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TDC Minutes 09/17/2024MINUTES OF THE COLL!ER COUNTY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL MEETING Naples, FL - September 17,2O24 ALSO PRESENT: - Jay Tusa, CVB, Tourism Director - Sandra Rios, CVB, PR and Communications Manager - Colleen Greene, Collier County Attorney Office, Managing Assistant County Attorney - Buzzy Ford, CVB, Digital and Social Media Coordinator - John Melleky, Arts and Culture Manager - Adrian Moses, Paradise Cost Sports Complex - Amanda Townsend, Museum Director VIA ZOOM - James Brendle, Downs & St. Germain - Erin Murphy, Senior Account Executive, Lou Hammond - Enriqueta Balandra, Senior Project Manager, Miles Partnership 1 1. Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 9:00 a.m LET lT BE REMEMBERED the Collier County Tourist Development Council, in and for the County of Collier, having conducted business herein, met on this date 9:00 a.m. in REGULAR SESSION at 3299 Tamiami Trail East, 3rd Floor, Naples, Florida with the following members present: Commissioner Rick LoCastro, Chairman Clark Hill, Vice Chair Susan Becker (excused) Jared Grifoni, Councilor Nancy Kerns Bill Kramer Michael McComas Edward (Ski) Olesky (excused) Laura Radler Anyone who needs a verbatim record of the meeting may request a video recording from the Collier County Communications & Cusfomer Relations Department or view it online. 2 3 4 Pledge of Allegiance: Led by Jay Tusa. Roll Call: A quorum of 7 was established in the room Agenda and Minutes: a. Changes and Approval ofToday's Agenda Clark Hill made a motion to approve today's agenda Laura Radler seconded Motion passed unanimously to approve agenda 7-0 b. Approval of prior TDC Meeting Minutes - Aug.2,2024 Clark Hill made a motion to approve the minutes from August 2,2024 Bill Kramer seconded Motion passed unanimously to approve the minutes 7-0 SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS Jay Tusa was pleased to announce that the CVB won a few Visit Florida Flagler Awards. o 2 Henry Awards, which is the gold category awards, one in the print advertising category for the ONLY scent scratch card, and the other one was for the Out of Home category for the Canada campaign. o We received two other awards: o a silver in the niche marketing category for ;ARTE VIVA! o A bronze and mixed media campaign for the Only Paradise Will Do Campaig n. We also won two awards for Florida Festivals and Events Association Sensational Awards for ;ARTE VIVA! 2 5. Presentations Executive Director Update 1. TDT Tax Collection Report o TDT tax collection for July 2024 $2,558,589.o TDT tax collection year to date $41 ,767,751.o TDT occupancy rate for July 50.9%. This is a decrease of 3.2o/o compared to July 2023. e Direct spending by visitors and the total economic impact of tourism in July increased by 4.7% and 4.6% . o The total economic impact of tourism is currently up 11 .SYo so far for this fiscal year to date, with two months remaining in the 2024 fiscal year. a One was second place for promotional video and the other was third place for the promotional items. 1 6 Consent Agenda NO ITEMS 7. New Business 74. Andy Miller, Coastal Zone Management Recommendation to approve a resolution supporting the county's application to FDEP long range budget plan request for beach renourishment projects for fiscal year 2025 - 2026 and make a finding that these projects promote tourism. Clark Hill made the motion to approve Nancy Kerns seconded Motion passed unanimously 7-0 2. Recommendation to approve the fall truck haul beach renourishment project and authorize tourist development tax expenditures for the Park Shore Beach scheduled for November 2024 with an estimated project cost of $7,506,100.00; and make a finding that this item promotes tourism (Project 90067). Nancy Kerns - How long does this take? Andy Miller - About 6 weeks depending on weather. Chairman LoCastro - How does this cost compare to past years? Andy Miller - Since lan, and since we had a lot of competition for both contractors and sand and as well as the inflation that's been associated with everything post Covid, the prices have gone up, but we're lucky enough to have at least two to three good contractors that are semi local, at least that provide us with competitive bids. So, I'm looking forward to it coming in somewhere in the neighborhood of $7.5 million. 3 Andy Miller - The project is out to bid. Bids are due on September 23 and Coastal Zone Management will come back to the TDC with the actual construction contract and the items associated with that contract. This is a blanket approval of the project and the expenditures beforehand. ln the past, the projects have been ranging about $50 a cubic yard. That number rose after lan to $70 to $80 a cubic yard. We're hoping to push that down a little bit with some competitive bids. 3. Recommendation to approve the Tourist Development Council grant application request from Collier County for the fiscal year 2025-2026 in the amount of $6,974,100 budget these expenditures and make a finding that these expenditures promote tourism under the recommended column. Mike McComas made the motion to approve Clark Hill seconded Motion passed unanimously 7-0 4. Recommendation to approve the FY 2425 ten year capital planning document for the tourist development tax funds in the TDC beach Renu 1{05 and TDC Engineering Fund 1102, and make a finding that these expenditures promote tou rism. 7B. Tourism Division John Melleky, Arts and Culture Manager The second section is the revenues, and that's what is related to tourism and our main tourist development tax collections. And that starts on page 143. 4 Clark Hill made to motion to approve Nancy Kerns seconded Motion passed unanimously 7-0 Clark Hill made the motion to approve Mike McComas seconded Motion passed unanimously 7-0 1. Recommendation to approve the FY 25 Proposed Tourism Division budget and make a finding that this action promotes tourism. John Melleky - The first report is the budget that is presented as part of the County's budget bill. This is the larger overhead view of our budget. lt shows our budget compared to other departments in the County Manager's budget. The numbers that are in our more detailed budgets are also in this budget report here. lt is a way to see it as a higher level. And then we drill down into two different levels. The third section is our expenses for the year. And that starts on page 146. l'll go through the revenues first, see if there are any questions, and then go into the expenses. So, looking at the revenues, and again, that's on page 143 and also in your executive summary, is a great fiscal analysis of the TDT funds and what's going to be collected for the year. The estimated overall TDT collections that we're budgeting for is $37,924,000. l'd also like to Introduce Jennifer Reynolds from the Office of Management Budget, who will be here to also help answer questions. Laura Radler - How much is being held in reserves? John Melleky - Each fund has a different reserve. And as you can see, when we get into the report shows the collections as they come in. Laura Radler - What's the purpose of having those reserves? Jennifer Reynolds - The reserves are put aside for future needs. Laura Radler - So there's a reserve for the disaster fund? So why would we need to have reserves for the promotional fund and how much are we carrying over each year? Jennifer Reynolds - We have carried over because in the past, the revenues have been much larger than anticipated. We were very conservative in our budget previously. This year we increased that budget by 10o/o for next year. We had additional funding and that was put into reserves, but also into your promotional line item budget for anything that might come up that needed to be. We didn't predict Covid and had extra funding in reseryes in the promotion so that they could switch gears on how they were going to advertise for the future. That's the biggest reason for putting in reserves. So, if something comes up and they need to advertise for unexpected things, they can do that. Clark Hill - These aren't really reserves. They are allocated committed dollars that are carried forward. Nancy Kerns - Are these funds invested? Jennifer Reynolds - Yes. Laura Radler - For all the reserve accounts? Ed Finn, Deputy County Manager - The Clerk of Courts is responsible for investing all the County's funds. They do so very efficiently. They're doing a return somewhere in the 4% to 5%. Of course, that varies on the market and whether they have long money or short money. And of course it changes over time. lt's a dynamic situation. So, the funds that 5 are the TDT funds that are allocated, any ofthose that are not spent are invested by the Clerk and provide a return. Chairman LoCastro - The Clerk has sole oversight over reserve money in any department, any account, anything. They pull it all under one umbrella and they have complete responsibility over making sure that it's invested. lt's not the individual like it's not Jay's job to do that. So, Clerk of Courts, that's the single point of contact for that? Ed Finn - Yes. lf you look at the budget pages that are provided, there's a column in there that's identified as the forecast. The forecast is what they anticipated spending after going through their analysis with the budget, you'll see the anticipated spend. Similarly, that would be the annualized column actually. So, the annualized column is the projection for the year we're in now. So that's based on eight or ten months of actuals, plus the estimate for the remainder of the year. Clark Hill So when is that updated? Ed Finn - March, April. So, there is a projection there. Mr. Hill had talked about the allocation. The TDT funds, as they're collected, are allocated to individual funds for specific uses. Those funds stay in the funds they're deposited in, and they do in fact roll forward. Whether we're talking about reserves or an amount of money, particularly in the promotion side of the house, an amount of money budgeted in excess of the actual spending plan that is the allocated funds for that purpose based on the tourism plan that's in the ordinance. Clark Hill - That's not what I'm finding here. Here's a new fund category called reserve for unbudgeted expenses. Ed Finn - And if I may, sir, when l'm speaking to the funds, I'm talking about the higher level. What you're looking at is a characterization of money within the fund. Nonetheless, it stays. Clark Hill - Yes, sir. I understand. We have the fiduciary responsibility for oversight of these budgets, and we need to know what's going on if we're going to make recommendations. I understand we're not a decision making board here, but we do make recommendations and we can't make the proper recommendations unless we have the current information. Laura Radler - Hypothetically, if the BCC wanted to use some of the TDT funds towards infrastructure, it would go before us to approve. lf we did not approve, could they still do it? 6 Colleen Greene - Yes, I think we still could. lt depends, of course, on the nature of the project and it has to be for an authorized use in the tourist development tax statute. But the way the statute works and the ordinance is the TDT. The TDC makes a recommendation, whether favorable or not, which is forwarded to the BCC and they are the final decision maker. So our recommendation would be we recommend they not use the funds, let's just say. But it would still go foruard to BCC. lt's only a recommendation. We're not making a decision here saying they can't use them. lt's always a recommendation. Clark Hill - Colleen Greene, when we wish to utilize funds out of any of the tourist development tax supported funds, must it follow the description of the allocation? ln other words, could someone hold money from advertising to be used for capital? Colleen Greene - So the promotion fund, which is pennies four and five, generally in the County's Tourist Development Plan, they are eligible to be used for this new provision and the statutes under public facilities? Yes, with the appropriate findings, as Commissioner La Castro was saying, with the evidence presented for the Council to make a recommendation that it promotes tourism. Chairman LoCastro - Don't forget, at the BCC meetings we're dealing with some stuff that's right in front of us that needs to be fixed. You sit there and you see these emergency funds, and that's why, you know, sometimes overstocking those emergency funds with millions and millions of dollars in funds that really aren't doing anything it is attractive to use them for real things right in front of us because in the end, it's best use of the dollars. Some of the Commissioners, they're going to be quick to jump on those pots. Jennifer Reynolds - For the current, the advertising and promotion fund there has been spent 11 million. There's about 13 million remaining. Part of that $13 million is what I would call a plug figure of the excess in revenue and their projected budget for this year. We put $12.2 million into their advertising promotion line for additional items that might need to be spent this year. Laura Radler - So the budget was $25 million to start and we spent $11 million. And when you're doing your budget for next year you're going off of this year's budget or actuals? We asked for the actual figures and they are not included in this report. Jennifer Reynolds - We are going off of this yeais budget. Whatever wasn't spent is going to go into your carry forward. But we also did the same thing for next year with another 7 $12.2 million. PIug into your promotion and advertising line for that purpose. So that's where we stand on the advertising promotion cost center fund. Laura Radler - Again, the $12 million just sitting there for just in case when we also have a debt or a disaster recovery reserve. Chairman LoCastro - So does that seem excessive to you? What are your thoughts on that? I mean, you know, just hearing that and we're up here spitballing. Nobody's given you the direction, but that just seems like big numbers to me. So, it's like either, you know, use some of the money or do something else with it. I don't know. l'm not saying I have the answer, but it just seems like it's a lot. lt seems like we have this much money to play with. Bill Kramer - First, it is hard to believe that there are no reserve policies about the investments or how much should be maintained. I understand rollover and in a clean slate where it couldn't be poached or raided then that makes sense. That's not our environment. The environment is this. You're going to lose them. There are other folks that are looking for dollars and they see this as cash is not being used. We've already seen it with what happened, Conservation Collier. l'm shocked, quite honestly, that it's not somehow encumbered either by some sort of ordinance or some sort of need, so that others can't come along and say, hey, look at all this low hanging fruit. Chairman LoCastro - That's got to be part of our meetings as well. What are some things that maybe other Counties are doing that we can learn from or some things that we've always wanted to do but we've never done? lt's so critical to have subject matter experts on a panel here so somebody can chime in that has the depth in whatever. You know like, Mr. Kramer comes from a nonprofit or you work at a hotel or whatever. What are we m issing? John Melleky - The reserves were most recently used in the approval that you made for Miles Partnership to pay for the $25,000 for the Website Enhancement project. For the total operating budget, which is the Fund 1101 report, there is an advertising budget of $6 million dollars, which is the same as the budget for the current fiscal year. Sports marketing programs remain consistent at $1 million and the total operating budget once the $12.2 million is taken out is $10,578,800. Clark Hill - John, do you want to describe what this is or a quick overview on this? I have a few slides I would like to discuss. The first is an index that measures the health of our tourism economy over time by combining a multitude of metrics. And you'll see as we get into May, a sharp decline. And this only goes through June, but I know that July, August 8 John Melleky - Yes, because really what this tool is, it's Zartico and it measures, as people go into different places around the destination of checking against their cell phones and pings as to what that's done. So, then it's an overall conglomerate of what's happening in the market. That is a correct assessment. Clark Hill - John could you display page 195, the monthly occupancy? l've circled some data and then placed in Europe by Naples. But l'd like to take a look at the 46.7% transient occupancy. Focus on transient business. You can see it certainly is much lower than many of our competitors. And then over to the far right, the delta there in the occupancy, negative 6.9% year over year. And that's for the month of July. This is the calendar year. So, from January through July. Again, I've circled the transient demand numbers. lf you look at Naples, 48.7o/o. Again, the lowest in our comp set by far. And then another interesting thing is in the center. The center circle 790,252 room nights of transit represents 48.7o/o of our business. But you can see the much larger numbers in our comp set, albeit they admittedly have more supply. But if you continue over, that's a negative 6.5o/o year over year drop in transient demand. And then one final one on page 203. This is for the fiscal year to date. And that. So that would be October through July. lf you look, there are two destinations that weren't in here. Clearwater and St. Pete weren't in there because we weren't able to get the information. But Naples, 47.Bok, again, extremely low. And that's a decline of 7.9o/o. So, we're declining. And this is transient business, which is our bread and butter. lt's often where we get the highest rates. lt's travel from Europe, it's domestic travel, but it requires marketing and sales to capture. And for every decline we see here, and you look up at our comp set, you can assume that that customer is going to another market and that's. lt's expensive to buy back customers. It's prohibitively expensive. We don't want to lose them, we want to keep them. So that's sort of a plea to take marketing seriously. lt works. o and September are going to continue with that trend. So anyway, if you look at the downturn there, that is what we're experiencing in the market. Those that are marketing are faring befter than we are. State of Florida is faring better than we are. Jared Grifoni - One thing I think we need to kind of look at here, though. I hear what everybody says, but what's the relationship with the average daily rate relative to these other communities that are cited in here? Because our ADR is a lot higher. Right. So, and it's only gotten higher and that's why we're seeing the money continue to come in. But your occupancy rates are down. You want a cheaper price, right? Those are the numbers that we receive here every single month. We evaluate those numbers, and we utilize that in order to provide a clearer picture of the health of the overall travel economy, tourism economy in Collier County. l've heard that we have the highest ADR in southwest Florida but you're going to drop off some of your repeat customers because they can go elsewhere and spend less money. They can do that spending $300 a night someplace else versus spending $650 a night here. Laura Radler - We're doing our budgets for next year and our company owns 40 hotels throughout the State of Florida. Everyone is forecasting to be down. Now, nobody wants to put that in a budget. So, we're all saying that we're going to be flat, but the realistic part of it is we're probably going to be down. EDR will be flat. Occupancy might suffer. Bill Kramer - Every year we do a staycation in Naples. We just can't afford to do that in Naples this year. So, while you might be down 50%, the prices for rooms do not reflect that. And that's a first for us. I'mtaking mywifeoutof town. Since 1998, we've been able to stay locally affordably. I can tell you if rooms cost what they are in Fort Lauderdale, I think we have a whole bunch more visitors. Clark Hill - l'm a hotelier. lopened a hotel in February 2000 here, and this is as slow as I've ever seen it. l'm not kidding. And l'm not the only one. So, I mean, the Florida Keys have a high ADR. They continue to beat us in occupancy, but they spend, I mean, you see commercials for the Florida Keys all over. They were number one on the list. And it's as expensive there. l'm not saying Naples isn't unique. So, I don't want to sound insulting or anything, but you know, there's lots of places that have beaches, but there's sort of only one Keys. You know, I mean, we say in the military, there's lots of military bases, but there's only one Air Force Academy. Chairman LoCastro - lgotta tell you, we better spend some reserves before somebody else does. John Melleky - We have been discussing the operating side and I also want to present the administrative costs, which are found under Fund 1'104. The total administrative costs 10 budgeted are $2,188,500 which includes 1'l fulltime positions. This is a decrease from FY 24 which had 13 positions. Laura Radler - What is the status of the positions as you were going to hire a Deputy Directo position? Jay Tusa - \r'y'hy I haven't done anything with the Deputy Director position and kind of circling back around with the County Manager's Office is l've been evaluating the whole layout of the office and the team. We're really a lean department, and so could be better suited, perhaps with two positions, you know, splitting those dollars instead of having a Deputy Tourism Director that oversees marketing and communications efforts? You know, could it be where we have a little bit lower level, but more boots on the ground, getting work done everyday type of position? Laura Radler - The concern is that marketing dollars and positions are being taken away from the department. Nancy Kerns - I keep hearing overand over, you've gotthe money, we've gotthe money But the travel was stopped for your group, correct? Jay Tusa - At the last meeting, I kind of mentioned that travel was paused. And I think there was a little bit of miscommunication between me and the County Manager's Office. It was necessarily paused, but it was basically paused until we kind of presented a case for our travel. And so that's what we did. We put together a plan for the remainder of this year and we supplied the county manager's office with that information. We're waiting to hear back from them. But every department, every division within Collier County, when you travel, you put out a travel request, you fill out the relevant information and you submit that for approval. Chairman LoCastro - When speaking with Amy Patterson I said I want it on the next meeting, and if you tell me it can't be, then I want you to call me in the next five minutes and tell me why. So at least we're going to get that approved, that grant money. But the travel is still an issue. Bill Kramer - We're looking at the sports complex budget. The net operating was $8,000,213.00. lf you look at the revenue, the vast majority 962 is other revenue, which is carry forward interest, 57o revenue, reserve miscellaneous for a total of balances at $10,458.00. So, it looks like they're using a whole bunch of reserves to meet this year's budget. ls that the case? 11 Chris Johnson - Those reserves are capital recovery reserves in that fund. We take reserves every year for the replacement of the field's equipment. So that's why that number is going to grow every year as we move fonrvard within that fund? Within that operating fund. Laura Radler - ls any part of that budget any capital improvements? Chris Johnson - No, that's the operating budget. Public Speaker Meg Stepanian, Sth Avenue Business lmprovement District It is my responsibility, through our nonprofit and through the collective funds of the property owners on the Avenue, to market the Avenue, beautify it, and create events for the 254 businesses represented within that special overlay district. This year has been lackluster for our Merchants. These numbers that you're sharing today, you know, really put into visibility why it's lackluster this summer. We are getting some traffic from the east coast for our weekends, but that traffic is not yielding a lot of. So, they're not spending like our European travelers would spend. Visit Florida did a campaign in April and that campaign yielded a number five position in traffic to our website. So that is measurable. I would be thrilled to share with you any other measurables that we can offer, but we are a critical partner, and we need your support. I think what is missing is we need to do a more of a full core press on marketing. Digital really, really needs to be a plus and lt's inexpensive. Jared Grifoni made a motion to approve the budget Bill Kramer seconded it Motion passed 6-1 with Clark Hill voting no Recess 10 minutes Public Speaker Kit Baker, United Arts Collier Chairman LoCastro - What I think would benefit us would be ideas that we can invest in. We can take the heavy lifting off of your plate. You bring us the idea, the thing that if you had the checkbook, what would you do? You don't have the checkbook, but you bring the idea to us, and then we see if it's something that we want to fund and something that would help the greater good. 12 I am a local businesswoman, had an Airbnb business for '13 years, and have serviced a different clientele than the hoteliers represented here. Today I accommodate the digital nomads, post Covid reset, and a different level of European. Europeans, 30 somethings, who have just taken their first trip to the United States and are starting to appreciate what Florida has to offer, they're all gone. My occupancy rate for June, July and August was zero. My price points for those tourists are $50 a night to $85 a night. They're gone. While I am in the same boat as the hoteliers with occupancy rates gone or down, it's not about their price points, it's about the tourism traffic being down. And I appreciate the fact that the dialogue here has been about spending reserves that we can invest and try different strategies and fast track different investment points that will help turn this 6.9 decline in a different direction. But as it relates to a current opportunity that is before you today and at the budget meeting on the 17th and at the BCC meeting on the 24th, the 17 art organizations have been working to help differentiate the marketing opportunities that we have here in Collier County by underscoring the cultural presence and the cultural value that our community has as compared to the other destination points that these tourists are choosing to go to. Choosing to go to Sarasota as an arts and culture community versus Collier County and the 17 organizations had put together a proposal for a $1.5 million grant funding. lt was very well evaluated and agreed that it would be presented as a $750,000 grant opportunity, but that is also not taking up all the reserve money that is in the fund. So, Ijust want to emphasize and applaud your effort to evaluate the opportunity, opportunities to make sure that the funds that are allocated for the arts, which is less than 2o/o of the tourism budget, don't get reallocated somewhere else, and that the arts are considered a value partner in solving the problem. Thank you. Public Speaker Kenzie Currie, Naples Players I also wanted to speak on the arts sector grants and the allocation for funds to support that effort. I think we can see Sarasota being a prime example that arts and culture is not only a factor, but an imperative consideration when you're making these allocations. And we want to thank you as well for those allocations. Those grant funds go a long way for nonprofit arts organizations. The Naples Players is on Fifth Avenue. Restaurants aren't going to be the only thing that brings them. The arts are going to bring them, and they're going to invest in those restaurants, they're going to stay at those hotels and hopefully give back the dollar that we're hoping to see more in tourism. So, thank you for allocating that and considering arts and culture in your budgeting process and on behalf of those organizations. 13 It really does go a long way to maintaining the quantity and quality that Naples has to offer because we do have a lot of art and it's really, really high quality. And the more we can get that message out there making it what Naples is a destination for, the better 8. Old Business No ltems 9. Marketing Partner Reports Adrian Moses, GM, Paradise Coast Sports Complex Adrian Moses - l'm reporting today on Q3, which was April, May and June of the fiscal year we had in our business plan. ln this quarter we had the kickoff soccer tournament as an economic impact qualifying event. Along with that was the tournament success group South Florida Cup. That was the largest tournament that we've ever had. I would guess that Collier County's ever had. There were 288 teams at that tournament. We used all of Collier County parks as well as Paradise coast and then some. We had the Legends concert series, some catering events, and then in June, most of you will be aware that we had the brand reveal for the soccer team, other small catering events. The drone show was also in the mix. Downs & St. Germain Research Zoom PowerPoint Presentation b c 14 a. This was the first year that we were able to do Top Gun all in one location. lt just made the event so much more, much more a beneficial one for everyone. We're tracking towards 2.7 million in revenue. We're tracking to be exactly where we need to be on cogs and we're hacking to be just under on expenses. So, it's been an incredibly fun year to be involved. Erin Murphy, Lou Hammond Group Zoom Slide Presentation d e Enriqueta Balandra, Sr. Project Manager, Miles Partnership Zoom Slide Presentation Amanda Townsend, Director of Museums (in person) Slide Presentation '10.Tourism Staff Reports Sandra Rios, Public Relations Report 1'1. Council Member Discussions Chairman LoCasko - The next BCC meeting is Sep. 24th at 9:00 a.m. and the grants are back on the schedule. They weren't, but they are now. Jay Tusa - We have grants, pickleball and FC Naples, and Visit Florida Chairman LoCastro - l've told those who run for office that advertising that you're running for office isn't the same as campaigning. So advertising is great. Everybody knows who Tom Johnson is doesn't necessarily equate to votes. I will just say as far as marketing and advertising, it's really about a mix and it's about being in the right places. So, it's a PR component from a communications perspective. It's advertising, it's being on television, it's being on digital, it's being on social media, it's being on all these different platforms in the right amount of frequency where you're reaching your audience over and over and over again, So that's really something that we strive for in our efforts with our agency, is when we're creating these media plans, these marketing campaigns, is really to make sure they're broad focused. As far as you know, it's the shotgun approach. Clark Hill - lf I may, just for the record, lwanted to clarify the reason I voted no in recommending the budget for this year. lt's not because of the content or the talent that 15 Sandra Rios -A handout was provided for this presentation. I just wanted to bring to your attention that Public Relations really falls under the category of earned media versus paid media. The articles are generated as a result of our discussions, our meetings, and our relationships with journalists, rather than being part of a paid campaign. And that gives these placements a lot more credibility and authenticity to the stories that are shared. And it really adds a human touch and a perspective to the stories and articles that are published. we have on the team. I was just concerned that if we approve it, then it's going to be difficult to get some of that additional content. So, I just want to be on record for that. And one other thing. Mike McComas requested that when we have votes, that we do individual voice votes for major items, pass that along. The next meeting is scheduled for October 15,2024 The meeting adjourned al 12.04 p.m. COLLIER COUNTY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL Rick LoC a rrman These minutes were approved by the Committee or Chairman (choose one) on tO - \5-aq presented , or asAS amended 16 v