEHIND OUR COMPETITORS WHO ARE GOING TO SIMPLY BE ABLE TO CONVINCE FOLKS, OUR FOLKS, TO GO TO THEIR DESTINATIONS INSTEAD. SO, WHEN WE LOOK AT BRAND REFERRAL, IN THIS CASE, WHAT WE TALK ABOUT BRAND REFERRAL IS THOSE MEANS BY WHICH PEOPLE ARE RECEIVING INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE THEY SHOULD TRAVEL. AND LATELY IT'S MUCH MORE DIGITAL. AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT THIS FIRST BULLET TALKS ABOUT. THE FACT THAT 40 PERCENT OF TRAVELERS GET THEIR INSPIRATION FROM FOUR DESTINATIONS ONLINE.
26 PERCENT WORLD FAMOUS FRIENDS AND RELATIVE AND THEIR INPUT ALL VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO US. BUT KEEP IN MIND THAT IT'S COMING ONLINE AND VIDEO IS ALSO A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR FOR THAT.
SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO BE PRESENT IN.
CONSUMERS CONTINUE TO INVEST A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME IN SEARCHES. THIS WAS AN AMAZING NUMBER.
THEAGE CONSUMER SPENDS -- THE AVERAGE CONSUMER SPENDS 53 DAYS VISITING 28 DIFFERENT WEBSITES AND OVER 76 DIFFERENT ONLINE SESSIONS GATHERING DATA AND MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT WHERE
[01:15:02]
THEY TRAVEL. SO WE HAVE TO BE PRESENT ON THOSE MEDIA. FOLKS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR PERSONALIZATION IN THE COMMUNICATIONS.AND THIS IS SOMEWHAT GRA TOUR TO US THAT GOOGLE PAID FOR THIS STUDY BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THE BUSINESS OF OFFERING PERSONALIZATION. BUT WE FOUND THAT IT'S ALSO TRUE FOR US. IF WE CAN PROVIDE COMMUNICATIONS BASED ON-- AND THAT'S ON PAGE 24, BY THE WAY.
IF WE CAN PROVIDE COMMUNICATION THAT'S HIGHLY REFINED TO BE MORE RELEVANT TO AN INDIVIDUAL OR TO TYPES OF INDIVIDUALS WE CAN BE MORE SUCCESSFUL AND WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT WITH OUR E NEWSLETTERS AND OUR EMAILING BASED ON INFORMATION WE GATHER FROM THEM. AND THEN FINALLY MORE THAN HALF TRAVELERS USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO PLAN THEIR TRIPS.
THEY'RE ALSO USING IT FOR THAT FRIENDS AND RELATIVE REFERENCES.
SO, WE'VE GOT TO BE PRESENT IN ALL OF THOSE CATEGORIES.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE VISITOR AS IT RELATES TO FLORIDA'S HISTORIC COAST, ON PAGE 27, YOU WILL SEE WHAT THEIR PERCEPTIONS ARE OF OUR BRAND. THIS IS BASED ON THE 2016 STUDY THAT THE TDC CONDUCTED ON OUR BRAND.
BUT THE POINT OF IT AND THE TAKEAWAY FROM ALL OF THESE BULLETS IS THAT WE'RE ON A STAGE OR ON A LEVEL WITH SAVANNAH AND CHARLESTON AND WE NEED TO MAINTAIN THAT PRESENCE.
THEY BOTH HAVE A HISTORIC BACKGROUND.
THEY'RE BOTH UPSCALE MARKETS GENERATING VISITATION FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE NEED TO BE CONTINUING TO PLAY IN THAT CATEGORY. OUR BRAND GETS US LEVEL OF CONSIDERATION COMPETITIVE WITH THEM.
WHAT WE NEED IS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE OUR VOICE AS PROLIFIC AS THOSE OTHERS. SO, NOW LET'S LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE-- WHAT WE'VE BEEN SAYING. WHAT THE MESSAGING HAS BEEN.
AND THIS IS PAGE 27. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN EVOLUTION OUR HISTORY IS NOT THE SAME OLD STORY WHICH IS WHAT WE CAME OUT WITH SLIGHTLY LESS THAN TEN YEARS AGO.
WE'VE REFINED THIS OVER THE YEARS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WORKED WITH WHAT PEOPLE FOUND-- WHAT OUR PERSPECTIVE VISITORS FOUND IMPORTANT. THE KINDS OF ISSUES, THE KINDS OF EXPERIENCES THAT THEY FOUND IMPORTANT.
PRIOR TO THIS FALL, THE MOST RECENT EVOLUTION PROVIDED PAST AND PERSPECTIVE VISITORS WITH A BROADER SET OF REASONS TO COME.
THEY SAW HIDDEN GEMS, SPECIAL EXPERIENCES THEY MAY NOT HAVE THOUGHT OF BEFORE THAT MAY HELP THEM MAKE MEANINGFUL PERM CONNECTIONS. BUT WE GAINED A LOT OF INSIGHTS IN 2018 WHEN WE DID RESEARCH ON OUR MESSAGING.
AND PART OF THAT WAS THAT NOT ONLY WERE PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THE EMOTIONAL CONNECTION WITH THE INDIVIDUAL PLACE BUT THEY ALSO WERE LOOKING FOR THE KINDS OF ENRICHMENT THAT A LOCATION CAN PROVIDE. SO, WE'VE COME TO NOW OUR CURRENT CAMPAIGN WHICH WE ROLLED OUT IN THE FALL IS FOCUSED ON PERSONAL GROWTH. IT'S CENTRAL TO OUR GOAL OF WHAT MANY TRAVELERS ARE LOOKING FOR. ESPECIALLY PURPOSE PURSUERS.
THE FOLKS WHO ARE GOING TO SPEND MORE MONEY, WHO ARE GOING TO CHOOSE THE BETTER LOCATIONS AND PSPEND MORE TIME AT OUR ATRACTIONS. SO THOSE ARE THE FOLKS THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON AND YOU WILL SEE AS WE SHARE SOME OF THE COMMUNICATIONS THAT THOSE ARE THE FOLKS THAT WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON. ON PAGE 29, YOU'LL SEE THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT THE TARGET AUDIENCES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IN REFINING OUR MESSAGING IS TO FOCUS ON THE TWO THINGS THAT PEOPLE-- THESE KIND OF PURPOSE PURSUERS FIND IMPORTANT. THEY FIND IT IMPORTANT TO USE TRAVEL AS A WAY, A POWER TO TRANSFORM THEMSELVES, AND THEY'RE ALSO FOCUSSED ON AUTHENTICITY.
I THINK WE'VE ALL SEEN THE AIRBNB WHERE THEY TALK ABOUT
[01:20:09]
EXPERIENCING A DESTINATION LIKE A LOCAL.THAT'S SOMETHING THEY FOUND IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO INVEST HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN.
IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO.
ALSO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THIS MILLENNIALS VERSUS BOOMERS, SOME REFER TO AS A GREAT GENERATIONAL DIVIDE, FRANKLY, I DON'T SEE IT THAT WAY. YOU KNOW, THE PEW RESEARCH SAID THAT LAST YEAR MILLENNIALS PASSED BOOMERS IN TERMS OF THE NUMBERS OUT THERE. VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
BUT THEY'RE BOTH GUIDED BY-- ESPECIALLY THESE GROUPS WE'RE TARGETING-- GUIDED BY THE DESIRE TO BE ENHANCED OR ENRICHED BY TRAVEL. THEIR MEANS OF EVALUATING TRAVEL, THEIR MEANS OF GATHERING INFORMATION ARE DEFINITELY DIFFERENT. THEY HAVE DIFFERENT STYLES.
THEY'RE IN DIFFERENT LIFE STAGES.
BUT FOR BOTH OF THEM TRAVEL'S VERY IMPORTANT.
AND SO WE TARGET BOTH GROUPS. SO THE ORIGIN MARKETS-- AND THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE WE WENT A LITTLE OUT OF SYNC WITH THE IMMEDIATE PLAN BECAUSE WE FELT WE WANTED TO GET YOU THE GEOGRAPHIES FIRST. BUT ON PAGE 37 YOU WILL SEE THAT OUR RESEARCH FROM OUR VISITOR PROFILES MENTIONS THAT FLORIDA AND GEORGIA ARE PRIMARY SOURCE MARKETS FOLLOWED BY NEW YORK AND TEXAS. VERY TRUE.
BACK IN 2017. WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER FROM A VARIOUS COUNT STANDPOINT THAT'S CHANGED MUCH.
WE ARE GOING TO FIND OUT SOON. BUT WHAT'S VERY IMPORTANT IS THAT WE HAVE A TOOL THROUGH CREDIT CARD TRANSACTIONS-- HUNDREDS OF ONE THOUSANDS OF CREDIT CARD TRANSACTIONS-- WE'RE ABLE TO DETERMINE VERY, VERY CLEARLY WHAT MARKETS ARE PROVIDING THE FOLKS WHO SPEND THE MOST MONEY.
AND SO WE FELT THAT GIVEN WHAT WE'RE DRIVING HERE, OUR ROOM NIGHTS AND REVENUE, THAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON THAT.
SO THAT'S WHERE THIS LIST OF MARKETS COMES FROM.
AND THESE ARE MSAS AS OPPOSED TO DMAS WHICH ARE LARGER.
JACKSONVILLE, DAYTONA BEACH, ORLANDO, TAMPA/ST. PETE, NEW YORK AND NORTHERN NEW JERSEY, MIAMI/FORT LAUDERDALE, DC, ATLANTA, GAINESVILLE AND MELBURN TITUSVILLE.
THAT IS IN A DESCENDING ORDER IN THE PRIORITY.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT THOSE TARGET AUDIENCES.
WE TALKED ABOUT THOSE PURPOSE PURSUERS.
HOW DO YOU DEFINE A PURPOSE PURSUER? IT'S PART OF A PSYCHOGRAPHIC LARGE DATA-- CALL IT BIG DATA SOURCE OF INFORMATION BASED ON HOW PEOPLE SPEND THEIR MONEY AND WHAT THEIR LIKELIHOOD OR INTERESTS ARE.
SO, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY THIS GROUP OF PURPOSE PURSUERS.
THEY'RE BOTH MILLENNIALS AND BOOMERS, FAMILIES AND COUPLES, COUPLES TRAVELING TOGETHER AS WELL.
BOTH GROUPS HAVE AN INTEREST IN ENRICHMENT AND RELAXATION FOR THEIR LEISURE TRAVEL. SO THAT'S WHY THEY'RE TARGETED AS OUR PRIMARY AUDIENCE. SECONDARILY, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE HISPANIC MARKET. ALSO FAMILIES AND COUPLES.
BUT IN THE HISPANIC AREA WE HAVE MANY MORE WHO ARE MULTI-GENERATIONAL TRAVELERS. AND SO YOU GET LARGER FAMILIES WHICH CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR LODGING PARTNERS AS WELL.
OUR SECONDARY AUDIENCE IS GOING TO BE OUR BUSINESS TO BUSINESS INFLUENCERS. EVERYTHING FROM TRAVEL AGENTS AND MEETING PLANNERS TO PLANNERS FOR REUNIONS, THIRD PARTY MEETING PLANNERS. AND ONE OF THE GREAT SIDE BENEFITS OF MARKETING TO THIS GROUP OF FOLKS IS WHEN THEY COME HERE BECAUSE THEY HAD TO, BECAUSE THE MEETING WAS HERE, THEY'RE LIKELY TO HAVE A GOOD POSITIVE EXPERIENCE THAT SAYS, HEY, LET ME BRING THE FAMILY BACK NEXT TIME I GO.
SO THAT'S A GREAT WAY OF EXPOSING NEW PEOPLE TO OUR MARKET. WITH THIS BUDGET WE WOULD ALSO PRESUME THAT WE CAN REACH INTO SOME OF THESE NICHE CATEGORIES THAT WE HAVE LISTED HERE. CULTURAL TRAVELERS, HISTORY BUFFS, BRIDAL, CULINARY, OUTDOOR LOVES, OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS,
[01:25:05]
LGBTQ CROWDS. THE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE DECLINE WITH THE BUDGET WHICH I THINK IS VERY REASONABLE FOR ANYBODY TO ASSUME. OUR MEDIA OBJECTIVES ARE HERE.SUFFICE IT SAY TO THE MEDIA IS PLANNED IN ORDER TO GET MORE VISITATION TO THE DESTINATIONS, CERTAINLY.
BUT CERTAIN METRICS ARE EASIER TO CONNECT TO THE MEDIA.
ATTRIBUTION OF PAID MEDIA IS A VERY DIFFICULT AND EXPENSIVE THING TO DO. BUT THAT'S THE REASON WHY SOME OF OUR KPIS ARE TIED BACK TO PAID MEDIAS VISITATION TO OUR WEBSITE. ENGAGEMENT ON OUR WEBSITE.
THOSE ARE THINGS WE CAN ACTUALLY MEASURE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THOSE FUNCTIONS ARE PERFORMING CORRECTLY OR NOT.
THE LAST ITEM IN THE STRATEGIES HERE IS A PROMOTION.
WHAT THE MEDIA FOLKS WOULD BE DOING IS NEGOTIATING PROMOTIONAL SUPPORT. SWEEPSTAKES AND THAT TYPE OF THING IN ANY BUY THAT WE DO. AND WE'LL DISCUSS SOME OF OUR METRICS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. SO WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF MEDIA AT THE $5 MILLION LEVEL? WELL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BEING ABLE TO DO VIDEO THAT INCLUDES BROADCAST TELEVISION, CABLE TV. WHAT'S OTT? OVER THE TOP TELEVISION THEY REFER TO.
THAT'S BASICALLY ONLINE TELEVISION.
HULU. MY KIDS DON'T WATCH CABLE TV.
THEY WATCH HULU. THEY GO ONLINE AND THEY STREAM THE SHOWS THEY WANT TO WATCH. AND SO WE HAVE TO CATCH THEM WITH OUR ADS THERE. AUDIO IS CERTAINLY RADIO BUT ALSO DIGITAL RADIO LIKE SPOTIFY AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE'VE MENTIONED HISPANIC RADIO. THE HIGHEST RATED RADIO IN FLORIDA ARE HISPANIC STATIONS. OUT OF HOME, BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF AWARENESS AND TO DIRECTIONALLY LET FOLKS KNOW TRAVELING I-95 THAT WE ARE THERE AND ACCESSIBLE. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT DIGITAL AND THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF IT. WE HAVE TO BE PRESENT THERE.
PROGRAMMATIC NETWORKS ARE PROGRAMS OR WEBSITES THAT AGGREGATE FOLKS WITH PARTICULAR INTERESTS.
AND SO WE PROGRAM OUR DIGITAL ADS TO BE PRESENT IN THOSE PLACES BECAUSE IT'S A GREAT WAY TO TARGET.
IT'S ALSO MONITORED. WE CAN TELL HOW MANY PEOPLE HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO THE MESSAGE AND DO THEY TAKE ACTION FOLLOWING THOSE EXPOSURES. NATIVE CONTENT IS OUR STORIES PRESENT ON THE MEDIA. ADD VER TORE Y'ALL IS WHAT SOME OF US OLD TIMERS USED TO CALL THIS KIND OF CONTENT.
MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS STILL PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN PROVIDING AWARENESS FOR OUR DESTINATION AND TO REACH THOSE BOOMERS THAT ARE NOT HIGHLY INVESTED IN THE DIGITAL WORLD.
SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING. BASICALLY PAY PER CLICK.
WE OPTIMIZE THIS AND A PORTION OF THIS CAN BE DONE IN-HOUSE BUT THE LARGEST PORTION OF MONITORING WHAT IS BEING SEARCHED, WHAT WORDS ARE BEING SEARCHED, AND MOVING OUR DOLLARS TO BUYING THOSE TERMS AWAY FROM THOSE TERMS THAT ARE NO LONGER BEING SEARCHED IS SOMETHING THAT IN ORDER TO BE EFFECTIVE WE HAVE TO HAVE THE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO HAVE THIS THIRD PARTY MONITORING. FINALLY SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE EXPRESSED EARLIER HOW IMPORTANT THAT WAS.
FACEBOOK, LINKEDIN AND INSTAGRAM.
INSTAGRAM, YOU WILL SEE THAT WE'RE PLANNING ON GROWING THAT SUBSTANTIALLY. FACEBOOK AND TWITTER, MUCH LESS BECAUSE THOSE ARE SITES THAT ARE HIGHLY MONETIZING AND SO THEY DON'T ALLOW YOU TO GROW NEARLY AS FAST AS INSTAGRAM.
SO THOSE WILL BE THINGS THAT YOU CAN SEE IN OTHER SECTIONS OF THE PLAN. THIS BRINGS US TO KEY METRICS FOR OUR MEDIA PLAN. PAGE 46.
SO I MENTIONED THAT PAID MEDIA WAS ESSENTIAL.
WE HAD TO MONITOR ITS SUCCESS. WE'RE USING ENGAGEMENT RATES AND COST PER ENGAGEMENT RATES AS A MEANS FOR MONITORING THAT.
AND YOU WILL SEE THAT WE'RE TARGETING FIGURES THERE.
OUR COST PER ENGAGEMENT PLAN IS TO DO BETTER THAN FOUR DOLLARS.
[01:30:02]
AS WE WERE COMING OUT OF THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF THE CALENDAR YEAR, JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, WE HAD IT DOWN TO $2.81.THAT WAS REALLY TERRIFIC. BUT THAT WAS ESSENTIALLY TURNED OFF WHEN WE GOT INTO MARCH. SO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK OUR WAY BACK IN. AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THAT RANGE FROM FOUR DOLLARS TO TWO DOLLARS.
RELATING TO VIDEO. WE THINK THAT VIDEO IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT FOR US. WE HAVE BEEN ACQUIRING ASSETS LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR. SO WE NEED TO BE USING THOSE MORE. SO, ONE OF THE METRICS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS FULLY PLAYED RATE.
THAT IS FOLKS WHO START IT VERSUS FOLKS WHO FINISH IT.
AND THE COST FOR GENERATING THIS.
SO WE THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE DONE A VERY GOOD JOB AT AND WE'RE GOING TO TARGET A RATE OF 70 PERCENT COMPLETION OR MORE WITH A COST OF FIVE CENTS FOR ONLINE SOLICITATIONS AND TEN CENTS FOR SOCIAL MEDIA SOLICITATIONS.
SO THEY HAVE HARD AND FAST GOALS TO PURSUE.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT MAINTAINING THE WEBSITE VISITATION. THAT'S A GENERAL, A MUCH MORE GENERAL METRIC AND ALSO THE DEMAND FROM SMITH TRAVEL.
YOU KNOW, WATCHING WHAT THE DEMAND RATES ARE GENERATING AND SO WE'LL BE MONITORING THAT. PAGE 48 BRINGS US TO OUR SALES.
AND THESE ARE OUR DEPARTMENTAL PERFORMANCE PROGRAMS IN OUR MARKETING PLAN. EVERY ONE OF THESE SECTIONS HAS A TIE BACK TO SPECIFIC GOALS IN THE TDC'S STRATEGIC PLAN.
THIS IS A GREAT WAY FOR US AND YOU TO SEE THAT THE PLANS ARE BUILDING TOWARDS YOUR GREATER STRATEGIC PLAN.
THE ONE THAT YOU WILL SEE MOST OFTEN IS DIVERSIFYING THE RANGE AND TYPE OF EXPERIENCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE HERE AND LEVERAGING TOURISM INVESTMENTS TO IMPROVE THE OVERALL ECONOMIC BENEFIT.
THAT'S AN ESSENCE OF WHAT MOST OF OUR EFFORTS ARE TIED TO.
THE SALES TEAM IS GOING TO HAVE TO WORK VERY HARD TO ACCOMPLISH THAT MIDDLE GOAL. THE FIRST ONE ARE LEADS GENERATED. THAT'S TOUGH.
BUT THE ROOM NIGHTS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE LEADS IS A FOUR PERCENT INCREASE OVER 2020 GOAL. THAT'S A STRETCH GOAL THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK VERY HARD TO TRY TO ACCOMPLISH.
WHEN IT COMES TO PROSPECTING CALLS, GIVEN THE SIZE OF OUR ORGANIZATION, WE'RE A KIND OF HITTING MAXIMUM THERE.
BUT IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF THOSE CONTACTS OVER TIME IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AND PART OF WHY WE'RE STRETCHING THAT ROOMMATE VALUE OF THOSE LEADS. PUBLIC RELATIONS.
BECAUSE IT'S AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE CAN PROVIDE MORE ROBUST, HIGH-- LARGER FORMATTED COMMUNICATIONS WE'RE ABLE TO GO AFTER SPECIFIC STORIES AND EXPAND THE RANGE OF EXPERIENCES THAT WE SHARE. IT'S ALSO BECAUSE MANY OF THEM ARE VERY LARGE CIRCULATION WHERE THEY'RE PUBLICATION OR TELEVISION SHOWS THAT GOES TO THE OBJECTIVE OF MAINTAINING A HIGH LEVEL OF BRAND AWARENESS. AND HERE ARE OUR PERFORMANCE METRICS. FLAT TO 2020 GOALS OF 16 BILLION IMPRESSIONS. THESE ARE, BY THE WAY, POSITIVE IMPRESSIONS. WITHOUT THE PLAYERS, YOU KNOW, THAT PLAYS A HUGE ROLE IN GENERATING POSITIVE IMPRESSIONS.
BUT WITHOUT THAT THIS YEAR WE'VE GOT NO CHANCE OF REACHING THAT IN '20. WE EXPECT THERE TO BE A PLAYER'S CHAMPIONSHIP NEXT YEAR. WE'VE REDUCED THE NUMBER OF MEDIA MISSIONS. BECAUSE THAT'S A BUDGETARY ASPECT. WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THOSE.
WE ARE LOOKING AT CREATING A MINIMUM OF NEW VIDEO -- 24 NEW VIDEOS BECAUSE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF VIDEOS.
AND THAT'S A FLAT TO THIS PAST YEAR'S GOAL.
WE ARE, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, FACEBOOK IS MUCH HARDER TO GROW BUT OUR INSTAGRAM IS LOOKING AT A 20 PERCENT INCREASE.
A LOT OF THAT IS SOMETHING WE'RE ABLE TO DO IN-HOUSE.
WE'VE GOT A VERY ROBUST SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GROW THAT SIGNIFICANTLY. FACEBOOK NOT SO MUCH ALTHOUGH WE DO HAVE AS OF THIS MORNING 513,000 FOLLOWERS.
[01:35:05]
LAST WEEK WE RAN A STORY THAT GOT 64,000 VIEWS.SO, THERE'S VERY SUBSTANTIAL PERFORMANCE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO IN-HOUSE. HISPANIC LEVEL WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING 300 MILLION IMPRESSIONS. SO, EMAIL MARKETING, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS ECRM, VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS ALLOWS US TO RETARGET. WE UNDERSTAND WHO THESE FOLKS ARE. WE'RE ABLE TO BUILD THE NUMBER OF FOLKS WHO OPT IN THROUGH THE ADVERTISING AND THEN WE CAN REMARKET TO THEM MONTH IN AND MONTH OUT THROUGH NEWSLETTERS AND TARGETED EMAILS. THESE ARE FROM A PERFORMANCE STANDPOINT ARE KPMS ARE TO INCREASE THE CLICK TO OPEN RATE TO 30 PERCENT FROM 28. THESE ARE REALLY HIGH NUMBERS FOR A DESTINATION WHERE WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE A PARTICULAR THING TO SELL. THE AVERAGE CLICK THROUGH OF 67 VERY, VERY STRONG AND WE WILL HAVE TO WORK TO MAINTAIN THAT.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO DELIVERING THERE ARE 12 MONTHLY CONSUMER NEWSLETTERS, WE FEEL LIKE THIS CURRENT DATABASE OF 177,000 IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN EVEN AT THIS REDUCED BUDGET LEGAL. IT MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON GETTING FOLKS TO RESPOND AND OPT IN BUT WE DO THINK IT'S DOABLE AND THAT'S WHY IT'S THERE.
ON THE WEB DEVELOPMENT SIDE WE JUST INTRODUCED A NEW WEBSITE.
WE DID THAT-- THAT WAS OPEN IN LATE JULY AND IT'S VERY, VERY EFFECTIVE. WE HAD GREAT FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE USING IT WHO FIND IT VERY EASY TO USE.
BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT INCREASING-- AND THIS IS WHERE WE FEEL LIKE OUR METRICS TIE BACK TO OUR SUCCESS OR TO THE SUCCESS OF THE DESTINATION. THAT IS BY BUILDING ORGANIC SEARCH BY 25 PERCENT. THAT'S VERY AGGRESSIVE BUT ORGANIC IS SOMETHING WE CAN CONTROL WITHOUT THE DOLLARS INVESTED AND EVEN WITH THIS LOWER BUDGET.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S DRIVEN BY CONTENT AND BY OUR ABILITY TO MANAGE THE SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION.
THAT IS THE CONTINUALLY UPGRADING THE WEBSITE.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE THINK WILL WORK AND WHAT WE STRIVE TO DO. LINKING OUT TO OUR PARTNER'S WEBSITES. THAT'S BASICALLY MOVING PEOPLE FROM CONSIDERATION TO ACTUALLY WANTING TO BUY IT.
LOOKING AT AN EIGHT PERCENT INCREASE OF 140,000 LINKS IS SOMETHING THAT AGAIN IT'S A STRETCH BUT WE BELIEVE IT'S DOABLE. THERE'S A THING CALLED SCROLL RATE ON STORIES. IT HELPS US MEASURE ENGAGEMENT.
IN THE OLD DAYS WE TALKED ABOUT SOMETHING CALLED BOUNCE RATE.
YOU CAN'T USE BOUNCE RATE NOW BECAUSE IF YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL YOUR BOUNCE RATE GOES UP BECAUSE YOU'VE GIVEN PEOPLE DIRECTLY, QUICKLY THE KINDS OF INFORMATION THEY NEED.
SO, NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT SCROLL RATE.
AM I READING THE WHOLE STORY THAT I'VE PUT OUT THERE.
THE BLOG, THE ENTRIES, AM I REALLY USING IT.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE IS AMEND OUR COMMUNICATION TO INCLUDE THAT. PROMOTIONS IS SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN. WE'VE GOT SUPER FOLKS-- OUR MEDIA AGENCY FOLKS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OF PROVIDING US WITH OPPORTUNITIES PLUS OUR TEAM, SUSAN PHILLIPS BACK AT THE OFFICE, DOES A LOT OF WORK IN REACHING OUT TO THEE MEDIA TO GIVE THEM PROGRAMS THAT WORK FOR THEM-- CALL THEM SWEEPSTAKES, CONTESTS-- THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT A MEDIA OUTLET WANTS TO DO BECAUSE IT PROVIDES THEM AND THEIR AUDIENCES A REASON TO ENGAGE WITH THE STATION. BY DOING THAT WE THINK-- AND LAST YEAR WE DELIVERED ON $900 MILLION ON MEDIA VALUE AND A RETURN ON INVESTMENT OF 15 TO 1.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE ANTICIPATE DOING AGAIN THIS YEAR.
WE WOULD BE DOING FOUR SWEEPSTAKES, FOUR PROMOTIONAL SWEEPSTAKES PER MEDIA BUY. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SETS
[01:40:02]
THE TARGET AS TO HOW MANY WE WANT TO DID.AND WE'D ALSO BE LOOKING FOR SOME IN-MARKET PROGRAMMING.
YOU WILL RECALL WE PRODUCED AND HOSTEDNUTS AND BOLTS OF FISHING, A FISHING TELEVISION SHOW. WE ALSO DID BEYOND YOUR BACKYARD, A TRAVEL CHANNEL AND PBS TELEVISION SHOW THAT HIGHLIGHTED THE ASPECTS OF THE DESTINATION.
SO, WE'LL LOOK TO DO MORE OF THOSE.
BUT AT LEAST TWO OF THOSE IS PLANNED AT THE $5 MILLION LEVEL.
FINALLY, DEVELOPING A VIABLE AND SUSTAINABLE EVENT IN MAY.
WE HAD A COUPLE BREWING FOR THIS MAY.
IT'S GREAT THAT CHRISTINE IS TALKING ABOUT ONE THAT WE CAN COLLABORATE ON FOR THIS COMING MAY OR JUNE, A CULINARY EVENT, BUT WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING TO FILL THE HOLE THAT THE PLAYER'S LEFT US WHEN THEY MOVED FROM MAY.
NOT A COMPLAINT, THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS.
THE MY FAVORITE SECTION BUT ONE THAT CARRIES THE LEAST INTEREST TO MOST FOLKS. WE DO CONDUCT RESEARCH.
WE'RE CONSTANTLY MONITORING WHAT FOLKS THINK ABOUT US BUT ALSO WE DON'T LAUNCH CREATIVE WITHOUT RESEARCH SUPPORT.
AND THE NEW CAMPAIGN OF OUR CONTINUED USE OF FLORIDA'S HISTORIC COAST ARE ALL TIED TO RESEARCH SUPPORT.
WE DO PROVIDE MONTHLY REPORTS TO YOU AND TO OUR STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT LODGING. WE NOW ARE DOING A TYPICAL LODGING LIKE VACATION RENTALS, AIRBNB, VRBO, HOMEAWAY.
WE'RE REPORTING ON THOSE PERFORMANCES AND LOOKING AT ATTRACTIONS AND WHAT THEIR PERFORMANCES ARE AND SHARING THAT. SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'LL DO. WE'LL ALSO CONTINUE TO SHARE THIRD PARTY RESEARCH ITEMS THAT I ARE OF VALUE TO YOU.
MOST OF YOU RECEIVED THE DESTINATION ANALYST REPORT FROM A WEEK OR SO AGO. I'LL CONTINUE TO SHARE THAT.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU SAW OR HEARD ABOUT BUT WANT ANOTHER COPY OF, BY ALL MEANS GIVE ME A SHOUT AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE SEND THAT TO YOU. WE HAVE AN EVENT THAT WE HAVE WORKED ON AS AN ORGANIZATION IN ORDER TO BUILD THE PERCEPTION THAT WE ARE A QUALITY, WORLD-CLASS, ECO-TOURISM DESTINATION. THAT'S THE FLORIDA BURNING AND PHOTO FEST. IT ENTERS ITS 19TH YEAR THIS YEAR. UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE OF ITS TIMING WHEN THE BIRDS ARE HERE THAT ALSO IS WHEN THE COVID WAS HERE. SO WE WERE IN LOCKDOWN.
SO WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO THAT EVENT.
BUT WE DO ANTICIPATE DOING THAT AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
AND WE'RE TARGETING MAINTAINING LAST YEAR'S PERFORMANCE LEVELS FOR THAT BECAUSE THE SUPPORT THAT WE HAD FOR IT THAT YEAR.
OKAY. THIS GETS US TO THE BUDGET LEVEL. THIS IS A LOT OF WORDS TO TELL YOU BASICALLY THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT A BUDGET THAT'S ONE PERCENT ROUGHLY THE SAME AS THE 2019 BUDGET, ABOUT FIVE-AND-A-HALF PERCENT LOWER THAN WHAT WAS BUDGETED THIS PAST YEAR RELATIVE TO A $3.9 MILLION BUDGET THAT WOULD BE A 22 PERCENT REDUCTION FROM THE $5 MILLION THAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
SO, WOULD GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS CRIPPLING OUR EFFORTS TO BUILD MORE BED TAX COLLECTIONS. BECAUSE AT THE END, IN THE END, THAT'S WHAT ADVERTISING AND DESTINATION DEMAND BUILDING DOES FOR US. IT INCREASES THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX COLLECTIONS. HERE'S THE BREAKDOWN OF THE BUDGET AND COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.
THE AREAS WE CUT SUBSTANTIALLY, PROMOTIONAL SEED FUNDS.
BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL WE FEEL THAT'S AN AREA WHERE WE CAN COUNT ON LEVERAGING FEWER DOLLARS.
RESEARCH CUTTING BACK PRETTY SUBSTANTIALLY THERE AS WELL.
SO, THERE WILL BE PROGRAMS THAT WE DO NOT DO.
BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE HAVE A STUDY THAT'S GOING TO BE RELEASED SOON FOR THE VISITOR PROFILE WHICH WILL BE CURRENT.
[01:45:01]
AND THEN WE FELL LIKE WE CAN LEVERAGE THAT AND THAT'S PART OF WHY WE WERE ABLE TO REDUCE THAT COST.ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WE'VE PRESENTED OR WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE BUDGET? APOLOGIZE FOR BORING EVERYBODY
IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS. >> CHAIRMAN: ASK TARA TO SEE IF
[Item 10]
YOU CAN SUM THIS UP FOR US AND GIVE US A LITTLE DIRECTION ACTIONS THAT WE MIGHT OR MAY NOT TAKE NOW.>> SO FOR THE LAST THREE ITEMS THAT WE JUST HEARD, NINE WERE IN THE BUDGET AND THE PROMOTION PLANS FOR TWO OF OUR AGENCIES, WE WILL BE LOOKING FOR HAVING THESE ON THE JULY MEETING AND THEY WILL BE ACTION ITEMS FOR YOU ALL.
WE-- THEY CAN BE A SIMPLE SLIDE AS FAR AS THE PROMOTION PLANS BECAUSE IT DIDN'T SOUND LIKE THERE WAS MUCH DIRECTION TO CHANGE THEM BUT WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR APPROVAL FOR THEM COME JULY.
THEN YOU ALL CAN GIVE RECOMMENDATION TO THE VCB HOW YOU SEE FIT AS WELL AS WE'LL HAVE OTHER ITEMS ON OUR JULY
MEETING. >> CHAIRMAN: IRVING, YOU BROUGHT UP THE SUBJECT-- YOU DISCUSSED THE SUBJECT OF CREATING A RESERVE OF. DO YOU HAVE AN ADDITIONAL COMMENT ON THE CLARIFICATION OF THAT NOW? SHOULD WE BE LOOKING AT THAT NOW?
>> BOARD MEMBER: MY ONLY THOUGHT ON IT IS MAKING SURE IF WOE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT WAY THAT IS A PERMISSIBLE THING TO DO.
THAT THAT WOULD BE IMMUNABLE TO THE COUNTY FINANCE PRIOR TO BRINGING IT UP TO THE BOARD OF COMMISSION, WE COME UP WITH A PLAN AND FIND THAT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION IS ALLOWED TO DO THEN THAT SHOULDN'T BE ON THE TABLE. SO WE DON'T WANT TO RECOMMEND SOMETHING THAT IS NOT-- DOESN'T WORK WITH THE SYSTEM.
SO I NEED TO MAKE SURE-- BECAUSE IN MY MIND WE'RE LOOKING AT A LOT OF MONEY AND I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE WOULD BE COMFORTABLE WITH THE TYPE OF DOLLARS FROM THE PRESENTATIONS IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE LOOKING BETWEEN THE FIVE CATEGORIES OF $3 MILLION OR SO TO GET EVERYONE THERE. I DON'T KNOW HOW COMFORTABLE THE COUNTY WOULD BE IF WE DID A $3 MILLION RESERVE OF TO COME BACK ON MARCH 1ST TO RELEASE SOME OF IT AND THEN RELEASE SOME OF IT AGAIN ON MAYBE MAY 1ST TYPE OF THING.
>> CHAIRMAN: WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE THAT WE ASK TARA AND REGINA TO ADDRESS THAT FOR US BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING JUST TO BE SURE. I AGREE.
I THINK WE WANT-- >> BOARD MEMBER: DON'T ASK ME.
I'M JUST ASKING THE QUESTION. >> I THINK TARA INDICATED THAT
WE COULD RECOMMEND A RESERVE OF. >> YEAH SO I GUESS THERE'S TWO QUESTIONS. IRVING IS ASKING HOW COMFORTABLE IS THE COUNTY. I DON'T KNOW HOW COMFORTABLE THE COUNTY IS. BUT IT'S ALLOWED.
CERTAINLY WE CAN HAVE A RESERVE OF AND THERE'S NOT A CAP AMOUNT ALLOWED ON THE RESERVE OF. SO IT COULD BE $100 MILLION IF WE SO CHOSE. THERE'S NOT GUILTY RESTRICTING
THAT AMOUNT. >> BOARD MEMBER: I SUSPECT THEY
WOULD BE UNCOMFORTABLE. >> TWO SEPARATE QUESTIONS.
THE LEGALITIES IS YOU CAN PUT A PRESERVE.
>> BOARD MEMBER: THAT'S WHAT I WAS MORE CONCERNED WITH IS THE LEGALITIES OF IT IT IS A ROAD THAT WE GO DOWN.
>> CHAIRMAN: REGINA? >> THERE'S NO ISSUE CREATING THE RESERVE OF. I THINK THE OTHER PART OF YOUR QUESTION WAS USE OF THE RESERVES IF THE MONEY STARTS TO COLLECT INTO RESERVE OF ITEMS DEPENDING HOW THEY'RE SET UP.
SO IF EACH CATEGORY HAS RESERVE OF FUNDS YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SPEND THOSE RESERVE OF FUNDS AS LONG AS IT'S PERMISSIBLE WITHIN THE CATEGORY. IN CATEGORY 1 THERE'S A DESCRIPTION WHAT YOU CAN DO SO LONG AS THOSE EXPENDITURES THAT YOU ARE LOOKING TO USE FROM THAT RESERVE OF LINE UP WITH THE USES IN THAT CATEGORY THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANNISH
>> BOARD MEMBER: SO IT SHOULD BE BY CATEGORY AND SHOULDN'T BE BY
THE OVERALL MAP? >> NOT ONE BIG POT.
>> BOARD MEMBER: IT SHOULD BE THREE, FOUR, FIVE POTS WHATEVER.
[01:50:01]
>> IT WOULD BE ONE FOR EACH CATEGORY.
EACH CATEGORY OPERATES AS ITS OWN CHECKING ACCOUNT IS THE WAY TO THINK ABOUT IT. SO, WHATEVER THE RECOMMENDATION IS IT HAS TO LOOK AT EACH CATEGORY AS A STANDALONE.
>> BOARD MEMBER: GOT IT. >> BOARD MEMBER: SO WE WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM PROFESSIONALS RUNNING THESE-- SO CHRISTINA WOULD HAVE INPUT INTO THE AMOUNT SHE WOULD
NEED AS WELL AS RICHARD? >> THEY CAN.
THAT'S AT YOUR DISCRETION. IF YOU WOULD LIKE THEIR INPUT, YES. IF WOULD NOT LIKE THEIR INPUT,
YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE IT >> I THINK SOMEBODY HAS TO MAKE THE REQUEST OF US AND THEN WE HAVE TO THEN MAKE THEX AFTER
THAT. >> BOARD MEMBER: DOESN'T THIS PRESUME THE REQUESTED AMOUNT OF $3.9 IN RICHARD'S CASE IS A DONE DEAL? THE QUESTION TO ME SEEMS TO BE THE DELTA BETWEE RICHARD'S BUDGET AND CHRISTINE'S BUDGET, WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR AND THEIR NUMBER THAT CAME FROM THE OFFICE OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT. IS THAT DONE OR IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO THE COMMISSION ABOUT THAT? WELL BECAUSE-- LET ME JUST FINISH.
THE WHOLE CONVERSATION ABOUT A RESERVE OF PRESUMES THAT THE
BUDGET IS ALREADY SET. >> THE BASE BUDGET IS SET.
>> SO AT THIS POINT WHERE THE COUNTY STANDS IS THAT HAVE ROLLED OUT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS PUT FORTH A DRAFT BUDGET TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR THEIR REVIEW INQUIRIES, CHANGES, AND OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS THERE ARE SEVERAL TICK BOXES THAT THE COUNTY HAS TO CHECK OFF AS WE GO
WITHIN A SET TIMELINE. >> AND THEY DID THAT WITHOUT INPUT FROM RICHARD OR CHRISTINA AS I UNDERSTAND IT.
WITHOUT INPUT FROM THE TWO CHIEF EXECUTIVES OF THIS AREA.
>> INPUT WAS SOLICITED. THERE CAN BE DISCUSSION OVER HOW WELL IT WAS TAKEN AND PUT INTO THE BUDGET.
>> BOARD MEMBER: THAT'S NOT WHAT I HEARD.
>> BOARD MEMBER: THE NUMBER THAT WAS USED WAS THE NUMBER THIS BOARD RECOMMENDED AT OUR MEETING TO BE USED FOR THE BUDGET PART.
IT WASN'T JUST PICKED OUT OF THE AIR.
THE AMOUNT WE WENT BACK TO-- >> BOARD MEMBER: IT GOES BACK TO SITTING HERE-- WHAT WAS IT FIVE WEEKS AGO.
THE ANTICIPATION OF WHAT THE TOP LINE REVENUE FOR BED TAX COLLECTIONS WOULD BE FOR THE NEXT YEAR WOULD BE 20 PERCENT DOWN. THE QUESTION BECOMES REALLY-- AND IT'S I THINK MORE OF A LARGE PROPERTY QUESTION THAN A SMALL PROPERTY QUESTION. BECAUSE THE TRANSIENT MARKET IS RETURNING QUICKER THAN THE GROUP MARKET AND HOW DOES OUR OVERALL MIX IN THE COUNTY WORK AND ARE THE BIG PROPERTIES LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE RENAISSANCE. ARE THEY GOING TO BE ABLE TO REPLACE WHAT I PERCEIVE AS LOW GROUP BUSINESS WITH MORE TRANSIENT BUSINESS AND IS 20 PERCENT DOWN A TOO CONSERVATIVE NUMBER. RICHARD IS SAYING FROM HIS STUDIES IT'S 20 PERCENT IS TOO CONSERVATIVE.
SO I THINK IT'S FUNDAMENTALLY THERE BUT BASED ON WHAT KNEW AT THE MEETING BEFORE WE THOUGHT 20 PERCENT WAS A REASONABLE NUMBER.
IF IT'S ONLY 10 PERCENT OR IT'S GOING TO BE EVEN THEN I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR US TO SAY WE HAVE BETTER DATA NOW AND
WOULD LIKE TO REVISE THAT. >> BOARD MEMBER: WELL THE BUDGET WON'T BE DONE UNTIL SEPTEMBER ANYWAY.
SO WE HAVE TIME AS A COUNTY-- >> BOARD MEMBER: BUT I DON'T
KNOW-- >> BOARD MEMBER: I DO HAVE ONE CONCERN THIS WAY. YOU HAD ONE GROUP PRESENT SOMETHING WITH A NUMBER THEY WERE GIVEN.
YOU HAD ANOTHER GROUP PRESENT SOMETHING WAY DIFFERENT THAN THE NUMBER THEY WERE GIVEN. THAT NUMBER ORIGINALLY CAME FROM THIS BOARD WHICH IS FINE AND WE MAY HAVE BETTER NUMBERS AND WE'LL DEFINITELY KNOW IN AN OR TWO.
SO, I DON'T HAVE A BIG ISSUE WITH HAVING THE RESERVE OF THING IF WE KNOW WE HAVE IT. BUT SOME OF THE REPRESENTATION WE HAD TODAY IS KIND OF FUTILE BECAUSE WE GOT A PRESENTATION NOT ON A FIGURE THEY WERE GIVEN IN MY OPINION.
YOU GOT TO DEAL WITH WHAT YOU HAVE.
EVERY DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO HAVE TO DO WITH WHAT THEY HAVE.
THE NUMBERS SHOULD GO UP AND I EXPECT IT TO GO UP.
I MEAN, THE TOWN IS PRETTY BUSY. AND, YOU KNOW, THINGS DON'T GO BACK INSIDE WITH COVID, I THINK WE'LL BE FINE BUT WE DON'T KNOW
THAT. >> WE DO HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT
ON THE PHONE. >> BOARD MEMBER: BECAUSE IT'S 3:28 IF WE HAVE TO END RIGHT AT 3:30 HERE.
>> CHAIRMAN: GO AHEAD. >> WE'LL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> BOARD MEMBER: YOU HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PHONE.
[01:55:30]
>> HELLO. WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE MUTED.
>> SO WE'RE ACCEPTING PUBLIC COMMENT THAT SOUNDS LIKE ALBERT ON THE PHONE.
IF YOU WANT TO PROCEED, GO AHEAD PLEASE.
>> CHAIRMAN: WE NEED YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
>> WE NEED YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
>> THIS IS ALBERT SYLUS, ST. AUGUSTINE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING THERE. I ALSO WANT TO SUPPORT RICHARD'S PLAN FOR THE VCB. AND I WHOLE HEARTILY SUPPORT THE $2 MILLION EXPENDITURE THAT WAS ADDED TO THIS BUDGET.
THAT LOOKS VERY NECESSARY. I WANT TO EXPRESS FOR THE WILL BE. IN PARTICULAR THE ROLLBACK OF THE BUDGET FOR WE, LIKE RICHARD SAYS, IN THE ARTS COMMUNITY ARE COMPETING ALSO WITH JACKSONVILLE AND DAYTONA IN PARTICULAR.
AND WE NEED TO HAVE PRODUCT TO COMPETE WITH.
SO I WHOLE HEARTILY BEG TO YOU FIND A WAY TO BRING UP THE FUNDING FOR '21, FOR FISCAL YEAR '21, IN ARTS AND CULTURAL IN PARTICULAR THE GRANTS BUT ALSO THE CULTURAL COUNCIL BUDGET BECAUSE IF RICHARD'S RIGHT AND THIS CRISIS WILL POSSIBLY BE OVER AT THE BEGINNING OF '21, WE'RE GOING TO NEED THINGS TO OFFER TO PEOPLE FOR HIM TO ADVERTISE.
>> CHAIRMAN: ALBERT, WE'RE OUT OF TIME.
I DON'T WANT TO CUT YOU SHORT BUT COULD YOU BRING IT TO A
CONCLUSION. >> PUBLIC SPEAKER: YES.
JUST THAT'S REALLY ALL I WANTED TO DO.
GO AHEAD AND CONSIDER THAT IN YOUR DECISION ABOUT WHAT TO DO
ON THE BUDGET FOR NEXT MONTH. >> CHAIRMAN: OKAY THANK OU VERY
MUCH. >> PUBLIC SPEAKER: THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. >> CHAIRMAN: SORRY TO CUT YOU
SHORT BUT WE'RE OUT OF TIME. >> PUBLIC SPEAKER: THAT'S FINE.
[Items 11 & 13]
OKAY BYE. >> CHAIRMAN: ARE THERE ANY BRIEF MEMBER COMMENTS? THE NEXT MEETING IS JULY--
>> BOARD MEMBER: I WAS GOING-- JUST SO EVERYBODY HERE KNOWS, THE OLD SCHOOL KING FISH TOURNAMENT SHOOT OUT WAS THIS WEEKEND. THAT'S ONE WE SUPPORTED WITH A SMALL GRANT. THEY HAD 643 BOATS AND 2,500 ANGLERS ANYWHERE FROM FORT PIERCE TO NORTH CAROLINA.
THEY HAD 70 BOATS FROM GEORGIA FOR SURE.
THEY'RE GOING TO GET ME A LIST OF EVERYTHING COMPLETED.
BEST THEY COULD CHECK ALL THE LOCAL MARINAS WERE FULL AND MOST OF THE HOTELS WERE FULL WITH FISHERMEN.
>> CHAIRMAN: AWESOME. THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY I'M GOING TO ADJOURN THE MEETING THEN. SORRY TO KEEP YOU
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.