Okaloosa County BOCC — May 29, 2014 — Minutes — reading text

them, they got 9 to know you, they got to want to come, blah blah blah. 10 MR. GUIDRY: Do you typically attend these 11 functions? 12 MR. GOSSOM: I don't typically, no but I've talked 13 to Gail about maybe doing a couple with her, and I've got 14 a film project I'm promoting right now, so I probably 15 will attend. 16 CHAIRMAN PETERSON: Congratulations. 17 MR. GOSSOM: That would be my comment. I just 18 think that the compensation is pretty low. That would be 19 my comment. 20 MR. WINDES: Mr. Chairman? 21 CHAIRMAN PETERSON: Yes. 22 MR. WINDES: She's going to additional shows over 23 what she did last year; is that right? 24 MR. SCHROEDER: That's right. 25 MR. WINDES: Three or four shows? Destin Reporting & Technology Group (850) 837-5078 scheduling@destinreporting.com  90 1 MR. SCHROEDER: Three or four. 2 MR. WINDES: For no more compensation? 3 MR. SCHROEDER: For no more -- 4 CHAIRMAN PETERSON: I think 66-5 last year. 5 MR. SCHROEDER: Well, that was the total film 6 budget. Her salary -- can we talk about salary openly in 7 this forum? 8 MS. HOSHIHARA: On compensation? On the contract, 9 yes. 10 MR. SCHROEDER: Okay. Was about 36 or 38,000. And 11 actually, what I would -- if you'll allow me, we're not 12 the only ones with stake in the game on this. There is a 13 very healthy Emerald Coast production and film 14 association that has a whole lot of members to it. And 15 they are the primary beneficiaries of what Gail does. 16 What I would suggest is we approach them -- I mean, 17 we -- I think PVC is doing their part to build a film 18 commission, but there are more people to benefit from it, 19 that could get skin in the game. I think we should 20 approach them, or Gail could approach them, maybe, Thom, 21 you and I could approach them, I don't know. 22 But somehow offer them a chance to get a state to 23 bolster her -- her benefits, her compensation. If the 24 film industry feels it should be, then they have an 25 opportunity to come to the plate and help make that Destin Reporting & Technology Group (850) 837-5078 scheduling@destinreporting.com  91 1 happen. 2 MR. GOSSOM: You know, but -- I know it was an 3 idea, but the discussion last time regarding 4 reasonableness -- 5 MR. SCHROEDER: Right. 6 MR. GOSSOM: -- perhaps in trying to work with some 7 of the other commissions who aren't -- who sounded like 8 they were kind of defunct at this point would be a great 9 idea. Now I don't know if that's a -- you know, is that 10 a two-year process? 11 MR. SCHROEDER: No, sir. 12 MR. GOSSOM: A one-year process? 13 MR. SCHROEDER: No, sir. 14 MR. GOSSOM: I think that would be a great idea. 15 And it would give resources to what we're trying to do. 16 MR. SCHROEDER: It is. And I think if the number 17 is not so great, we'll get help from them to bring them 18 in. 19 But if we -- and there's also production companies 20 all the way from Pensacola to Panama City. If this is 21 going to become a truly Northwest Florida effort as to 22 where we're not carrying the ball, and Panama City's not 23 having to carry their ball, if this can be combined, then 24 there's a chance for that whole industry, and the county 25 TDCs, to carry an appropriate amount of weight to have Destin Reporting & Technology Group (850) 837-5078 scheduling@destinreporting.com  92 1 probably a more powerful commission anywhere north of 2 Tampa. 3 VICE-CHAIRMAN RICE: Well, Ed, one of the questions 4 I asked, you know, to her at the meeting last time was, 5 you know, do -- as you're the commission, you're it. And 6 she said, yes, I'm it. 7 MR. SCHROEDER: Uh-huh. 8 VICE-CHAIRMAN RICE: You know, I know she's a 9 contractor works under your supervision, you would think 10 that building some sort of an advisory group with people 11 like Thom Gossom, and -- 12 MR. SCHROEDER: The association's made to order. 13 MR. GOSSOM: I guess my final comment would go with 14 Kelly's comment; we're asking for more and we're going to 15 pay her the same. And, I don't know, is that the way it 16 works, the capitalistic society? 17 MR. WINDES: To me it doesn't pass the good smell 18 test, honestly. 19 I mean, if you can get her some more revenue or 20 some more compensation through other means, that's all 21 well and good. But if not, we probably ought to revisit 22 it later, and see if we can't tweak it a little bit. 23 Because you've got to be fair. 24 MS. JOYCE: I've got a comment. 25 Based on what Ed was saying earlier, and make sure Destin Reporting & Technology Group (850) 837-5078 scheduling@destinreporting.com  93 1 I'm correct, you did not budget for any type of 2 compensation increases for your staff; is that correct? 3 MR. SCHROEDER: That's right. 4 MS. JOYCE: And we have the Peter Mayer agency, who 5 is agreeing to purchase into items that are going to 6 generate thousands and thousands upon thousands of 7 additional leads that the staff is going to have to 8 answer for. 9 So if we're going to talk about fairness, if she's 10 going to need to get an increase because we're asking her 11 to do more, we're also asking the convention center and 12 TDC staff to do more; they should get an increase as 13 well. 14 MR. WINDES: That's true, Rachel, but you've also 15 got to keep in mind the base of where everybody starts. 16 I mean, if she's low to start with, maybe she needs a 17 little kicker. You know, that's just my theory. 18 CHAIRMAN PETERSON: So if she's at 38 down and 19 found another 10 that's a 25% increase. Can we find 20 another 10? 21 MS. JOYCE: Are you going to offer a 25% increase 22 to the current staff? I think if we're going -- if we're 23 going to do a salary analysis I think we need to do it 24 for all of -- for the entire staff, not just one 25 individual. Destin Reporting & Technology Group (850) 837-5078 scheduling@destinreporting.com  94 1 MR. GOSSOM: When -- I guess I work with the 2 contractor primarily, and I'm not aware of any situation 3 where I have been hired as a contractor, and what I was 4 being paid was compared to the employees of the 5 respective organization. I've never seen it work like 6 that. 7 CHAIRMAN PETERSON: Any recommendations or -- 8 MR. WINDES: Why don't we meet in the middle? 9 CHAIRMAN PETERSON: Yeah, I was going to say, I 10 mean, if we could give her 5,000 more, maybe that would 11 be perceived to be a token raise, but it's something. 12 I mean, I think we've got to be a little more fair 13 with her. If she is the commission, if she is doing more 14 work, it's a pretty big -- it's a pretty big concern, 15 according to the way Thom presented it at the board 16 meeting and the board accepted that it was important, 17 that it was functional, that it was productive. 18 I mean, that's all I've got to say about that. 19 MR. DIXON: We have a recommendation of 93,400. 20 Why couldn't we just make that an even hundred and carry 21 forward from there? 22 MR. WINDES: Is that a motion? 23 MR. DIXON: Yes. 24 MR. WINDES: I'll second it. 25 CHAIRMAN PETERSON: All right. We have a motion by Destin Reporting & Technology Group (850) 837-5078 scheduling@destinreporting.com  95 1 Tuffy, and a second by Commissioner Windes. 2 MR. GOSSOM: I'm sorry, I didn't get the motion. 3 CHAIRMAN PETERSON: It is basically -- is he 4 saying, you know, they're -- they're requesting -- or 5 what we were looking at was $93,400. 6 MR. GOSSOM: Uh-huh. 7 CHAIRMAN PETERSON: And instead, we're going to 8 round that all the way to 100, which, instead of 5,000 is 9 going to be more like -- 10 MS. HOSHIHARA: 6,600. 11 CHAIRMAN PETERSON: Right. 12 All right any further discussion? All those in 13 favor say aye. 14 (Ayes) 15 CHAIRMAN PETERSON: Anyone opposed? 16 MS. JOYCE: I oppose. 17 CHAIRMAN PETERSON: Okay, Rachel opposed. 18 All right. Let's move on there, Ed. 19 MR. SCHROEDER: Mr. Chairman, the last two we can 20 probably discuss together. But you recommended 21 increasing our payments to both chambers. That $10,000 22 to each we have asked to -- or we didn't have it, so 23 we're asking you to endorse going back to the 20,000 per 24 year to each chamber. 25 (Laughter) Destin Reporting & Technology Group (850) 837-5078 scheduling@destinreporting.com  96 1 CHAIRMAN PETERSON: Any comments? 2 MR. DIXON: Money, money. 3 CHAIRMAN PETERSON: All right. I mean, no one 4 seems to have any questions about that. 5 MR. WINDES: Well, again, I think they ought to 6 justify more. But, I mean, it's not there. Doesn't take 7 a genius to take a look around and see the support's not 8 there, so let's move on. 9 CHAIRMAN PETERSON: Well, I still appreciate what 10 the chambers do. 11 MR. WINDES: Absolutely. 12 MR. SCHROEDER: And then last item, as you 13 recommend, the increase requested by the Destin Fire 14 Control District. It was my mistake; I should have of 15 informed you at that last meeting that -- what is paid 16 the Destin fire department -- Fire District is dependent 17 upon what we pay for the Okaloosa -- for our own Okaloosa 18 lifeguards. 19 So, whatever the contract is this year with the 20 Okaloosa lifeguard package would be the same that is 21 given to Destin. 22 MR. DIXON: Don't we have a brand new memorandum of 23 understanding, or a contract with them? I mean, with the 24 fire district -- I'm sorry, for lifeguard services. 25 MS. HOSHIHARA: A new one? Destin Reporting & Technology Group (850) 837-5078 scheduling@destinreporting.com  97 1 MR. DIXON: No. It is within the last six months 2 it's been developed; right? 3 MS. DUNWORTH: That, I believe, was with the 4 Okaloosa County Fire District in association with the 5 beach rescue. 6 MR. DIXON: No. A contract that was developed 7 within the last six months with the fire district and the 8 county for lifeguard services. I thought there -- we had 9 just done