Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 08-14-06 ‎(budget)‎ — reading text

Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce has served as the Relocation and Visitors Service for the City of Fort Walton Beach for over 20 years. This relationship has certainly been very beneficial for all the visitors, as well as our City residents who comprise almost 50% of our inquiries! Chamber' s commitment (Relocation ServicesNisitors Center): Relocation requests are handled via phone/ website inquires Creation of Relocation Guide/ Quality of Life Magazine- 5000 printed annually. Mailed/Distributed to all relocation requests Includes all City info, area photos and letter from Mayor Website: www. fwbchamber.org featuring all area info, community, relocation and visitors menus. The City of Fort Walton Beach and our chamber web sites are linked. Annual Y2 Page ad in Okaloosa County Fact Book, published by Daily News Organizer/ Promoter/ Marketer ofthe three largest " festivals" in The Greater Fort Walton Beach area: Mardi Gras/ Billy Bowlegs/ Armed Forces Appreciation Day (All expenses incurred by Chamber with emergency personnel assistance from The City) Billy Bowlegs Festival 2006 had over 35, 000 attendees during the event. Billy Bowlegs Festival program- 5000 distributed complimentary- featured over 10 pages promoting The City, including welcome letter from Mayor Armed Forces Appreciation Day (November 4, 2006) will benefit over 10, 000 local military and residents' families. Co- Sponsor, with City of Fort Walton Beach, of Independence Day celebration at the Landing Additional advertising ( non as deemed appropriate ( Area base relocation tourism)- guides, etc) City of Fort Walton Beach Commitment for Relocation and Visitors Services The City Council has recommended funding $25, 000 annually for the above services. Chamber' s Downtown Business Commitment for 2006 and beyond The Chamber has discovered a huge void of business promotion in the downtown area. Realizing that several groups have initiated this process and failed, we have made the revitalization of the downtown business community a priority. As we celebrate our 60th Anniversary in 2006, The City can be guaranteed that we offer the stability and business acumen, as well as leadership and passion for the Historic Downtown area. This collaboration between the Chamber and the Downtown business owners and operators will be successful if these businesses commit the time and energies needed to achieve our combined goals. The chambers plan: 1. Meet with our existing " downtown" chamber members and other interested business owners to determine the ' majority' goals of the group. This committee would be included in our chamber business plan/organization chart. A committee chairperson would be appointed and they would report to our Board of Directors/Chairman of the Board. The President/CEO would be responsible for their day- to- day activity. 2. Schedule meetings regularly as deemed appropriate with the immediate goal to combine this effort with the Cities Neighborhood meetings. City staff will be invited to all meetings. 3. Plan educational seminars on such topics as Business plans, marketing, staging storefronts, sales, customer service, financial, and other issues as requested by the group. 4. Create a rack brochure ( min. 10, 000), which will promote entire downtown area exact geographic perimeters to be determined by the group) and distributed to all area lodging, Welcome Center, Visitor Center, and each participating business. 5. ALL merchants in the selected geographic region selected will have the opportunity to be promoted in all marketing/educational opportunities even ifthey are not members of the Chamber of Commerce or have/have not participated in the committee activity. 6. Create a minimum quarterly 4- page insert inserted in our Coastlines Monthly newsletter ( printed by Daily News- IS, 000 distribution) AND separate Tab section will be distributed to businesses, welcome centers, lodging, etc. 7. Organize, promote and market festivals as deemed appropriate. Well- organized festivals, which are deemed beneficial to all downtown businesses, will assist in making downtown vibrant and successful. 8. The goal ofthe festivals would be to make the Chamber-- as it pertains to the downtown business community-- and this committee, financially self-sufficient. Thus no need to rely on City ofFort Walton Beach forfinancial support. 9. Advertising in local tourist publications- such as SEE magazine, Life' s A Beach, etc- promoting the Downtown area as a destination. 10. Quarterly updates to City Council via Chamber rep on status of Downtown acti viti es. City of Fort Walton Beach' s Commitment for Downtown Business Promotion The Chamber is requesting $ 15, 000 to cover the expenses associated with the Downtown Business Promotional Plan outlined above Total Commitment for The City of Fort Walton Beach to The Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce for the 2006/ 2007 Fiscal Year: RelocationlVisitors Services: $ 25, 000 & Downtown Business Promotion: $ 15, 000 = $ 40. 000  THE GREATER EneT WAITAU DJI" iJ D U... .... 1.1 ~!~ !!_~" II 2CC; "_ rHi , n p, ri: ') 0 l CHAMBER OF COMMERCE i... July 17, 2006 c;;;: ekJ , pY-V ~ v Ms. Joyce Shanahan, City Manager City of Fort Walton Beach P. O. Box 4009 Fort Walton Beach, FL 32549 Dear Ms. Shanahan: I would like to On behalf of the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce, staff for establishing thank the City of Fort Walton Beach, the City Council, and the City such a great working relationshipbetween our two entities. I believe the citizens and for the businesses in Fort Walton Beach benefit immensely as we work together betterment of our community. Fort Walton The Fort Walton Chamber of Commerce has enjoyed assisting the City of this service for Beach with relocation information- and we definitely want to continue many years to come. In addition to the relocation information for potential new residents, the Chamber promotes the City of Fort Walton Beach via our website, telephone inquires the Senior & and of course, in person at the Chamber office. Our festivals, especially and Snowbird Expo, Mardi Gras ParadeIFestival, Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival the some of the largest in Torchlight Parade, and the Armed Forces Appreciation Day, are in marketing these the city and attract tourists and locals alike. With our increased efforts events, the City will receive much more exposure than previously accomplished. will approve the decision to Additionally, I am forecasting that our board of directors inherit all responsibilities have the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce of all associated with Fort Walton Beach MainStreet. This would entail organization It would include the festivals and other activities created to drive business downtown. all membership continuation of a Gazette- type publication. It would also assume businesses, well as others in the functions associated with organizing the downtown as and other activities CRA district. These functions would include educational seminars deemed appropriate by the MainStreet membership group. Ms. Joyce Shanahan City Manager 2- July 17, 2 006 Our responsibilities would also include establishing a liaison between the MainStreet merchants and the City of Fort Walton Beach. Other specific duties of the Chamber' s involvement with MainStreet will be outlined after discussion with the merchants and city staff Our goal would be to make Downtown Fort Walton Beach, and the entire CRA district, vibrant with business. Strong business= Strong Tax Base. The one major component of the Chamber operating the MainStreet organization is that the MainStreet committee or department under the Chamber' s leadership will be run as a business. Chamber missions are to assist businesses in helping themselves. I, as President/CEO of the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce, will be responsible for overseeing the success/progress of MainStreet. The City will have a one stop contact for all components pertaining to the MainStreet issues listed above. The Chamber will earmark a schedule of events for the City and will give quarterly updates to the City Council. The Chamber will provide the strong leadership that has been missing from the Fort Walton Beach MainStreet organization. Thus, the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce respectfully requests that the City of Fort Walton Beach fund this important partnership for fiscal year 2006- 2007 in the amount of $60, 000. We would ask that the City plan on a 3- year commitment for similar funds for fiscal years 2007- 2008 and 2008- 2009(Understanding that we would submit separate requests each year). Please advise if additional information is needed to clarify our proposal. On behalf of our board of directors, we are looking forward to maintaining our strong business relationship with the City of Fort Walton Beach. z~ Ted Corcoran President/CEO TC: cam  f;~JJj EI Economic Development Council July 12, 2006 of Oka/ oasa County, Florida Joyce Shanahan - City Manager City of Fort Walton Beach Post Office