Okaloosa County BOCC — June 25, 2015 — I. d. Event Funding - Horizons

TOURIST DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM DATE: June 25, 2015 TO: Tourist Development Council FROM: Ed Schroeder, Tourist Development Department Director Charlotte Dunworth, Finance, Administration, & Compliance Manager SUBJECT: Burning Up the Beaches 2016 Local Event Marketing Funding Request STATEMENT OF ISSUE: Consideration of a request by The Arc of the Emerald Coast to overrule policy and accept a Local Event Marketing Funding Application for Burning Up the Beaches to occur in May 2016. BACKGROUND: The Local Event Marketing Funding policy was approved by the TDC on January 21, 2015 and adopted by the BCC on February 3, 2015. Two key aspects of the policy are outlined below: First, applicants must attend a Local Event Marketing Funding educational session. The purpose of this requirement is to ensure potential applicants receive instruction on funding guidelines, Emerald Coast logo requirements, authorized uses, funding levels, application process, and payment process. It also affords an exchange of questions and answers beneficial to all applicants. Events that applied for funding in FY14 or FY15 were notified of the new policy via electronic and postal service mail and afforded the opportunity to attend one of two educational sessions. • As a prior applicant, the organization was provided via regular mail and email in February 2015 information on how to access the new policy, the May 1, 2015 application deadline, and the dates and times for the March and April educational sessions. • Three representatives from the organization attended the March educational session. • A representative from the organization also attended the April educational session. • The applicant completed the Applicant Acknowledgement indicating agreement to be bound by the Local Event Marketing Funding policy. Second, applications must be submitted annually no later than May 1. An exception to the May 1 application deadline may be granted by the Tourist Development Director for a new, previously unfunded event. The purpose of this deadline is to integrate local event marketing funding into the budget process to streamline the review and approval process and to properly budget for this category of expense. • Burning Up the Beaches is not a new, previously unfunded event for which the TDD Director may grant an exception. • Local Event Marketing Funding is funded in the fifth penny, for which a balanced budget for FY16 has been recommended by the TDC and presented to the County Administrator. FY16 event applications received prior to the May 1 deadline were budgeted, along with $23K in contingency funding for new, previously unfunded events. Since the budget was prepared, two new, previously unfunded events have expressed interest in applying for FY16 funding. OPTIONS: 1) Adhere to Local Event Marketing Funding policy and deny the request. 2) Overrule Local Event Marketing Funding policy and recommend to BCC acceptance of the application with the stipulation that the amount of funding awarded be approved based on Local Event Marketing Funding budget funds available in April 2016. 3) Overrule Local Event Marketing Funding policy and recommend to BCC acceptance of the application with funding coming from fifth penny promotional reserves.