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Home My WebLink About6-10-15 MinutesST. LUCIE COUNTY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL MEETING Wednesday, June 10, 2015 ◊ 12:30 P.M. MINUTES Members present: Commissioner Chris Dzadovsky, Chairman Marilyn Minix, Roadrunner Travel Resort Michelle MacNichol, Perfect Drive Golf Villas Commissioner Rufus Alexander, City of Fort Pierce Clive Daem, Dockside Inn Vice-Mayor Linda Bartz, City of Port St. Lucie Terissa Arronson, St. Lucie Co. Chambers Members absent: Paul Taglieri, St. Lucie Mets Chris Egan, Vistana’s Beach Club – Sheraton PGA Staff present: Katherine Barbieri, St. Lucie County Attorney Charlotte Bireley, St. Lucie County Tourism & Venues Darius McPhall, St. Lucie County Tourism & Venues Also present: Amanda Thompson, SLC ERD Amy Griffin, SLC ERD Jennifer Evans, SLC ERD Michael Middlebrook, SLC ERD Emily McHugh, SBDC@IRSC Rick Hatcher, TCSC Billy Gibson, Motorized Kayak Adventures Cathy Gibson, Motorized Kayak Adventures Chuck Barracbugh, SLC ERD –Greenway Trails Paul Schall, Caldwell Banker Paradise Ft. Pierce Kim Delaney, TCRPC Laura O’Brien, PSL Civic Center Margaret Eiermann, SLC Tax Collector Sandra Bogan, ERD and Oxbow Ed Matthews, Parks, Recreation and Facilities 1. CALL TO ORDER: Commissioner Dzadovsky called the meeting to order at 12:35 PM. 2. ROLL CALL: Darius McPhall called roll. 3. GUESTS INTRODUCED THEMSELVES: Guests introduced themselves. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes from May 13, 2015 were approved. Tourist Development Council Meeting ◊ June 10, 2015 5. PUBLIC COMMENT: No public comments. 6. FINANCIAL REPORT & WEB REPORT: Charlotte Bireley reported that the tourist tax revenue for April 2015 was up 17% compared to April of 2014. Year to date revenues are up 13.5%. Charlotte reported an increase in website activity of the St. Lucie County Tourism web site for the month of April of about 2000 visits in comparison to last year. Charlotte also informed the TDC that she was working with the web master to have a new website up by the new fiscal year. She also briefly described the Monthly Expenses vs. Revenue Comp Report and the Revenue Comp Report. 7. 2016 Proposed Budget: Charlotte Bireley first began the presentation with stating that our budgeted proposed budget amount needed to be increased due to our increased revenues. The Office of Management and Budget increased our yearly tax revenue proposed budget of $500.000.00 to $550.000.00 for the 2016 fiscal year. She also stated that there may be increase in personnel due to a restructuring of Tourism moving out of the Parks operations. The increase will be of a full absorption of both employee salaries funded by the TDC. Charlotte also listed the different line items that will be requesting additional funding. Software support this line item will focus on the webcam expansion for the city of Port Saint Lucie and the online search engine for the county. The Dues and Membership line item increased due to the fact, that our revenues have increased our level of membership category has changed and increased in cost. The line item of Contract Services shows an increase in funding due new projects such as a of Visitor Study and a Visitor App. Printing showed an increase due to and update and the reprinting of our map brochure. An increase in Promotional Activities and Entertainment shows an increase in the budget for the 2016 fiscal year for the proposed FAM tour of the city of Port Saint Lucie. The Promotional Advertising line item showed a proposed expansion to expand digital media efforts. Also, lastly an increase to the Treasure Coast Sport Commission to attract sporting events to the area. After Charlotte gave an in-depth line by line explanation of the 2016 proposed budget, she then presented total proposed budget for the 2016 fiscal year of $734,000.00 dollars with another $207,000.00 in reserves. Michelle MacNichol requested an additional $25,000 from Reserves be moved into the Promotional Advertising line item budget, bringing the total proposed amount for Promotional Advertising to $200,000. The new reserve amount still complies with the TDC policy. Page 2 of 4 Tourist Development Council Meeting ◊ June 10, 2015 Commissioner Alexander motioned to approve the proposed budget for TDC and requested the Board of County Commissioners consider the recommendation for final approval. Vice Mayor Linda Bartz seconded the motion. Motioned Passed unanimously. 8. St. Lucie/Martin Regional Waterways Plan: Kim Delany presented from the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council who has served as the project manager for the waterways project for Saint Lucie and Martin County. Delaney first gave a brief history of the waterways and the process to develop the waterways plan that included extensive public involvement, education, and master planning to address the broad range of issues and stakeholder interests. Her presentation then went into the an overview of the major waterway systems in Marin and St. Lucie counties, including the Indian River Lagoon, St. Lucie River, Lake Okeechobee, ICW, and varied creeks and tributaries as well as man-made canals. She then broke down and explained how through these waterways marine transportation is an invaluable benefit. It was also highlighted how the waterways provide an unparalleled amenity for residents, businesses, and visitors. Delaney then led into how the land use component of the waterways plan was focused on eight waterfront centers selected by the project steering committee, and how the public was highly supportive of these on-going redevelopment efforts. The presentation also included a demographic and economic overview of Martin and St. Lucie Counties and their select waterfront centers regarding growth trends, land use mix, baseline conditions, and projected market demands and absorption. Delany ended the presentation with the long-range planning document that provides a broad array of recommendations regarding programs, projects, and inter- agency synchronization to expand economic health and improve quality of life for the residents of the region as well as visitors. 9. St. Lucie County Airport Marketing Plan: John Wiatrak first provided information on his background. He then gave background history on the airport and presented the economic condition and challenges that the airport faced during the recession. He highlighted the asset overview of the airport and how the assets differed from surrounding airports and how those assets made the St. Lucie Airport unique and different from our competitors. Through those assets he provided the TDC with future plans of growth and improvements. Some the improvements he mentioned security, airfield upgrades, new terminal, and new CBP building and revenue creation. Wiatrak also included in the presentation the airport rebranding and the renaming of the “Treasure Coast International Airport & Business Park”. The airport rebranding will include improved U.S customs site, airport fire and rescue, fuel farm and proximity to rail, port and interstate. He also stated that they were in the process of redeveloping the website. Page 3 of 4 Tourist Development Council Meeting ◊ June 10, 2015 10. Other Business: Amy Griffin from Environmental Resources Department gave a brief history of the environmental resources in Saint Lucie County. She also had members from the department to show different preserves, greenways and trials on the different maps. He showed different improved maps that should a lot of the unknown resources. Charlotte Bireley presented the new webcams in Fort Pierce to the TDC. She encouraged everyone to link the webpages of the webcams to their different websites. 11. Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 2:41PM. Page 4 of 4