Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council — Apr 25, 2013 — reading text

Tourist Development Council 1540 Miracle Strip Parkway Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548 Regular Meeting http://www.okaloosafl.com ~ Agenda ~ Thursday, May 30, 2013 2:00 PM Emerald Coast Convention Center Council Members & Staff Dale Peterson Chairman - Owner, Dale E. Peterson Vacations Thomas Rice Vice Chairman - Owner, Magnolia Grill Restaurant Daniel Empson Owner, Harry T's Lighthouse Restaurant Thom Gossom Owner, Best Gurl, Inc. - Mktg & Comm. Firm Joe Guidry Manager, Ramada Plaza Beach & RV Resorts Honorable Kelly Windes Commissioner District 5 Honorable Tuffy Dixon City of Destin Representative Honorable Charles H. "Bull" Rigdon City of FWB Representative Daniel O'Byrne Director Lynn Hoshihara TDD Attorney Greg Stewart TDD Attorney I. Pledge of Allegiance (Dale Peterson - Chairman) II. Consider Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council Meeting Minutes A. Tourist Development Council - Regular Meeting - Apr 25, 2013 1:00 PM III. Initial Presentation of Proposed 2013-2014 Strategic Marketing Plan including Budgetary Background and Framework (Peter A. Mayer Advertising Agency/Dan O'Byrne) 1. Presentation & Reports IV. Consider 1st penny capital project funding for remainder of 2013 (Dan O'Byrne) A. TDD Expenses V. Review Procedures to fill vacant TDC lodging industry seat per TDD Operations & Procedures Manual (Nabors, Giblin & Nickerson PA) A. Procedures Tourist Development Council Page 1 Printed 5/24/2013 Regular Meeting Minutes May 30, 2013 VI. Schedule June TDC Meeting (Dan O'Byrne) VII. Public Comment VIII. Adjourn Tourist Development Council Page 2 Printed 5/24/2013  2.A Okaloosa County Tourist Development Department 1540 Miracle Strip Parkway Ft. Walton Beach, FL 32548 Regular Meeting http://www.okaloosafl.com Minutes Acceptance: Minutes of Apr 25, 2013 2:00 PM (Consider Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council Meeting Minutes) ~ Minutes ~ Thursday, April 25, 2013 1:00 PM Emerald Coast Convention Center I. Welcome & Pledge of Allegiance (Daniel O’Byrne) Attendee Name Title Status Arrived Departed Kelly Windes Commissioner District 5 Present - Michael Bass Present - Daniel Empson Absent - Thom Gossom Present - Joe Guidry Present - Dale E. Peterson Chairman Absent Thomas Rice Vice-Chairman Present - Tuffy Dixon Destin Councilman Present - Charles Rigdon FWB Councilman Present - Daniel O'Byrne Director Present - Lynn Hoshihara & TDD Attorney(s) Present - Greg Stewart I. Pledge of Allegiance & Welcome (Dan O’Byrne) Mr. O’Byrne brought the meeting to order at 1:00 with the Pledge of Allegiance and welcomed everyone to the new committee’s first meeting. II. Presentation by Tourist Development Department Attorneys (Nabors, Giblin & Nickerson PA) Mr. Stewart provided Council members with binders containing resource materials detailing policies, procedures, statutes that govern the Council, its activities and responsibilities. He reviewed several sections of note inside the binder. Mr. Stewart reviewed each tab in the binder. Tab A, the statutes that govern the Tourist Development Council and its operations. Tab B has the various ordinances that the council is operating under. Tab C is a copy of the bylaws. Tab D is an overview of public records and sunshine law. Tab E is various forms related to voting conflicts. Mr. Stewart pointed out the acknowledgement form at the back of the binder. The form acknowledges receipt of the materials and understanding that is each member’s responsibility to review the materials enclosed and agreement if any additional information is needed they contact the attorneys or the TDD. He requested each member sign their form and return to him at the end of the meeting. Okaloosa County Tourist Development Department Page 1 Printed 4/26/2013 Packet Pg. 3  2.A Regular Meeting Minutes January 23, 2013 The Tourist Development Council is governed under the provisions in section 125.01.044 statues. There is a copy of the statute in the binder for Council member’s review. Minutes Acceptance: Minutes of Apr 25, 2013 2:00 PM (Consider Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council Meeting Minutes) Tab B is the operative ordinances, which the Council operates under. During the past year, the ordinances, which govern the Tourist Development Council and department, have been completely revised. Under Tab B-1, ordinances 12-21, sets forth all the provisions governing the TDC and TDD in the ordinance. Mr. Stewart stated the TDC is an advisory body to the Board of County Commissioners. Their duty is to assist the Board of County Commissioners in making determinations to enhance tourism and visitation to the area. Funding-wise, there are various pennies, which have been adopted by the Board of County Commissioners over the years. They can be used for various purposes. One of the most crucial aspects is the Tourist Development Plan, what tourist development taxes can be used for. 1st -The first penny has been committed towards beach restoration, improvement projects. nd 2 -The second is used for waterway beach tourist destination facility improvements, landscaping operations, lifeguard and beach protection; as well as TDD administration. rd 3 -The third penny is committed to the operations of the convention center and any other beach facilities or tourist destination facilities. th 4 -The fourth is dedicated to the convention center and payment of the debt service on that and other improvements to the center. th 5 -The fifth is for promotion only. At Tab C, Mr. Stewart identified the TDC bylaws and operations and procedures manual. Mr. Stewart reiterated it was the Council’s duty to advise the Board of County Commissioners on the implementation of the Tourist Development plan. Secondly, it is the Council’s responsibility to advise the board on tourism, sales, marketing and advertising to increase visitors and lodging occupancy in the area. Third, to review tourist development expenditures and make sure the committee believes they are being used in accordance with the ordinance and statute. Fourth and finally, the committee is to make an annual recommendation to the board on the expenditure of funds. As part of that, the committee is required to meet once a year, in a public meeting, to approve a recommended budget proposal, which would govern the expenditure of various proceeds. Tab D and Tab E, are the sunshine law and public records law and ethics divisions, which Mr. Stewart turned over to Ms. Hoshihara to speak about. Ms. Hoshihara started a PowerPoint presentation titled, The Basics on Public Records, Sunshine Law and Ethics. Okaloosa County Tourist Development Department Page 2 Printed 4/17/2013 Packet Pg. 4  2.A Regular Meeting Minutes January 23, 2013 Sunshine Law- She stated there is a common misconception that these laws don’t apply to volunteer boards, but they do apply equally to the TDC as they do to the Board of Minutes Acceptance: Minutes of Apr 25, 2013 2:00 PM (Consider Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council Meeting Minutes) County Commissioners. The purpose of the Sunshine Law is to protect the public from any closed door decision making, by providing them with the right of access to any government meeting. Any meetings where public action is being taken must be open to the public. This applies not only to formal settings, but even to meetings between two or more members of the council. Council members may not discuss matters that could forseeably come before the Council for a vote, without making it open to the public with notice and having minutes recorded. This includes telephone calls, e-mail, text