Loading...
TDC Minutes 02/23/2004 RFebruary 23, 2004 TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING OF THE COLLIER COUNTY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL Naples, Florida, February 23, 2003 LET IT BE REMEMBERED, that the Collier County Tourist Development Council in and for the County of Collier, having conducted business herein, met on this date at 9:00 AM in REGULAR SESSION in Building "F of the Government Complex, East Naples, Florida, with the following members present: CHAIRMAN: Commissioner Donna Fiala David Loving Kevin Durkin (Absent) Robert Dictor Rhona Saunders Susan Becker E. Glenn Tucker (Absent) Joe Dinunzio ALSO PRESENT: Jack Wert - Director of Tourism Ron Hovell - Public Utilities Engineering Heidi Ashton - Assistant County Attorney John Sorey - City of Naples I II II IV V VI VII VIII X XI XII XIII MEETING AGENDA & NOTICE COLLIER COUNTY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL Monday, February 23, 2004, 9:00 A.M. - Noon Collier County Government Center, Administration Bldg. F, 3rd Floor 3301 East Tamiami Trail, Naples, FL 34112 CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL CHANGES AND APPROVAL OF AGENDA APPROVAL OF TDC MINUTES- Regular Meeting & TDC Workshop January 26, 2004 STAFF REPORTS 1. Director's Report- JackWert 2. Sales Manager Report- Debi DeBenedetto 3. P.R. Report- JoNell Modys 4. Film Coordinator Report- Maggie McCarty 5. Inquiry Report - Jack Wert a. Phase V - Fulfillment & Call Summary b. Golf Pac-Golf Inquiries 6. Paradise Advertising & Marketing- Cedar Hames, President CATEGORY "A" BEACH PROJECTS- Ron Hovell, Public Utilities Engineering Dept. a. Engineering Services for Wiggins Pass Annual Monitoring b. County / City of Naples Beach Renourishment Update i. Purchasing Strategy ii. Public Information Program Phase 2 iii. Engineering Services Proposals c. Hideaway Beach Renourishment Update d. Ten Year Budget Plan OLD BUSINESS Information on Interest on Tourist Development Tax Revenues- Heidi Ashton NEW BUSINESS Extension of Tourism Agreement with Marco Island Historical Society ANNOUNCEMENTS April TDC Meeting Date Changed- April 19, 2004 AUDIENCE INPUT & DISCUSSION COUNCIL DISCUSSION NEXT MEETING DATE/LOCATION- February 23, 2004, BCC Chambers ADJOURNMENT ** All interested parties are invited to attend, and to register to speak and to submit their objections, if any, in writing, to the board prior to the meeting if applicable. ** For more information, please contact Jack Wert at (239) 403-2402. ** If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in this proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. Please contact the Collier County Facilities Management Department located at 3301 East Tamiami Trail, Naples, FL 34112, (239) 774-8380. ** Public comments will be limited to 5 minutes unless the Chairman grants permission for additional time. ** Collier County Ordinance No. 99-22 requires that all lobbyists shall, before engaging in any lobbying activities (including, but not limited to, addressing the Board of County Commissioners) before the Board of County Commissioners and its advisory boards, register with the Clerk to the Board at the Board Minutes and Records Department. February 23, 2004 I. The meeting was called to order by Commissioner Donna Fiala at 9:05 AM. Pledge of Allegiance was recited. II. Roll Call: A quorum was established. Mr. Wert introduced a potential new member, John Sorey. III. Changes and Approval of Agenda: Mr. Wert handed out a report for Botanical Gardens as a requirement of their contract. He will review it under Item 7. IV. Approval of TDC Minutes - Regular Meeting & TDC Workshop January 26th, 2004. Ms. Saunders moved to approve the minutes and workshop of January 26th, 2004. Second by Mr. Dictor. Carried unanimously 6-0. Vo Staff Reports: (All attached) 1. Director's Report- Jack Wert 2. Sales Manager Report - Debi DeBenedetto could not be at the meeting as she is out of town at a trade show. Mr. Wert gave her report as follows: · Stated she instituted a gift certificate program. Information will be posted on the web site in the future. · Will bring in Florida attractions · Association Planners coming into Naples · Reports from the Hotels - season is strong · Tourist Tax collectors continues to show growth · Distributed Grant Applications Continue to work on the Golf Packages · Paradise Advertising is scouting locations for still photography and television commercials in March. Report - JoNell Modys Keeping up with requests Keeping in touch with media contacts and new relationships Showed Marco Island Article Attending media receptions Doing many stories and publications Handled press release for new Visitors Guide Magazine Coordinated media receptions, magazines, publicly and press releases Focusing on Everglades restoration Mentioned many publicity highlights Film Coordinator Report - Maggie McCarty · ABC Family TV series · Had two major print products (wrapped) 3. PR · · · · · · · · · 4. 2 February 23, 2004 Lot of preparation done for working leads making them into production notes (wrapped) including own commercial. · Film Production Guide - including color photos - getting calls for copies · Copy of Catalogues in packet 5. Inquiry Reports - Jack Weft a. Phase V - Fulfillment & Call Summary · Gave information month by month of calls received · Responses by State · Gave call detail of where various calls are coming from · Live calls are up but some declining by source - will check which ones · More visits to the Website b. Golf Pac-Golf Inquiries · Getting good inquires from Golf channel directly · Will get new site online 6. Paradise Advertising & Marketing - Cedar Hames, President Cedar was unable to attend the meeting; Carrie Durand gave the report as follows: · Shooting Television commercial · Had Preproduction meeting · Working on the stationery package, press kit and ad materials. · Working on full page ads 7. Botanical Garden Report: · Synopsis - self guided tours/hand held computers · Working on a field guide · Promotion plan - goal is 8,000 visitors and working on 5 year marketing plan · Working on new media packet · Tracking by zip codes were discussed Commissioner Fiala noted they are trying to bring the Arts to the Bayshore area and will hold an Investors Workshop at the Botanical Gardens. VI. Category "A" Beach Projects - Ron Hovell, Public Utilities Engineering Dept. d. Ten year Budget Plan i. Funding Policy - a sub-committee has been appointed by the Coastal Advisory Committee. There will be a meeting on Wed., February 24th. Mr. Wert felt it would be good idea to have a representative from TDC attend. It will be held in the County Managers Conference Room, second floor at 9:00 AM. No one from the TDC was available for that date. SPEAKERS David Roellig - Coastal Advisory Committee - mentioned it is very important to formulate a ten year plan to accomplish some of the tasks CAC is discussing. The plan was revised 6-8 months ago and they will be looking at some items of expense. February 23, 2004 Mr. Hovell noted the deadline for the grant applications was February 20th. With the new policy they are trying to expedite a few items. Some of the renourishment programs need sponsorships. Have over $19M coming in for requests and will need to go into the ten year program. For beach cleaning Mr. Hovell stated they have 3 full time employees in Parks and Recreation for the beaches. They use to drive tractors with beach rakes, but after the change in policy, they are now picking up trash by hand and driving a tractor and pulling a metal bar to flatten out the beach. The costs are employees, equipment, care and maintenance. Commissioner Fiala asked if they had any of the $19M or how they are going to get it and Mr. Hovell indicated they will need tourist tax revenues, Florida Dept. of Environmental reimbursement, FEMA reimbursement, cost sharing funds and whether they finance any of the projects of which all will be discussed at the Wednesday meeting. Councilman Sorey mentioned he hopes they monitor and do a better job of cleaning the beaches. Maria Ramsey - Director of Parks and Recreation - Maria talked about the beach and boat access and the development and acquisition. A summary of her remarks are as follows: · Funds are needed for additional funding to start the process. · Parking garage in Vanderbilt was approved in 2000 - funding coming from TDC for $3.8M · Money should be in reserve · The Parks & Rec Advisory Board, in relation to the $2M, comes directly to TDC - they have no relationship with the Coastal Advisory Board. · Has a list of acquisition and development costs associated with beach access · Revenue Committee is looking at other Revenue sources Mr. Loving asked about off site parking. Heidi Ashton - Assistant County Attorney - responded the opinion in the County Attorneys office was if acquiring the land it has to be beach front. If for construction, it qualifies separately. Off site shuttle parking is not an appropriate use of TDC dollars. Maria Ramsey stated the impact fees are increased to include off site parking along US- 41 to be used as shuttles. They are in their second year of collecting the fees that would now buy lands in the $400,000 range. General Fund will be another source to help with the plan funding. b. County/City of Naples Beach Major Renourishlnent ii. Public Information Program Phase 2 - Mr. Weft explained there were requests to reduce the project to see if they could use in-house help from the Public Information persons in the County. They could, but first they would need to reimburse that person for time from Tourist Development Funds - thus no savings, and secondly that person would not be as well versed as a specialist would. They need to make the residents along the beach aware of the 4 February 23, 2004 activities that are going to happen and when. Need to make the project successful. Ron Hovell stated to break it down into two phases: · Develop content into the website and brief the staff · Phase II - regular day to day/week to week maintenance of the website and attending meetings from now through construction. · Awarded Phase I last fall - $8-9,000 · Many questions are being asked that need to be answered to the residents and hope to come to an agreement to take to the BCC. · Details of the original proposal have been discussed. · Coastal Planning & Engineering is proposing time and materials work order - not to exceed $47,870. Ms. Saunders mentioned she had a conversation with Robert Lee/City of Naples, who indicated that the city could handle all the meetings and wouldn't have a problem. Mr. Itovell responded when the meetings are held in the City of Naples, and they wish not to have the consultant support, that is okay. He mentioned they do not have the staff dedicated to the public information portion of the beach project. Heidi Ashton cautioned the Committee, as she did in the past, for the use of Category "A" Funds, which were proposed, for Items 4 & 5 (Website and Media), are more appropriate for the Category "B" Fund. If the Committee decides to go forward she asked they make a finding that that's an essential component of the permitting and pre- construction project. Make a finding that the Media and Website content of the proposal is an essential item as part of the beach renourishment project. SPEAKERS David Roellig - Coastal Advisory Committee - stated this is very important and felt there has been a misunderstanding. It's important to get a recognized firm who is familiar with like projects and has a good track record in the State and located in Southwest Florida. Ms. Saunders stated some public information and this kind of campaign, at this level, is unnecessary. She stated there are many newspapers that can be used. She did not like the idea of spending this type of expenditure at the expense quoted. The latest proposal was displayed on the screen of $13,908 for the Public Meetings. CPE will be working with Gooderham & Associates from Fort Meyers, FL on the implementation of the information program. A lengthy discussion followed on the information that would be discussed on the details of the project. In talking about long term maintenance Mr. Hovell stated they will need permission to go on private property. February 23, 2004 Mr. Dictor moved to approve the proposal for funding, at a cap not $47,870. Categories 4 & 5 are essential to the success of the program. Mr. Loving. Carried 5 - 1. Ms. Saunders voted "no". to exceed Second by i. Purchasing Strategy Discussion - (Permit application) need to get requests for proposals for interested firms that have equipment and track record of dealing with a project of the scope and magnitude that it is. · Getting started in March · Award Contract in September. Need to hold special meeting before going to the Board in September · Selection Committee - one CAC committee member · Federal Government could take 30-120 days to issue permit after the State · Would like to start awarding in November 2004 · Will give updates monthly iii. Engineering Services Proposals · Beach Monitoring - $85,769 · Borrow Areas & Pipeline Corridor Hardbottom $124,298.40 · Final Design, Plans & Specifications - $145,736 · Been recommended by CAC Investigation Ms. Becker moved to approve the three work order proposals covered above in the amount of $355,803.40. Second by Mr. Dictor. Carried unanimously 6-0. c. Hideaway Beach Renourishment Update: · Where is the money coming from - by March some grant applications will be addressed? a. Engineering Services for Wiggins Pass Annual Monitoring: · Recommending $26,000 work order with Humiston & Moore · CAC has recommended at their February meeting Ms. Becker moved to recOmmend approval for the $26,000 work order for Humiston & Moore. Second by Mr. Dictor. Carried unanimously 6-0 VII. Old Business: Information on Interest on Tourist Development Tax Revenues - Heidi Ashton - a clarification was asked for at the last meeting. Heidi summarized her opinion as follows: Each year the interest on the Tourist development Accounts is transferred to the Clerk of Courts under Section 28.33 of the Florida Statutes. At the end of each year the Clerk returns the money to the board and gets deposited into the General Fund Account. The question was whether or not the money could be requested it be returned to the TDC tax funds. February 23, 2004 The answer is "yes" they can ask the Board if that is possible. It is the Board of County Commissioners decision whether they do it or not. Mr. Dinunzio moved to recommend returning the interest accumulated on the account back to the TDC. Second by Susan Becket. Carried unanimously 6-0. VIII. New Business: Extension of Tourism Agreement with Marco Island Historical Society The Marco Island Historical Society applied for and was granted funding for a plan to build a new museum on Marco Island. They had been reimbursed for $17,500 of the total $25,000 grant. They inadvertently missed the deadline for an extension to the Contract. They are asking the Contract be extended and reimbursement of the balance of the grant. The work has been completed. If the committee recommends this, the County Attorneys Office will draft the appropriate agreement and present it to the BCC for their approval. Mr. Dinunzio moved to extend the above Contract and reimbursement of the balance of the grant for the Marco Island Historical Society. Second by Mr. Dictor. Carried unanimously 6-0. IX. Announcements - none April TDC Meeting Date Changed - April 19th, 2004. After much discussion it was noted Ms. Becker and Ms. Saunders may have conflicts with the date. Mr. Sorey pointed out a conflict with a workshop with the City of Naples. E-mails will be exchanged with the date/s as the date may need to be changed. X. Audience Input and Discussion - None XI. Council Discussion - None XII. Next Meeting Date & Location - March 22, 2004 - BCC Chamber. There being no further business for the good of the County, the meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 10:40 PM. Collier County Tourist Development Council Chairman Commissioner Donna Fiala