Loading...
TDC Minutes 03/22/2004 RMarch 22, 2004 TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING OF THE COLLIER COUNTY TOURISM DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL Naples, Florida, March 22, 2004 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 Robert Dictor (Excused) Joe Dinunzio Kevin Durkin (Absent) David Loving (Absent) Rhona Saunders Susan Becker (Excused) John Sorey III ALSO PRESENT: Jack Wert, Tourism Director Ron Hovell, Public Utilities Engineering Heidi Ashton, Assistant County Attorney Maria Bernal, Executive Assistant, Tourism Gail Hambright, Administrative Assistant MEETING AGENDA & NOTICE COLLIER COUNTY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL Monday, March 22, 2004, 9:00 A.M. - Noon Collier County Government Center, Administration Bldg. F, 3ra Floor 3301 East Tamiami Trail, Naples, FL 34112 CALL TO ORDER II II IV ROLL CALL CHANGES AND APPROVAL OF AGENDA APPROVAL OF TDC MINUTES- Regular Meeting Feb. 23, 2004 V STAFF REPORTS 1. Director's Report- Jack Wert 2. Sales Manager Report- Debi DeBenedetto 3. P.R. Report- JoNell Modys 4. Film Coordinator Report- Maggie McCarty 5. Inquiry Reports - Jack Wert a. Phase V - Fulfillment & Call Summary b. Search Engine Marketing Report c. Golf Pac-Golf Inquiries 6. Paradise Advertising & Marketing- Cedar Hames, President VI CATEGORY "A" PROJECTS Grant Applications for FY 05 A. City of Naples 1. Beach Maintenance - Algae/Seaweed Removal and Equipment Purchase 2. S. Gordon Dr. T-Groin Monitoring 3. Gordon Pass Turtle Monitoring 4. Doctor's Pass Monitoring 5. Beach Renourishment 6. Beach Maintenance - Algae/Seaweed Removal Reimbursement B. City of Marco Island 1. Hideaway Beach & T-Groin Monitoring 2. Hideaway Beach Renourishment 3. Marco Island Monitoring C. Collier County Environmental Services Dept. 1. Sea Turtle Monitoring & Beach Studies D. Collier County Parks & Recreation Department 1. Beach Cleaning Operations 2005 2. Vanderbilt & Clam Pass Park Beach Renourishment 3. Repairs to Beach Cleaning Equipment 4. Tipping Fees 5. Beach Renourishment/Beach Dune Walkover and Paver Pathway 6. Beach Renourishment/Re-pave Tigertail Parking Lot 7. Beach Renourishment/South Marco Parking Lot 8. Beach Renourishment/Pedestrian Beach Access E. Pelican Bay Services Division 1. Clam Pass Monitoring 2. Pelican Bay Beach Renourishment TDC March 22, 2004 Agenda Page 2 F. Collier County Tourism Department 1. Project Management and Misc. Fees 2005 Prior Year Category "A" Projects A. City of Naples Grants B. Lake Trafford Restoration C. Hideaway Beach Access Improvements 3. Project Updates A. Ten Year Plan B. County/City of Naples Beach Renourishment Update i. Schedule: discussion of progress and potential barriers to meeting a November 2004 construction start date C. Hideaway Beach Renourishment Update i. Public Access ii. Cost Sharing iii. Interlocal Agreement with the City of Marco Island iv. Engineering Services Proposals v. Schedule: discussion of progress and potential barriers to meeting a November 2004 construction start date 4. Minutes of CAC Sub-Committee 2/25/04 -Informational only VII OLD BUSINESS VIII NEW BUSINESS 1. TDC Appointment 2. Election of TDC Vice-Chairman IX ANNOUNCEMENTS X AUDIENCE INPUT & DISCUSSION XI COUNCIL DISCUSSION XII NEXT MEETING DATE/LOCATION- April 19, BCC Chambers XIII 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 Weft 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. March 22, 2004 I. The meeting was called to order by Commissioner Donna Fiala at 9:17 AM. Pledge of Allegiance was recited. II. Roll Call - no quorum was established. The Committee decided to schedule a special meeting in one week to proceed with items that need to be voted upon. That meeting will be scheduled for Monday, March 29th at 9:00 AM. Mr. Sorey is unable to attend the special meeting. The time for the meeting will be discussed at the end of the meeting. III. Changes and Approval of Agenda- Under "New" business add: 1) Invoice for approval for Kelley Swafford & Roy. 2) Request for another position in Tourism Dept. IV. Approval of Minutes - Regular meeting Feb. 23, 2004 No quorum. Ve Staff Reports: 1. Director's Report- Jack Wert "B" & "C" Category applications are due on March 31 st. Review committee will look at them for funding and meeting criteria. Will be presented at the April TDC meeting. · Tourist Tax continues to show growth. · Hotels continue to indicate strength in the market 2. Sales Manager Report - Debi DeBenedetto Highlights of the following reports are as follows: · Travel South Show · Interest by Motor Coach Tour operators · Vacation Expo · Tickets to Paradise · Planner FAM · Attended Golf Shows · Will host the FASE at the Marco Island Marriot · Meeting with meeting planners · Mothers Day promotion · Working with Budgeting process for '05 e P.R. Report - JoNell Modys · Film shoot for ad campaign · Travel channel Requests (National & International) · Media Advisory about film shoot · Sports organizing committee (new) · Newspaper/St. Patrick's Day · Brochures for Travel Show · Met staff/Everglades Network · Worked w/two top newspapers - New York Times March 22, 2004 · Wall Street Journal - leads to Hotels/catering etc. · Over 300 media contacts Film Coordinator Report- Maggie McCarty · Two projects - Internationally UK & Germany · Tourism Commercial for Collier County · Moving into new office · Invited everyone to view it. Inquiry Reports - Jack Wert a. Phase V - Fulfillment &Call Summary - documented calls and see a rise over 2003. Advertise in the Vacation Guide. A lot of calls for Audubon. Nominated sites in Collier County. 540 calls from Naples Daily News. b. Search Engine Marketing Report - need to market their sites to the Web Site - had a transition period - very important to market through the Search Engines. c. Golf Pac-Golf Inquiries - continue to market. 6. Paradise Advertising and Marketing - Cedar Hames, President · Started working on Campaign 3 weeks from today. · Purchased TV (Miami & West Palm) and Newspapers - Summer to Sept. · National Magazine Campaign Dave DiMaggio showed the ads that are scheduled - a 10 and 30 sec spot · New photography was shown with ongoing ads · Nature/Leisure and Group Advertising · Revising the Web Site · Hotels have been very accommodating along with County staff · The age of the models shown were chosen via a research VI. Category "A" Projects 2. Prior Year Category "A" Projects - Ron Hovell - Public Utilities B. Lake Trafford Restoration · Ron mentioned questions have been asked concerning existing projects concerning the Policy · May not be eligible · Contract's run their course e Project Updates b. County/City of Naples Beach Restoration Update · Submitted permit applications in October, additional information for both projects will be submitted to Tallahassee. · Working on easement issues · City of Naples paperwork will be mailed out soon 3 March 22, 2004 Funding the project needs to be considered Construction estimates of $13.7M for additional Engineering costs relating to Monitoring and/or environmental issues. · Approve funding and authorize for the Interlocal agreement. Ron Pennington from CAC will speak addressing the grant applications at their next meeting. c. Hideaway Beach Renourishment Update · Applied for Permits and drafted additional information to the State · Hideaway Beach Assn. taken vote for how and if access. SPEAKERS John Arceri - Representative from City of Marco Island - Hideaway needs to find another access point from Public Street to the beach in order to be eligible for TDC Funding. 79% in favor for providing public access. He asked TDC to work with them in designating Hideaway as a vital tourism area subject to abnormal erosion. He handed out a map of the pathway. Discussed the area eligible from the policy and walking from certain areas. Will go to the CAC in April for their review. Taxing District Ordinance before the Marco Island City Council on April 5th - hope to finalize by end of April. Interlocal Agreement - Beach Association and City of Marco have worked out a draft on ownership, liability and issues of project manager. Will be submitted to County Manager the week of March 22nd for his review. Didn't want to stop or defer the project as scheduling is tight. Hideaway Beach is almost gone -loss will have impact on adjacent beaches. Mr. Sorey asked Mr. Hovell if it was his feeling this would then meet the criteria for beach renourishment. Mr. Hovell could not answer at this time - needs to go before the Parks & Rec Advisory Board, back to the TDC and then to the Board of County Commissioners. He showed the pathway on the map and Little Clam Pass stating someone will need to make a determination whether it meets the criteria according to the policy or not. Mr. Sorey didn't want anyone to mislead the Hideaway residents. Commissioner Fiala stated if it continues to wash away, and they don't repair Hideaway no one will walk there. The point is to try to fill in the spots so people can walk there and save the beaches down line. It is changing the face of Tigertail - becoming a bird sanctuary rather than a park. They need to rescue the rest of the beaches and be able to walk out to Hideaway. She is trying to understand it all. Mr. Hovell responded there are portions of Hideaway that are eroding with a desire to repair; with the primary reason to protect the development. Is it inside or outside of the policy and what the right way to fund it is the big debate. 4 March 22, 2004 Mr. Sorey asked about the process that will be taken to make that determination. Mr. Hovell stated it will go to the Parks & Rec Advisory Committee. TDC and the Board of County Commissioners. Mr. Arceri responded the Board of County Commissioners stated not to stop any of the projects. They did not have a policy at that time and the BCC, CAC and TDC has taken a position making the entire approvals contingent - not stopping the pi'ocess. Otherwise they will not have time this season to do the work. From now within the next 60 days it is engineering work that will be done, and they recommend continuing the process. They are working on the taxing district and pathway approvals. There is no risk to proceed, but a risk in stopping the project. He believes this meets the requirements of the policy by having one access point. He said it is the only point they could get without going through private property in condemning tens of millions of dollars to get the property to get the pathway. Floyd Chapin - East Naples/Golden Gate area/fulltime resident-non-coastal - access to Hideaway Beach is his concern. If meaningful access with adequate parking is given, the County should then consider renourishing the beaches. Unless they have access that is convenient and meaningful like the City of Naples and other parts of Collier County, he didn't think the TDC or any other Board should proceed to grant monies to someone that has almost an exclusive right to use Hideaway Beach. For anyone to use the beach now, he asked if there was adequate parking. Commissioner Fiala responded there are places next to it that has empty property. When talking about buying beach access in many places they can't buy anything, in that area they could. There are empty lots connected to the walkway. Mr. Chapin stated before they can proceed to have that access they would have to acquire property for parking. He didn't think they should spend any more funds in that area unless they get some meaningful concessions. Commissioner Fiala stated one of the biggest problems with access to the Marco Beach is for the Marco Islanders. They have boats on their waterways and can not get to the beach easily unless they belong to an organization. But they can ride their bikes up and down the street and have clear access to the beach without vehicle parking. They can park their bikes or it is a short distance to walk. It opens up a new avenue for Marco Islanders that should be considered. Mr. Chapin was speaking as a non-resident of Marco Island driving to the beach. He would not bicycle from East Naples to Marco Island to enjoy the beach. Commissioner Fiala mentioned there is parking along the streets as well. Mr. Chapin reiterated that all the beaches should be renourished in the County, but he felt they owe it to the taxpayers that they have adequate facilities. March 22, 2004 Commissioner Sorey talked about the criteria for applicants to the Tourist Development Council. He felt if the criteria were not met with an applicant, should they accept them. Mr. Weft will bring the criteria to the next meeting and have it included in the packet. State Statutes indicate the TDC is made up of 9 persons, 3 that are owner operators (collect the tax), 3 from the Tourism Industry (do not collect the tax) and 3 elected officials, (one from the largest municipality and one from another and one from the County Commission). From the non-owner operated category, it is recommended the applicant have some knowledge of the Industry. Commissioner Sorey's point was to not accept application from individuals that may feel they meet the criteria for appointment, and then they do not. They should be told up front whether they qualify or not. Heidi Ashton - Assistant County Attorney - read from the State Statute that 6 of the members of the Council shall be persons who are involved in the Tourist Industry and have demonstrated an interest in Tourist Development of which members, not less than three nor more than four, shall be owners or operators of Motels, Hotels etc., or other tourist accommodations in the County. Another criterion according to Mr. Wert is they must be a resident and an elector in the County. Discussion followed on their next meeting date. It was decided to hold it on Monday, March 29th at 8:30 AM. Commissioner Fiala asked staffto call members as a reminder of the meeting so there is a quorum. She will write a letter to the members to alert staff when they will not be in attendance. There being no further business for the good of the County the meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 10:38 AM. COLLIER COUNTY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL Chairman Commissioner Donna Fiala 6