TDC Minutes 06/18/2024,,U LY 9, 2024, REV
MINUTES OF THE COTTIER COUNTY
TOURIST DEVETOPMENT COUNCIL MEETING
Naples, Florida lune L8,2024
LET lT BE REMEMBERED the Collier County Tourist Development Council, in and for the County of
Collieq having conducted business herein, met on this date at 9:00 a.m. in REGULAR SESSION at
3299 TamiamiTrail East, 3'd Floor, Naples, Florida with the following members present:
Commissioner Rick LoCastro, Chairman
Clark Hill, Vice-Chair
Susa n Becker
Jared Grifoni, Councilor
N ancy Kerns
Bill Kramer
Michael McComas -excused
Edward (Ski) Olesky -excused
Laura Rad ler
ALSO PRESENT:
Jay Tusa, Tourism Director
Sandra Rios, CVB PR and Communications Manager
John Melleky, CVB Arts and Culture Manager
Colleen Greene, Attorney, Collier County
Buzzy Ford, Tourism
Andy Miller, Manager, Coastal Zone Management
Dr. Lazaro Pomier, Project Manager, City of Marco lsland
Joseph St. Germain, President, Downs & St. Germain Research
Erin Murphy, Senior Account Executive, Lou Hammond Group
Enriqueta Balandra, Senior Pro.lect Managet Miles Partnership
Amanda Townsend, Director Collier County Museums
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JULY 9, 2024, REV.
Anyone who needs o verbotim record ol the meeting moy request o video recording from the
Collier County Communicotions & Customer Relations Depdrtment or view it online.
1. Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 9:00 a.m.
2. Pledge of Alliance: Led by Jay Tusa.
3. Roll Call: A quorum of 7 was established.
4. Agenda and Minutes:
a. Changes and Approval of Today's Agenda
Under New Business, item 7A moves from Beach Park Facilities to 78 Coastal Zone Management
and item 7B moves from Coastal Zone Management to 74 Beach Park Facilities.
Jared Grifoni made a motion to approve the changes to the agenda. The motion was seconded
by Clark Hill.
The motion possed unanimously 7-0.
b. Approval of prior TDC Meetints Minutes - May 21, 2024
Susan Becker made a motion to approve the minutes. The motion was seconded by Clark Hill.
The motion possed unonimously 7-0.
5. Presentations
a. Executive Director Update:
1. TDT Tax Collection Report
Jay Tusa gave an update on TDT tax collection for April 2024. The monthly collectionfor April2024
was 58,138,935. Year to date Tourist Development Tax collections are at 531,791,770.
The overall occupancy rate increased by 4.3% for May compared to May 2023. This was due to
an increase in vacation rental occupancy rate of 13.5% year over year. Direct spending by visitors
and the economic impact by tourists increased by 14.7% and 13.9% for May respectively. The
total economic impact for Collier County tourism is up 72.8o/o for this fiscal year. We have an
increase in the number of couples visiting the area. The Midwest and Northeast continue to be
the main regions to focus. Out-of-state visitors account for nearly half of all visitors. lnternational
visitors from Canada, Germany, and the UK accounted for 77% of all visitors in May 2024. That's
a signifi cant number for international visitation.
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JULY 9, 2024, REV
6. Consent Agenda - All Matters listed under this agenda item are considered to be routine and
action will be taken by one motion without separate discussion of each item. lf discussion is
desired by a member of the Council, that item will be moved from the Consent Agenda and
considered separately under New Business or Old Business.
1. Recommendation to approve the total expenditure of funds for Request for Proposal
("RFP") No. 23-8180, "Tourism Fulfillment Services", to Paralegal Consultants. LLC d/bla
Prism Consulting for the total contractual amount of 5162,000 (yearly amount of
554,000) plus reimbursable expenditures and make a finding that related expenditure
promote tourism.
This item is part of the consent agenda due to its passage at the May 27,2O24,T DC meeting. The
recommendation clarifies the total amount of the contract to be S162,000 and the contract length
of 3 yea rs.
Susan Becker moved to accept the recommendation. The motion was seconded by Nancy Kerns.
The motion possed unonimously 7-0.
A. Coastal Zone Management
1. Recommendation to approve a Work Order for CSA Ocean Sciences, lnc., to continue the
required post-construction hardbottom monitoring for the Collier County Beach
Nourishment Project in summer 2024 for time and materials not to exceed S368,494.04
Tourist Development Tax funds under Contract No.22-8015 and make a finding that this
item promotes tourism (Fund 195, Project No.90033).
Andrew Miller, Manager of Costal Center Management for Collier County presented this request
for the yearly hardbottom monitoring needed to stay in compliance with our permit requirements
for the renourishment of our beaches. The extent of the hard bottoming runs from Laudermilk
Park up to Wiggins Pass.
There will be a consultant also looking at the seagrasses at both Doctors Pass and Wiggins Pass.
Currently, it seems that we will not need to dredge these areas this year. lf that is the case then
those project tasks will not be activated and will lower the total amount by about 584,000.
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A. Tourism Division
7. New Business:
Nancy Kerns moved to approve the recommendation for the project. Susan Becker seconded the
motion.
JULY 9, 2024, REV
The motion passed unonimously 7-0.
B. Beach Park Facilities
1. Recommendation to approve a Collier County Tourist Development Council (TDC)
Category 'A' Grant Application for Beach Park Facilities for the City of Marco lsland for
Fiscal Year 2025-2026 in the total amount of 5147,500 within TDC Beach Park Facilities
Fund (1100), to authorize necessary Budget Amendments, and to make the finding that
the expenditure promotes tourism.
Rick LoCastro moved to approve the project with the TDC funding of $147,500. Themotion was
seconded by Jared Grifoni.
The motion Posses unonimously 7-0.
C, Tourism Division
1. Recommendation to approve an amendment for one-year extension for Agreement 18-
7456 "Web Services" with Miles Partnership, tLP until August g, 2025 at 5299,900
annually and make a finding that the related expenditure promote tourism.
John Melleky, Arts and Culture Manager for Collier's County Tourism Division presented this item.
Miles Partnership provides website services for us. This includes a monthly fee that involves
account management website analytics, SEO services, personalization services, website
maintenance, and hosting. Thefinal part ofthe contract includeswebsite enhancement projects
that are performed based on recommendations of certain enhancements the enhancements. The
contract has been extended in the past and the last extension for six months is through August of
2024.
The Tourism Department is in the process of requesting proposals for new website services. This
recommendation allows the contract to be extended for a year to allow for the proposal review
process of vendors for website services, completing the contract, and allowing for any migration
from one vendor to another, depending on the proposal review process.
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Dr. Lazaro Pomier, Project Manager with the City of Marco lsland, presented this recommendation
for updates to their beach park facilities. The project manaSes the two public access points for
the Marco lsland beach owned by the city: Winterberry Drive and Maple Avenue. The project
intends to enhance the entranceway by improving the appearance and showcasing the unique
ecology and wildlife of Southwest Florida. The amount of money initially proposed was S280,500
but the recommendation of TDC support is for $147,500.
JULY 9,2024, REV.
The proposal process that was being completed was extended in May 2024 to allow tourism
partners to update information on the website database including business listing information
and event information. The delay in the proposal process was due to a request to include such
technical aspects ofthe database including architectural drawings and diagrams. An lT person has
been added to the review committee to review the hosting and any technical aspects of the
p ro posa ls.
Susan Becker moved to approve the recommendation. Jared Grifoni seconded the motion.
This motion passed unanimously 7-0.
8. Old business. None.
9. Marketing Partner Reports:
a. Joseph St. Germain, President, Downs & St Germain Research
PowerPoint Presentation presented.
b. Mackenzie Comerer, Vice President, Lou Hammond Group
PowerPoint Presentation presented.
c. Enriqueta Balandra, Senior Project Managet Miles Partnership.
PowerPoint Presentation presented.
d. Amanda Townsend, DirectoL Collier County Museums
PowerPoint Presentation presented.
10. Tourism Staff Reports:
Tourism Staff reports were included in the meeting materials for review
11, Council member discussion.
Clark Hill was concerned about the deadlines and getting information and the possibility of re-
evaluating the deadlines of materials so that the information provided is more up-to-date. Rick
LoCastro reiterated the extensive review process for meeting agendas and suggested that if there
is information that needs further review, a longer review time would assist in preparation for this
meeting and for the subsequent review for a Board of County Commissioners meeting.
Laura Radler suggested that moving the meeting date could be beneficial. The meeting date was
moved from the fourth Monday of the month to avoid the one-on-one meetings Commissioners
have in preparation for the Board of County Commissioners meetings (held on the second and
fourth Tuesdays of the month.) The report submission timeline and meeting dates will be
reviewed by the Tourism staff.
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JULY 9, 2024, REV
12. Next Scheduled Meeting: July L6,2024.
13. Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 11.:45 a.m
There being no further business for the good of the County, the meeting was adjourned by order
of the chairman at 11:45 a.m.
COLLIER COUNTY
EVELOPM
Commissio Rick LoCastro, Chairman
These minutes were approved by theChairmanon f -lb-3{(Choose one) as presented,v or as amended
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