6/11/1991 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Commissioner Wheeler explained that the City of Vero Beach request related to a 3 year paving project at.Riverside Park. He then referred to a letter received from the Chamber of Commerce in response to his suggestion that the Chamber of Commerce Tourist Council become the organization which would review and work with each group requesting tourist tax funds and work out a system where one request would be made to the County Tourist Development Council covering all funding requests. Commissioner Eggert stated that she would like to have discussion of that letter before going on to address the Council's budget recommendations. She noted one of the things she has had a problem with over the years relates to the definition of what is tourist and what is community and what exactly the funds are to be used for. Rather than try to make a decision today on the suggestion regarding the Chamber of Commerce Tourist Council becoming the organization to review and work with each group requesting tourist tax funds and to work out a system for this, she would prefer to have a workshop to see what we can put together for a good system that would be fair to everyone - the arts, baseball, beaches, whatever. Commissioner Eggert believed it might help organizations that apply if they know something more specific as to what will qualify for these funds and what won't. MOTION WAS MADE by Commissioner Eggert, SECONDED by Commissioner Scurlock to workshop the above described suggestion with the Tourist Development Council, the Chamber of Commerce, the Arts Council, and anyone else interested. Commissioner Wheeler recalled that when we approved this tax and set this Council up, we set up a two year budget and a Tourist Bureau, the intent of which was to handle tourist - oriented activities. Then two years ago, we had some extra money, and another agency came in (he believed it was the Arts Council) and we gave them some money, and then the evolution started over the last 3 years to where people are coming in and requesting funds from the Tourist Development Council. It has basically boiled down over the last 3 years that the Chamber kind of represents the Chamber and everybody else represents themselves. Commissioner Wheeler felt we should either combine them or eliminate the tourist bureau from that aspect. He would support a workshop because we are dealing in areas where people have intense interests, and the way this is set up is pretty flexible. 25 Boor f't GE 5c.) JUN 111991 L