Martin County

File #: 19-0529   
Type: Consent Status: Agenda Ready
In control: Board of County Commissioners
On agenda: 7/30/2019 Final action:
Title: TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS
Attachments: 1. Tourist Development Council.pdf, 2. Tourist Development Council - establishing document, 3. Information Release - TDC, 4. Resolution - TDC, 5. Steele_Robert_Involved.pdf, 6. Steele_Robert_resume.pdf, 7. Griffith_Edward_Lee.Jr_Owner.Operator.pdf, 8. Flewelling_Jonnie_Owner.Operator.pdf

PLACEMENT: Consent

TITLE:

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TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

executive summary

After the solicitation of applicants, the Board is asked to make the necessary appointments to the Tourist Development Council.

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DEPARTMENT: Administration                     

PREPARED BY:                      Name: Donna Gordon                     

                     Title:                     Executive Aide                     

REQUESTED BY: Nerissa Okiye, Tourism and Marketing Manager                                          

 

PRESET:     

PROCEDURES: None                     

 

BACKGROUND/RELATED STRATEGIC GOAL:

 

The Tourist Development Council was created pursuant to Section 71.238, General Ordinances, Martin County Code on January 20, 2015.

 

The Tourist Development Council shall have the following powers and duties:

1.                     Conduct public hearings to receive information from the public with respect to the effectiveness of the existing tourist development efforts by both public and private agencies, organizations, and businesses and the need for additional or different tourist development efforts.

2.                     Recommend a method of coordination of existing tourist development efforts by both public and private agencies, organizations, and businesses and of new or additional tourist development efforts to obtain maximum economy, efficiency, and effectiveness of the tourist development efforts in and for Martin County.

3.                     Identify and recommend methods of eliminating unnecessary duplications in existing tourist development efforts by both public and private agencies, organizations, and businesses and preventing or minimizing such duplications of new or proposed tourist development efforts.

4.                     Identify and develop new tourist development efforts by both public and private agencies, organizations, and businesses.

5.                     Create, prepare, and submit to the Board a Tourist Development Plan in the manner meeting the requirements of F.S.125.0104, and, from time to time thereafter, make recommendations to the Board for changes to the Tourist Development Plan.

6.                     From time to time, to make recommendations to the Board for the effective operation of the special projects or uses provided for in the Tourist Development Plan.

7.                     Review the expenditures of revenues authorized in the Tourist Development Plan and report to the Board and to the State Department of Revenue as required by F.S.125.0104.

8.                     Adopt, amend, and repeal rules and to implement the provisions of any ordinance for which it is responsible.

9.                     Submit an annual report to the Board of its activities and of the issues and progress of the tourist development efforts in and for the County.

 

Section 71.238 provides that the Tourist Development Council shall be composed of nine members. All members of the Council shall be electors of Martin County at the time of appointment and while serving on the Council.  One member of the Council shall be the Chair of the Board or any other member the Board, as designated by the Chair of the Board, who shall also serve as Chair of the Council.  The remaining members shall be appointed by the Board and shall have the following representative classifications:

 

1.                     Two members who are elected municipal officers, at least one of whom shall be from the most populous municipality in the County. 

2.                     Three members who are owners or operators of motels, hotels, recreational vehicle parks, or other tourist accommodations in the County that are subject to the tourist development tax. 

3.                     Three members who are involved in the tourist industry and who have demonstrated an interest in tourist development, but who are not owners or operators of motels, hotels, recreational vehicle parks, or other tourist accommodations in the County that are subject to the tourist development tax.


The Tourist Development Council meets in the Commission Chambers every other month at 3:00 PM.  The agendas are published to the County’s website in a timely manner. 

 

Administration staff advised the following that their terms would expire as listed.  The incumbents were provided an Application for Appointment to complete and return if so desired.

 

Edward Griffith - Hotelier - expire July 10, 2019

Donna Wall-Flewelling - Hotelier - expire August 22, 2019

Teresa Lamar-Sarno - Involved in the Tourist Industry - expire July 10, 2019

 

An Information Release soliciting applicants for both positions (“hotelier” and “involved”) was emailed via Constant Contact to the Outreach Martin and Local Media email lists which includes local Chambers of Commerce, local businesses, local media, and citizens (over 1,500 recipients).  The Information Release was also posted to the County’s web page under News.

 

Administration Staff confirmed through the Supervisor of Elections Office that all of the applicants are Martin County registered voters as required.

 

The Administration Staff will advise all of the applicants of the Commission’s decision which includes providing Sunshine Law information to the appointed individuals.  A Chair letter and Certificate of Appreciation will be mailed to Ms. Larmar-Sarno which will be signed by the Chairman.

 

ISSUES:

 

None.

 

LEGAL SUFFICIENCY REVIEW:

 

This item has been reviewed for legal sufficiency to determine whether it is consistent with applicable law.

 

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

 

RECOMMENDATION

Move that the Board appoint the following to the Tourist Development Council for the terms as stated below:

                     Term Begin                     Term End                     

Involved in the tourist industry

Robert Steele                     July 30, 2019                     July 29, 2023

Hotelier

Edward Lee Griffith Jr.                     July 30, 2019                     July 29, 2023

Hotelier

Jonnie Flewelling                     August 23, 2019                     August 22, 2023

 

Move that the Board Authorize the Chairman to sign the Resolution of Appointment and letter/certificate as described under Background.

 

ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS

Pull this item from the Consent Agenda and direct staff.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

 

RECOMMENDATION

None

                     

Funding Source

County Funds

Non-County Funds

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Subtotal

 

 

Project Total

 


ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS

None

 

DOCUMENT(S) REQUIRING ACTION:

Budget Transfer / Amendment                      Chair Letter                                                               Contract / Agreement

Grant / Application                                          Notice          Ordinance                     Resolution

Other: