Okaloosa County BOCC — October 20, 2015 — TDD Manual draft revision 10 20 15 — reading text

TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL BYLAWS AND TOURIST DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS & PROCEDURES MANUAL TDC September 24, 2015 BCC October 20, 2015 1 of 34 TDC 09-24-2015 BCC 10-20-2015  TABLE OF CONTENTS Section One: Tourist Development Council ByLaws A. General A.100.....Legal Authority ............................................................................................................ 4 A.200.....Statement of Organization ........................................................................................... 4 A.300 Mission ......................................................................................................................... 4 A.400 Location of Office ........................................................................................................ 4 A.500 Staff .............................................................................................................................. 5 A.600 Council Composition and Vacancies ........................................................................... 5 A.700 TDC Bylaws and TDD Operations and Procedures Manual Amendment .................. 6 B. Council Meetings B.100 Regular Council Meetings ........................................................................................... 6 B.200 Location and Notice ..................................................................................................... 7 B.300 Agenda ......................................................................................................................... 7 B.400 Rules of Participation ................................................................................................... 7 B.500 Minutes ........................................................................................................................ 7 Section Two: Tourist Development Department Operations and Procedures Manual C. Tourist Development Plan, Strategic Marketing Plan, and Budget C.100 Tourist Development Plan ........................................................................................... 9 C.200 Strategic Marketing Plan .............................................................................................. 9 C.300 Budget .......................................................................................................................... 9 C.400 Accounts ...................................................................................................................... 10 D. Financial and Tourism Promotion Monitoring D.100 Financial Reports ......................................................................................................... 10 D.200 Tourism Promotion and Marketing Reports ................................................................ 10 E. Procurement Procedures E.100 Procurement and Payment ........................................................................................... 11 E.200 Contracts ...................................................................................................................... 11 F. Travel and Entertainment-Related Expenses F.100 County Travel and Related Expenses .......................................................................... 11 F.200 Promotional Travel and Entertainment-Related Expenses .......................................... 12 F.300 Promotional Entertainment-Related Expenses (Not Travel-Related) .......................... 12 F.400 Gifts, Gratuities, Discounts, Services, Favors ............................................................. 13 G. Delegation of Signature Authority G.100 Delegation of Signature Authority ............................................................................... 13 Section Three: Operational & Capital Funding Requests H. Operational & Capital Funding H.100 Purpose ......................................................................................................................... 14 H.200 Authorization ............................................................................................................... 14 H.300 Application Process ..................................................................................................... 14 H. 400 Reimbursement Process ............................................................................................... 15 2 of 34 TDC 09-24-2015 BCC 10-20-2015 Application .................................................................................................................................. 16 Section Four: Local Event Marketing Funding I. Local Event Marketing Funding I.100 Purpose ......................................................................................................................... 19 I.200 Authorization ............................................................................................................... 19 I.300 Funding Guidelines ...................................................................................................... 19 Application .................................................................................................................................. 23 Participant Registration Roster ................................................................................................... 27 Visitor Survey ............................................................................................................................. 28 Payment Request ......................................................................................................................... 29 Appendix Voting Conflict Form .................................................................................................................. 31 Travel Reimbursement Form ...................................................................................................... 33 Conflict of Interest Form ............................................................................................................ 34 3 of 34 TDC 09-24-2015 BCC 10-20-2015  SECTION ONE: TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL BYLAWS A. GENERAL A.100. LEGAL AUTHORITY Legal authority for the Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council (the “Council”) is found under Section 125.0104, Florida Statutes, known as "The Local Option Tourist Development Act", Okaloosa County Ordinance 89-23 as subsequently amended, and Resolution No. 89-40 establishing the Council and stating the intent to levy a Tourist Development Tax (the “Act”). As an appointed Advisory Board, the Council is bound by State and County Laws, ordinances, and procedures governing the Council members and their activities, as well as procedures for reviewing expenditures of tourist development tax revenues. A.200. STATEMENT OF ORGANIZATION Pursuant to the Act, Okaloosa County (the "County") has: established an advisory group known as the Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council; imposed a 5% Tourist Development Tax; and approved a Tourist Development Plan pursuant to the mission set forth in A.300. The Council is responsible for advising the Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners (the “Board”) on the implementation of the Tourist Development Plan in accordance with State and County laws, regulations and procedures and within budgetary limitations imposed by the Tourist Development Tax Revenues. In order to establish the procedures by which the Council will carry out its business and the Tourist Development Plan will be implemented, the Board has approved this TDC Bylaws and TDD Operations and Procedures Manual (the “Manual”) as the guiding instrument. A.300. MISSION The Council’s primary responsibility is to advise and make recommendations to the Board on matters related to tourism sales, marketing, and advertising in order to help increase overall visitation and lodging facility occupancy. The Council shall advise and make recommendations to the Board for the effective operation of the special projects and for uses of the Tourist Development Tax revenue. The Council shall continuously review expenditures of revenues from the Tourist Development Trust Fund and shall receive expenditure reports, at least quarterly, from the Tourist Development Department Director (the “Director”). The Council shall also make recommendations on the annual Strategic Marketing Plan and Budget to ensure conformity with the Tourist Development Plan and the provisions of Section 125.0104, Florida Statutes. A.400. LOCATION OF OFFICE The Council has established its business offices at 1540 Miracle Strip Parkway SE, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548. All official business correspondence with the Council or any of its members shall be directed to the Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council at this address. 4 of 34 TDC 09-24-2015 BCC 10-20-2015 A.500. STAFF 1) Tourist Development Department Director. The Director shall be an employee of Okaloosa County and shall report to and be supervised by the County Administrator. The Director will administer and coordinate the operations of the Council, make recommendations to the Council, and oversee the Visitor Welcome Center, Emerald Coast Convention Center, Emerald Coast Film Commission, and all divisions under the Tourist Development Department (the “TDD”). 2) Tourist Development Department Staff. All TDD staff shall be employees of the County and shall report to and be supervised by the Director. 3) Benefits and Funding. The TDD Director and Staff will receive all standard County employee benefits provided by the Board, paid through the Tourist Development Trust Funds, and be subject to all County employee regulations, in addition to those provided in this Manual. A.600. COUNCIL COMPOSITION AND VACANCIES 1) Composition. The composition of the Council shall be as set forth in the Act. The Council shall be composed of nine (9) members, all of whom shall be appointed by the Board, including the Chair of the Board, or any other member of the Board as designated by the Chair. Two (2) members of the Council shall be elected municipal officials, at least one of whom shall be from the most populous municipality in the County or sub-district. These two (2) members shall be appointed by their respective governing bodies. Six (6) members of the Council shall be persons who are involved in the tourist industry and who have demonstrated an interest in tourist development, of which members, not less than three (3) nor more than four (4) shall be owners