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Board of County Commissioners Meeting Minutes - Final June 6, 2023 <br />Commissioner Loar sought and received from Ms. Daniels the number of dollars <br />returned to the County from the TDC for the FY 2021/2022 budget. Commissioner <br />Loar voiced his concern about the 40% increase to the Chamber and requested <br />specifics of what the additional $214,420 would be used for. Ms. Daniels replied <br />$7,000 for benefits, $5,000 for supplies, $15,000 for printing and publications, <br />$3,000 for tours, and $184,420 for advertising. Commissioner Loar wondered if <br />there were any large outreach programs that perhaps those dollars could be used for <br />by the Chamber. <br />Indian River County Chamber of Commerce President Dori Stone explained that the <br />Chamber always had projects but was not always aware of the amount of funding. <br />Ms. Stone stated that one major project was to do more marketing campaigns <br />throughout the West Coast of Florida and to target other markets outside of Florida. <br />Vice Chairman Adams sought and received clarification from County Attorney Dylan <br />Reingold regarding what particular portion of the TDC pennies had specific <br />allocations under the statute requirements. <br />A discussion ensued between Commissioner Flescher and Ms. Daniels on the Fund <br />Balance and how it works, the Chamber's funding, the tourism study done by Indian <br />River State College, and revisiting the study. He supported allocating the Cash <br />Forward funds to the Chamber. <br />Vice Chairman Adams reiterated that of the money expended through TDC, 70% of <br />the funding off the top, per the Ordinance, could go to the Chamber. She stated that <br />the Chamber was the marketing arm of the County and was in support of the <br />Chamber receiving the funds in the Cash Forward. She brought up revisiting the <br />Tourism Study, stating there were dollars in the Fund Balance. She pointed out that <br />the Reserve for Contingency was used for those mid -year events that come up but <br />also to put money aside in the good years for when there may be a downturn in the <br />economy. <br />Commissioner Moss told of the robust year in tourism and pointed out that all the <br />funding requests made by the agencies were met; however, she wanted to plan ahead <br />to the future and see the Cash Forward funds go into Reserve. <br />County Administrator John Titkanich stated that Ms. Daniels had provided him with <br />the 2020 study, which was really a profile of who the visitors were and their spending <br />patterns. He thought it might be appropriate to work with the tourist component with <br />the Chamber to revisit a study that not just looks at the County's profile but how the <br />County does in terms of strategies to enhance and support the tourism industry. <br />Indian River County Florida Page 14 <br />