HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC_2015-09-22_Special Session MinutesMINUTES - MORRO BAY CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL MEETING – SEPTEMBER 22, 2015
VETERAN’S MEMORIAL HALL
209 SURF STREET - 4:00 P.M.
PRESENT: Jamie Irons Mayor
Christine Johnson Councilmember
John Headding Councilmember
Noah Smukler Councilmember
ABSENT: Matt Makowetski Councilmember
STAFF: David Buckingham City Manager
Joe Pannone City Attorney
Dana Swanson City Clerk
Sam Taylor Deputy City Manager
Susan Slayton Administrative Services Director
Eric Endersby Harbor Director
Amy Christey Police Chief
Steve Knuckles Fire Chief
ESTABLISH QUORUM AND CALL TO ORDER
A quorum was established with and the meeting was called to order at 4:08pm.
PUBLIC COMMENT RE: ITEMS ON THE AGENDA
https://youtu.be/egKNz42nPHo?t=2m
Sandy Tannler, Morro Bay, shared she had read John Meyers’ report and supports the current
tourism and marketing structure.
Susan Stewart, Morro Bay resident, business owner and former chairperson of the Community
Promotions Committee (CPC), provided background information on the CPC and shared Mr.
Haugen is a good resource for small businesses.
John Solu, Morro Bay resident and business owner, shared the hotelier business is unique and
“heads in beds” is beneficial to the city and continued success in Morro Bay.
Sabin Grey, Morro Bay business owner, spoke in support of Brent Haugen and his staff and
thanked them for supporting all Morro Bay businesses.
Liz Gilson, Chamber of Commerce Director of Operations, shared the Chamber recommends
open collaboration between the Tourism Bureau, City officials and City Council, and healthy
discussion among hoteliers, the City, the Tourism Bureau, and the Chamber of Commerce.
AGENDA NO: A-2 MEETING DATE: October 13, 2015
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MINUTES - MORRO BAY SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING – SEPTEMBER 22, 2015
Homer Alexander, Morro Bay, researched business improvement districts prior to the Tourism
Bureau being formed and took exception to certain comments and data provided in the staff
report.
Jim Bray, Morro Bay resident and business owner, read a letter sent to the Tourism Bureau from
Caroline Beteta, President/CEO of Visit California and leading expert in tourism.
Taylor Newton, Morro Bay resident, business owner and Tourism Business Improvement
District (TBID) Advisory Board member stated creativity and talent are important for the city’s
future and having someone focused on tourism is worth the money.
Aaron Graves, owner of Pleasant Inn and Central Coast Hotel Brokers, spoke with several
hoteliers and hoped to hear how the City’s plan would improve performance.
Shawn Farmer, owner of Farmer’s Kites and Surreys and founder of the Morro Bay Kite Festival
noted that in the ten years of the festival, he has received help from City staff, the Chamber and
Tourism Bureau preparing for the event, but City staff hasn’t been there on the weekend. The
Tourism Bureau has been involved in every aspect of the festival.
Michele Jacquez, Morro Bay TBID Advisory Board and Morro Bay Tourism Bureau member,
spoke in support of the current tourism and marketing structure and urged the City Council to
read Mr. Meyers’ report.
Joan Solu, Morro Bay resident, business owner, TBID Advisory Board and Tourism Bureau
member, spoke in support of the current operating plan, noting an increase in TOT tax revenue of
50.7% in six years; growth surpassing almost all government agencies in the county. She
suggested a strong partnership between the hotelier consortium, regional partners in tourism and
economic development, and City leadership.
Ashlee Akers spoke representing Verdin Marketing, the current the agency of record for Morro
Bay, Atascadero and Cayucos for tourism marketing. Her firm has experience working with a
variety of marketing management structures and have found the most successful to be those with
the ability to make decisions and respond quickly in order to stay competitive.
Noreen Martin, Commissioner and Chief Fiscal Officer for the State of California, stated there is
a bit of dysfunction to having eleven BIDs in this county and suggested the City look at other
counties, such as Napa and Sonoma, where tourism marketing is run separately from the
government.
Chuck Davison, President and CEO of Visit San Luis Obispo County, cautioned staff and the
City Council to move through this process slowly and have further discussion so the needs of
constituents are fairly represented.
Brent Haugen, Executive Director for the Morro Bay Tourism Bureau, stated he has been a
resource since April 2014 for City Council, City staff, lodging and business community, event
organizers, non-profits and citizens. He addressed one point in staff report which suggested
money is being spent without any controls. Budgets are reviewed by the City Council annually
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MINUTES - MORRO BAY SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING – SEPTEMBER 22, 2015
for approval, quarterly reports are provided to the City Council, and monthly reports to the
Council-appointed advisory board. If there are concerns, he has not been made aware of them.
The public comment period was closed.
Councilmembers Headding and Johnson responded to comments and questions raised during the
public comment period.
SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA ITEMS:
I. DISCUSSION OF GOAL 6 – TOURISM MARKETING & PROMOTIONS REVIEW
https://youtu.be/egKNz42nPHo?t=47m48s
City Manager Buckingham and Deputy City Manager Taylor provided the staff report and
responded to Council inquiries.
Councilmember Headding clarified the driver for this initiative is the 10-year strategic plan that
shows the City must do things significantly differently or suffer in areas of basic services. He
believes the model we’re beginning to see gets us where we want to be.
Councilmember Smukler is supportive of the tourism effort and the structure that’s been
established and suggested taking time to engage with stakeholders and look at alternatives more
clearly. The strategic planning component is important to pull together as a community and
manage limited resources more effectively.
Councilmember Johnson looks forward to collaboration and having people understand the
benefit of tourism in the community. The City has infrastructure challenges and it’s important to
seek collaboration between overnight stays and hoteliers, event creation and promotion, sales tax
generating businesses, the Chamber, and the Merchant’s Association, and communicate that
very clearly with the public.
Mayor Irons noted the overall goal is to improve growth and the success of the TBID and
tourism. He is in favor of moving forward at a diligent pace.
No action was taken by the City Council.
II. MODIFICATION OF MORRO BAY TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT
DISTRICT BOARD BYLAWS AND CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF
MORRO BAY TOURISM BUREAU BYLAWS MODIFICATION
https://youtu.be/egKNz42nPHo?t=2h10m11s
Deputy Taylor presented the staff report.
The public comment period for Item II was opened; seeing none, the public comment period was
closed.
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MINUTES - MORRO BAY SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING – SEPTEMBER 22, 2015
MOTION: Councilmember Headding moved to approve Resolution No. 65-15 adopting
modifications to the “Qualifications” section of the TBID Advisory Board By-
Laws, and approve the request of the Morro Bay Tourism Bureau to modify its
By-Laws to reflect the TBID By-Laws language. The motion was seconded by
Councilmember Johnson and carried unanimously, 4-0.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 6:22p.m.
Recorded by:
Dana Swanson
City Clerk