Okaloosa County BOCC — April 27, 2013 — O&P Manual with Appendix Forms (3-19) — reading text

TOURIST OURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL BYLAWS AND TOURIST OURIST DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS & PROCEDURES MANUAL Revised and adopted on on: March 18, 2013 1  TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION ONE: TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL BYLAWS A.000 General ....................................................................................4 A.100 Statement of Organization ........................................................4 A.200 Location of Office ......................................................................4 A.300 Legal Authority..........................................................................4 A.400 Mission......................................................................................5 A.500 TDC Composition/Vacancies .................................................5-6 A.600 Staff .......................................................................................6-7 A.700 Amendment of the Operations and Procedures Manual.............7 B.000 TDC Meetings………………………………………………………7 B.100 Regular TDC Meetings .............................................................7 B.200 Location and Notice.......................... ........................................7 B.300 Agenda......................................................................................7 B.400 Rules of Procedure............. ...................................... ................8 B.500 Minutes.............................. ............................................. ..........8 Appendix to Section One Financial Disclosure Form……………………………………….9-10 Voting Conflict Form…………………………………………….11-12 SECTION TWO: TOURIST DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS AND PROCEDURES MANUAL C.000 Personnel and Expenses .....................................................13 C.100 Personnel Matters...................................................................13 C.200 Status of Personnel.................................................................13 C.300 Human Resources Policies............................. ........................13 C.400 Travel Procedures...................................................................13 C.410 General........................................ ...........................................13 C.420 Definitions.................................... ......................................13-14 C.430 Approval of Travel Expenses.................... ..............................14 C.440 Travel Forms...........................................................................15 C.450 Reimbursable County Travel and Expenses......................15-16 C.500 Reimbursable Promotional Travel and Expenses ..............16-17 D.000 Tourist Development Plan and Budget ...............................17 D.100 Tourist Development Plan Adoption...................................17-18 D.200 Budget Adoption.................................................................18-19 D.300 Accounts....................................... ..........................................19 D.400 Expenditures................................... ........................................20 2 E.000 Contracts with Third Parties ................................................20 E.100 Contract Specifications........................ ...................................20 E.200 Contract Requirements.......................... ............................20-21 E.300 Contract Compliance...............................................................21 E.400 Contract Approval.............................. .....................................21 E.500 Communications with Contractors................ ..........................21 E.600 Contract Payment Approval Procedures.................................22 E.700 Additional Procedures for Administration of Advertising and Promotion Contract .......................................22 SECTION THREE: Special Event and Sponsorship Funding F.100 Purpose...................................................................................23 F.200 Authorization........................................ ...................................23 F.300 Special Event and Sponsorship Funding Guideline……….23-24 F.400 Procedure................................................................................25 Appendix to Section Three Special Events and Sponsorship Funding Application…………26-29 Special Events and Sponsorship Expense Reimbursement Form………………………………30-31 Special Events and Sponsorship Post Event Report……………32-33 3  SECTION ONE: TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL BYLAWS A.000 GENERAL A.100 STATEMENT OF ORGANIZATION Pursuant to the Local Option Tourist Development Act, Section 125.0104, Florida Statutes, Okaloosa County, Florida (the "County"), has: established an advisory group known as the Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council (the "TDC"); imposed a Tourist Development Tax (5%); and approved a Tourist Development Plan pursuant to the mission set forth in A.400. The TDC is responsible for advising the Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners (the “BCC”) on the implementation of the Tourist Development Plan in accordance with State and County Procedures and within budgetary limitations imposed by the Tourist Development Tax Revenues. In order to establish the procedures by which the Council will carry out its business and the Tourist Development Plan will be implemented, the BCC has approved this TDC Bylaws and TDD Operations and Procedures Manual as the guiding instrument. A.200 LOCATION OF OFFICE The TDC has established its business offices at 1540 Miracle Strip Parkway SE, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548. All official business correspondence with the TDC or any of its members shall be directed to the Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council, P.O. Box 609, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32549- 0609. A.300 LEGAL AUTHORITY Legal authority for the TDC is found under Section 125.0104, Florida Statutes, known as "The Local Option Tourist Development Act"; Okaloosa County Ordinance 89-23 as subsequently amended and Resolution No. 89-40, establishing the TDC and stating the intent to levy a Tourist Development Tax. As an appointed Advisory Board, the TDC is bound by State and County Laws, ordinances, and procedures governing the TDC members and their activities, and procedures for reviewing expenditures of tourist development tax revenues. 4 A.400 MISSION 1) The TDC’s primary responsibility is to advise and make recommendations to the BCC on matters related to tourism sales, marketing, and advertising in order to help increase overall visitation and lodging facility occupancy. The TDC shall advise and make recommendations to the BCC for the effective operation of the special projects or for uses of the Tourist Development Tax revenue. The TDC shall continuously review expenditures of revenues from the Tourist Development Trust Fund and shall receive expenditure reports, at least quarterly, from the Tourist Development Department Director (the “Director”). 2) The TDC shall also make annual recommendations on the promotion and operation of the Emerald Coast Convention Center, the Visitors Welcome Center, the funding of beach cleaning, beach restoration and improvements, a certified mandated State of Florida turtle watch program, water testing throughout Choctawhatchee Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, the Emerald Coast Film Commission, public beach access, County parks and beaches within the sub-county taxing district, funding improvements and maintenance of other tourist destination facilities within the sub-district, funding the artificial reef program, and overseeing the Okaloosa County Environmental Council. A.500 TDC COMPOSITION/VACANCIES 1) Composition. The composition of the TDC shall be as set forth in Section 125.0104, Florida Statutes, and Resolution 89-40 dated April 18, 1989, as amended. The TDC shall be composed of nine (9) members, seven (7) of whom shall be appointed by the BCC, including the Chair of the BCC, or any other member of the BCC as designated by the Chair. Two (2) members of the TDC shall be elected municipal officials, at least one of whom shall be from the most populous municipality in the County or sub-district. These two (2) members shall be appointed by their respective governing bodies. Six (6) members of the TDC shall be persons who are involved in the tourist industry and who have demonstrated an interest in tourist development, of which members, not less than three (3) nor more than four (4) shall be owners or operators of motels, hotels, recreational vehicle parks, or other tourist accommodations in the County and subject to the tax. All members of the TDC shall be electors of Okaloosa County. 2) Terms. All TDC members shall serve for staggered terms of four (4) years, with the exception of the members of the municipalities and the BCC who serve as appointed by their respective governing bodies. Their terms are subject to re-appointment or term expiration, whichever comes first. No TDC member shall serve more than one (1) term which shall be no more than four 5  (4) consecutive years. The TDC member terms shall begin on October 1st of the year of appointment and terminate on September 30th of the fiscal year their term expires. The BCC shall have the option of designating the TDC Chairman or allowing the TDC to elect a Chairman. Terms for the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the TDC shall be for one (1) fiscal year. They may be re-appointed by a majority vote of the TDC members but cannot serve more than two (2) fiscal year terms. 3) Orientation. All newly appointed TDC members shall participate in an orientation process, which shall include, but is not limited to, an overview of Sunshine Law, Public Records, Ethics and relevant statutes, ordinances and TDD operating policies. From time-to-time, the TDC shall participate in a refresher briefing on the topics included in the orientation. 4) Vacancies. Should any seat on the TDC become vacant, a replacement to serve the remainder of that term shall be appointed in the same manner as the appointment of the person whose absence created the vacancy. If the appointment to fill the vacant position is for greater than two years, then such shall be deemed as a full term. 5) Removal/Resignation. Any member shall be subject to removal from the TDC if they miss three (3) TDC meetings per fiscal year or upon a majority vote of the BCC. Special consideration/leniency will be given for any absences due to Acts of God, personal illness/medical, and/or family