Okaloosa County BOCC — April 23, 2015 — II. g. Destin Fishing Museum request — reading text

DESTIN HISTORY & FISHING MUSEUM March 26,2015 DESTIN FISHING MUSEUM FOUNDATION,INC. TO: Tourist Development Council Ed Schroeder, Tourist Development Department Director Charlotte Dunworth,,Finance,/administration & Compliance Manager From: Dave Steele, Museum President Jean Melvin, Executive Director “ . /) o San_, 17 / /z/f)uwu Jedl Melvin Director Destin History and Fishing Museum Preserving the Heritage of The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village Destin History and Fishing Museum Board of Directors, Dave Steele, John Lefler, Lloyd Taylor, Terry Long Dan Empson, Richard Derek, Norm Hall, Dan Martin, Russell Wamble Jean Melvin, Executive Director Kathy Marler, Associate Director P.O.BOX 548 DESTIN, FLORIDA 32540-0548 850.837.6611 850.837.6609 FAX DESTINHISTORY @GMA!L.COM Preserving the Heritage of The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village Destin History and Fishing Museum Proposal to Okaloosa County -- Tourist Development Council March 2015 GOAL: As a tourist destination, museum, and key historical repository in the Tourist Development (TDC) “bed tax” district of Okaloosa County, Destin History and Fishing Museum (DHFM) seeks a partnership with Okaloosa County to receive a portion of the designated revenue in order to expand and continue its objectives to attract visitors to the region. As a not-for-profit organization open to the public, offering education and entertainment for visitors of all ages, the DHFM qualifies for such revenue under Okaloosa County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 20, Article I, Section 20.72 (c.) (1.). (See Appendix.) This request for FY 2016 funding is for $50,000 to operate, maintain, and expand the Destin History and Fishing Museum for the education and entertainment of an average (and growing) visitor attendance of over 8,000 customers per year. OBJECTIVES: 1. Serve as a welcome station for visitors and locals to witness the unique heritage of Destin and increase visitor attendance. 2. Create a 20-station audio-tour in the museum with MP3 Players & headphones for visitors to use for a self-guided tour as well as an audio-tour for the “Old Post Office”. Scripts written and prepared for professional oral recording. 3. Continue researching and complete the Captain’s Wall of Fame & Pioneers of Paradise exhibits. Complete the Oral History Project with visual kiosk. 5. Expand the museum’s lecture program with use of the adjoining City’s “Senior Program” room recently acquired from the City of Destin through long-term lease. Prepare lecture program space with seating and podium to hold laptop which will be wired to large screen monitor to project PowerPoint presentations created by Museum Staff and other visiting speakers. 6. Create a Science of Fish and Children’s Hands-On Exhibit to compliment area school’s science programs and enhance visitors’ learning experience. 7. Work with the City of Destin to repair and preserve the historic seine-boat “Primrose” shelter. This work is to include a covering for the boat, a wrap-a-round dock structure around the perimeter of the boat for observation, and a data plaque of information about the boat’s history. 8. Create a new exhibit featuring the early families and specific people in “A Family Album” of the early generations and their life in Destin to provide additional history for museum visitors. Exhibit data is to be displayed on a swingframe exhibit. Page 2 9. Continue to collect artifacts that help tell the whole story of Destin. 10. Continue to expand the “Footprints in the Sand” paver project, a celebration of life in Destin, past, present, and future. Located at Museum property entrance. 11. Expand into the “Senior Center” area creating an Artifact Processing Workroom for artifact and exhibit preparation and storage. Include workspace to clean and process incoming artifacts, storage area, and computer and scanner equipment for digital inventory of museum collections. 12. Expand the Destin Fishing Rodeo exhibit utilizing interactive technology to promote this annual event which brings thousands of visitors to the area. 13. Broaden the advertising and promotion of museum offerings through contact with resort services and special resort tour pricing. 14. Work to create a “HisTOURical Walking Tour” along the Destin Harbor Boardwalk of historical fact-based markers. Markers to be placed on the North side of the City of Destin Boardwalk and indicate the parcel of land and the original owner. Included, could be a brief contribution of each family to the village. Located at the bottom would be notation to instruct individuals to visit the museum for additional facts. 15. A significant maintenance expense has recently developed, as the roof of the facility is old, damaged, and has begun leaking. It must be replaced soon at an estimated cost of $19,000. Museum Overview The Destin History and Fishing Museum is a local museum operated by the Destin Fishing Museum Foundation, Inc. and will celebrate its 10" Anniversary October 1, 2015. The DHFM presents the history of Destin and journey from a small fishing village to a major tourist attraction. The Museum maintains collections of artifacts, photographs, manuscripts and other historical materials for preservation, study and public display. The 501 C3 Museum is run by a Board of Directors and staffed by two paid employees as well as many volunteers. The mission of the Destin History and Fishing Museum is to preserve Destin’s history by stimulating interest in and understanding of the village of Destin, its history and fishing and tourism industries, through experiences that educate, inspire and encourage visitors to return to Destin and its roots. DHFM provides information and creates a more vibrant information gathering place for all to share the richness of Florida’s history and diverse cultures. Every year as word spreads of the Museum’s existence and programming, the attendance increase. The last three years annual attendance average visiting the museum exhibits was 8,026. This number does not include off site events. The Museum continues to receive incredible support from local businesses and community members. Page 3 Every person, regardless of age walks through the doors of the DHFM as a learner. Staff and volunteers provide a multi-media guided tour which brings visitors more appreciation of the heritage of the early people and evolution of the fishing industry of Destin. This tapestry of Destin’s past helps locals and visitors alike understand how the past helped direct Destin to the thriving City it is today. Children’s tours compliment the educational standards they receive in their classrooms. Families of Destin’s early pioneers are given a sense of pride in how their heritage helped a village to evolve into a world-class tourist destination. The mission of the Museum is shared in the Mission Statement of the City of Destin and embodied in their State Comprehensive Plan. This partnership is promoted throughout all aspects of the City of Destin. As the only entity within the City of Destin as the caretaker of the local culture and heritage, the Museum Staff are the guardians of a priceless commodity. DHFM is sought out consistently to provide the City of Destin, radio, TV, newspapers, magazines and other media sources with historical data or to authenticate data. The methods, staffing, and evaluation of the museum’s objectives to reach the goal of the project will offer long-term financial viability. Some projects are finite and once completed need no additional resources or work. This is the case in exhibit construction. Many of the project objectives are capacity-building. The increase in number and caliber of exhibits, updated educational tours, development of a book on the complete history of Destin, working in partnership with area resorts to promote tours and promoting ways to bring awareness of Museum offerings to all residents and visitors to Okaloosa County—these objectives will contribute to the future self-sufficiency of the Museum and enable it to expand services to generate revenue. Current funding includes: (1) admission to the Museum, (2) general donations to the museum as well as exhibit sponsorships, (3) event income from our Annual Gumbo Contest and Silent Auction, Destin Seafood Festival booth and parking concession, and Holiday on the Harbor Lighted Boat Parade, (4) gift shop sales, (5) museum memberships, and (6) grant & government entity sources. The DHFM does not have any debt. The Museum Board oversees a savings and investment account to ensure financial stability in case of emergency. Numerous local businesses provide yearly in-kind donations and a network of generous friends of the Museum provides financial support for special events or exhibit construction. The Museum’s proximity to the Destin Harbor District and partnership with Okaloosa County in receiving bed-tax revenue will provide the platform for the Destin History and Fishing Museum to grow as a recognized museum entity and site for visitor information and a possible East County TDC Information Center. Respectfully Submitted, s P el i ) ) : Ex@tive Director, DHFM %l’b‘tmt/lfllFM L[péésurer HFM Appendix Governing Okaloosa County Ordinances: OKALOOSA COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES Chapter 20 - TAXATION ARTICLE II. - TOURIST DEVELOPMENT Sec. 20-72. - Tourist development plan. (c.) County tourist development plan. (1.) Tourism promotion. The county further determines that funding aquariums and museums that are publicly owned and operated or owned and operated by not-for-profit organizations and open to the public, within the sub- district will promote tourism within the sub-district by offering educational activities and entertainment for visitors of all ages. Thus, the allocation of tourist tax revenues for the funding of aquariums and museums is an appropriate use of these revenues and funds may be allocated accordingly. 2014 Okaloosa County Revision to Tourist Development Council Revenue Allocation (3) For the revenues generated by the third percentage point on each dollar, for each vear beginning with fiscal year 2043-2044 2014-2015, the allocation shall be as follows: a. To provide and improve Visitor Welcome or Information Centers; to provide for the operations and maintenance of the Convention Center, the Visitor Welcome or Information Centers, and other tourist destination facilities, including aguariums and museums within the sub-district; and to provide for the promotion of the use of the convention center and other tourist destination facilities. (24-month projected revenue total, net of administrative charges, is $4.636,000-00 $5.360,000)