Okaloosa County BOCC — April 7, 2015 — 2-17-15 minutes — reading text

Beach Vehicle Permit for calendar year 2015 Public Works: Request from Surfside Beach Service for Qualified Beach Vendor Certificate and Beach Vehicle Permit for calendar year 2015 Public Works: Request from Island Sands Beach Service of NW FL for Qualified Beach Vendor Certificate and Beach Vehicle Permit for calendar year 2015 Public Works: Request from Sunset Beach Service for Qualified Beach Vendor Certificate and Beach Vehicle Permit for calendar year 2015 Public Works: Public Event Permit requested by USA Triathlon for Bluewater Bay Duathlon to be held February 21, 2015 Public Works: Request from Stephen C. Painter for Qualified Beach Vendor Certificate for calendar year 2015 February 17, 2015 -6~ Minute Book 72, Page 167 Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners 29. Public Works: Reguest from Lazy Days Beach Rentals for Qualified Beach Vendor Certificate and Beach Vehicle Permit for calendar year 2015 30. Tourist Development: Agreement for Property Appraiser services for processing tax roll for Western Destin Beach Restoration MSBU 31. Tourist Development: Payment of Eventents 2013 invoice for $180 for banquet table rentals for May 2013 EOD Memorial Ball 32. Tourist Development: Peter Mayer Advertising revised Task Order #152 entitled FY 15 SMP Meetings & Conventions Packages Pass-through Costs, Contract C12-2007-TDC 33. Tourist Development: Peter Mayer Advertising revised Task Order #151 entitled FY 15 SMP Groups Packages Pass-through Costs, Contract Cl2-2007-TDC 34. Tourist Development: Peter Mary Advertising revised Task Order #150 entitled FY 15 SMP Co-op Packages Pass-through Costs, Contract C1l2-2007-TDC 35. Tourist Development: Peter Mayer Advertising revised Task Order #147 entitled Leisure Print Packages Pass-through Costs, Contract Cl12-2007-TDC 36. Proclamation designating April as Water Conservation Month 5 yeas. ATIRPORTS - RE-BRANDING OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA REGIONAL AIRPORT Mr. Sunil Harman, Airports Director, said at the January 13, 2015 meeting, a presentation was made on the proposal for the re-branding initiative. He stated it was driven by a desire to be economically competitive. Mr. Harman reported activities at the airport rose 8.9% this January versus January 2014. He called this significant growth since 2011. Growth for the fiscal year was 4.5%. Mr. Harman stated Jack Penning is an expert in this area and will make a presentation to the Board. Mr. Penning, Executive Director of Strategy and Development with Sixel Consulting Group, Inc. (Airport Department’s contractual air service development consultant), stated he will discuss the official process of changing the airport’s name and what it would mean to people who book tickets. He explained that an airport name must be filed with FAA on a Form 5010. This form lists the nearest associated city to the airport. 1In this case, the «c¢ity nearest Northwest Florida Regicnal Airport is Valparaiso or VPS. He said when you type in Destin or Fort Walton Beach as a destination, this airport will not pop up. February 17, 2015 -7- Minute Book 72, Page 168 Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners because travel search engines use the FAA 5010 Forms for its data base. Mr. Penning stated airlines £first consult FAA Master Record (Form 5010) and if the city name 1is incompatible with their highest booking =zip codes, they will align with the city of those =zip codes. An example was shown of Delta Airlines identifying VPS as Fort Walton Beach, FL. He said we can control the name by re-filing a FAA Form 5010 to show the Airport name as: Destin-Ft Walton Beach Int‘l and the associated city as Destin-Ft Walton Beach. The second step 1is to work with the International Air Transportation Association (IATA). IATA 1is responsible for airport names that airlines use, as well as being responsible for names in the Global Distribution Systems (GDS). Mr. Penning reported IATA 1is responsible for the names on the booking engines. He said the airport will have to submit a new FAA Form to IATA and it will align to the FAA official name. Mr. Penning stated the airlines are asking for the name change because there is significant passenger confusion. He advised that he met with United Airlines officials at their headquarters in January and they specifically requested a name change for this airport. Mr. Penning stated there are 150 U.S. airports <called “international.” Of these 150, he said 76 have international service and 60 have service outside the U.S. and Canada. He clarified that only 40% of the airports with “international” in their names actually clear international passengers. Mr. Penning stated there are 16 “international” airports in Florida with only six or 38% which have service outside the U.S. and Canada. Mr. Penning pointed out there are four airports in the Panhandle (Pensacola, Valparaiso, Panama City, and Tallahassee) which fight over 16.8 million visitors to the area each year. He said the largest proportion of those visitors (34%) travel to Destin/Fort Walton Beach. Most of those visitors travel to the beaches of the Panhandle. Breaking down the information further, he stated 34% of the visitors to the beach travel to and from Destin and 21% travel to and from Fort Walton Beach. Mr. Penning stated this data is why they recommend the name change. February 17, 2015 ~-8- Minute Book 72, Page 169 Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners Mr. Penning covered retention statistics and direct economic impact. He also gave examples of other airports which have re- branded. Mr. Goodwin stated he appreciates the detailed presentation, saying Sixel does have a great deal of experience. He asked if there are any other similar arrangements of a local government and military installation working together at an airport. Mr. Penning replied Mid-American St. Louis and Scott AFB. However, there is a difference because the county at that location owns the land on which the airport is constructed and wuses the military’s runways. Mr. Goodwin asked which is more important: using the term “international” or identifying with a city. Mr. Penning responded the most critical 1is identifying with Destin/Fort Walton Beach, with the names in that order. Mrs. Ketchel stated Northwest Florida Regional Airport is classified as a military/civilian Jjoint operation. She said while tourism is a driving force, the county must support the military over tourism. Mrs. Ketchel felt using “international” in the name of the airport could have an adverse impact with BRAC. She requested the Board consider the issue of using the name “international” separately. Mrs. Ketchel noted on the Consent Agenda there was an item approving an appointment to the Destin Executive Airport Advisory Committee. She asked why there isn't an advisory committee for VPS and recommended a 5-7 member board be established to assist with future issues at the airport. Mr. Harris questioned the need for an advisory committee, saying the county has a great staff at this facility. He said he has not heard anything regarding mission degradation associated with a name change for VPS. Mr. Harris stated the proposal and vetting of the rebranding effort is outstanding. Mr. Harman commented that VPS uses only 5% of the peak hour capacity at VPS. Mr. Windes said he too appreciated the presentation and has respect for Mr. Harman. He advised that he has looked up the definition of “international” in several reference sources and the definition he found does not suggest the same use as in the proposed name change. Mr. Windes stated he understands the February 17, 2015 -9- Minute Book 72, Page 170 Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners importance of what the department is trying to do and he agrees the naming of the cities is appropriate but he does not feel good about saying it 1is what it 1isn’t (an international airport) . He said perhaps down the road, we may become an international airport but he does not see that right now. Mr. Goodwin asked if there is an official position from Eglin AFB or the Base Commander. He asked if input was requested from Eglin, noting we operate under an enhanced use agreement. Mr. Harman responded we do have a joint use agreement but the lease 1s silent on administrative issues. Any change in the boundaries of the 130-acre lease would require official contact. Mr. Harman said he has met with a number of lower ranking officers from the base and this issue has never come up. He added that he has never heard from the general, adding there is no reference of contact with the Base Commander when the airport changed its name in 2008. Mr. Goodwin stated he understands what we have to do and what might be a good business practice; however, anything we do on Eglin property would regquire us to reach out to them. He said he would like to see input for EAFB officials before making any changes. Mr. Goodwin said he appreciates the economic benefit Eglin brings to this county and he wants to tread carefully. Mr. Harris stated he is amazed we have trouble making a decision because of one word, “international.” He said he believes we are losing viability in the marketplace. Mr. Harris was of the opinion the proposed name change would not affect the military mission. Mrs. Ketchel commended Mr. Goodwin on his comments. She advised that she reached out to Brigadier General Harris and said after talking with him it would behoove the Board to establish an advisory board for VPS. Mr. Windes said he too appreciates Mr. Goodwin's remarks. He said he called General Harris before the meeting, noting that General Harris stated he had not heard from the county on this issue and is concerned about long-term impact on the mission. Mr. Windes reported that General Harris would like to see better communication by way of a committee. He added the consultant stated the names of the cities are the most important component in naming the airport. February 17, 2015 -10- Minute Book 72, Page 171 Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners Mr. Boyles encouraged his fellow commissioners to do this once and to do it right. He said we should follow through the process completely and be comfortable with the decision. Mr. Boyles felt the Board should not move forward with making a decision tonight wunless it is prepared to make a decision on both elements. He said he would appreciate some motion that would move toward some finality of the process. Mrs. Ketchel made motion to establish an advisory board for VPS, consisting of five to seven members. Mr. Boyles said he understands the motion is to bring an appropriate structure for an advisory committee to govern the relationship between the county and the military with regard to VPS and to request that committee’s first task be to take up the renaming issue. Mr. Windes asked Mrs. Ketchel if that is her intent and her response was “Yes, well said.” Mr. Goodwin seconded the motion. Mr. Harris stated we are talking about two different issues, renaming VPS and establishing an advisory board, and requested the 1issues be taken up separately. Mr. Boyles said if he understands the motion correctly, two commissioner are seeking more information and to establish a process. Mr. Windes asked if both issues are to be taken together. Mrs. Ketchel stated she will remove the issue of asking the committee to take up the name change. Mr. Goodwin confirmed his second. 4 yeas, 1 nay. (Mr. Harris voted no.) Mr. Harris made motion, seconded by Mrs. Ketchel, to rename VPS the "Destin-Ft Walton Beach Airport.~” Mr. Goodwin said he cannot support the motion because after speaking with many of his constituents, the strong majority did not support a change in the airport name. He stated he sees it as creating a division in the county. Mr. Windes noted the Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce endorsed Destin being first in the title. Mr. Boyles said he supports the name change but he 1is not comfortable