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OH,[Special City Council on January 11, 2023.]
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.NOW WELCOME TO THE WORK SESSION ON JANUARY 11TH, UH, IN 2023.
UH, WE WAS MEETING WITH THE SEDONA CITY COUNCIL AND THE, UH, SEDONA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
UH, MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU READ THE ROLE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, PLEASE? MAYOR JLO.
I KNOW THAT, UH, WE DON'T HAVE THE CARD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT I WILL ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENTS AS SOON AS WE GET THE CARDS AND THEN PEOPLE CAN FILL THOSE OUT, UH, BEHIND ME.
I HATE TO HAVE MY BACK TO PEOPLE.
SOMETHING I'M REALLY COMFORTABLE.
I DON'T, I DON'T LIKE THE SETUP.
OKAY, WE'LL STOP THE SPECIAL BUSINESS AB 29 0 4 PRESENTATION.
DISCUSSION, POSSIBLE ACTION AS PART OF THE ANNUAL JOINT, UH, PLANNING, UH, MEETING BETWEEN THE CITY OF SEDONA AND THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND TOURISM BUREAU TO INCLUDE DISCUSSION FOR THE FUTURE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS AND THE PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATION FOR FY 24, UH, CONTRACTED SERVICES, ASSISTED BUDGETARY IMPLEMENT IMPLICATIONS.
SO TURN THIS OVER TO YOU, KAREN, YOU WANNA DO THIS? I THINK WE'LL ACTUALLY TURN IT OVER DIRECTLY TO MICHELLE.
YOU, I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU HAD ANYTHING TO SAY.
MAYOR JAMMA, WOULD IT BE HELPFUL FOR COUNSEL TO KNOW WHO'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TABLE? I, I KNOW EVERYBODY ON THE OTHER FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT.
UM, HOW ABOUT WE START WITH CAROL WORKING UP? OKAY.
I'M CAROL KAHN, THE COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, CHAMBER COMMERCE CENTER.
CHERYL BARRON, OWNER OF WHISPER CREEK BED IS BREAKFAST CHAMBER BOARD MEMBER AND COUNCIL, BOARD MEMBER AND VOLUNTEER AT THE VISITOR CENTER AND VOLUNTEER AT THE VISITOR, NOTHING.
GENERAL MANAGER, HOTEL CHIEF BOARD MEMBER COUNCIL.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE THE BOARD?
I'M A MEMBER OF THE CHAMBER BOARD DIRECTOR, MIKE WISE, UH, MEMBER BOARD DIRECTORS, CHAMBER OF REALTOR HERE IN TOWN, LOCAL PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT.
GARY STEWART, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE FOR THE SEDONA CHAMBER OF COUNTY.
I'M MICHELLE CONWAY WITH THE SEDONA CHAMBER OF CONVERSATION.
YOU KNOW ME, JENNIFER AND JENNIFER PERRY.
I'M THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR THE ARIZONA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.
I'M THE BOARD CHAIR OF THE SEDONA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND TOURISM BUREAU, AND I AM ON THE BOARD OF NAPRO.
WELL, LET'S, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HERE HASN'T BEEN HERE BEFORE.
DOESN'T KNOW WHERE THE RESTROOM IS, BUT I BELIEVE IT'S OUT HERE TO THE LEFT.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THIS VERY IMPORTANT MEETING THIS AFTERNOON.
I WANT TO START BY SAYING THAT IT IS IN THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION.
SO THIS IS MEANT TO BE A, UH, A VERY KIND OF BACK AND FORTH ENGAGING PROCESS TODAY.
WE HAVE A, THE FULL AFTERNOON TOGETHER.
SO AS I MOVE THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, I MEAN, THIS IS MEANT TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO COME IN, WEIGH IN, COMMENT, WHATEVER YOU ARE FEELING.
THIS IS, YOU KNOW, JUST DO SO AT THAT TIME.
OUR OBJECTIVE TODAY IN OUR BEST HOPE WOULD BE THAT WE WOULD COME AWAY WITH SOME CLARIFICATION OR CLARITY ON MOVEMENT, EXCUSE ME, ON HOW TO MOVE FORWARD, UM, IN OUR PLANNING PROCESS FOR FY 24, UM, IN PULLING OUR PLAN TOGETHER, DETERMINING OUR PRIORITIES AND WHATNOT, PROGRAM OF WORK, AND THEN OF COURSE, BEGINNING ANY FACILITATION, UH, FOR ANY OF THE ORGANIZ POTENTIAL ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES TOO.
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COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH US TODAY, OUR AGENDA WILL BEGIN WITH A VERY QUICK INTRODUCTION OF WHO WE ARE.WE'LL THEN DISCUSS OUR FUTURE TOGETHER AND WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS.
WE'LL REVIEW THE CURRENT STATUS OF OUR FY 23 WORK THROUGH NOVEMBER, AND WE'LL WRAP WITH IDENTIFYING THE PRIORITIES FOR FISCAL 24, ALONG WITH THE DISCUSSION AROUND, UH, THE VARIOUS TYPES OF PROGRAMS WE WISH TO CONSIDER.
AND OF COURSE, AGAIN, LOOKING FOR YOUR FEEDBACK ON THOSE TO START.
WE'RE A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND TOURISM BUREAU ONE ORGANIZATION WITH TWO DISTINCT FUNCTIONS AND DIVISIONS.
AS A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WE IGNITE BUSINESS GROWTH AND BRING DYNAMIC PEOPLE TOGETHER TO GET WORK DONE.
IT IS OUR ROLE TO BE THAT CHAMPION FOR A STRONG AND THRIVING COMMUNITY.
OUR CHAMBER IS IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY FOR MORE THAN 70 YEARS, THE SEDONA CHAMBER HAS BEEN A NONPROFIT MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION WITH A CURRENT MEMBERSHIP OF MORE THAN 730 PARTNERS.
WE ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF OUR HUNDREDS OF MEMBER BUSINESSES TO ENSURE POSITIVE BUSINESS CLIMATE.
WE PROVIDE OUR PARTNERS WITH LOCAL BUSINESS SUPPORT AND GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES BY WAY OF PROGRAMS, EDUCATION, BUSINESS EXPOSURE, AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING.
WE SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS WITH PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND NETWORKING.
OUR PARTNERS ARE LONG-TERM INVESTORS IN THE COMMUNITY AND IN THE CHAMBER.
IN FACT, 50% OF THEM HAVE BEEN PARTNERING WITH US FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS.
OUR TOURISM BUREAU, ON THE OTHER HAND, THE STATE OTHER DIVISION OF OUR ORGANIZATION, WE ARE THE CITY'S OFFICIAL DESTINATION MANAGEMENT AND MARKETING ORGANIZATION, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE DMO.
DMO IS ARE RESPONSIBLE WORLDWIDE FOR MEETING IN THESE AREAS OF VISITOR MANAGEMENT, ATTRACTION, EDUCATION, AND EXPERIENCE.
OUR DMO IS ACCREDITED BY THE GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED RECOGNIZED DESTINATIONS MARKETING ACCREDITATION PROGRAM, OR D A P, WHICH SERVES AS A VISIBLE INDUSTRY DISTINCTION THAT DEFINES QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS IN DESTINATION MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT.
TO BECOME ACCREDITED, DMO MUST DEMONSTRATE COMPLIANCE WITH MORE THAN 100 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
ACCREDITATION STANDARDS ARE SET BY INDEPENDENT PANEL OF INDUSTRY VETERANS AND STANDARDS ARE REGULARLY REVISITED AND REVISED TO REFLECT THE EVOLUTION OF BEST PRACTICES IN THE INDUSTRY.
WE ALL SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF THIS DISTINCTION.
WE'RE ONE OF FEWER THAN 200 DMO IS WORLDWIDE THAT HOLD THIS DISTINCTION.
DMO IS PROVIDE SEVERAL SERVICES, MANY OF WHICH YOU'RE ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH.
THE DMO IS A PRIMARY POINT OF CONTACT, NOT JUST FOR VISITORS, BUT ALSO FOR BUSINESSES AND THE MEDIA.
WE PROVIDE INCREDIBLE VALUE AS A PROFESSIONAL AND WELL CONNECTED ORGANIZATION THAT IS REGULARLY APPROACHED BY MEDIA.
MICHELLE, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HANDLE 2 25 MEDIA REQUESTS? THAT, THAT'S BASICALLY LIKE ONE DAY, SO YOU GET A CALL ON EMAIL.
WHAT DO YOU GUYS DO WITH THAT? LIKE WHAT, HOW DO YOU HANDLE THAT? LIKE, HOW MUCH TIME DOES IT TAKE? AND I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE ALL OVER THE MAP, RIGHT? SOMETIMES IT'S GONNA BE JUST, OH, I'LL GET YOU IN TOUCH WITH THE MAYOR AND ANOTHER TIME IT'S GONNA BE GO DO SOME RESEARCH.
BUT CAN YOU KINDA CHARACTERIZE WHAT'S IT TAKE TO DEAL WITH THAT? AND, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, IT IS THAT THE, THE MEDIA ASSISTANCE RUNS THE GAMUT.
IT'S FROM EVERYTHING FROM CONNECTING, UH, MEDIA CONTACT TO OUR PARTNERS, TO HOSPITALITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, FOLKS IN THE, IN THE BUSINESS ARE IN THE, UM, CITY AND LOCATION SCOUTING.
IT'S HELPING, UH, TO GUIDE THEM TO THE PROPER SOURCE FOR FILMING PERMITS.
UM, IT'S, GOSH, PHOTOGRAPHY SHOOTS, ASSISTING WITH GUIDING THEM OF WHEN TO COME AND WHEN NOT TO COME.
WHEN WE'RE BUSY, YOU KNOW, THIS MIGHT NOT BE THE BEST TIME FOR A SHOOT.
OH, BY THE WAY, DON'T GO SHOOT AT DEVIL'S BRIDGE.
YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO STEER THEM TO THE, TO THE RIGHT LOCATIONS, UM, WHERE, WHERE THEY'LL HAVE A GOOD OUTPUT AS WELL.
IT'S, IT'S REALLY, IT'S AS, IT'S AS INVOLVED AND AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE.
I'D LIKE TO ASK AS WELL ABOUT THE CERTIFICATION.
WHEN WAS YOUR CERTIFICATION? I ASSUME THAT YOU'VE BEEN RE-CERTIFIED OVER TIME AND IT MIGHT BE DUE AGAIN SOON.
AND IF I, UNDER, IF I LEARNED CORRECTLY FROM THE INFORMATION THAT I READ, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE A GREAT, VERY INTROSPECTIVE PROCESS OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT, KIND OF LEARNING.
THERE MIGHT BE A LOT OF GOOD STORY HERE ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED OVER TIME AND WHAT YOU'VE CHANGED, WHAT YOU'VE THOUGHT ABOUT.
SO JUST AT, AT SOME POINT THAT MIGHT BE SOME REALLY INTERESTING INFORMATION TO SHARE, BUT JUST SPECIFICALLY, WHEN WERE YOU CERTIFIED? WHEN WERE YOU RE-CERTIFIED? SURE.
WE WERE CERTIFIED IN 2014, AND THEN THE RE-CERTIFICATION PROCESS TAKES PLACE EVERY FOUR YEARS.
SO OUR NEXT ONE WILL BE DUE IN 2026.
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GOOD.WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S A INTERESTING STORY THAT I'M, I'M SURE THAT THERE'S BEEN GREAT THINGS LEARNED OVER TIME THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTING TO SHARE.
YEAH, I'D BE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
IN FACT, I MEAN, WE COULD REPORT THAT OUT TO YOU.
AND, UM, AS A FOLLOW ON TO THE MEETING, TO SHARE WITH YOU, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT DEEPER KNOWLEDGE ON THE ACCREDITATION, WHAT THEY EXPECT AND WHAT THEY DO IN THE PROCESS AND, AND WHAT, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UM, YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE SUSTAINABLE TOURISM PLAN, AGAIN, FOR THE SAKE OF SOME OF THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, IN RECENT YEARS, WE HAVE HAD CONSIDERED THE LONG-TERM VIABILITY AND IMPACT OF TOURISM.
AFTER 18 MONTHS OF INFORMATION GATHERING FROM RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, NONPROFITS, AND VISITORS, WE DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUR GREAT TEAM.
THE STATE'S FIRST SUSTAINABLE TOURISM PLAN ADOPTED OVER THREE YEARS AGO.
THIS PLAN CONTINUES TO GUIDE OUR EFFORTS IN BALANCING THE NEED OF FOUR PILLARS, OUR TOURISM, MCC, THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND RESIDENT QUALITY OF LIFE.
THERE HAS BEEN SOME INTEREST IN ADDRESSING THIS PLAN AND ADJUSTING IT AND BRINGING IT AS A LIVING BREATHING DOCUMENT TO MAYBE A MORE CURRENT STANCE, MORE CURRENT POSITION OF WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE TODAY.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS BEING DISCUSSED.
I AS IT PERTAINS TO THE FINANCES, THE CHAMBER DIVISION IS FUNDED PRIMARILY BY MEMBERSHIP DUES.
WHILE THE TOURISM BUREAU AND VISITOR CENTER ARE FUNDED PRIMARILY BY A PORTION OF THE BED TAX DOLLARS AT 77%, AS YOU'LL SEE ON THIS SLIDE, 23% ARE FROM PRIVATE SOURCE REVENUES, WHICH ARE USED TO PAY PER EXPENSES THAT AREN'T PAID FOR BY BED TAX FUNDING.
THE BUDGET OVERALL IS SEPARATED INTO THREE CATEGORIES, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE TERMS OF BUREAU AND THE VISITOR CENTER.
OPERATIONAL COSTS ARE CURRENTLY ALLOCATED AMONGST ALL THREE CATEGORIES.
WE HAVE 12 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, PLUS EIGHT PART-TIME VISITOR CENTER EMPLOYEES.
THE STAFF ALLOCATIONS FOR THIS YEAR ARE BROKEN DOWN, AS YOU SEE ON THIS SLIDE, WITH SOME STAFF BEING FUNDED A HUNDRED PERCENT BY BEDTIME DOLLARS AND SOME AT DIFFERENT PROPORTIONS.
ALL STAFF ALLOCATIONS ARE DETERMINED BASED ON THEIR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
I I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE PARTNER SERVICES DIRECTOR AND HOW IT'S SPLIT 75 25 PARTNER SERVICES, I WOULD THINK WOULD BE FROM THE CHAMBERS.
SO I OBVIOUSLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I APPRECIATE ON THE PARTNER SERVICES DIRECTOR.
UM, SHE DOES, ERIN VERY, IS ACTUALLY SITTING IN FRONT OF YOU,
UM, SHE DOES TOUCH ON SOME OF THE TOURISTS.
SHE DOES, SHE HELPS ON MANY OF THE TOURISTS OF PROGRAMS AS SUPPORT, UM, AS NEEDED.
ERIN IS REALLY ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT HELPS AND PICKS UP THE BALL AND RUNS WITH IT AS, AS SHE'S ABLE TO, AND SHE'S ALWAYS ABLE TO.
SO FOR A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE SEDONA TRAILS PROGRAM, SHE WAS INTEGRAL IN, UM, REACHING OUT TO THE SPONSORS WHO SIGNED UP FOR THAT PROGRAM.
AND THAT PROGRAM FALLS UNDER THE TOURISM BUREAU.
SO PROBABLY MANY OF THESE PEOPLE ARE SPLIT THAT WAY.
ERIN, YOUR, YOUR TITLE REALLY COULD BE PARTNER SERVICES DIRECTOR AND FIRST AND BUREAU SUPPORT.
WHY ARE THE, WHY THERE THREE PILLARS? WHAT, WHY IS THE TERMS BUREAU SEPARATE FROM THE VISITORS WHEN THEY'RE ALL FUNDED? THREE CHART, THE TWO, TWO CATEGORIES.
WELL, THAT'S, UH, I'VE BEEN HERE 40 YEARS IN MARCH.
THAT'S THE WAY IT'S BEEN DONE.
I, I THINK IT GOES BACK TO WAY BACK WHEN THE VISITOR CENTER RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE CITY REGULARLY, EARLY ON, AND THE TOURISM BUREAU KIND OF CAME ALONG LATER OVER TIME.
UM, SO THE VISITOR CENTER'S VERY DISTINCT.
IT'S EASY TO, IT'S GOOD TO BE ABLE TO SAY THESE ARE THE EXPENDITURES THAT RELATE TO THE VISITOR CENTER, SO THAT WHEN WE'RE HAVING DISCUSSIONS, WE CAN SEGREGATE.
SEGREGATED TOURISM BUREAU IS MORE OF A MIX BECAUSE OF THE MEMBERS AND THE TOURISM FOCUS OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AND THE CHAMBER OF MEMBERSHIP.
BUT THE VISITOR CENTER, SACRED, SEGREGATED CAUSE IT'S, IT'S EASY TO DO, NUMBER ONE, AND IT'S GOOD TO KNOW A BIG THEORY.
SO, WITH THAT BACKGROUND INFORMATION, LET'S NOW LOOK AT THE CITY CHAMBER WORKING RELATIONSHIP.
OVER THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS, WE'VE REALLY DUG DEEP INTO THE CONCERNS THAT WERE BROUGHT FORTH.
AND AS WE'VE ALL SAID DURING THIS PROCESS, THE ISSUES ARE MESSY AND COMPLEX.
BECAUSE OF THAT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE FIRST SUMMARIZE THE CONCERNS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES, AND
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THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH THEM A LITTLE BIT DEEPER ONE BY ONE AND, AND THEN LOOK INTO THE OPTIONS OF RECOMMENDATIONS.SO, AS THE SUMMARY, LET'S START AT THE TOP.
THE VISITOR CENTER, THE VISITOR CENTER HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN A FREE BENEFIT PROVIDED ONLY TO CHAMBER.
I'M GONNA JUST SAY CHAMBER, BUT WHEN I SAY CHAMBERS, MANY INSTANCES, CHAMBER COMMERCE IN TERMS OF BUREAU, UH, IT'S JUST A MOUTHFUL, SO I'LL SAY CHAMBER.
THE VISITOR CENTER HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN A FREE BENEFIT ONLY TO CHAMBER MEMBERS WITH A RECENT, FAIRLY RECENT PAID OPTION THAT WAS PROVIDED TO NON-MEMBER BUSINESSES.
THE VISITOR CENTER IS FUNDED PREDOMINANTLY WITH THE TAX FUNDING, WHICH ARE CONSIDERED PUBLIC FUNDS.
SO SINCE THE VISITOR CENTER IS FUNDED PREDOMINANTLY WITH THESE PUBLIC FUNDS, THIS CITY FEELS THAT PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS DISPLAYED AS THE VISITOR CENTER SHOULD BE FREE TO ALL IN CITY BUSINESSES AND NOT TIED TO MEMBERSHIP AT ALL.
ALONG A SIMILAR LINE OF THINKING, THERE'S A CONCERN ABOUT THE TAX DOLLARS COMING INTO A MEMBERSHIP BASED ORGANIZATION.
THIS SCC AND TV OR CHAMBER IS A 5 0 1
IT'S PRIMARY STAKEHOLDER GROUP AS ITS MEMBERS.
ON THE OTHER HAND, THE CITY'S PRIMARY STAKEHOLDER GROUP IS THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
SO THE FEELING IS THAT SINCE THE TERMS AND BUREAU DIVISION IS FUNDED PRIMARILY BY FED TAX REVENUE, THOSE PUBLIC FUNDS SHOULD BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE AND NOT A MEMBERSHIP BASED ORGANIZATION.
UH, CAN YOU JUST CLARIFY THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE? I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN SOME QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY AS TO, YOU KNOW, IS THE BUSINESS CENTER, YOU SAID PREDOMINANTLY WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE AS BUSINESS CENTER IS FUNDED BY THE CITY AND THAT FUNDED BY THE MEMBERS.
SO IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'RE PREPARED TO, UH, ADDRESS? YES.
BEFORE YOU DO RIGHT HERE, LET LET THE AUDIENCE KNOW BEHIND ME, APOLOGIZE, WE HAVE CARDS NOW, BUT IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO FILL OUT A CARD, THEY'RE BOTH FROM THE SIDE AND TURN THEM INTO THE, UH, DEPUTY CLERK HANDLE CARDS.
UM, THE VISITOR CENTER IS OWNED BY THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AND, UM, THE ALLOCATION FOR THE VISITOR CENTER TO BED TAX FUNDING FOR THE BUILDING ITSELF IS LIMITED TO THE MORTGAGE INTEREST, WHICH IS ABOUT $12,000 A YEAR.
SO I'M KIND OF, I'M KIND OF CONFUSING EXPENDITURES VERSUS OWNERSHIP.
AND SO THE VISITOR CENTER HAS A VALUE, UH, THAT THE CHAMBER BRINGS TO THE TABLE IN ADDITION TO THE BED TAX FUNDING THAT IS RECEIVED TO FUND EXPENDITURES THAT ARE NEEDED TO RUN SHALL.
SO WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAYING IS THAT THE OWNERSHIP IS THE CHAMBER COVERS TOURISM.
WELL, AND THEY PAID $12,000 A YEAR.
THE CHAMBER PAID $12,000 A YEAR.
SO THE CITY FUNDING IS A HUNDRED PERCENT AT THIS POINT OF THE VISITOR BUREAU, WE PAY FOR THE OPERATIONS AND WE PAY FOR THE MORTGAGE INTEREST, NOT THE MORTGAGE.
I'M JUST TRYING TO CLARIFY FOR MYSELF.
YOU PAY FOR THE EXPENDITURES THAT ARE RELATED TO THE VISITOR STANDARD.
SO WE PAY A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THAT, EXCEPT FOR SEPARATE FROM THE ASSETS.
EXCEPT, EXCEPT FOR THE PRINCIPAL REDUCTION ON THE DECK.
BUT THAT, SO WHO PAYS FOR THAT? THE CHANGE, SO, OKAY.
SO THERE, WHICH YOU SAID IS $12,000.
SO THE OP, IT'S FUNDAMENTALLY PAID FOR BY THE CITY WITH A VERY SMALL PORTION BY THE CHAMBER.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, TO CLARIFY THAT THAT IS THE COST OF, OF KEEPING THAT BUILDING.
SO YOU'RE PAYING THE INTEREST, YOU'RE NOT PAYING NECESSARILY THE FAIR WORK VALUE OF THAT PROPERTY, UM, AS AN ENTITY.
THAT IS ONE OF THE MANY QUESTIONS THAT COME UP.
DO YOU HAVE A FIGURE ON WHAT THE FAIR MARKET VALUE WOULD BE? YES, WE DO.
WHAT IS THAT? UM, IT IS ESTIMATED CONSERVATIVELY THAT WE COULD RECEIVE AT LEAST $10,000 A MONTH, UM, IN FAIR MARKET RENT FOR THAT BUILDING.
SO WE FEEL THAT THE, THE CITY IS REALLY GETTING THAT WE ARE DOING A SERVICE TO THE CITY
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BY PUTTING, BY DOING THIS AT COST, MAKING THIS AVAILABLE TO ALL BUSINESSES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.UM, AND WE ARE NOT NECESSARILY UTILIZING THAT ASSET TO GENERATE, UM, THE REVENUE THAT COULD BE GENERATED SHOULD, IF WE NEEDED TO.
AND WHEN YOU SAY MAKING AVAILABLE AT COST OF THE BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY, THOUGH, UM, YOU'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT THE PHYSICAL BUILDING AT THAT POINT IN, WHEN, WHEN THAT, IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE REFERRING TO WHEN YOU MADE THAT STATEMENT OR NO? WE ARE, WE ARE.
THE PROGRAM, THE VOLUNTEERS, THE PEOPLE WHO WERE IN THERE.
I MEAN, THERE'S VALUE TO THAT.
AND I WILL CORROBORATE WHAT JENNIFER SAID.
HOW MANY SQUARE FEET IS IT 60? IS IT SHORTER THAN THAT? DOES THAT INCLUDE THE BATHROOM? 15, 1500 EQUALS $10,000.
THAT'S THE IN LOCATION MARKET VALUE REP.
THE VALUE OF OUR VOLUNTEERS, AT LEAST AT CLOSE OF LAST FISCAL YEAR WAS AT 183,000.
DOES THAT INCLUDES THE BATHROOMS QUESTION? UM, SO THE VOLUNTEERS ARE VOLUNTEERING FOR A CITY PROGRAM IN A CHAMBER BUILDING.
SO WHO'S VOLUNTEERS ON THE CHAMBER? VOLUNTEERS, BECAUSE THERE ARE THE OPT, THIS IS RUN BY THE SEDONA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND TOURISM BUREAU, AND SO THEY'RE VOLUNTEERING WITH OUR ORGANIZATION AND THAT, UM, FACILITY AND OTHER SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE TO BUSINESSES OUTSIDE OF THE AREA AS WELL.
CAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE VISITORS THAT ARE COMING TO OUR AREA, THAT MANY OF THEM ARE COMING FOR THE DAY.
WE HOPE THAT WE WILL GET VISITORS WHO ARE COMING FOR MANY DAYS, BUT THEY'RE OFTEN ON A JOURNEY THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY ON THEIR TOUR OF THE SOUTHWEST.
SO IT IS COMMON PRACTICE WITH TOURISM BUREAUS TO PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR THEIR JOURNEY.
UM, THROUGHOUT THE, A QUESTION, UM, JESSE ALEXANDER HERE, LEASING PROPERTY IN UPTOWN, UH, WHAT'S TYPICAL RANGE FOR, UH, RETAIL LEASE AND PER SQUARE FOOT PER YEAR? AND THEN LOCATION WILL PUT PLACE, ITS NON PLUS.
THAT MIGHT BE AS LOW AS THREE 50 SQUARE FOOT UP TO $15.
IF WE'RE CANYON ON THE MAIN STREET, LITTLE MORE.
BUT I JUST DID THE MATH, RIGHT? YOU'RE SAYING IT'S THE VALUATION.
IT'S A HUNDRED DOLLARS A SQUARE FOOT.
HOW'S THAT? I'M TALKING ON A MONTHLY.
SO I MEAN SOMETHING IN THE RANGE OF, SAY 1500 SQUARE FEET, AGAIN, DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION IN CANYON PORTAL, IT'S GONNA BE ABOUT $15,000.
I HAVE 800 SQUARE FEET, 800 SQUARE FEET UNITS.
EACH ONE OF THOSE ARE GENERALLY IN THAT 7500, 8500 PER MONTH.
I WOULD DEFER TO JESSE BECAUSE HE IS MORE HANDS ON EVERY MONTH THAN BY US THAT ARE PROBABLY A LITTLE DATED, BUT, UH, HE'S ON LINE.
NOW, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON DISCUSSIONS HAVE BEEN ALSO HAD ABOUT SEPARATING THE, UH, CHAMBER AND THE TOURISM BUREAU INTO TWO ENTITIES, DESPITE THE OBVIOUS EFFICIENCIES UNDER THE CURRENT STRUCTURE, THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE CHAMBER BEING TOO FOCUSED ON TOURISM, UH, WHICH IS UNDERSTANDABLE.
WE ARE, UH, BECAUSE TOURISM IS BUSINESS AND WE'RE IN THE BUSINESS TO SUPPORT BUSINESS.
SO I, AS YOU, AS MANY OF YOU HAVE STATED, AND SOME PRIOR MEETINGS THAT'S HERE IN LINE, SOME OF THE CONFLICT ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVES ARE, ARE DIFFERENT FOR BOTH OF US.
UH, THE OTHER KIND OF CONSIDERATION IS TO NOTE THAT 64% OF OUR MEMBERS ARE TOURISM BASED.
UM, THAT THOSE WHO AREN'T ARE STILL TOUCHED AND BENEFIT FROM TOURISM BECAUSE THIS IS THE TOWN WE LIVE IN.
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KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSION AROUND THE FUNDING AND PROGRAMS AND OPERATIONAL COST.UH, WHEN A DMO LIKE OURS IS CONTRACTED TO PROVIDE NOT ONLY THE TACTICAL EXECUTION AND ASSOCIATED COST PROGRAMS, BUT ALSO PROVIDE CONSULTATION ON LARGER ISSUES AND STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT.
HOW DOES IT ALL GET FILLED? AND HOW DO, HOW DO SHARED STAFF AND ASSETS THAT SERVE BOTH THE CHAMBER AND THE TOURISM BUREAU, SUCH AS THE VISITS THAT ON A WEBSITE GET FUNDED? AND THERE HAS ALSO BEEN AN ONGOING DISCUSSION SINCE I STARTED WITH THE CHAMBER IN 2009, SURROUNDING MEASUREMENT AND ROI.
HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT THAT THE WORK WE PRODUCE IS SUCCESSFUL BEYOND THE TRADITIONAL MEASUREMENTS THAT WE'VE ALWAYS PROVIDED? WHILE WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE MEASUREMENTS AS PART OF OUR DUE DILIGENCE, THE QUESTION CONTINUES TO RE REMAIN ON A LARGER SCALE, IS THE WORK MOVING THE NEEDLE? AND I CAN ATTEST, UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN HERE AS LONG AS ME OR OR LONGER, THAT THIS IS A PRETTY REGULAR DISCUSSION.
UH, THERE ARE ALSO PERCEPTION ISSUES.
ONE BEING THAT THE CITY IS FUNDING, SORRY, ONE BEING THAT THE CITY IS FUNDING THE CHAMBER DIVISION, WHICH WE KNOW IS NOT TRUE.
THERE IS ALSO A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT DESTINATION MANAGEMENT IS COMPARED TO DESTINATION MARKETING.
AND SOME HOLD THE BELIEF THAT THE ENTIRE BED TAX ANNUAL CONTRACT AND AMOUNTS ARE SPENT ON MARKETING.
THIS IS A, THIS IS A PUBLIC THING.
I, I KNOW WE KNOW BETTER, BUT I SEE IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND IT, IT, IT DRIVES ME CRAZY.
UM, THE FOX BELIEF THAT SHOWS UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA UNDER THE DEFUND, THE CHAMBER MESSAGING AND THE CHAMBER SPENDING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON MARKETING IS JUST INACCURATE.
CONTINUED AND CONSISTENT COMMUNICATION IS CLEARLY CRITICAL AND NEEDED HERE.
UM, AND WHILE OUR ORGANIZATIONS DO OUR SHARE OF THAT INDE INDEPENDENTLY, I THINK IT MIGHT BE WHO OF US IN THE FUTURE TO WORK, WORK COLLABORATIVELY ON OUR, ON OUR PUBLIC OUTREACH AND OUR PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS SO THAT WE'RE SAYING THE SAME STORY.
SO TO SUMMARIZE ALL OF THAT, I, I WENT AHEAD AND, AND KIND OF LISTED IT OUT HERE.
AND THEN THIS IS WHAT WE'LL WALK THROUGH.
UM, PUBLIC FUNDS AND THE VISITOR CENTER, PUBLIC FUNDS AND MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMED ACTIVITIES.
IT'S NOT SO MUCH VERSUS OPERATIONAL COSTS, BUT IT'S, AND OPERATIONAL COSTS AND HOW IT ALL FITS AND WORKS.
SHARED RESOURCES, LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVE DIFFERENCES.
AND THEN THE, THE NUMBERS, KPIS, DATA AND REPORTING.
DOES THIS SEEM ACCURATE TO YOU? IS THERE ANYTHING I'VE MISSED? ALL RIGHT.
SO WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, I PRINTED IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT LARGER THAN FOR E UM, IT'S IN YOUR PACKET AS WELL.
THIS IS A, A VISUAL THAT I FOUND AND THE BOARD FOUND HELPFUL AS WE NAVIGATED THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
UM, STARTING TO SHIFT THINGS AROUND AND WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE AND WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS AND HOW DOES IT FIT IF IT'S CHANGED HERE, HOW DOES IT IMPACT THIS AREA? SO, UM, I HOPE YOU FIND THIS TO BE USEFUL.
AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO TODAY, UM, GO THROUGH THE ITEMS AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE NUMBERS SO THAT AS I GO THROUGH THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE POWERPOINT, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE'S A NUMBER NEXT TO THEM AND YOU CAN REFER TO THIS KIND OF CHART MAP.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND, UH, JUMP IN ON THE VISITOR CENTER AGAIN TO, SO TO RE I THINK WE, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CONCERN, UM, BUT WE DO WANNA SAY THAT WE ARE HAPPY TO COME INTO THIS MEETING WITH SOME GOOD NEWS THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE OPENED THE VISITOR CENTER TO OFFICES IN THE CITY.
SO WE MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT IN ONE OF OUR MORE BROAD REACHING, UH, MEDIUMS, THE LOCAL EMUS, WHICH REACHES AROUND 3000 SUBSCRIBERS.
THAT'S NOT JUST A MEMBERSHIP BASED TOOL THAT REACHES THE COMMUNITY COMMUNITY MEMBER THAT WANTS TO SIGN UP.
WE'VE MADE THAT, EXCUSE ME, THAT ANNOUNCEMENT LAST FRIDAY.
AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE TO SHARE THAT NEWS OUT, UM, THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND WHAT IS MOST APPROPRIATE.
UM, THIS MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT YOU MAY WANNA SHARE TOO, THROUGH MAYBE THE BUSINESS PERMITTING PROCESS OR WHATEVER YOU FEEL IS BEST ON YOUR END AS NEW BUSINESSES COME ONLINE, THAT THIS IS AN OPTION AVAILABLE TO THEM.
NOW, I DON'T CHARGE, I DON'T I UNDERSTOOD THAT.
AND WHAT THAT CONSISTS OF IS, IS, IS IS PLACEMENT A BRA CARD? CORRECT? I JUST WANT THAT'S WHAT IT'S, THAT'S RIGHT.
WILL THE, UM, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WASN'T HERE BECAUSE IT'S BEEN RESOLVED, WAS THAT THE VOLUNTEERS AT THE VISITOR CENTER WILL NOT, THE PAST HISTORICALLY HAS NOT PROMOTED NON BUSINESS.
SO IF YOU'RE A RESTAURANT, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO THE CHAMBER.
YOU DON'T GET, THE RESTAURANT IS NOT GIVEN OUT.
WE, I'VE ALL ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THAT CASE IS THAT STILL HAPPEN.
SO ANY BUSINESS WILL BE PROMOTED.
SO THIS WANT TO EAT MEXICAN FOOD.
ALL RESTAURANTS CONSERVED MEXICAN FOOD.
[00:30:01]
MICHELLE.HAVE YOU GUYS GIVEN ANY CONSIDERATION TO SOMEHOW DIFFERENTIATING? SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH HAVING CHAMBER AND IT'S GREAT THAT IT'S GONNA BE OPEN TO ALL, BUT, YOU KNOW, IS THERE CHAMBER MEMBER RACKS VERSUS OTHER RACKS? OR WHEN YOU HAVE A LIST OF, UH, RESTAURANTS, MAYBE THERE'S A STAR THAT SAYS CHAMBER COMMERCE MEMBERS.
I THINK THAT TRYING TO AVOID IT'S PUBLIC FUNDS, BUT, BUT NO, BUT, BUT WE WERE TRYING TO AVOID THE FACT THAT NON CHAMBER MEMBERS COULDN'T BE THERE AT ALL.
WELL, NO, AS THAT THEY DIDN'T GET THE SAME PRIORITY AND IT CAN'T, IT'S WHETHER IT'S PUBLIC DOLLARS, CAUSE WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL, IT'S PUBLIC DOLLARS BENEFITING ONE SEGMENT OF AN INDUSTRY OR SOMETHING VERSUS ANOTHER.
BUT WE'RE, WE ARE IN CHARGE OF THE PUBLIC FUNDS, SO THE PUBLIC GOOD.
AND WE CAN'T SAY, YOUR BUSINESS GETS MORE ATTENTION WITH OUR PUBLIC DOLLARS THAN YOUR BUSINESS GETS.
THAT'S, I, TO ME, THAT'S A MAJOR, I MEAN, I'VE SAID THAT I'M ON RECORD.
EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THAT'S REALLY A STRONGLY HELD BELIEF OF MINE THAT WE, WE JUST CAN'T DO THAT.
I, I THINK WHAT COUNSEL FROM IS SAYING IS NO EXTRA, UH, WORK OR ANYTHING'S DIFFERENT.
IT'S JUST MAYBE THE
IT, IT MAKES AN ASSUMPTION THAT BETTER.
I'M NOT SAYING I AGREE TO DISAGREE.
I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.
I THINK WHAT, WHAT YOU TRYING TO SAY AND WHY WE TRIED TO NOT HAVE A DIFFERENCE.
IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE ALLUDING TO? THERE WAS, AND JUST TO BE, TO BE CLEAR, THE RACKS WILL BE THE SAME SIZE OF WHAT RACKS WILL BE PLACED THE SAME WAY.
THERE'LL BE JUST INCORPORATED THE CENTER AND CAN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, UM, ACCOMMODATIONS AND RESTAURANTS OR DINING AND RESTAURANTS TOGETHER.
AND THEN WHAT SPOT YOU HAVEN'T BEEN PROBABLY, BUT, BUT DONNA RUNS VISITOR CENTER KNOWS THIS QUITE WELL.
THAT'S THE, HER EVERYDAY WORLD.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE WAY THE, UM, VOLUNTEERS AND THE STAFF INTERACT WITH THE PUBLIC, THEIR JOB, THEIR MISSION IS TO HELP THAT PERSON HAVE A GREAT TRIP AND LEAVE THAT BUILDING WITH A SENSE OF UNDERSTANDING AND DIRECTION AND PURPOSE.
AND BE HONEST WITH YOU, I DON'T THINK THEY NECESSARILY KNOW WHO'S A MEMBER AND WHO'S NOT.
I MEAN, THEY REALLY ARE JUST IN THE GAME OF HELPING.
THAT'S WHY THEY'RE VOLUNTEERING.
THEY'RE NOT BEING PAID A LOT OF THEM TO BE DOING THIS SERVICE, BUT THEY DO IT BECAUSE THEY JUST LOVE SEDONA AND THEY LOVE SHARING THE STORY WITH THE VISITORS, UM, THAT POP IN.
AND, UH, SO I THINK BY MAKING THIS CHANGE WHERE THE LITERATURE IS NOW, UH, AGNOSTIC, YOU KNOW, IT'S EVERYBODY.
IF YOU'RE A BUSINESS INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, WE'VE, UH, WE'VE MADE A, A I THINK A VERY MAJOR STEP FORWARD IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AND I ACTUALLY APPLAUD THE CITY FOR HAVING DRAWN ATTENTION TO THIS BECAUSE IT REALLY IS A, UM, UH, UM, PROGRESSIVE MOVE TO CREATE MORE EQUALITY AMONGST ALL THE BUSINESSES.
IF I COULD FOLLOW UP ON THAT WITH YES.
BECAUSE ANOTHER, AND THIS GOES BACK FOLLOWING UP THEN, TO YOUR POINT, CHAMBER MEMBERS REMEMBERS, OR SOMETIMES OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS, BUT AGAIN, OUR PUBLIC DOLLARS WERE THEN BEING USED TO SUPPORT A BUSINESS.
AND NOT THAT I HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST THE VOC, I LOVE THE VOC, THE ECONOMY ALL, UM, BUT YOU KNOW, THE MONIES THAT ARE COLLECTED BY TAXES WITHIN THE SEDONA CITY LIMITS, WERE BEING USED TO PROMOTE BUSINESSES OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMIT IN COMPETITION WITH BUSINESSES WITHIN THE CITY LIMIT.
SO THAT THE, THE GEOGRAPHICAL BOUNDARY IS IMPORTANT TO ME.
AND THE FACT THAT THERE BE, IF YOU'RE IN THE CITY AND THE CITY MONEY IS PAYING FOR SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE FAIR AND OPEN TO ALL BECAUSE WE ARE NOT IN MEMBER ORGANIZATION.
SO THOSE, THOSE TWO POINTS ARE JUST, ARE FOR ME, HAVE BEEN MAIN PARTS OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR RECEPTIVENESS TO THOSE.
AND AL THANKS FOR POINTING THAT OUT BECAUSE I DO, I THINK WE'VE COME A LONG WAY IN RECOGNITION OF WHY THOSE ARE SUCH STICKY POINTS.
THERE IS ONE THING ON, UM, ON THAT NOTE THOUGH, WE DO NEED TO ORDER A WHAT CALL A SPINNER JUST TO HAVE MORE REAL ESTATE PLACE REPLACEMENT OF THE ADDITIONAL CREDIT CARDS AT 3,500.
I JUST, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE CAN SEND THAT, THAT'S THE ONLY, THE ONLY THING WE JUST HAVE QUOTE TODAY.
[00:35:01]
MOVING ON.SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE PUBLIC FUNDS VERSUS, OR PUBLIC PUBLIC FUNDS AND MEMBERSHIP CONCERN.
CURRENTLY, AS I MENTIONED, CONTRACTED BY TAX ALLOCATION IS USED FOR THE TOURISM BUREAU PROGRAMS. TOURISM BUREAU PROGRAMS AND BUDGETS ARE SEPARATE FROM THE CHAMBER.
BUT SINCE WE'RE A SINGLE ENTITY, THERE'S BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT OVERLAP.
THEREFORE, THE CITY HAS ASKED THAT SOME SCENE BE PUT IN PLACE THAT WILL FURTHER DELINEATE THE CHAMBER AND TOURIST AND BUREAU DIVISIONS TO ENSURE THAT BED TAX DOLLARS ARE NOT USED FOR ANYTHING ORIENTED TO MEMBERSHIP.
OUR FIRST CONSIDERATION IN THIS EXERCISE WAS TO SEE, SEE HOW MANY OTHER DS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE A MEMBERSHIP STRUCTURE? OUR BUDGET LEVEL IS, UM, IN THE MIDDLE ROW.
AND OUT OF THOSE SURVEYED IN THIS RESEARCH, 40% OF DS HAVE DUES PAYING MEMBERS AND 40% DO NOT.
AND ULTIMATELY IT REALLY IS UP TO US AS A GROUP TO DETERMINE WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR ORGANIZATION AND FOR OUR LONG-STANDING RELATIONSHIP TOGETHER.
THE NUMBERS DON'T ADD UP TO A HUNDRED VERTICALLY OR HORIZONTALLY.
IS THAT SOME KIND OF OVERLAP IN SOMETHING? YES, IT'S AN OVER, IT'S, UH, ASSUMED OVERLAP.
UH, UM, IT IS, IT COULD, IT'S NOT PERFECT.
I MEAN, THIS IS A SELF-REPORTING, UM, TOOL THAT DMO IS USE TO SUBMIT THEIR INFORMATION.
IT'S POSSIBLE THAT ONE PUT THEMSELVES IN TWO CATEGORIES.
SO I'M NOT SAYING IT'S PERFECT, BUT IT DOES ILLUSTRATE THAT MIX.
I THINK THAT'S THE, THAT'S PROBLEM BATTERY WAY TO LOOK AT IT.
SHE'S THE DMO IS THAT, UM, ARE HERE, ARE THEY SIMILAR TO SONSONA WHERE WE HAVE, UH, CHAMBER AND THE DMO OR, AND A TOURISM BUREAU TOGETHER FOR INDEPENDENT AND UH, THE ONES THAT ARE LISTED HERE ARE, UH, THERE WERE TWO EFFORTS AND TWO, TWO ARMS TO OUR LAST RESEARCH AND DOING THE DIVE ON THE, THE DMO.
UM, THE ONES THAT ARE LISTED HERE ARE A MIX.
UM, THEN WE ALSO LOOKED AT MORE OF OUR STATEWIDE WHAT'S BEING DONE STATEWIDE.
UM, BUT THOSE AREN'T, THOSE ARE INCLUDED IN HERE, BUT, BUT THERE'S MORE THAN THOSE IN HERE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
SO THIS IS A MIX OF DIFFERENT DMO STRUCTURES.
WHY WOULD YOU WANT THEM ALL IF THERE ARE OTHERS IN THE STATE, IN THE S CITIES TO OMA? YES.
SO THERE ARE OTHERS, BUT YOU'RE NOT, NOT THEY'RE INCLUDED IN THIS DATA, BUT THIS DATA IS REFLECTS ABOUT THE ENTIRE NATION.
AND WE FELT THAT IT WAS THE MOST EFFECTIVE TO LOOK AT ORGANIZATIONS WITH SIMILAR BUDGET SIZES MM-HMM.
I WOULD LIKE TO, TO ME, THIS DOESN'T REALLY PROVIDE MUCH INFORMATION THAT'S USEFUL, TO BE HONEST.
CAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE COMPARING THINGS TO THE SIZE OF A BUDGET ISN'T THE DATA POINT THAT I WOULD SELECT.
IT WOULD BE MORE ABOUT HOW IF YOU'RE FUNDED VERSUS THE SIZE OF YOUR BUDGET.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS TELLING ME.
IT'S TELLING ME THE ENTIRE COUNTRY, 40% HAVE MEMBERSHIPS AND 40% DON'T.
BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY'RE FUND IT.
HOW SIMILAR THEY ARE TO, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE COMPARING APPLES, ORANGES AND BANANAS.
IT'S NOT, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF DESIGNED TO BE A SUMMARY OF THE REPORT THAT WE HAD GIVEN TO YOU AT THE LAST MEETING WHERE WE PROVIDED THE DIFFERENT, UM, DESTINATION ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT, THAT WE SURVEYED, THAT WE PERSONALLY TALKED TO, THAT THE CITY TALKED TO, UM, TO TRY TO IDENTIFY WHAT THE DIFFERENT STRUCTURES ARE TO KNOW, OKAY, ARE WE AN ODDBALL IN OUR STRUCTURE OR NOT? AND I THINK WHAT THE BOTTOM LINE IS, WE CAN GO EITHER WAY.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT, IT'S NOT EVERYBODY DOES IT THIS WAY.
IT'S NOT, NOBODY DOES IT THIS WAY, BUT 40% HAVE DUES PAYING MEMBERS, 40% DON'T.
SO I THINK IT JUST WAS TRYING TO GIVE US A BASELINE OF WHERE WE STAND COMPARED TO OTHER DESTINATIONS THAT ARE SIMILAR.
UM, AND WE DIDN'T COME UP TO ANY FIRM CONCLUSION THAT, OH, WE'RE ON THE WRONG END OF THE SPECTRUM.
WHAT ARE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS? THOSE TEND TO BE, UM, LARGER STAKEHOLDER, UH, INVESTMENT, FIVE BANKS, CONVENTION CENTERS.
A LOT OF TIMES YOU'LL SEE IT IN LARGER DESTINATIONS THAT ARE ABOVE AND BEYOND A MEMBERSHIP DO.
SO THEN THEY MAY SPONSOR A HUGE EVENT.
[00:40:01]
ARE THE INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES.THE PARTNERSHIPS TEND TO BE LARGER INSTITU, CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP THAT, THAT, THAT PUT MONEY INTO THE DESTINATION MARKETING.
SO IT WOULD BE INDUSTRY WIDE, YES OR NO? LIKE, LIKE THE LODGE COUNCIL WOULD BE A PARTNER.
OR A A THE T-SHIRT SHOP COALITION WOULD BE A PARTNER.
IS THAT OKAY? NOT THAT THAT EXISTS.
THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE REFERENCE.
SO THE PHOENIX BBB SEPARATE FROM INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES RIGHT? IS WHAT I'M HEARING IS YES.
SO IF THERE'S A BIG, UM, CONVENTION GROUP THAT BRINGS IN DOCTORS AND THIS AND THAT AND THEY WANT TO SUPPORT INTO IT MM-HMM.
SO, SO THE REASON WHY WE LOOKED AT, AS JENNIFER MENTIONED, WE LOOKED AT WHAT'S HAPPENING COUNTRYWIDE, AND I, I REALIZED THAT WAS A BROAD, A BROAD VIEW, BUT IT WAS TO KIND OF, AGAIN, HELP US SAY WHAT'S THE NORM IS.
AND AS I MENTIONED THERE REALLY IS, THERE REALLY IS NO HARD, FAST TRIED AND TRUE SINGLE RECOMMENDATION FOR A DMO.
PHOENIX HAS 900 MEMBERS IN THEIR, AT THEIR C ISN'T THAT INTERESTING THAT WE HAVE 730 AND WE'RE TOWN IN A FRACTION OF THE SIZE.
BUT IN ANY EVENT, UM, THE POINT IS, IS THAT IT, IT REALLY VARIES BASED ON THE NEED OF, OF THE DM OF THE DESTINATION.
UM, SO WHERE WE LANDED ON THIS WAS WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT THE TOURISM BUREAU BECOME WHAT WE'RE AFFECTIONATELY POINTING AS MEMBERSHIP AGNOSTIC.
AND WHAT THAT ALLOWS US TO DO, UM, IS IT ALLOWS US TO, UM, HELP WITH THAT DELINEATION THAT HAS BEEN, UH, VOICED AS A CONCERN OR THE LACK OF A DELINE DELINEATION FURTHER DIVIDE, STILL KEEPING THE TOURISM BUREAU AS PART OF THE ORGANIZATION, BUT JUST MAKING SURE THAT NO MEMBERSHIP ACTIVITY FUNDS OR BUDGETING IS PART OF THE CHAMBER SIDE.
SO JUST A STRONGER SEPARATION.
SO OUR FIRST STEP WOULD BE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO, AND, AND WE, WE KNOW THIS INFORMATION, BUT WE HAVE TO REALLY DIG DEEP TO, OR NOT DIG DEEP, BUT JUST OUTLINE THE VARIOUS MEMBERSHIP COMPONENTS THAT CURRENTLY LIVE WITHIN THE TRADE BUREAU.
SO WE JUST NEED TO OUTLINE THAT AS STAFF DETERMINE HOW TO MOVE THAT, THOSE THINGS FORWARD.
SO AN EXAMPLE COULD BE THE TRAVEL TRADE SHOWS THAT WE GO TO.
AND CURRENTLY THOSE HAVE MEMBERSHIP COM A MEMBERSHIP COMPONENT.
CAUSE WE ALLOW OUR MEMBERS TO BUY IN AND PARTICIPATE IN THOSE TRADE SHOWS.
SO PERHAPS NOW THAT PROGRAM EITHER, EITHER OPENS UP, IT STAYS ON THE TOURISM BUREAU SIDE, BUT BECAUSE THE TOURISM BUREAU IS NOT MEMBERSHIP BASED, THAT OPPORTUNITY OPENS UP ALL BUSINESSES OR THAT REMAINS A MEMBERSHIP BENEFIT AND IT SCOOTS OVER TO THE CHAMBER DIVISION.
SO ANYTHING THAT'S, THAT'S FOR MEMBERS IS NOW JUST FURTHER MOVED INTO THE CHAMBER SIDE, THE CHAMBER DIVISION.
AND I FOUND IT HELPFUL WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING ALL OF THESE OPTIONS AND THIS, THAT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR CHART HERE, THAT'S THE DIAGRAM THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS TO SUPPORT THE INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES WITH MANAGEMENT TOOLS, MARKETING, NETWORKING, BEST PRACTICES AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
HOW DO WE HELP OUR BUSINESSES BE SUCCESSFUL AND WORK WITHIN THE COMMUNITY? AND THEN THE TOURISM BUREAU AND THE OFFICIAL DMO HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHETHER YOU'RE A MEMBER OR NOT.
AND IT'S HERE TO MARKET AND MANAGE THE DESTINATION WITH CONSIDERATION FOR THE ECONOMY, THE VISITED VISITORS, THE RESIDENTS, AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
SO IT WAS A WAY FOR US TO, TO, WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO PROVIDE INCREASED AND IMPROVED SERVICES TO OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES ON THE CHAMBER SIDE.
SO IT HELPS US SHIFT THAT FOCUS FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT ON THE CHAMBER SIDE AND DESTINATION ON THE TOURISM BUREAU.
DOES THAT HELP CLARIFY THAT? I'D ACTUALLY LIKE THE WAY THAT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM WORKS BECAUSE THE, THE PAYING IN TO PARTICIPATE REDUCED THE, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THE CITY PAID THAT IT RECOGNIZED IT WAS A VALUE FOR THE BUSINESS.
AND SO THEY WOULD PAY FOR THAT.
AND THEN OUR PORTION WAS REDUCED.
BUT THAT WAS, THAT WORKED WELL.
AND IT'S JUST TRICKY CUZ WE DON'T WANNA, WE'RE HOPING TO ADDRESS THE CONCERN THAT COLLECTED TAX DOLLARS ARE GOING TO BENEFIT MEMBERS.
[00:45:01]
SO WE REALLY LISTENED CLEARLY AND HAVE BEEN MASSAGING THIS A MILLION DIFFERENT WAYS.LIKE A BIG PLACE FILTER TO TRY TO FIND THE MOB.
UM, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS WE'LL NEED TO, UH, UM, LOOK AT WOULD BE SOME OF THE TOOLS THAT ARE, ARE CURRENTLY USED, LIKE OUR DATABASE, UM, FOR, FOR BOTH DIVISIONS.
AND RIGHT NOW IT'S ALLOCATED OUR SIMPLE VIEW IS THE, IS THE NAME OF OUR, UM, CRM.
AND SO RIGHT NOW IT'S USED FOR BOTH THE CHAMBER SIDE AND THE TOURISM BUREAU SIDE.
SO THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND IF, IF WE GO THIS ROUTE, THIS IS WHAT I MEAN WHERE WE NEED TO JUST LOOK AT EACH SCENARIO AND DETERMINE THE BEST COURSE TO MOVE IN THIS PHIL PHILOSOPHICAL MATTER.
MICHELLE, I REALLY, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER THIS QUESTION.
SO LIKE THIS PROGRAM WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE FUNDING TO PURCHASE THAT PROGRAM SURE.
AND ALL PROGRAMS THE CITY WHO FUNDED THAT PROGRAM, WAS IT TOURISM, BUT WAS IT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE? TOURISM BUREAUS.
SO IS THAT FUNDING THAT WAS USED TO BUY UP THE TOURISM BUREAU NOW? AND YOU THINK SOME OF, SOME OF IT IS BEING USED FOR THE CHAMBER.
NOT, I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR, IT'S TRULY ONLY USED FOR TOURISM.
A MEETING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SIMPLE VIEW, THE DATABASE SYSTEM.
WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, APPLICATION, THAT'S AN ALLOCATION.
BUT THE TRADE THAT'S YEAH, IT'S EXACTLY.
SHE THOUGHT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT TRADE.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE TALKING, TALKING ABOUT, ABOUT THIS, THIS.
SO IF, IF WE, OKAY, SO IF, BUT THE CHANGE PAPER, THAT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD PAY AS A, A FEE.
SO I THINK I HEARD WELL, WE STILL HAVE, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING WE HAVE JUST DEFINED ANSWER FOR EVERY ONE OF THESE LINE ITEMS AT THIS POINT.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT NEEDS, THAT'S OUR NEXT STEP IS TO IDENTIFY HOW ALL OF THESE THINGS COULDN'T FORWARD.
BECAUSE WE CAN'T GET TOO FAR INTO THE OPERATION RIGHT.
IF WE DON'T KNOW THE STRUCTURE.
SO WE'RE HOPING THAT TODAY OR IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WOULD, IF WE CAN COME TO CONSENSUS ON THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND THEN WE CAN DRILL DOWN INTO THE, THE OPERATIONAL AGENDA.
IF YOU WANT, UM, EXPLAIN WHAT, LIKE IBW INTERNATIONAL POW WOW CALLED IBW NOW, WHICH IS, UH, ONE OF THE LARGEST, THE LARGEST TRADE SHOWS IN THE US RIGHT? I'D LOVE TO EXPLAIN TO YOU OFF, YOU KNOW, UM, ON THE SIDE OR AT PUBLIC MEETING, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO DO IT.
UM, I, I'VE LIVED MANY, UH, OF THE YEARS AND IT'S A VERY VALUABLE PIECE OF, UM, TO GO TWO TO A 10 FOR THE, UM, TO WHAT, UH, TALKS ABOUT.
BUT THE, THE BUSES, THE TOURS AND, UM, EXPLAIN TO YOU THAT WE GO THIS YEAR, THE PEOPLE, THEY ARE BUYING ROOMS FROM ME, FROM, FROM OTHER HOTELS IN TOWN.
THEY'RE BUYING ROOMS AND MAKING CONTRACTS EVENTUALLY WITH ME WHEN SAHA GOES AND THEY WANT TO COME TO SEDONA AND THEY WANT TO DO A TOUR, A SERIES IS CALLED.
AND SO THEY'RE BOOKING THOSE THREE, FOUR YEARS FROM NOW.
AND I THINK THAT'S A, A VALUABLE PIECE TO UNDERSTAND IS, IS THAT THE MOTOR DAYS IS NOT ABOUT THIS YEAR.
IT'S ABOUT THREE OR FOUR YEARS FROM NOW ABOVE THE, THE SERIES OF THE BUSES COMING THROUGH AND, AND STOPPING IN UPTOWN, UM, WITH JESSE STAYING AT MY PROPERTY TWO OR THREE NIGHTS.
MY QUESTION IS REALLY WAS THINKING ABOUT OPERA.
HOW DO WE OPERATIONALIZE THIS NEW MEMBERSHIP AGNOSTIC THING? AND I GET THAT THAT'S A DETAIL LEVEL QUESTION THAT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO STAY UP HERE TODAY.
SO THAT'S A GOOD CONVERSATION FOR, I'M GLAD YOU RAISED THAT POINT ABOUT WHAT PRESENCE THERE IS MAY TRANSLATE INTO SOMETHING IN AN UNDETERMINED TIME IN THE FUTURE.
[00:50:01]
IT'S BE SIX MONTHS, TWO YEARS, THREE YEARS.THE, THE PROBLEM WITH THAT, THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GRAPPLE WITH AS WELL IS IN TERMS OF METRICS, UH, AND HOW DO WE GET A NUMBER ASSOCIATED WITH WHAT AN INVESTMENT, NO MATTER WHOSE INVESTMENT IT IS AT THE MOMENT FOR THIS CONVERSATION IS MADE TRANSLATING INTO A RESULT.
BECAUSE SOME OF IT'S, UH, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, GOODWILL BUILDING.
THAT'S BEEN ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES IN THE METRICS AREA.
AND THERE'S CERTAIN APPLICATIONS AND PROJECTS THAT ARE REALLY SIMPLE TO QUANTIFY.
YOU KNOW, WE KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WE'VE FED AT THE FOOD BANK, RIGHT? WE KNOW HOW MANY CANS OF FOOD CAME IN AND WHAT IT COSTS.
BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND PROJECTS WHERE IT'S NOT AS EASY TO QUANTIFY.
AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT HISTORICAL BEST PRACTICES AND INDUSTRY STANDARDS TO SAY THAT, OKAY, WE CAN'T COUNT EXACTLY.
WE'RE NEVER GONNA BE ABLE TO SAY HOW MANY ROOMS EACH ONE OF THESE INVESTMENTS MADE, BUT WE CAN LOOK AT INDUSTRY TRENDS AND BEST PRACTICES AROUND THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE GLOBE AS ASSUMPTIVE, UM, THINGS.
AND SO WE HAVE TO BE CLEAR, WE WILL TRY OUR VERY BEST TO CREATE METRICS, BUT THERE ARE GOING TO BE CERTAIN SITUATIONS WHERE THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE.
JUST SO IS GOOD TO GET THAT OUT THERE.
JENNIFER, WOULD YOU CONSIDER IF IT'S NOT ROOMS, BUT IF A PARTICULAR TAX, LIKE RETAIL COULD SPIKE WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT WITHIN SIX MONTHS BECAUSE OF OUR INVESTMENT INTO A CERTAIN TYPE OF BUSINESS? MAYBE IT'S RETAIL OR, ONE THING I'M REALLY LOOKING AT IS THE GALLERY TOWN.
IF THAT AND I COME INTO RETAIL, IF THAT SHOULD SPIKE SIX MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD, I WOULD PERSONALLY, I WOULD CONSIDER, I DON'T KNOW THE OTHERS WOULD CONSIDER AS WELL TO BE A GUIDE FOR, FOR ME.
AND I THINK EACH SITUATION WILL HAVE DIFFERENT PARAMETERS DEPENDING ON IF IT'S MARKETING OR IT'S BRANDING, IT'S MAINTAINING AN IMAGE.
UM, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC EDUCATION, WE HAVE A LOT OF PROJECTS THAT WE FUND THAT ARE TO EDUCATE CHILDREN ABOUT WILDFIRE PREVENTION.
YOU KNOW, FIRES ARE A REALLY BIG ISSUE HERE.
AND SO WE, WE TAKE THAT LEAP OF FAITH AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE NOT GONNA KNOW THAT WE GOT LESS, WE HAD LESS FIRES BECAUSE WE EDUCATED OUR CHILDREN ABOUT FIRE PREVENTION.
BUT WE KNOW THAT THAT'S A GOOD THING TO DO.
SO, UM, YES, WE WILL TRY TO CREATE BENCHMARKS AND MEASURABLE METRICS WHEN WE CAN, BUT WE JUST NEED TO BE OPEN MINDED.
I JUST WANT TO COMMENT, THERE'S NO DIRECT CONNECTION IN MY MIND BETWEEN DOING SOMETHING FOR GALLERY OWNERS BECAUSE YOU HAVE, YOU'D HAVE, THERE'S OTHER FACTORS IT'S WORTH.
AND SO I'M JUST SAYING, I THINK WHAT JENNIFER SAID IS THE WAY THAT I LOOK AT IT, WHICH IS AN EQUAL THING, AND IT IS, YOU REALLY CAN'T, YOU CANNOT JUST ATTRIBUTE OVER X TO Y BECAUSE OTHER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED IN EITHER.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT I, I AGREE IT IS A LEAP OF FAITH.
I'M TRYING TO PUT FAITH INTO WHAT WE'RE DOING AS I UNDERSTAND, BUT THAT IS GENERALLY NOT METRIC.
AND I'D LIKE TO REMIND US ALL THAT WE'RE SELLING OR PROMOTING OR EDUCATING ABOUT A DESTINATION.
AND SO IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO BE ABLE TO SAY, WE KNOW THAT THIS IS GOING TO NET THIS.
ALL WE CAN DO IS LOOK AT POTENTIAL IMPACTS.
AND LIKE JENNIFER SAID, LOOK AT WHAT THE INDUSTRY DOES GLOBALLY FOR MEASURING SUCCESS.
UM, THE SALES SIDE, LIKE LONNIE HAD REFERENCED, DOESN'T COME TO FRUITION FOR A FEW YEARS, BUT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IS IT THREE YEARS? IT'D BE GREAT TO HAVE A MARKER, BUT SOME OF THAT BUSINESS MIGHT COME ONE YEAR, IT MIGHT COME 10 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
IT'S A LONG-TERM KIND OF CONSTANT NURTURE NURTURING PROCESS.
AND REALLY A LOT OF, I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO, ESPECIALLY ON THE SALES SIDE, IS REALLY LOOK AT WHAT OUR EFFORTS, WHAT THE GOAL OF THAT DEPARTMENT IS.
THE GOAL IS NOT TO CLOSE DEALS.
IT'S NOT TO CLOSE THE SALE, IT'S TO PROVIDE LEADS TO, TO OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES FOR THEM TO CLOSE THE SALE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY THAT BACKEND CLOSE IS WHAT WE DON'T OFTEN GET THE DATA BACK ON.
AND THE FEW THAT DO SHARE THAT CONFIDENTIAL BOOKING DATA IS JUST A FRACTION OF THE WHOLE PICTURE.
SO EVEN IF WE HAVE THAT, IT'S JUST, IT'S A MIGHT SUCH A SMALL PORTION OF WHAT WE KNOW IS
[00:55:01]
PUT BOOK ON OUR BEHALF.SO IT'S HARD TO TRULY QUANTIFY.
COULD WE GO BACK TO THE CONVERSATION WE WERE HAVING ABOUT THE SHARING THINK ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THERE ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE ITEMS IS THAT WHO OWNS THEM? SO THE CHAMBER OWNS VISITS, THE DONORS, UH, AND IN THE RESEARCH THAT I'VE LOOKED AT FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES, THEY OWN IT.
AND, AND SHOULD WHO IS THEY? THE CITIES.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS SO NEAR AND DEAR TO THEM AND THEY WOULD NEVER NOT OWN IT.
WE HAVE A DIFFERENT SITUATION HERE AND IF WE WERE TO PART WAYS, WE DON'T HAVE, UH, A RECOGNITION OF THE MUTUAL INVESTMENT.
SO WE COULD BE WITHOUT, UH, A WEBSITE THAT WE, UH, CONTRIBUTED TO FOR THE YES.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S, FOR ME, THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT WE NEED TO TRY TO SORT OUT MM-HMM.
UM, YOU HAVE THE, THE, CERTAINLY THE BED TAX HAS, HAS BEEN, UH, DEFINITELY A FUNDER OF THE SITE, BUT THE SITE ALSO IS WHAT IT IS BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE AND, AND HOW WE'VE NURTURED IT AND HOW WE'VE APPLIED SEO AND HOW WE'VE WRITTEN CONTENT THAT IS, UM, THAT IS ATTRACTIVE AND ACTUALLY, UM, ACTION ORIENTED.
SO IT'S, IT IS, IT'S A DIFFICULT, YOU KNOW, OWNERSHIP QUESTION IN THAT REGARD.
UM, BUT WHAT YOU JUST SAID, THAT'S ALL FUNDED BY THE CONTRACT FROM THE CITY, SO NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT FUNDED.
UM, OUR MEMBERS PAY AND, UM, IT'S PART OF THEIR MEMBERSHIP DUES THAT GOES TO THAT.
THERE'S BEEN SPECIAL BANNER ADVERTISING, UM, AND PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES MADE TO BUSINESSES THROUGH THAT VEHICLE.
THAT'S NOT, SO YOU HAVE TO GET CONTRIBUTORS.
WHAT, THAT'S NOT SEO WORK PER SE, THAT'S JUST PUTTING UP OUT, THAT'S NOT EXACTLY, BUT THAT'S A REVENUE, UM, THING THAT'S HELPING TO PAY FOR THE WORK THAT'S DONE TO GIVE US THAT.
UM, SO THAT GOES BACK THOUGH TO THE OLD PROBLEM THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT BEFORE, BECAUSE IF YOU'VE GOT, UM, BUSINESSES OUTSIDE THE CITY THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE INTO BENEFITS OF THE TOURISM BUREAU, THAT'S STILL AN AREA WE HAVEN'T FIXED.
CAN I, WOULD, WOULD YOU MIND IF I MOVE, KEEP MOVING BECAUSE I DO, WE DO ADDRESS THOSE THINGS.
AND I, I KNOW THAT I'M, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE RIGID, BUT WE JUST, THERE'S SO, THERE'S SO MANY, UM, INTERWOVEN CONVERSA, YOU KNOW, THINGS TO TALK ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE TRIED TO PULL 'EM APART SO WE COULD MORE SUCCINCTLY ADDRESS 'EM.
SO LET'S, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THAT THOUGH.
UM, SO REAL QUICK, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE MEMBERSHIP AGNOSTIC IDEA? YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE HAVE, WE HAVE SOME THINGS YES.
UM, ARE WE READY TO TALK ABOUT FEE FOR SERVICE? UH, THIS IS, OKAY.
SO OUR THIRD RECOMMENDATION IS TO CREATE A FEE FOR SERVICE MODEL FOR THE TOURISM BUREAU.
THIS WOULD PERMIT THE CITY TO HIRE THE TOURISM BUREAU TO DEVELOP DESTINATION, UH, MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
AND THE CHAMBER WOULD BILL FOR STAFF HOURS, UM, FOR EACH OF THE CITY PROGRAMS. UM, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THIS MODEL, AS YOU SEE HERE, DOES PERMIT THE ABILITY FOR THE TOURISM BUREAU TO GENERATE ADDITIONAL REVENUE SOURCES SO THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN FINANCIAL RESILIENCY, UM, OVERSIGHT OF ALL TOURISM BUREAU WORK.
BECAUSE THIS WAS MY QUESTION IS, OKAY, IF WE HAVE, IF WE'RE DOING WORK FOR YOU, IF WE'RE DOING WORK FOR THE LODGING COUNCIL, JUST YOU SAID AS AN EXAMPLE, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE EVERYTHING DOVETAILS RIGHT FOR THE, FOR THE, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ENTIRE DESTINATION? BECAUSE WE ARE THE DMO, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THINGS FROM THAT DESTINATION LEVEL.
SO LIKELY WE WOULD NEED TO FORM A A COMMITTEE THAT THAT HELPS TO KIND OF HAVE THAT VERY BIG PICTURE OVERSIGHT IN LOOKING AT THE VARIOUS PIECES OF BUSINESS AND WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING KIND OF SINGS TOGETHER AND HAS A, HAS AN OVERARCHING GOAL.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION NEXT? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
SO CHAMBER SIDE ONLY, I'M TALKING ABOUT FOR THE MOMENT.
IF YOU ARE CONDUCTING A SERVICE FOR YOUR BUSINESSES THAT ARE CHAMBER MEMBERS BEYOND THEIR MEMBERSHIP FEE, ARE YOU CHARGING THEM A FEE FOR A CERTAIN SERVICE THAT YOU MIGHT DO THAT THEY ASK YOU
[01:00:01]
SO THAT FEE FOR SERVICE MODEL ALREADY EXISTS ON ONE SIDE? YEAH.I, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S ACCURATE.
I NEVER LOOKED AT THAT WAY, BUT YEAH.
I'D LIKE TO TRY HERE, GOING BACK TO THE TOP LEVEL.
I'M NOT GONNA OPERATIONALIZE THINGS HERE NOW, BUT THIS RECOMMENDATION OF FEE FOR SERVICE AND, AND HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND WHAT I'VE HEARD, AND I REC FULLY RECOGNIZE THAT I'M ONE OF THE NEW PEOPLE IN THIS CONVERSATION.
I'VE ALREADY STEPPED ON ONE LAND MINE AND I'LL FIND OTHERS.
UM, UH, IT SEEMS THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THAT YOU ARE ROLLING UP HERE UNDER FEE FOR SERVICE IS A, A MORE ROBUST ACCOUNTING SYSTEM THAT HELPS US BOTH UNDERSTAND HOW THINGS ARE GETTING CHARGED AND WHERE THEY'RE GETTING CHARGED.
AND HOW WE SEPARATE THESE TWO THINGS IS, IS BEEN A GOAL OF A SOURCE OF FRUSTRATION BETWEEN THE TWO ENTITIES HERE AND, AND, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE, I THINK BOTH AGREE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
AND I, I, I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
WHEN I LOOK AT FEE FOR SERVICE, I WOULD JUST GIVE YOU MY REACTION HERE WHEN I SEE THIS BEING PROPOSED.
THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY IS FEE FOR SERVICE.
WELL, I TELL YOU, IT DOESN'T GET GOOD PRESS
UH, IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE A GREAT SOLUTION IN THAT PARTICULAR MARKETPLACE.
AND TO ME, FEE FOR SERVICE MODELS LOOK MORE TRANSACTIONAL THAN PARTNERSHIP BASED.
AND SO WHEN I LOOK AND HEAR AND THINK ABOUT FEE FOR SERVICE AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE HERE IN SEDONA, IT'S ABOUT THE LAST THING I WOULD LIKE TO DO BETWEEN OUR, IN OUR RELATIONSHIP LAND, MINE,
I WAS JUST THINKING LAND MINE.
SO I'M JUST CONCERNED, PETE, I UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE RAISING, BUT I, IT'S, IT'S NOW SEEMING A LITTLE CONTRARY TO DIRECTION THAT'S GETTING GIVEN UP TO THIS POINT, WHICH IS WHY I PREFACED THAT BY THE GLAD MINE.
AND THESE CONCERNS THAT WERE LISTED, YOU ASKED AT THAT POINT WERE, IS THERE ANYTHING MISSING FOR ME? THERE'S THINGS MISSING, BUT I'M NEW TO THE PIC, THE PARTY HERE, AND I WILL, I WILL RAISE THOSE THOUGHTS AT THE APPROPRIATE, WHAT I THINK IS AN APPROPRIATE TIME IN THE MEETING.
BUT THIS PARTICULAR ONE IS LIKE A GREAT BIG RED FLAG FOR ME THAT I, THE LAST THING THAT WE WANT IN THIS TOWN IS FOR THE CITY GOVERNMENT AND THE BUSINESSES AND THE RESIDENTS TO ENTER ANY KIND OF WAR.
NOW, YOU KNOW, I WAS A PROJECT MANAGER, A GREAT BIG PROJECT, GET ME CAREFUL HOW WHERE THIS EXACTLY GOES.
UM, AND UH, A FEE FOR SERVICE TO ME MAKES ME THINK OF THE DAYS WHEN THERE WERE CHANGE ORDERS AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS A GOOD PROJECT MANAGER AND I MADE SURE I GOT THE VALUE OF THE CHANGE OUT OF THE CUSTOMER FOR MAKING THE, THAT'S NOT THE RELATIONSHIP I WANT HERE.
WE HAVE, WE DO HAVE IT RIGHT NOW IN THE WAY OUR WE'RE STRUCTURED.
I, I'M NOT SAYING IT'S NOT A CURRENT PROBLEM, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS IS THE SOLUTION.
I MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT I'M SAYING.
WHAT I WAS SAYING IS THAT WE DO DO CHANGE ORDERS HERE ALL THE TIME.
AND, UH, THAT HASN'T BEEN THE, THE PROBLEM.
BUT THEY DON'T ALWAYS, UM, WE'D LIKE YOU TO DO THIS AND MAYBE YOU WON'T GO DO THAT.
NOW MAYBE THERE'S SOME ROOM IN THE BUDGET, THERE'S A CONVERSATION THAT'S A PARTNERSHIP.
THAT IS THE MODEL I'M LOOKING FOR.
BUT FEE FOR SERVICES, OH, YOU DON'T WANT ME TO DO THAT ANYMORE? WELL, THAT'S GONNA COST YOU THIS TO CHANGE IT AND THIS TO DO, YOU KNOW, A NEW THING.
MAYBE IT'S JUST ME, MY PAST EXPERIENCE AND ALL THE REST OF, AND THERE'S LOTS OF OTHER PEOPLE.
BUT IF THERE'S THIS TRANSACTIONAL TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP ISN'T, WE NEED GOOD ACCOUNTING.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE MONEY'S BEING SPENT, WHERE IT'S BEING SPENT, WHAT'S BEING SPENT MAN OFF FOR THAT, BUT A TRANSACTIONAL MODEL OF RELATIONSHIP.
I HAVE TROUBLE THE, IF YOU DO SOME RESEARCH ON OTHER STRUCTURES IN THIS ARIZONA, THEY ARE SERVED.
WE'RE THE, WE'RE THE, THE ONLY ONE I KNOW OF WHERE WE PAY, THE WAY WE PAY.
NOW, MAYBE YOU HAVE OTHER EXAMPLE.
YEAH, I SUPPOSE THE WAY WE DO IT NOW IS ACTUALLY SOLD AS THE FEE FOR SERVICE MODEL, UM, ORIGINALLY.
SO, UM, I'M NOT SURE IF FEE FOR SERVICE MEANS THE SAME FEE.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A ZERO BASE FEE FOR SERVICE.
AND IT DIDN'T TURN OUT THAT WAY.
SO IT, IT RETAINED BOTH, BOTH THE
[01:05:01]
FEE FOR SERVICE AND THE PARTNERSHIP MODEL.SO, UM, WHEN YOU SAY FEE FOR SERVICE, DOES THAT NEED, I MEAN, AND I CAN'T REALLY GET AWAY FROM THINGS LIKE THE OPERA, OPERA, THE WEBSITE FOR EXAMPLE, WHO OWNS THAT? BECAUSE IF YOU SAY, IF I SAY TO YOU, I WANT YOU TO DO X AND ARE YOU ARE, YOU JUST SAID EARLIER, WE'LL PAY FOR THE STAFF TIME FOR X.
THAT'S WHAT, WHAT, SO, SO INCLUDED IN THAT IS NOT THE, THE FOUNDATIONAL WEBSITE.
IT'S NOT THE OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE THAT COSTS THAT YOU INCUR, IT'S JUST SALARIES.
IS THAT WHEN YOU SAY FEE FOR SERVICE, THAT'S WHAT YOU MEAN? I'M NOT SURE WHAT FEE FOR SERVICE MEANS IN, IN THIS, IN THIS CONTEXT.
FEE SERVICE WOULD BE, UM, ANY, OBVIOUSLY ANY HARD COSTS.
SO ANY, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW, RIGHT NOW, JUST LET'S JUST SAY, UH, THE SECRET SEVEN BROCHURE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THIS YEAR.
SO IN THIS YEAR'S PROGRAM OF WORK IN BUDGET IS 25,000 IDENTIFIED TO REPRINT THAT BROCHURE.
SO WHAT THE DIFFERENCE WOULD BE BETWEEN THIS YEAR AND IF THIS GETS INSTITUTED, WOULD BE THAT ANY, ANY STAFF TIME WOULD BE INCORPORATED.
ANY, YOU KNOW, OVERHEAD RESOURCES WOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO IT.
WHEREAS RIGHT NOW, YOUR OP OUR OPERATIONAL EXPENSES ARE SEPARATE FROM THE PROGRAMS THAT WE ADMINISTERED FOR YOU.
BUT ALL THAT, SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS UNDER FEE FOR SERVICE, YOU'LL MOVE THOSE OPERATIONAL EXPENSES OVER HERE AS PART OF THE FEE FOR SERVICE MODEL RELATED TO GETTING THE WORK DONE.
SO NOTHING, I, I DON'T SEE THAT MR. IT CHANGES ANYTHING, FRANKLY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND, WELL, IT'S CLEARING PRACTICES.
WELL, I'M NOT, ACCOUNTING PRACTICE IS FINE WITH ME.
I'M WILLING TO, I MEAN, I'M KIND OF, I THINK I BUY YOU TO, TO, PETE'S THING ABOUT CLEANING UP THE ACCOUNTING IS CRITICAL, BUT I'M NOT SURE IT, THAT IT, IT CHANGES MUCH.
SO I'M, I MEAN, I'M, I'M, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT FEE FOR SERVICE MEANS.
SO FEE FOR SERVICE JUST MEANS CLEARING UP THE ACADEMY? NO, IT'S NOT JUST MEANS SPECIFIC SERVICES.
SO LET ME, LET ME TRY ONE EXAMPLE OF WHY I WORRY ABOUT THAT THIS DIRECTION.
SO SAY THERE'S SOMETHING HERE THAT THE CITY, PEOPLE SAY TOURISM, WE'RE TRYING TO MANAGE TOURISM AND WE WANT THIS DONE.
AND THE TOURISM BUREAU FOLKS, OH, PERHAPS INTERNALIZING SAYING, WE DON'T REALLY THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
AND IF YOU WANT THAT, UH, HERE'S MY PRICE FOR DOING THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT RESOURCES OR THERE'S TOO MANY, THEY GOTTA GET OTHER, SO THEY GO FIND SOME STUFF AND THE PRICE IS MAYBE BIGGER THAN WE WANT TO PAY FOR.
AND SO I THINK THE FEE FOR SERVICE MODEL IS OPENING THIS DOOR TO, OKAY, THE CITY SAYS, WELL, IF THAT'S YOUR PRICE FOR DOING THAT, THAT, OR YOU JUST DON'T WANT TO DO IT, WE'LL GO GET IT SOMEWHERE ELSE.
WELL, I'M INTERESTED IN A HOLISTIC FOLLOW WHERE WE ACTUALLY SIT DOWN AND DECIDE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AND WE GET IT DONE AND WE'RE NOT PUT IN A POSITION WHERE YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IT.
WE'LL GO FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO DO.
I DON'T THINK YOU WANT TO BE IN THAT POSITION EITHER, BECAUSE WE'LL START FUNDING THINGS THAT IS REQUIRED FOR THE TOURISM BUREAU TO BE IN BUSINESS.
SO I, I HOPE MAYBE, I HOPE THAT HELPS A LITTLE BIT OF WHERE I'M WORRIED.
BUT LET ME SEE ABOUT MY WORRY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT.
AND I THINK BEFORE I DO THAT, THERE'S A BIGGER PICTURE ITEM AS WELL, WHICH IS, THIS IS WHY, IN MY OPINION, WE ARE WHERE WE ARE, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK OF ANY ITERATION OF, OF COUNCIL GOVERNMENT THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GIVE YOU CLEAR DIRECTION AT TIMES WHEN YOU'VE ASKED FOR A NEEDED CLEAR DIRECTION.
SO I RECOGNIZE THE CHALLENGE THAT THAT REMAINS OBVIOUSLY IN THE ROOM EVEN TODAY.
BUT THAT BEING SAID, UM, IF WE, IN THE PAST, WHAT'S HAPPENED IS WE'VE SAID, OKAY, WE WANT DISPERSED HIKING THAT'S PUT OUT THERE.
THAT WAY IT'S WORKED INTO THE PROGRAM.
THAT'S STILL WHATEVER, BUT IT DOESN'T COME BACK BECAUSE IT'S JUST HANDED OVER TO SAY, WE JUST WANT THIS FIRST TYPING.
WE'RE NOT SAYING WE WANT A PAMPHLET TO GIVE TO PEOPLE IN THIS SCENARIO BECAUSE WE THINK THAT'S VALUABLE.
OR WE WANT BANNERS HERE ADVERTISING THIS.
WE, WE HAVEN'T BEEN DIRECTING.
I MEAN, THERE'S BEEN CONVERSATION, I'M NOT DISMISSING THAT.
BUT, UM, UM, UM, WE HAVEN'T BEEN CLEAR ON THE DIRECTION OF THE EXACT THINGS THAT WE WANT.
[01:10:01]
AND TIME AGAIN, THIS HAD TO COME BACK AND SAY, WELL, HERE'S OUR PROGRAM THEN TO ACCOMPLISH THIS SORT OF OVERARCHING NEED THAT YOU'VE IDENTIFIED AND HERE'S HOW TO DO IT.AND THEN WE SAY, OH, YOU KNOW WHAT, BUT THEN WE DON'T REALLY LIKE THAT.
WE WANNA DO, YOU KNOW, DO SOMETHING ELSE.
AND THEN THEY COME BACK AND SAY, HERE'S ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE TO THE, HERE'S A SIX FOOT BATTERY INSTEAD OF A FIVE FOOT BATTERY.
YOU LIKE THAT BETTER? AND WE'RE LIKE, NO, NO.
WE THINK THAT A FIVE FOOT FOOT AND A HALF FOOT BATTER FITS, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IT'S LIKE IT'S GOTTEN TO THAT LEVEL.
IF WE HAVE SOME ROLE IN IDENTIFYING WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE MORE CLEARLY, I THINK THAT'S REALLY, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF ON ON US UP HERE.
WE'VE GOTTA IDENTIFY THE NEEDS, CLEARLY.
AND THAT'S, TO ME, WHERE THE FEE FOR SERVICE PHRASE COMES IN A MORE IDENTIFIED PROGRAM OF WORK, YOU WANNA CALL IT BETTER NODULE PROGRAMS TO BROAD THAT WE WANT IDENTIFIED AND THEN TELL US WHAT'S OUT OF COST.
SO WE CAN SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT'S NOT GOOD BANK FOR BOOK.
YOU KNOW, AND, AND INSTEAD OF THE PAMPHLETS, WE WOULD RATHER GO FOR THE BATTERS INSTEAD OF THE BATTERS.
THERE'S, THERE'S A DECISION MAKING.
WE TURNED OVER SOME DECISION MAKING THAT I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD HAVE TURNED OVER.
UM, AND IT'S OUR BAD SPEAKING FOR, FOR ME, OKAY.
UM, TO HAVE DONE THAT BECAUSE IT LEAVES US ALL WITHOUT CLEARER COMMUNICATION AND CLEAR, UM, GOALS.
SO THE FIFA SERVICE, I THINK, TRIGGERS AN IDEA FOR YOU IN TERMS OF CAPITAL PROJECTS, IS WHAT YOU'RE EQUATING AND FIFA SERVICE.
IT'S LIKE THE DECOMPOSED GRANITE, THE DOG ON GRANITE, RIGHT? UM, IT, IT IS, WHAT DOES THE PHRASE MEAN TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE AT THE TABLE, RIGHT? SO, SO THE I'D LIKE TO, I WAS GONNA SAY THE INHERENT CONFLICT OF INTEREST THAT WE'VE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH FOR TWO YEARS GET SATISFIED IF WE CHANGE THE STRUCTURE, THE CONTRACT WITHOUT CREATING AN ENTIRE SEPARATION.
THAT WAS THE THINKING, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
AND I DON'T THINK SO
YOU KNOW, YOUR EXAMPLE, AND I WILL TAKE IT ONLY FOR AN EXAMPLE, AND IT'S NOT REFLECTIVE OF THE WHOLE THING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE.
BUT I WOULD SAY IN YOUR EXAMPLE, AND JESSICA, YOU'VE MENTIONED WORD, AND I'M GONNA USE IT TOO.
THERE'S SOME MICROMANAGEMENT THAT'S GOING ON AND THAT YEAH.
IN THAT, IN THAT PARTICULAR EXAMPLE, I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S HAPPENED.
I GUESS I UNDERSTAND YOUR CRITICISM.
I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND YOUR CRITICISM.
I JUST DON'T AGREE THAT I, BECAUSE I THINK THAT PART OF IT HAS BEEN NOT TO MICROMANAGE, BUT MORE CLARITY NEEDED TO COME FROM MORE CLARITY IS DEFINITELY NEEDED.
I MEAN, ONE THING I CAN SPEAK TO THAT I'VE SEEN US DO YEAR OVER YEAR OVER YEAR, AND THE MORE THE PARTNERSHIP MODEL, WHICH IS WHERE WE'VE BEEN, IS THIS ABSORBED ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS AND, AND, AND DUTIES AND PROJECTS WELL BEYOND THE SCOPE OF WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY CONTRACTED BECAUSE WE WERE DOING IT IN PARTNERSHIP.
AND YOU, YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU CAN'T KNOW EVERYTHING COMING OUT OF A PLANNING PROCESS, GEARING UP FOR A FISCAL YEAR.
YOU DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN THOSE 12 MONTHS.
SOMETIMES WE NEED TO RISE AND WE WOULD JUST DO IT, RIGHT? I THINK THIS, AND, AND THAT'S A GOOD THING AND A BAD THING.
IT'S A BAD THING BECAUSE IT'S TAXES STAFF, IT, IT MAKES US RESPONSIBLE FOR SOME THINGS THAT WE PROBABLY SHOULDN'T BE RESPONSIBLE FOR.
UM, BUT AGAIN, ALL OF IT WAS DONE IN THAT SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP.
THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION BECAUSE WE KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT WITH YOU NOW, RIGHT? LOOKING DOWN AND, AND IF IT HELPS CLEAN THINGS UP.
NOW, LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD, I MEAN, I, I'M, I'M ALL DUE RESPECT TO COUNCIL.
I'M NOT SURE WE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT SUITED DECIDED TO EIGHT FOOT BETTER OR FIGHT FOOT BETTER.
I MEAN, THAT, THAT MAKES, THAT'S I AGREE.
WHICH IS WHY, WELL, WAIT A MINUTE.
SO I'M LOOKING TO WHAT THIS MEANS.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT WE HAVE TO HIRE ONE OR MORE PEOPLE WHO WILL BASICALLY WRITE RF DETAILS, RFPS FOR EVERY SINGLE ACTIVITY THAT WE WANT DONE.
BECAUSE WITHOUT A DETAILED RFP, YOU STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET.
AND THIS IS, I MEAN, FOR LIKE ALL THE ACTIVITIES, I, I'M SORRY, LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD, THAT'S NOT REALLY A DIRECTION THAT I'M INTERESTED IN GOING AT THIS POINT BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY TO DO IT WITHOUT DOING IT THAT WAY.
AND IT BECOMES A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WHERE, HOW MANY SQUARE, HOW MANY SQUARE FEET OF ASAL ARE YOU GONNA POUR? AND HOW, HOW MANY THICKNESSES OF ASPHALT ARE YOU GONNA MILL FIRST? OR, OR NOT MILL.
SO I, YOU KNOW, LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE FROM MY LIFE.
[01:15:01]
WAS IN THE IT BUSINESS AND WE HAD CONTRACTS THAT WERE BOTH FIXED PRICE CONTRACTS AND CONTRACTS THAT WERE UH HMM.YES, TIME OF MATERIALS OR STAFF BASED CONTRACT.
AND WHEN WE PROVIDED THE STAFF, THE CUSTOMER MANAGEMENT, RIGHT, YOU DO THIS AND THEY DID WHATEVER BECAUSE THEY WERE BEING PAID, UH, BY THE CUSTOMER DOLLAR.
SO TO YOUR POINT, IF THERE WAS ADDITIONAL WORK, THE PEOPLE WERE AVAILABLE.
AND MICROMANAGED IS TOO, IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH OF WORK.
I MEAN, THERE WAS NO, WE'RE PROVIDING BODIES, BUT IT WAS FEE FOR SERVICE OR, OR, UH, AND YES, YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN RFP, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE AT THAT DEEP TAIL LEVEL.
I'VE DONE A LOT OF PROPOSALS AND THEY'RE BROAD, UH, IN RESPONSE TO THE RFP.
NOW YOU WORKED ALONG THE WAY SO THAT PEOPLE WEREN'T SURPRISED AT THE END.
YOU WORKED ALONG THE WAY, BUT IT HAD, IT WAS A BETTER OUTCOME AND YOU MAKE MORE MONEY THE OTHER WAY.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE.
YOU GIVE 'EM A BODY, THEY PAY YOU FOR THE BODY.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT AT RISK WHERE IN THE OTHER MODEL YOU'RE AT RISK.
CAUSE IF YOU DON'T PRODUCE SOMETHING THAT THIS CUSTOMER SIGNS OFF ON, THEY DON'T PAY YOU.
BUT THE, THE OUTCOME WAS BETTER AND, AND PEOPLE KNEW WHAT THEY WERE GETTING.
THERE WAS NO, IT WASN'T LIKE YOU WERE NOT PARTNERS CUZ YOU HAD A FIXED PRICE CONTRACT THAT THAT DIDN'T STEM OR THEY DIDN'T, DIDN'T END A PARTNERSHIP.
WORKING TOGETHER IN PARTNERSHIP JUST WAS CLEARER.
SORRY, CAN I JUST ASK A QUESTION? SO YOU'RE SAYING HOLLY FEE FOR SERVICE WAS CLEARER THAN TIME AND MATERIAL.
JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERST I JUST HAD A COMMENT.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF ALL SERVICES ARE COMPARABLE, ARE IT SERVICES COMPARABLE TO THE MOST SERVICES? WELL, OR TO CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS, RIGHT? THEY'RE ALL A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
I MEAN, I WORKED IN PUBLIC COUNTY FOR 11 YEARS AND THE FIRST PART OF MY LIFE WAS FOOTING DOWN ON, I WORKED ON WHAT, HOW LONG, HOW LONG, HOW LONG.
THAT WAS THE DRU OF, RIGHT? AND THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING FOR, FOR THIS OTHER STRUCTURE, YOU DON'T CARE.
YOU HAVE A PRICE AND NOBODY KNOWS AND LOOKS UNDERNEATH IT.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP THAT KIND OF SAME KIND OF, OF RIDGES, RIGHT? SO I'M NOT LANDED ON PAPER SERVICE OR NOT, BUT JUST THINKING ABOUT ONE OF THE POTENTIAL UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES THAT COULD BE, UH, THAT COULD EMERGE FROM SWITCHING TO THAT.
SO RIGHT NOW, UNDER THE CONTRACT, THE WAY YOU PRESENTED IT FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, THERE'S A, AN OPERATIONS COST, RIGHT? THAT BASICALLY IS ALL OF YOUR HEAD COUNT, RIGHT? SO WE CONVERT INTO A FEE FOR SERVICE BASIS.
YOU'RE GONNA PRICE THINGS OUT, BASICALLY ASSUMING THAT WE'RE GONNA MAINTAIN THE SAME LEVEL OF WORKLOAD.
AND IF BY SOME REASON WE DECIDED WE NEEDED TO DO A WHOLE LOT LESS MARKETING AND WE CUT THE AMOUNT OF FEE FOR SERVICE ACTIVITY IN HALF, YOU'RE SITTING THERE GOING, OH CRAP.
NOW WHAT? HOW DO I COVER THESE FIXED COST PEOPLE, RIGHT? BECAUSE NOW IT'S ALL DIGGED OUT INTO INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTS.
SO AGAIN, NOT SAYING THAT'S THE RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWER, BUT JUST UNDERSTAND, JUST TO POINT OUT AS FAR AS, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT ALL THE ASPECTS BECAUSE I THINK MAKING A DECISION WITHOUT DOING SO, NOT GONNA BE GOOD OUTCOME TOO.
IS THAT, IS THAT IN THIS WAS DISCUSSED, IT WOULD GIVE THE CHAMBER THE ABILITY TO GET OTHER CLIENTS, WHICH RIGHT NOW THEY DON'T HAVE THAT ABILITY.
AND WHAT'S PREVENTING THAT YOU FROM GETTING OTHER US CAUSE YOU'RE TELLING US WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO, RIGHT? AND SO THAT'S WHERE THAT, THAT CONFLICT THAT THE BUSINESSES ARE REALLY SAYING, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE THAT MOTIVE.
AND YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE THOSE BED TAX DOLLARS GOING TO THAT.
SO WE ARE TORN BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, DOING AS YOU WISH AND THE CITY AND UTILIZING THOSE DOLLARS IN THE MANNER WITH WHICH YOU WANT WHILE SUPPORTING THE BUSINESSES THAT IS DRIVING THE ECONOMY AND BUILDING THAT EVEN MORE, MORE TO THE POINT WE'RE SAYING, WE FUND YOU, YOU DO WHAT WE SAY, AND THEN WE'RE SAYING, AND YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T CREATE A LIFE WITHOUT
[01:20:01]
US BECAUSE WE WON'T LET YOU.AND SO I UNDERSTAND, UNDERSTAND, YEAH, THAT WOULDN'T BE MY WORD, BUT NO, THAT'S WHERE I SAY THINGS MY OWN WAY.
IF I COULD JUST MAKE A COUPLE OBSERVATIONS, AGAIN, NEW TO ALL OF THIS, SO I'M SURE THERE WILL BE A MIND SOMEWHERE.
SO FIRST OF ALL, IT SOUNDS A LOT LIKE CONSTABLE HAS DIS TREAT YOU, EXCUSE ME, KAREN, LIKE STAFF.
WE EXPECT YOU TO THEN COME BACK TO US AND TELL US HOW YOU'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT THAT POLICY.
AND WE MAY OR MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.
SO THAT SOUNDS A LOT LIKE BANNER, THE BANNER'S STORY THAT YOU TOLD.
UM, I THINK THAT IF WE WERE TO SAY TO YOU, UM, WE DON'T WANT YOU USING ED TAX TO GO AND PROMOTE SEDONA, THAT SHOULDN'T STOP YOU FROM USING SOMEBODY ELSE'S MONEY TO GO AND PROMOTE SEDONA.
YOU JUST CAN'T USE ED TAX TO GO AND PROMOTE SEDONA.
AND THAT WOULD ALWAYS HAVE TO BE A VERY CLEAR SEPARATION BETWEEN THOSE FUNDS AND THAT ACCOUNTING.
AND YOU HAVE TO SHOW IN YOUR ACCOUNTING THAT YOU DID NOT USE ANY OF THE TAX MONEY IN THAT PROGRAM OF WORK THAT YOU CHOSE TO DO.
AND I THINK ED BECOMES MORE CONFUSING WHEN YOU GET TO YOUR NUMBER FOUR IN YOUR IMAGE ON THE DUAL OR SHARED TOOLS.
I'M GONNA DO EXPERIENCE DONOR, THE VISITORS GUIDE.
SO IF WE WERE TO SAY TO YOU, UM, WE DON'T LIKE IT, WE'RE NOT GONNA FUND IT ANYMORE, COULD YOU EVEN FUND IT WITH, UM, YOUR BUSINESSES? SO THAT BECOMES SOMETHING THAT MOVES FROM ONE SIDE OF THE HOUSE TO THE OTHER.
IF YOU SAY, OH NO, WE REALLY NEED YOU TO DO THIS.
AND WE SAY, WELL, IN THAT CASE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THERE'S NO ADVERTISING THAT'S BEING PAID FOR BY BUSINESSES THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, OR WE'RE GONNA REMOVE OUR FUNDS BECAUSE THAT ISN'T HOW WE WANT OUR MONEY SPENT TO PROMOTE BUSINESSES OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF SEDONA.
THIS BECOMES REALLY COMPLICATED.
AND SO DO YOUR, SO DOES YOUR CRM NOW, RIGHT? YOUR CRM IS EXTREMELY COMPLICATED.
WHAT IF YOU'VE GOT A LEAD, IT'S ON BOTH SIDES.
WHO OWNS THAT LEAD? HOW ARE YOU GOING, HOW ARE YOU GONNA KNOW HOW TO PROMOTE TO THAT LEAD? BECAUSE WE, WE, IS IT OURS? WE DON'T PROMOTE? NO, THAT'S WE DON'T.
BUT IS IT A TOURISM LEAD OR IS IT A CHAMBER LEAD? AND HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU DO CRMS OR EXTREMELY COMPLICATED PIECES OF SOFTWARE.
SO THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WHEN I LOOK AT THAT NUMBER FORWARD, IF YOU DON'T MAKE A CLEAN SPLIT, IT BECOMES VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE TWO MASTERS.
AND THAT'S WHAT STARTED THIS WHOLE THING.
WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT TWO SEPARATE THINGS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACCOUNTANTS, WHICH IS A TECHNICAL ISSUE THAT I THINK HAS, CAN EASILY RESOLVE.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S AN INSURMOUNTABLE.
WE ARE ALSO TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC PERCEPTION TO WHICH THE COUNCIL IS INORDINATELY SENSITIVE.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING CALLED THE CHAMBER, PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO ASSOCIATE IT WITH THE MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION.
AND NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU SAY, WELL, NO CITY MONEY WAS SPENT ON, ON, UM, THE MARKETING, THEY'LL SAY, I DON'T CARE.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S ALSO A POLITICAL ISSUE AS WELL, WHICH IS WHY THE SIMPLEST CONCEPTUAL ISSUE WAS JUST SPLIT IT DOWN ENOUGH AND MAKE IT TWO SEPARATE THINGS THAT BECAUSE OF EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE STARTED AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE NOW.
SO, AND FEE FOR SERVICE I THINK WAS AN ATTEMPT TO SORT OF, BECAUSE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT SPLITTING, HOWEVER YOU DO IT, IT'S INCREDIBLY MORE EXPENSIVE AND LEGALLY REALLY GONNA BE A CHALLENGE.
SO I THINK FEE FOR SERVICE WAS THE WAY TO KIND TO TRY AND ADDRESS THE ISSUE THAT WE STARTED TO DEAL WITH WITHOUT HAVING IT SEPARATED OR HAVING IT US BRING IT IN HOUSE AND SAY, YOU KEEP YOUR OWN TOURISM BUREAU, DO DO MARKETING FOR WHOEVER YOU WANT.
GET YOUR OWN CLIENTS AND WE'LL DO OUR THING THING.
SORRY, THIS IS BRING IT ALL TOGETHER FOR SURE.
THE THING IN THE MIDDLE THAT SITS BETWEEN UHHUH IS WHAT MAKES IT
[01:25:01]
SO YOU CANNOT HAVE TWO MASTERS RUNNING VISITS SEDONA OR EXPERIENCE SEDONA.AND I THINK IT COMES DOWN TO WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM WHAT YOU HAVE? BECAUSE YOU HAVE A THOUGHT ON YOUR PLATE.
WE ARE, YOU KNOW, A WORLD RENOWNED DESTINATION.
I MEAN, THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE IT IN HOUSE, WE WOULD HIGHLY APPRECIATE YOU JUST TELLING US SO WE CAN STOP GOING THROUGH THIS.
I KNOW THAT AND WE CAN MOVE ON.
WE'RE SUPPORTING THE BUSINESSES THAT NEED OUR SUPPORT, BUT THIS ISN'T THE COUNCIL AND THE CITY NEEDS TO CLARIFY WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE US TO DO BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON AND WE NEED TO MOVE ON.
AS A FUNDER MYSELF, WE WORK REALLY HARD TO NOT OVERWORK THE PEOPLE THAT WE SUPPORT SO THAT THEY CAN DO THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THIS HAS BEEN AN EXTRAORDINARILY TRYING HERE AND WE'RE TRYING VERY HARD TO LISTEN TO CLEARLY OUTLINE WHAT YOUR CONCERNS ARE AND OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SOLUTIONS.
UM, AND THE FEE FOR SERVICE FOR US.
NONE OF THIS IS PERFECT, BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, MAYBE WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS AS A ONE YEAR, TWO YEAR, THREE YEAR PLAN IS WE FIGURE THIS OUT AND COME TO CONSENSUS OF THIS IS ALL WE CAN DO FOR THIS YEAR.
AND LOOK AT IT, TRY TO IDENTIFY A SOLUTION FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
YOU TELL US WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO DO X, Y, AND Z.
WE DO OUR VERY BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MONEY THAT YOU GIVE US TO DO THAT DOES NOT BENEFIT OUR MEMBERS.
THAT WE TRACK HOW WE USE IT AND WE LOOK HOW WE, HOW WE LOOK IN A YEAR FROM NOW.
UM, BUT WE REALLY NEED YOU ALL TO COME TO A NICE CLARIFICATION.
YOU HAVE A LOT ON YOUR PLATE IN TERMS OF TAKING ON HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
YOU NEED TO ASK YOURSELVES, IS THIS WHAT YOU, WHERE YOU WANNA PUT CITY ENERGY AND CITY MONEY IN WHEN YOU HAVE EXPERTS RIGHT HERE WILLING TO HELP YOU HERE? I TOTALLY DON'T.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE FAILED TO PROVIDE THE CLARITY AND WE'VE BEEN MUDDLING ALONE ALL THESE YEARS AND IT'S WORKED FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, DEPENDING ON WHETHER OUR INTERESTS ALIGN.
AND I THINK WE ALL WANT A MORE PERMANENT SOLUTION.
AND IN THE MEANTIME, THE BUSINESSES DON'T HAVE OUR CRIME CRYING IN TEARS.
CAN'T, THEY CAN'T PAY THEIR RENT, RIGHT? SO WE'RE, WE'RE AT A STANDSTILL WITH NO MARKETING, NO PROMOTION TO GENERATE THE KIND OF BUSINESS THAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO STAY IN BUSINESS TO PROVIDE THOSE LOUD PEOPLE WHO COMMUNICATE IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITY AND COMPLAIN ABOUT EVERYTHING IN THE COMMUNITY.
BUT THEY STILL WANT THEIR RESTAURANTS OPEN.
AND THAT'S THE ROB WHERE, WHERE IT STANDS STILL.
GARY, I DON'T THINK, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THAT'S NOT PART OF THE DISCUSSION TODAY AS FAR AS ADVERTISING.
WE NEED TO START DOING SOMETHING AND SOON ON THAT END, BUT THAT'S NOT TODAY'S DISCUSSION.
WE REALLY NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW IT'S GOING, GOING TO BE MANAGED.
IT'S SOME, BEEN SOME MISSTEPS ON OUR SIDE AS WELL AS YOUR SIDE, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
NOW, I'M NOT BLAMING ANYBODY, BUT YOU NEED TO GET PAST THAT MOVE FORWARD SO THAT WE CAN START LOOKING AT THE, AT THE FUNDING END AND, AND, AND GO FORWARD WITH THAT.
I, I THINK, UH, MAYOR, YOU, YOU'VE SAID IT IS THE LAST COUPLE YEARS WE KEEP GOING BACK TO THESE LAST COUPLE YEARS OF THIS ANOMALY THAT HAS HAPPENED WITH COVID.
WE ARE CURRENTLY IN JESSE AND EVERYBODY, PLEASE CORRECT ME, WE'RE CURRENTLY GOING BACK TO THE SEDONA ROLLERCOASTER.
UM, BESIDES THE HONOR ROLL, UM, FORMER MAYOR, I'M ONE OF THE LONGEST RESIDENTS THAT I KNOW HERE IN TOWN.
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE SEDONA OVER COASTER.
WE'RE IN JANUARY NOW, WE'RE AT THE LOWER END OF FEBRUARY, MARCH.
WE'VE BEEN RAMPING UP AND THEN SUMMER ENDING YEARS PAST, WE'VE HAD THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH, WITH US AND, AND COUNCIL AND THE UNDERSTANDING OF THIS ROLLERCOASTER.
AND WE DON'T DO ANY MARKETING ADVERTISING AT THE PEAK, THAT ROLLERCOASTER.
UM, WE DO IT IN THE SHOULDER SEASON, WHICH IS THE SUMMER AND THEN MORE SO IN, IN THE OFF SEASON.
BUT I THINK, UM, THIS IS NOT ONLY IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS HAS CREATED A LOT OF THE STAYING AMONGST THE LOCALS, UM, THAT HAVEN'T LIVED HERE A LONG TIME.
AND SO THAT HAPPEN, LIVED HERE A LONG TIME.
I KNOW SOMEBODY HAS BORN AND RAISED HERE, AND THAT IS MY AGE.
[01:30:01]
AND IT'S NOT OUR FAULT.GET OUT OF PHOENIX, GET OUT OF COVID, LET'S GO OUT TO THE OPEN SPACE.
IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST, THIS HAPPENED.
EVERYBODY ELSE IS NOW OPENING UP.
WE'VE SAID THIS IN TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
UM, MICHELLE HAS SOME NUMBERS ON THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, OTHER COMMUNITIES WE'RE NOW FALLING BEHIND AGAINST OUR CONCEPT OF VISITATION.
SO TO GO BACK TO THAT, WHAT WE USED TO HAVE AND HAVE THAT TRUST AMONGST YOU, THAT YOU HAVE ONE OF ONLY 200 ACCREDITED DEMOS IN THE WORLD SITTING IN FRONT OF YOU, THAT YOU GIVE US THAT 30,000 FOOT LEVEL OF WHAT YOU ARE THINKING AND WHAT YOU WANT, WHAT YOU, YOU WANT LESS MARKETING IN THIS AREA.
YOU WANT THAT $150,000, $200,000 NIGHT VISITOR TELL US DONE WHAT YOUR VISION IS AND TRUST THAT ACCREDITED DMO THAT WE HAVE TO GO DO THAT.
THAT IS GONNA GIVE YOU THE REPORTS AND DO THAT BECAUSE WE ARE BACK TO WHERE WE WERE FOUR, FIVE SEVENS 10, 15 YEARS AGO TO WHERE WE NEED THAT MARKETING IN THAT THOSE OFF SEASONS.
AND WE NEED THAT, THAT SUPPORT.
YOU REPRESENT THE LOCAL, YOU REPRESENT ME AS A, AS A LONG TIME VOTING MEMBER.
YOU ALSO REPRESENT THE BUSINESSES IN THIS COMMUNITY, NOT JUST THE LOCALS.
YOU ALSO REPRESENT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HERE.
AND THAT IS A VITAL PART OF THIS COMMUNITY AND THE, THE LIVELIHOOD OF THIS COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, UM, AL SAID IT SO GRACIOUSLY A COUPLE MEETINGS AGO ABOUT HOW MANY TOWNS OF 9,000 HAVE THREE SUPERMARKETS IN IT THAT SURVIVED ACTUALLY FOUR WITH NATURAL GROCERS.
I ALWAYS FORGET ABOUT THAT AND I APOLOGIZE HAS CVS AND, AND WALGREENS.
WELL, AND WALMART AND WALGREENS.
AND I TASKED MY COUNCIL, WHICH IS YOU AS A, AS, AS A CITIZEN.
I MET MY CITIZEN AS TO REMIND THOSE CITIZEN, THOSE, THOSE THE CITIZENS THAT ARE PITCHING TO YOU GUYS.
LOOK, WE, YOU COME TO A VISITOR TOWN, IT IS A VISITOR TOWN.
WE REPRESENT THE YOU GUYS AND ALSO THE VISITORS.
AND I'D ALSO GET, AND WHEN I GO TO GET MY MAIL ON A BUSY WEEKEND, I EITHER SIT IN THEIR TRAFFIC OR TURN AROUND AND SAY, I'LL COME DO IT LATER.
BUT I ALSO SAY THEY PAY MY BILLS.
AND ANOTHER THING THAT THE LOCALS DON'T GET IS ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THESE VISITORS BRING TO THIS COMMUNITY THAT YOU AS MY COUNCIL, NEED TO START.
YOU KNOW, I'M SORRY FOR BEING HURT, BUT LETTING PEOPLE KNOW, PLEASE, THE PARKS.
I GUESS YOU GUYS HAD A MEETING THE OTHER NIGHT ABOUT THE BALLPARK, CORRECT? OR THEY'RE GONNA GO FRESH.
DO YOU HAVE JESSICA? THANK YOU.
ITS PART OF MY POINT IS AS A LOCAL, I, I, I GO THERE AND I ENJOY THE DOG PARK, BUT I ALSO KNOW WE HAVE THAT DOG CART BECAUSE OF WHY, BECAUSE THE TOURISM, THE JUROR DOLLAR THAT COMES INTO THAT, AND THE LOCALS CAN DISAGREE WITH ME ALL THEY WANT.
80, 77% OF THE NEGATIVE LEGEND POST.
SO I'M, I'M RAMBLING ON AND ON.
BUT I THINK YOU NEED TO STEP BACK AND REALIZE YOU HAVE AN ACCREDITED BMO HERE THAT YOU CAN TRUST TO GET BACK INTO THAT MARKETING TO GET BACK INTO THAT AREA OF THOSE HIGHS AND LOWS.
AND LET'S LOOK BACK FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO, WHAT WAS WRONG WITH FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO IF THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG, THAT'S THAT'S FINE.
NO, EVERYBODY WAS TOTALLY HAPPY.
RIGHT NOW, LONNIE, WE ARE HERE TO DECIDE WHAT THAT, WHAT THE ORGANIZATION IS GOING TO BE.
RIGHT? UM, MARKETING MAY IS NOT REALLY, AND I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT AND I, I RESPECT IT, BUT RIGHT NOW WE ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT HOW THE ORGANIZATION BETWEEN RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE TOURISM BUREAU AND THE CHAMBER, THE ISSUE THAT'S IN FRONT OF US CAN BE RESOLVED.
AND I THINK, I THINK IT'S BEEN LAID OUT FAIRLY CLEARLY WHAT THE PROB WHAT THE ISSUE IS.
AND THAT THE FEE FOR SERVICE MODEL, WHICH THEY
[01:35:01]
RECOMMEND, AND WHICH I KNOW AS BEING ADVOCATED BY A COUPLE OF PEOPLE ON THE COUNCIL, IS ONE WAY TO ADDRESS THAT, THAT COULD ACTUALLY BE ACCOMPLISHED IN LESS THAN 700 YEARS.SO I THINK I, I JUST DO WANNA POINT OUT THOUGH, AND LAND MINE
YET AT THE OTHER TIME WHERE YOU WERE FROM YOUR PROFESSIONALS SAYING, WE NEED YOU TO DEFINE IT AND OFFER SOME CLARITY.
UHHUH
AND WE HAD TO SAID THAT, I SAID THAT IN YEARS PAST, BEFORE, UM, WE HAD COUNCIL, WE, THESE MEETINGS WERE COMING IN AND YOU ALL TO LIKE, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM OUR CONSTITUENT CONSTITUENTS.
THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AND WE DO OUR PRESENTATION AND THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE AT THE 30 OR 60,000 FOOT LEVEL.
WE TAKE THAT BACK, WE COME UP WITH A, A PLAN, A WORK PLAN, WE COME BACK FOR ANOTHER MEETING.
NOPE, LET'S SCOOT THIS A LITTLE BIT.
WE DON'T LIKE THAT, THAT YOU'VE NEVER HAVE TOLD US HOW MANY PENS TO BUY.
YOU'VE NEVER TOLD US HOW AN EIGHT FOOT OR FIVE FOOT BANNER, YOU'VE NEVER TOLD US ANY OF THAT.
YOU HURT THE PUBLIC, PUBLIC, YOU HURT THE BUSINESSES, YOU'VE TAKEN IT ALL IN.
IT'S LIKE, OKAY, THIS IS KIND OF WHAT WE WANT TO SEE.
YOU HEARD THE, THE PUBLIC THREE YEARS AGO, TWO YEARS AGO, NO MORE MARKETING.
WE HEARD THAT LOUD AND CLEAR AND WE HAVEN'T DONE IT.
SO I THINK, AND IF WE STILL BLAME THE TRAFFIC, YOU, YOU KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO ACCEPT, WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE BLAMED.
RIGHT? BUT WE JUST REALLY, HONESTLY, I FEEL LIKE WE REALLY ONLY NEED TO AS INDIVIDUALS.
AMERICAN, WE HAD TRAFFIC IN 84.
BACKGROUND CAN COME ON THIS POINT THOUGH.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, MY, MY BACKGROUND IS IN ADVERTISING AGENCY, YOU KNOW, WORLD.
AND, AND THERE WERE TWO TYPES OF CLIENTS.
I WAS ON THE ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT SIDE, AND THERE WERE ALWAYS TWO TYPES OF CLIENTS.
THE TYPE OF CLIENT THAT SAID, HERE'S MY ISSUE.
HELP ME, HELP ME PREPARE A SOLUTION.
AND WE WOULD, WE WOULD WORK, COLLABORATE BACK AND FORTH AND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND PRESENT WITH THEM SOMETHING THAT WAS EASIER FOR US TO COME UP WITH BECAUSE WE ALMOST HAD THAT MORE OBJECTIVE VIEW COIN.
AND THAT WAS ALSO THE, THE WORLD WE LIVED IN.
SO WE KNEW HOW TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS.
THE OTHER CLIENT TYPE WAS THE ONE THAT SAID, I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I WANT.
I'M ONLY CONTRACTING YOU TO DESIGN IT THIS WAY.
AND IT NEEDS TO BE THESE COLORS AND IT NEEDS TO BE THIS SIZE.
YOU KNOW? SO, AND, AND THEN YOU KIND OF HAVE SOME IN BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, VARIATIONS OF THAT.
AND I FEEL LIKE I'M LIVING THAT WORLD AGAIN IN A WAY BECAUSE IT, IT, IT IS, I THINK THAT YOU DO AT SOME POINT, IT REALLY DOES MONUMENT, MENTION THE WORD TRUST.
AND I REMEMBER THE WORD TRUST COMING BACK INTO THESE PLANNING SESSIONS OVER THE YEARS.
AND I THINK THAT AT SOME POINT WE REALLY DO NEED TO DETERMINE WHAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE.
IF DO YOU TRUST US TO HANDLE THE ISSUES THAT YOU IDENTIFY, THAT WE NEED TO CO IDENTIFY YOU, GIVE US SOME IDEA OF WHAT YOU DO AND DON'T WANT, AND THEN TRUST US TO PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER TO PRESENT BACK TO YOU.
WHEN YOU WORKED WITH YOUR CLIENTS WHO SAID, I HAVE A PROBLEM AND I WANT YOU HELP SOLVE IT, YOU'D GIVE THEM THREE OPTIONS.
AND I THINK THAT THAT IS THE STRUCTURE THAT WOULD WORK BEST.
I MEAN, WE'RE, I DON'T THINK WE KNOW ENOUGH TO SAY BLUE, RED, GREEN.
WE WANT YOU TO COME BACK AND SHOW US A BLUE VERSION OF RED VERSION OF GREEN, AND THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT.
BUT WE DON'T WANNA GET INTO A SITUATION LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR OR MAYBE TWO YEARS AGO, TIME FLYING WITH THOSE VIDEOS, RIGHT? I MEAN, THAT'S THE EXAMPLE OF THE WORST.
BECAUSE WE WEREN'T CLEAR IN THE DIRECTION WHAT KIND OF MESSAGING WE WANTED.
THAT'S, AND WE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY FOR NOTHING.
LESSON LEARNED, RIGHT? THAT, THAT'S WHERE I THINK SOME OF THE PUBLIC IS ANNOYED.
I AM, YOU KNOW, AND WE ARE NOT BEING CLEAR AND NOT CLEARLY BLAME ON ALL THE CHAMBERS AT ALL.
BUT WE ARE THE CUSTOMER AND THERE'S NO BUSINESS IF NONE OF THESE BUSINESS OWNERS HERE WOULD WANT TO TURN EVERYTHING OVER TO SOMEBODY
[01:40:01]
AND JUST RELINQUISH, YOU KNOW, WE ALL OUR CUSTOMERS IN OUR OWN WAYS.YOU WANT, YOU KNOW, THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO HAVE THE CUSTOMER HAVE WHAT THEY WANT.
SO HAVING THREE OPTIONS, WHETHER WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING ON THE WRONG THING, WE WOULD PICK OUT THE OPTION.
BUT THOSE VIDEOS AND IT, AND THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST WHERE I FELT WE WEREN'T BEING LISTENED TO, IT WAS NOT THIS BOARD.
THERE WERE OTHER BOARDS IN THE CHAMBER THAT WERE LOOKING MORE TOWARD TOURISM.
THAT'S WHERE THE MIX COMES IN.
AND BY SEPARATING CHAMBER TOURISM, BUT THE BOARD WHO WAS EVER ON THIS BOARD HERE HAS TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY CAN'T BE LOOKING AT EVERYTHING FROM TOURISM.
THEY HAVE TO LOOK OR, OR, OR, UH, CHENEY, WE ARE THE CUSTOMER.
SO IF WE WERE TO HIRE THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO DO THE WORKFORCE, IT HAS TO BE, WE NEED THE OPTIONS.
AND THAT'S HOW WE REALLY FELT THAT THE FEE FOR SERVICE WAS A, A, A SOLUTION.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A VERY INTERTWINED THING, BUT WE REALLY FELT, AND I THINK IT MIGHT BE A, A GOOD TIME TO GO INTO ONE OF THE OTHER CONCERNS OF, YOU KNOW, WELL, HOW, WHY CAN'T WE TOTALLY SEPARATE THE CHAMBER AND THE TOURISM BUREAU? AND I THINK THAT WAS ANOTHER CONCERN THAT MICHELLE HAS DOCUMENTED IN THE PRESENTATION THAT IT IS PROBABLY A GOOD TIME TO MOVE TO THAT, IF YOU GUYS AGREE.
LET ME JUST GET SOME OPTIONS HERE.
WE CAN DO THAT NOW OR TAKE A BREAK AND THEN TAKE A FEW MINUTES LATER, COME BACK AND THEN FIVE, FIVE MINUTES.
AND THEN I WENT INTO, I DON'T WANT NOT QUESTIONS.
SOME OF YOUR COMMENTS CAN ADDRESS THE PUBLIC QUESTIONS.
HOWEVER, BEFORE WE DO THAT, I JUST SAY ONE THING SO WE CAN FINISH OFF THE FEE OF SERVICE.
I DON'T THINK ON YOUR PAGE 30 UHHUH
BECAUSE I DON'T, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, YOU GIVE US A PRICE.
I DON'T CARE WHAT YOUR LABOR HOURS ARE.
YOU, YOU DON'T, YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE TO TRACK FOR US FOR OUR PURPOSES.
MAYBE YOU WANT TO FOR YOUR OWN PURPOSES, BUT I HEARD PAGE 30, YOU SAY DETERMINE BILLING RATES PACK IN PAGE 30.
LABOR HOURS, PUBLIC FUNDS AND MEMBERSHIP IF I HAD ONE YEAH.
PUBLIC FUND AND MEMBERSHIP DETERMINE BILLING RATES.
CAUSE IT TO GIVE A SURPRISE, IDENTIFY SOFTWARE SYSTEM FOR TRACKING LABOR HOURS.
YOU MIGHT NEED IT FOR YOURSELF.
FOR US, YOU DO NEED TO DETERMINE OVERHEAD ALLEGATIONS, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO TRACK HOURS UNLESS YOU WANT THAT INFORMATION FOR YOURSELF TO SEE HOW YOU ESTIMATE, BUT YOU DON'T NEED, RIGHT.
WE WOULD JUST NEED IT IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE'RE PROVIDING THREE SCENARIOS THAT ACCOUNTED THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO PAY THE BILL AND PAY EVERYBODY.
SO YOU HAVE TO ANSWER THAT OR, OH, YOU JUST CLEAR.
SO WHY DON'T WE TAKE A FIVE 10 MINUTE BREAK.
LET'S LET THE KNOW THEN, THEN WE WILL TAKE THE POLICY.
SO FOLKS, WE'RE GONNA GO, WE'RE GONNA MOVE THROUGH THE REST OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL, YOU KNOW, TOPIC, AGENDA ITEM.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA COME BACK AND ASK YOU TO WEIGH IN ON EACH ITEM AGAIN, SO WE CAN GET SOME CLARITY ON WHAT, WHAT WE SHOULD PURSUE OR NOT, AND THEN CARRYING AWAY IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO, UM, LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE KIND OF THE TOP, THE TOP LEADERSHIP AND THE BOARD.
SO THE CONCERN IS THAT, THE CONCERN IS THAT THE, THE CITY OF THE, UH, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVES CAN BE DIFFERENT.
UM, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS ALREADY.
UM, SO WE HEARD YOU THAT ONE OF THE REQUESTS WAS TO CONSIDER SPLITTING UP THE BOARD, HAVING TWO BOARDS SO THAT THERE WASN'T THAT TOURISM, UM, THAT TOURISM PIECE BEING, UH, KIND OF EFFECTIVE BY THE MEMBERSHIP NEEDS.
WE DID LOOK AT THE TWO BOARD STRUCTURE.
UH, I, I SOLELY LAID THAT OUT, GAVE IT A FAIR AMOUNT OF CONSIDERATION BEFORE WE TALKED TO, UH, LEGAL COUNSEL WHO SAID, ACTUALLY IT IS REALLY NOT, UM, PERMITTED TO HAVE A TWO BOARD STRUCTURE UNLESS THE ORGANIZATION ACTUALLY SPLIT INTO TWO LEGAL ENTITIES.
SO WE MOVED AWAY FROM THE TWO BOARD IDEA, THEN WE LOOKED AT THE TWO ENTITY IDEA.
AS YOU'LL SEE HERE, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME PROS
[01:45:01]
AND CONS.SOME OF THE PROS WOULD BE THE MOST OBVIOUS CLEAN CHOICE WOULD BE TO HAVE TWO SEPARATE ENTITIES.
I THINK ALL OF THESE TOPICS, AT LEAST THE CONCERNS MAYBE, UM, MAYBE MOOT.
UM, BUT THE CONS ARE SO CONSIDERABLE, UM, FOR ONE, JUST THE COST EFFICIENCIES THAT YOU WOULD LOSE.
NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT THERE REALLY IS A, A BENEFIT TO HAVING THE TWO TOGETHER.
AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THROUGH OUR RESEARCH AND WHAT WE, UH, DISCUSSED AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, WE FOUND THAT ACTUALLY THE WAY WE OPERATE AS A JOINT, AS A CIVIL ENTITY WITH TWO DIVISIONS IS ACTUALLY VERY COMMON.
SO WE THEN THOUGHT, OKAY, WELL HOW DO WE HAVE ONE BOARD, BUT HAVE SOME KIND OF, UM, STILL HAVE SOME KIND OF ADDITIONAL INPUT THAT MAY BE HAVE, THAT MIGHT HAVE MORE INPUT ON THE TOURISM SIDE, ADDITIONAL INPUT THAT WOULD BE VERY TOURISM CENTRIC, BUT STILL HAVE THAT RESIDENT VOICE.
AND THEN WE HAVE A CHAMBER ADVISORY BOARD THAT HAS, UH, THAT ADVISES THE, THE SINGLE BOARD, AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE FOCUSED ON LIKE RETIRED EXECUTIVE AND IT'S MORE CHAMBER ORIENTED, NOT A BAD IDEA, BUT ULTIMATELY DIDN'T REALLY FIX THE SOLUTION.
IT REALLY JUST ADDS MORE STAFF TIME.
I THINK IT DELETES THE, THE LEADERSHIP, UM, CAPABILITY.
IT ALMOST BECOMES JUST MUDDIED.
AND I DON'T, IT JUST DIDN'T SEEM LIKE IT WAS REALLY A STRONG SOLUTION.
SO WHERE WE LANDED WAS BACK THE SINGLE BOARD IDEA, WHICH IS WHAT YOU SEE ON YOUR MAP AT THE TOP.
HOWEVER, WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S INTEREST IN HAVING ADDITIONAL VOICES OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'LL SEE, UM, HERE LISTED OUT ON YOUR MAP, THAT WE WILL CONTINUE WITH, UM, SHOWING AS MUCH OF A DIVERSE BOARD AS POSSIBLE, BUT ALSO HAVE, SO HERE'S OUR BOARD RIGHT NOW, YOU'LL SEE THAT IT'S, IT IS FAIRLY DIVERSE.
I KNOW WHEN JENNIFER WE TALK WAS HERE, AND I, I WORKED WITH HER, THERE'S A WHOLE MATRIX PROCESS EVERY YEAR FOR OUR ELECTION, UM, MEMBER ELECTION PROCESS.
AND IT'S, IT'S, IT IS DIVERSE.
IF YOU LOOK BACK ON THE D ON THE DMO ACROSS THE NATION, YOU'LL SEE THAT HOSPITALITY DOES HOLD SOME WEIGHT.
THE HOTELS DO HOLD SOME WEIGHT BECAUSE IT IS A, IT'S A TOURISM BUREAU, IT'S A DMO.
BUT THERE IS, THERE IS ALSO IN THIS CASE, YOU KNOW, SPORTS INDUSTRY, UM, ATTRACTIONS, GOVERNMENT SECTOR.
AND THAT'S, I FEEL WE, WE HAVE A GOOD GRASP ON HERE, BUT WE CAN DO BETTER.
SO THAT'S MY WHOLE POINT IN BRINGING US TO THE YELLOW ITEMS IN THIS MAP, IS THAT WE WERE, WE ARE LOOKING AT A RETIRED AND RETIRED EXECUTIVE, SOMEONE FROM THE FINANCE BANKING ARENA AND EDUCATOR, A CITY STAFFER, AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARD AND RESIDENT.
SO WE ARE LOOKING TO FURTHER DIVERSIFY OUR BOARD.
MICHELLE, I UNDERSTAND TOURISM BUREAU AND CHAMBER OF COMMON BOARD MM-HMM.
BUT TO HAVE ONE RESIDENT, I DON'T HAVE, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO HAVE MORE THAN ONE? WELL, REMEMBER A LOT OF WHAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE A RESIDENT WHO IS ALSO A BUSINESS OWNER, OKAY.
ON MULTIPLE, HAS MULTIPLE TIES INTO THE COMMUNITY AND HAS MULTIPLE OPINIONS.
LET, WELL THEN, SO THAT'S THE ANSWER IN THE QUESTION.
HOW MANY OF YOU ARE, ARE LIVE WITHIN THE CITY OF SAVONA AND OVER HERE TOO? YEAH.
BUT THIS WAY, SO THAT CHANGES US EVEN MORE BECAUSE NOW YOU CAN HAVE ONE RESIDENT, BUT NOW YOU HAVE COUNT EIGHT HANDS.
SO TO ME THAT'S ADDING TO THE MIX.
THE RISK IS ALMOST AN OPERATIONALIZING QUESTION.
SO I'D PREFER TO, WELL, I'M JUST ASKING FOR THERE, BUT, AND I KNEW WHAT THE ANSWER WAS, I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT PUBLIC.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WERE RESIDENTS ON THE BOARD.
SO IN SUMMARY, SO WE'VE ALREADY, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE'VE GOTTEN THROUGH, UM, THE ORGANIZATIONAL QUESTION AND WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO NOW.
SO HERE'S, HERE'S THE SUMMARY, KIND OF WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SO FAR.
BROADEN, DIVERSIFY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS REPRESENTATION, MAINTAIN, SHARED, WELL, THIS IS PART OF OUR RECOMMENDATION.
MAINTAIN SHARED RESOURCES OF STAFF FACILITIES, COMMUNICATION ASSETS, FEE FOR SERVICE STRUCTURE IS WHAT WE WERE RECOMMENDING, UM, WITH THE KNOWLEDGE, KNOWING THAT WE WOULD BE PERMITTED, UM, WE WOULDN'T HAVE AN ISSUE HAVING A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY IN ADDITION TO HAVING OTHER CLIENTS.
UM, AND THEN JUST KIND OF A VERY CLEAR WAY TO ILLUSTRATE THAT THE CHAMBER IS MEMBERSHIP ORIENTED.
THE TOURISM BUREAU IS NOT, AND THE VISITOR CENTER IS OPEN TO ALL BUSINESSES AT THIS POINT.
[01:50:01]
GET SOME, SOME INPUT ON THOSE THINGS ABOUT SERVICE AND ABOUT THE PREPARATION OF THESE SPECS, I'LL CALL THEM.UM, IS, IS THE, IS THE INTENT, UH, CITY COMPONENT IS, IS THE INTENT TO DO AN OPEN RFP FOR THE DOCUMENT AFFAIRS? OR IS THE I INTENT TO PREPARE THE DOCUMENTS FOR THIS ORDER TO, WELL, I THINK THAT FOR ME, THAT'S A HUGE QUESTION.
WELL, WHAT'S YOUR PREFERENCE? I AM, I'M, I'M NOT EAGER TO DO A LINE BY LINE RFP FOR ALL THE VARIOUS SERVICES.
I THINK THAT MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL.
AND SO MY PREFERENCE IS STRUCTURE UNDER WHATEVER STRUCTURE WE DECIDE.
OH, I'M TALKING ABOUT DOING AN OPEN RFP FOR THESE LINE BY LINE SERVICES, UH, WHICH IS, I THINK, I THINK THAT'S THE, THE NATURAL KIND OF INTENT OF, OF DOING THE LINE BY LINE, UM, RFP.
AND SO I'M JUST TRYING TOLAR PUT THAT ON THE TABLE AS SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT.
SO SOMEONE QUESTIONS, YEAH, I'D LIKE, I'D LIKE TO TRY, I'M GONNA GO STEP BACK IN NOW.
I'M GONNA STEP IN HERE WITH MY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND I'M GONNA STEP IN YOU.
UH, I, I'D LIKE TO START LONNIE BY JUST PULLING OUT ONE THING YOU SAID ABOUT THE ROLLERCOASTER AND THE, THE ROLLERCOASTER HAS BEEN EXISTENCE, YOU KNOW, FOR, SINCE SEDONA WITH SEDONA.
BUT ONE THING THAT I HAVEN'T HEARD US TALK ABOUT IS THAT WHEN WE'RE ON THE TOURISM TOWNS AND ROLLER COASTERS, TRADITIONAL TOURISM TOWNS AND ROLLER COASTERS, AND THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN AN IMPLICIT BARGAIN IN THAT SET UP, THAT WHEN IT'S BUSY, IT'S BUSY, AND WHEN IT'S QUIET, THE RESIDENTS GET A BURDEN.
AND I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S DIFFICULT TO MANAGE A BUSINESS IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.
AND SO I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THE DESIRE TO BRING UP THE TRUST, BUT THAT CAUSES SOME STRESS TO THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO WE HAVE TO JUST BE HONEST ABOUT THAT.
THERE'S A TRADE OFF HERE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE, AND WE'RE TRYING TO BE TRYING TO BALANCE ALL OF THAT.
SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE STRUCTURE OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE, THIS IS WHAT GOES THROUGH MY MIND.
I, I THINK EVERY ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL WILL ACKNOWLEDGE TO ANYONE THAT ASKS THEM THAT TOURISM DRIVES OUR ECONOMY.
I THINK EVERYBODY IN THIS GROUP, MAYBE RESIDENTS THAT MIGHT DISAGREE WITH ME ON THAT, BUT I'LL, YOU KNOW, I'LL, I'LL HAVE THAT DISCUSSION WITH YOU.
AND, UH,
AND I'M SUPPORTIVE OF EFFORTS TO TRY TO MAKE IT ITSELF.
THAT'S A LONG-TERM PROJECT THAT I THINK WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A LONG TIME, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON IT FOR A LONG TIME AND WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO WORK ON, IT WOULD BEHOOVE US ALL TO DO THAT.
TOURISM BRINGS GREAT BENEFITS TO EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE, TO THE BENEFIT TO THE, THE BUSINESS OWNERS, TO THE RESIDENTS.
BUT IT'S ALSO THE SOURCE OF FRUSTRATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT STARTS TO GET BIG AGAIN.
NOW WE HAVE THIS UNIQUE GEOGRAPHY HERE IN TOWN THAT CAUSES SOME STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS THAT WHEN, WHEN IT GETS BUSY, TRAFFIC GETS BAD.
WE HAVE OTHER PROBLEMS NOW THAT ARE MORE THAN THEY USED TO BE ABOUT HOUSING AND GETTING EMPLOYEES.
AND WHEN THINGS ARE BAD, IT'S NOT JUST BAD FOR THE RESIDENTS, IT'S BAD FOR THE VISITORS TOO.
YOUR OWN VISITORS SURVEY SHOWS THAT VISITORS SATISFACTION CAN GO DOWN IN THESE TIMES.
THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR YOUR BUSINESS.
RIGHT? WHAT I THINK THE SOLUTION IS, IS A NEW GENERATION OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT.
WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IS A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND THAT'S THE LEGAL ENTITY.
WE HAVE A THING CALLED THE SEDONA CHAMBER COMMERCE OF TOURISM BUREAU, THAT'S A DBA THAT GREW FROM BEING A CHAMBER.
AND WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY, OVER TIME, WE'RE A DMO AT DESTINATION
[01:55:01]
MARKETING ORGANIZATION.AND THE INDUSTRY IS MORPHING NOW TO TALK ABOUT WHAT DESTINATION MANAGEMENT IS WITH THE CHANGE IN COVID AND THE CHANGE IN PEOPLE'S RECREATIONAL HABITS OF THE NEW GENERATION, RIGHT? THESE TOURIST DESTINATIONS ARE GETTING DRIVEN IN A WAY THEY HAVEN'T BEEN BEFORE.
AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS, IS A NEW STANDARD OF TOURISM BUREAU THAT IS INHERENTLY MOTIVATED TO THINK OF THE PLUSES AND MINUSES OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT THAT THINKS ABOUT BRANDING.
I THINK THE COMMUNITY SHOULD ALWAYS BE BRANDED MARKETING.
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU MARKET THROTTLE UP AND THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU MARK, WHEN YOU THROTTLE BACK, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S UP TO THE CITY TO TELL THE TOURISM BUREAU.
I WOULD, I WANT AN ENTITY THAT ITSELF THINKS ABOUT AND IS MOTIVATED TO, TO THROTTLE UP AND DOWN AT TIMES, AND THEN TO DO THE THINGS ABOUT TOURISMS AND MANAGEMENT, ALL THE THINGS.
WHICH MEANS IF IT'S PICKING UP TRASH ON TRAILS AND HIRING PEOPLE TO DO THAT, OR GOING TO AND PUTTING A PORTA POTTY SOMEWHERE, I WANT THEM TO BE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT IT AND TO INITIATE THOSE IDEAS THEMSELVES AND TO HELP US MANAGE TOURISM.
SO WHAT I THINK THE SOLUTION HERE IS THAT WE NEED A NEW ORGANIZATION, A NEW TOURISM BUREAU THAT IS A HOLISTIC BUREAU THAT'S THINKING ABOUT AND MOTIVATED TO ADDRESS THE POSITIVES AND THE NEGATIVES.
IT'S DRIVEN BY A BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
IT'S PROBABLY SOME CITY COUNSELORS, IT'S SOME NONPROFITS, IT'S RESIDENTS, RIGHT? AND THAT BOARD DIRECTS THE BUREAU OF WHAT TO DO.
THE CITY RESPONSIBILITY HERE IS TO LOOK AT THE TAXES THAT IT RECEIVES FOR TOURISM AND TO DECIDE HOW MUCH WE NEED TO SPEND TO MANAGE TOURISM.
BUT THE BUREAU IS THE ONES THAT ARE THE EXPERTS.
SO WHAT I THINK I'M PROPOSING IS THAT WE SET, I THINK THAT THE ANSWER IN TWO YEARS IS THAT, MICHELLE, YOU AND ALL YOUR EMPLOYEES BECOME THE TOURISM BUREAU AND WE SPIN UP A NEW CHAMBER OF CONGRESS.
AND WE EMBARK ON THIS JOURNEY AS I READ THIS EVOLUTION OF WHAT DESTINATION MANAGEMENT IS ALL ABOUT.
WE EMBARK ON THIS JOURNEY AND WE ACTUALLY LEAVE, RIGHT? WE'LL BE ONE OF THE PIONEERS TO TRY AND DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
AND I THINK THAT BEGINS THEN TO ELIMINATE SOME OF THESE TRUST ISSUES AND WORKING TOGETHER AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S TOO MUCH AND YOU KNOW, WHAT'S TOO MUCH AND WHAT'S TOO MUCH, WHAT'S TOO LITTLE.
I THINK THERE'S A WAY TO SOLVE THIS.
I DON'T, WE CAN'T GET IT DONE FOR NEX FISCAL, BUT THERE'S A PATH HERE.
THERE'S A PATH FOR ALL OF US THAT I THINK THAT THIS COMMUNITY COULD FROM.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I'LL START.
BEFORE, UH, COUNCIL T BEFORE YOU WEIGH IN, I'D LIKE TO GET SOME INPUT.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF INFORMATION.
I'D LIKE TO GET SOME INPUT FROM THE CITY MANAGER IF WE, IF YOU DON'T MIND, UH, BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD.
KAREN, CAN YOU, SO I, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START ACTUALLY.
UM, SO I APPRECIATE THAT MAYOR, AND OBVIOUSLY THERE IS NOT CONSENSUS AMONGST OUR COUNCIL WHO I WORK FOR, UH, AROUND WHAT THE BEST APPROACH IS.
SO I WILL SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS AND, AND THEN, UH, I, I THINK FURTHER DELIBERATION AND, AND THAT MAY NOT EVEN BE SETTLED HERE TODAY, UH, MIGHT BE NECESSARY, BUT, UM, INITIALLY MANY OF THE COMMENTS THAT YOU JUST MADE, COUNSELOR FURMAN, ARE, ARE, ARE POINTS, UM, THAT, THAT I WOULD'VE MADE IN, IN COMMENTS, BUT I THINK I MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN TO A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT OR MAYBE A VERY DIFFERENT END AROUND THEM.
UM, SO LONNIE, YOU KNOW, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE HISTORY, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT FRAMEWORK BECAUSE WHEN THE CONTRACT MORPHED IN 2014, THAT WAS BECAUSE WE WERE COMING OUT OF THE GREATEST RECESSION.
WE, YOU KNOW, EVER EXPERIENCED.
AND THERE WAS AN ECONOMIC NEED, THERE WAS AN ECONOMIC NEED FOR THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
THERE WAS AN ECONOMIC NEED FOR THE CITY.
AND WE WERE NOT QUITE ON THE MAP IN THE SAME WAY THAT WE ARE TODAY IN TERMS OF A DESTINATION.
[02:00:01]
DISCUSSION BEHIND THAT WHOLE EFFORT HAD TO DO WITH GETTING ON THE MAP.IT HAD TO DO WITH BRINGING IN VISITORS.
AND THAT WAS NOT, MARKETING WASN'T A DIRTY WORD.
THE KIND OF PUSHBACK THAT THESE POOR INDIVIDUALS AND YOU ALL TOO HAVE GOTTEN IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS FROM THE RESIDENTS DIDN'T, IT DIDN'T EXIST THEN.
AT LEAST NOWHERE NEAR TO THIS EXTENT OR EXTREME.
AND WHILE YOUR ORGANIZATION AS A DESTINATION MANAGE, UH, MARKETING ORGANIZATION AND YEAH, ONLY 200 AND SOME ODD IN THE WORLD, YOUR EXPERTISE, THERE IS NO QUESTION LIES IN BRANDING AND MARKETING IN SALES AND, AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE TRADITIONAL DESTINATION MARKETING ACTIVITIES.
AND YOUR SUCCESS FROM 2014 IN DOING THAT JUST SPEAKS FOR ITSELF, RIGHT? LIKE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENED.
WE ARE ON THE MAP AND, AND THERE IS A LOT OF VISITATION AND COVID ARE NOT THAT MARKETING, THOSE MARKETING EFFORTS WERE SUCCESSFUL OVER TIME.
BUT I THINK WHAT WE NEED NOW, SO IT WAS EASY TO SAY, HERE'S THE GOAL, WE WANT MORE VISITORS, GO MARK IT AND, AND NOT HAVE NOT TRY TO MICROMANAGE THAT WHATSOEVER BECAUSE YOU ARE THE EXPERT AND WE WANT THE GOAL.
UM, BUT THAT'S CHANGED SINCE THEN.
AND IN THE LAST FEW YEARS THERE'S A DIFFERENT GOAL.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION OR OUR ORGANIZATION ACTUALLY KNOWS HOW TO GET TO THE NEW GOAL.
NOW, THE LAST SIX MONTHS AND WHAT'S BEEN EXPERIENCED, WE'VE SEEN THE SLOWDOWN AND, AND THE ECONOMY, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW IS THE QUESTION.
SO THE, THE CONVERSATION ABOUT BRANDING AND MARKETING ASIDE, HOLISTICALLY, THERE IS A NEED TO MORPH INTO, INTO MORE DESTINATION MANAGEMENT.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT BECAUSE THIS IS SORT OF NEW IN YOUR INDUSTRY AS WELL, THAT THE CHAMBER IS THE RIGHT ENTITY TO DO ALL OF THE MANAGEMENT, RIGHT? WE SAW THIS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
CHAMBER TAKES ON TRASH TRAIL HAS BEEN TOILETS.
WHAT? UM, AND, AND WE DECIDED LAST YEAR, OKAY, WELL THAT WAS A REASON TO, TO PASS MONEY THROUGH AND NOT HAVE YOUR ENTIRE BUDGET DE DEPLETED.
BUT THERE WERE CERTAIN THINGS THAT ARE BETTER SUITED FOR THE CITY TO DO.
WE MANAGE TOURISM A LOT,
SO I THINK THERE'S LONGER TERM SORT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ROLES, BUT THE SHORTER TERM SOLUTION OR RECOMMENDATIONS, CUZ THERE'S CONS TO EVERY OPTION IS PROBABLY FEE FOR SERVICE TO REALLY TRY TO FIGURE OUT ARE YOU THE RIGHT ENTITY TO TAKE ON TOURISM MANAGEMENT AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT TOURISM MANAGEMENT, BUT WE KNOW WE'RE DOING THINGS LIKE TRANS TRAFFIC MITIGATION, TRANSIT, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU NAME IT, TRASH TRAIL HAS TOILETS AND FURTHER SUPPORTING THE, THE, THE FOREST AND OHB MITIGATION AND ALL THE THINGS WE'RE TRYING TO DO TOO.
MAYBE THOSE THINGS ARE BETTER SUITED FOR US, AND YOU SHOULD FOCUS ON THE THINGS THAT YOU DO EXCEEDINGLY WELL, WHICH IS BRANDING AND MARKETING AND SALES.
AND, AND TO THE EXTENT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE DEEMS THOSE HIGH PRIORITIES, THEN THOSE ARE PART OF THE FEE FOR SERVICE THAT WE ENGAGE IN MOVING FORWARD.
SO THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THAT'S THE SORT OF END OF THE CONVERSATION, BUT IT FEELS LIKE A LOGICAL INTERIM STEP TO ME UNTIL WE GET SOME OF THIS SORT OF NEWNESS FIGURED OUT.
WELL FIRST, BEFORE BRIAN GOES, DID ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE CAMERA AT ALL? BRIAN, YOU THANK YOU.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, PE PUT OUT A GOOD STRONGER ON THERE AND, AND I WOULD TAKE A MOVE UPSTREAM FURTHER TO SAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE A VISION AND WE DO NOT HAVE A COLLECTIVE VISION OR ANY GUIDING PRINCIPLES ABOUT WHAT A SUCCESSFUL ECONOMY
[02:05:01]
OR A SUCCESSFUL TOURISM ECONOMY LOOKS LIKE.AND PART OF THAT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE INACCURATE DATA, INCOMPLETE DATA, CONFLICTING DATA, NO DATA.
I MEAN, THE PROBLEMS ARE PERVASIVE.
AND SINGULARLY, IT JUST, IT IS WHAT IT IS.
AND THE, AND THE TOURISM MARKET HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY.
YOU ALL KNOW THERE'S MORE ROOMS NOW AVAILABLE AS SHORT TERM RENTALS THAN THERE ARE AS TRADITIONAL LODGING.
LIKE EVERYTHING'S CHANGED AND THERE IS NO VISION THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING TO THE CHAMBER.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THE SECOND PART WHERE YOU'RE LIKE LAYING OUT, YOU KNOW, HOW WE'RE DOING ON KPIS AND THINGS, AND IT'S LIKE, WHAT ARE THOSE EVEN GIVE US, WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO HANDLE WITH THOSE THINGS? WE HAVE NO IDEA AND WE GIVEN YOU NO GUYS, YOU KNOW, SO WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT DOES A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM ECONOMY LOOK LIKE? THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT WHAT WE WAS TALKING ABOUT, THE BALANCE, THE TRADE OFF THAT'S THERE.
THE FACT THAT LONNIE, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, HEY, BUSINESSES ARE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE COMMUNITY, JUST LIKE RESIDENTS, RIGHT? SO WE'VE GOT THE START WITH FIGURING OUT, AND IT TAKES METRICS, TAKES NUMBERS, DATA THAT WE DON'T HAVE TODAY THAT WE'VE GOTTA BE ABLE TO ASSEMBLE AND THEN TRY TO BUILD SOME SENSE OF A MODEL OF THIS IS WHAT A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY CAN LOOK LIKE.
AND THEN YOU CAN SAY, ALL RIGHT, WELL WHAT, WHAT RESOURCES DO WE NEED TO SUPPORT THAT? YOU KNOW, WHAT TYPE OF AN ORGANIZATION, WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE, HOW MUCH MONEY, WHAT STRATEGIES, WHAT TACTICS? WE'RE NOT READY TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
AND, AND IT'S NOT JUST GOING BACK TO SOMETHING FROM FIVE YEARS AGO BECAUSE FIVE YEARS AGO HOW MANY STR ROOMS WERE THERE IN SEDONA? THINGS HAVE CHANGED DRAMATICALLY AND WE ARE NOT EQUIPPED RIGHT NOW TO GET YOU DIRECTION.
AND AGAIN, I FEEL LIKE I'M KIND OF JUMPING INTO THE, THE SECOND PART HERE.
BUT I THINK FUNDAMENTALLY I AGREE WITH PETE SAYING THAT WHOEVER WE'RE PARTNERING WITH AS THE PRIMARY PARTNER THAT HELPS MARKET AND MANAGE, UM, IT'S GOTTA BE SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY SEES AS INDEPENDENT AND WITHOUT ANY CONFLICT OF INTEREST BETWEEN ITSELF IN A TRADITIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
SO THE NOTION OF KIND OF CONTINUING ON WITH YOU GUYS AS A, YOU KNOW, COMBINED TWO DIVISIONS, ONE BOARD THING, I, I THINK THAT'S HARD TO, TO LIVE WITH AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S GONNA BE ACCEPTED WELL BY THE COMMUNITY AND I'M WILLING TO GO AGAINST, BUT MAYBE WHAT THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMUNITY MIGHT SAY, IF THAT'S WHAT I REALLY BELIEVE IS THE RIGHT ANSWER.
BUT I BELIEVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY WE NEED THAT SEPARATION SO THAT THERE IS UNEQUIVOCALLY NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST BETWEEN THE TRADITIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND VISITORS BUREAU ACTIVITY.
ANYBODY ELSE ON, ON OUR SIDE? DOES ANYBODY ELSE? I, UM, I THINK PETE AND CARE HAVE IDENTIFIED FOR ME WHERE CAREFULLY AND COHERENTLY LAID OUT THE ISSUE, WHICH IS SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IS, IS REALLY NEW.
I DON'T KNOW REALLY WHAT IT IS.
I, I ASK YOU, MICHELLE, DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS? I EXPECT THAT THE TOURISM OF THE, THE, UH, INDUSTRY ITSELF DOES REALLY, THEY WANT TO DO IT.
THEY EMBRACE IT CUZ EVERYBODY WANTS IT.
BUT I DON'T THINK YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS EITHER.
UM, IS THERE A, A STANDARD OF THAT? UM, BECAUSE I THINK THE QUESTION IS TO WHETHER YOU ARE THE ENTITY THAT CAN ACTUALLY DO THAT IS, IS, IS, IS A GOOD ONE.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE CORE OF THE PROBLEM.
UM, WHAT KAREN SUGGESTS IS THAT THE CITY DO IT, TAKE OVER THAT PORTION OF IT, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS EITHER.
I'M ASSUMING THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY BECOME PART OF SOMEBODY'S JOB TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT IS AND TO SORT OF MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
HOW CONFIDENT ARE YOU? EXCUSE ME.
AND I THINK THAT IS THE, THE, THE CRUX OF THE PROBLEM.
UM, AT LEAST IT IS FOR ME NEW THINGS ARE HAPPENING AND THE OLD PARADIGM ISN'T REALLY GOING TO WORK THE WAY IT'S BEEN DONE.
BUT WE REALLY HAVE NOT GIVEN ANY DIRECTION.
UM, AND YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW.
YOU CAN'T COME BACK TO US AND SAY, WELL, TO HAVE THIS REALLY WORK, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING.
[02:10:01]
NO ONE KNOWS AT THIS POINT.IT'S EVERYBODY'S TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT.
UM, SO THE QUESTION FOR ME IS I TEND TO THINK SPLITTING UP INTELLECTUALLY WORKS BEST.
I THINK IT IS EXTRAORDINARILY DIFFICULT, EXPENSIVE TIMES AND WON'T HAPPEN ANYTIME SOON.
UM, I MEAN, IT COULD START, THE PROCESS COULD START TOWARD DOING IT.
UM, AND I, I GUESS I'M LISTED.
I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR, UH, YOUR REACTION TO THAT, YOU AND JENNIFER'S REACTION TO, TO THAT, TO WHAT PETE SAID, LET'S COUNCIL AND THEN I'D LIKE TO ASK MY BOARD VICE MAYOR.
SO AT THE END OF, I'LL CALL IT THE END OF LAST YEAR, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR CAUSE REDIRECTED THE CHAMBERS SPLIT.
THAT WAS THE DIRECTION WE GAVE.
NOW WE'RE IN JANUARY AND I KNOW THEY'VE WORKED REALLY HARD AND THEY'VE STRUGGLED ON HOW TO DO THIS.
SO THE IDEA FOR AN INTERIM STEP WAS TO DO THE SPEAKER SERVICES CONTRACT.
PERSONALLY, I THINK SEPARATION IS THE RIGHT ANSWER.
I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS THE RIGHT ANSWER.
THAT'S WHY WE DIRECTED THE CHAMBER, UH, TO SEPARATE I AGAIN, WHAT SEPARATION MEANS IS IN THE EYES OF THE HOLDER.
CUZ FOR ME, I GUESS, CAUSE I KNOW THE LAW, I KNEW IT HAD TO BE TWO SEPARATE ENTITIES.
I WAS SURPRISED NEWS TO YOU GUYS.
BUT I CAN UNDERSTAND DUE DILIGENCE, CONTINUE TO DO OUR RESEARCH.
SO HERE WE ARE NOW, SIX MONTHS LATER AND I DON'T THINK WE CAN CONTINUE THE WAY WE ARE.
AND SO WHAT, SO MY QUESTION COMES, WHAT DO WE DO? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, IN THREE MONTHS OR LESS, THE CHAMBER HAS TO COME BACK TO US WITH THEIR BUDGET.
THEY NEED TO KNOW WHAT PROGRAMS WE WANT THEM TO DO FOR NEXT YEAR AND, AND LET'S STRUCTURE OF THE CONTRACT.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE A CONTRACT THAT'S COMPLETELY OUT OF ALIGNMENT WITH THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE.
AND WE DIDN'T, AND WE TRIED TO CHANGE IT, BUT WE THOUGHT, WELL, IF IT'S GONNA BE THIS MAJOR SHIFT, WHY GO DOWN THAT PATH? LET'S JUST WAIT AND THEN WE'LL REDO THE CONTRACT.
BUT NOW I, I'M JUST WORRIED THAT GETTING TO A POINT WHERE WE CAN'T IMPLEMENT ANYTHING FOR F BY 24 AND I'M, CAN WE GET ANYTHING DONE FOR F BY 25? AND I JUST THINK IT'S TOO LONG.
SO I THINK WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH MAYBE A ROADMAP FOR STEP ONE, STEP TWO, THREE, HOW DO WE GET THERE ULTIMATELY, RIGHT.
WITH, WITH, WITH, UH, WITH PHASES.
BECAUSE OUR RELATIONSHIP NEEDS TO IMPROVE.
AND WE'RE SPENDING ALL THIS TIME, THIS IS LIKE THE MEETING WE HAD A FEW MONTHS AGO.
IT'S LIKE THE MEETING WE HAD LAST YEAR.
WE'VE HAD THESE MEETINGS OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND WE HAVEN'T REALLY MOVED.
AND IN THE MEANTIME, LIKE THE MAYOR SAID, THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT OUR COMMUNITY AND, AND BEING RESPONSIVE.
SO THAT WAS THE, THE ATTEMPT TO GET THERE IN PHASES WAS WHERE I WAS GOING.
BUT, UH, MAYBE YOU COULD RESPOND.
CAUSE WE, WE HAVE TO LEAVE HERE IN SOME DIRECTION.
I MEAN, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T JUST TAKE IT AGAIN.
AND LEMME JUST END BEFORE WE GO CAST KINSELLA.
UM, EITHER WHICH WAY, WHICH WAY WE GO.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF COUNCIL FURMAN'S IDEA IS THE RIGHT WAY BECAUSE HE'S NOT.
WHY HE'S SAYING IT'S A NEW WAY OF TOURISM.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
SO, AND I NEED TO KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE BEFORE I CAN SUPPORT THAT, THAT WHAT YOU CONSIDER.
I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE HERE TODAY WITH SOME KIND OF AN IDEA SO THAT THIS BOARD CAN KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING SOME ADVERTISING OF SOME SORT IN SOME WAY TO SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE GONNA BE STRUGGLING MAYBE MOVING FORWARD.
SO AT LEAST THIS CURRENT PORTION OF TIME, AT LEAST WE'LL HAVE A SET AND THE VICE PAYER SAYS HAVE IN, IN STAGES.
WELL, OKAY, I WANT AT LEAST LOOK AT THAT FIRST STAGE.
AND IF IT MEANS DO THE FEE FOR SERVICE FOR NOW, AND THEN WE CONT CONTINUE AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH OTHER IDEAS.
IF THERE IS A WAY, WHETHER IT MEANS SEPARATING WHATEVER IT IS.
IF WE KEEP GOING, LIKE WE'RE GOING NOW, WE'RE GONNA BE MISSING THE TOURIST SEASON FOR THE, THE DEAD, DEAD TIME, THE TOURIST SEASON, WE SHOULD BE FINE.
IT'S THE, THE DOWNTIME THAT LANIO ALWAYS TALKS ABOUT.
I WANT TO FILL THAT, THAT, THAT LOW POINT.
AND WE NEED TO DO THAT SO THAT
[02:15:01]
LIKE THE NEXT TIME THAT THEY COME TO US FOR LOOKING AT, UH, MARKETING, THEY'LL KNOW WE'RE GONNA BE MARKETING.AT LEAST I'M LOOKING TO MARKET.
I DON'T KNOW AT THE REST OF YOU, I'D LIKE US TO STAY AWAY FROM THE MARKETING.
WELL, AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT.
I'M JUST SAYING WE'RE DOWN THAT ROAD.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I'M JUST SAYING WE NEED TO GIVE THEM SOME IDEA.
I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK MORE TOWARDS THE FEE FOR SERVICE TO START.
UH, THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE I'M AT.
UM, SO I THINK KAREN MADE THE VERY, THE VERY CLEAR POINT THAT WE ARE MANAGING THE CITY IS THE ONE THAT IS MANAGING THE, AT THE MOMENT, COMING UP WITH THE IDEAS FOR TRANSIT AND IDENTIFYING, YOU KNOW, THE ROLES THAT WE'VE GIVEN TO THE CHAMBER AND ASKED YOU TO FULFILL FOR US IN TERMS OF DISBURSEMENT AND MARKETING THAT MESSAGE AND VIDEOS AND WHATEVER, ALL OF THAT.
UM, BUT WE'VE BEEN DOING IT WITHOUT THE EXPERTISE THAT COUNCIL WILLIAMS HAD IDENTIFIED THAT WE NEED.
UM, AND THEN WE KNEW WE NEEDED IT.
WE KNEW THE FIRST STEP BEFORE WE BOUGHT A BUS OR BEFORE WE BROKE GROUND ON A PARKING LOT, WAS TO GET THE PERSON IN PLACE, A TRANSIT MANAGER TO GIVE US THE GUIDANCE AND THE DIRECTION.
SO NUMBER ONE, I I DO THINK THAT, UM, THERE NEEDS TO BE A CLEARER SEPARATION.
I I, I DO THINK THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
I THINK SOME OF THIS HAS TO COME IN HOUSE TO SEDONA.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HIRE SOMEBODY, BUT I DO SEE THAT AS SOMETHING THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE ACCOMPLISHED IN FISCAL YEAR 25, WHICH WE'RE ABOUT TO EMBARK, RIGHT? 24, SORRY, 24, WHICH WE'RE ABOUT 25.
UM, I THINK THE INTERIM STEP TOWARD THAT IS FEE FOR SERVICE.
BECAUSE NUMBER ONE, I THINK IT HELPS IDENTIFY THE SPECIFIC THINGS TO, FOR US TO KNOW WHERE WE NEED THE HELP.
YOU KNOW, UNLESS WE START GIVING IT THAT THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT ARE THE ITEMS THAT WE WANT? AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF, AGAIN, ALL OF THESE FEFA SERVICE DEPOSED GRANITE, UH, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE, ALL THESE PHRASES TRIGGER THINGS FOR SOMEBODY.
RFP IS ANOTHER TRIGGER TERM BECAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, A TERM OF ART IN SOME WAYS.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THERE'S NOT A WIDE VARIETY OF HOW TO STRUCTURE RFPS.
BUT I THINK IF WE HAD SOMEBODY IN-HOUSE THAT WAS HELPING US, HELPING ANSWERING TO KAREN, UNDERSTANDING OUR OVERALL GUIDANCE AND MESSAGE, WHICH SHE TRANSLATES TO STAFF ON COUNCIL'S BEHALF, BUT THEY'RE EXPERT THERE.
KAREN DOESN'T TURN AROUND TO ROBERT AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS MY NUTHA.
HE COMES BACK AND SAYS, HERE ARE YOUR OPTIONS.
I THINK WE NEED THAT SAME KIND OF GUIDANCE.
SO I THINK THE FEE FOR SERVICE WILL HELP US IDENTIFY THE THINGS ON WHICH WE EVEN NEED THE GUIDANCE.
SO I'M SUPPORTIVE OF GOING FOR FEE FOR SERVICE FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
AS WE FURTHER WORK TOWARD THIS, I WOULD LIKE US TO HAVE, AND WE'LL HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THIS AT OUR RETREAT, UM, WHICH I DO THINK IS WE HAVE SOME AGENDAS TIME, BUT NOT A LOT.
THAT'S WHY THIS IS TODAY AND NOT IN THE RETREAT.
I DON'T WANNA GET BOGGED DOWN IN THAT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF ITEMS, HOUSING, UH, SIM, UM, HOMELESSNESS, A LOT OF THINGS WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
BUT I DO THINK THAT WE, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT IN THE TIME THAT WE HAVE NEXT WEEK ABOUT WHAT THE IN-HOUSE PART NEEDS TO LOOK LIKE.
BUT I DON'T SEE US GETTING OUT OF THIS WITHOUT SOME SORT OF IN-HOUSE RESPONSIBILITY AND GUIDANCE AT THIS POINT.
BUT AGAIN, FEE FOR SERVICE, I THINK IT'S A TOOL TO HELP US.
MAYOR, IF I COULD JUST ADD THAT, I JUST WANNA PROVIDE A CLARIFICATION BECAUSE WHILE I DO BELIEVE AS A CITY WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO DO SIGNIFICANT MANAGEMENT, WHEN IT COMES TO ALL THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH HAPPEN TO BE A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THOSE ARE VISITORS.
UM, I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT THE CHAMBER AND TOURISM BUREAU DOESN'T HAVE A ROLE IN MANAGEMENT BECAUSE EVEN THE DISBURSEMENT EFFORTS, THERE ARE NUMEROUS THINGS YOU ALL HAVE DONE OVER THE YEARS TO, TO MANAGE DESTINATION AND VISITOR EXPERIENCE.
SO I'M JUST SUGGESTING THAT I THINK THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT THE CITY, IT'S IN OUR WHEELHOUSE AND THERE ARE CERTAIN, CERTAIN THINGS IN YOUR WHEELHOUSE AND WE HAVEN'T QUITE FIGURED OUT EXACTLY IN A, IN A NEW ENVIRONMENT WITH NEW NEEDS, WHAT ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE AND WHAT ROLE YOU PLAY AND WHAT ROLE WE PLAY.
NO, I WANNA GO BACK AND TRY AND AND CLARIFY YOUR REMIND PLEASE.
SO, CAUSE MY CUSTODY, SORRY, I AM SPEAKING
[02:20:01]
WORK HARDER AT WORK HARD.SO, UM, JUST AS A POINT OF CLARIFICATION FOR MYSELF, BASED ON WHAT EVERYONE HAS SAID, IT SOUNDS TO ME AS IF ONE OF THE THINGS IS WHAT IS DESTINATION MANAGEMENT? WHAT ARE GOING TO BE THE ROLES THE CITY NEEDS TO PLAY AND WHAT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES AS WELL FOR THE CITY IN THAT? AND THEN SOME EXTERNAL ORGANIZATION THAT IS DOING THE OTHER BITS OF THAT DESTINATION MANAGEMENT, WHICH MAY INCLUDE MARKETING AND WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE.
BUT I BELIEVE WHAT I'M HEARING PEOPLE ASKING FOR IS WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, THIS IS, WE WILL HAVE A SEPARATE DESTINATION MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION THAT IS NOT THE CHAMBER.
THAT THERE WILL BE A SEPARATION OF RESPONSIBILITIES AND THERE WILL BE A SEPARATION OF ACCOUNTABILITIES, RIGHT? SO THAT IS BASICALLY TAKING WHAT WE HAVE TODAY AS CHAMBER OF TOURISM BOARD AND, UM, SAYING, YOU GUYS HAVE TO GET A DIVORCE AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SPLIT YOUR ASSETS AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW THIS ALL WORKS.
AND IT'S EXTREMELY COMPLICATED.
AND I GET THAT LOOKING AT YOUR CHART.
SO NON-TRIVIAL, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO TRIVIALIZE IT, I'M JUST SAYING I BELIEVE THAT IS WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE OUR DESTINATION MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION THAT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO HAVE A DIVORCE FROM THE CHAMBER.
IF I'M INCORRECT, PLEASE SEND IT ON.
I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A CLARIFICATION.
CAUSE THE DMO HAS A LOT OF, SOMETIMES IT'S MARKETING AND SOMETIMES IT'S MANAGEMENT.
AND WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT HOW TO BEST UTILIZE THE TALENTS AND RESOURCES AT THE TABLE TO BOTH MARKET THE DESTINATION AND MANAGE THE DESTINATION.
SO I THINK I'M NOT COMPLETELY CLEAR THAT IT'S GOING TO BE THE FUTURE ROLE OF THE TOURISM BUREAU.
SHALL WE SAY THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE IN CHARGE OF MANAGEMENT IF THAT IS A BIG ROLE OF THE CITY.
UM, I DO AGREE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO IDENTIFY WHERE WE CAN BE OF BEST SERVICE AND COMMUNICATION IS WHAT WE DO.
AND WE LOVE PROMOTING THE, THE SHUTTLE SERVICE AND THE NEW TRANSPORTATION EFFORTS THAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF WAYS THAT WE WORK REALLY WELL TOGETHER.
UM, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT, NOT BLURRING THOSE WORDS BETWEEN THE MANAGEMENT AND THE MARKETING AND THE DMO.
INSTEAD OF JUST THAT D O WELL, YOU WERE REFERRING TO IT AS THE DESTINATION MANAGEMENT.
I SAID THERE'S DESTINATION MANAGEMENT, THERE IS MARKETING.
I DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THE MARKETING PIECES.
AND THAT'S WHY I THINK I'M HEARING WE WANT A SEPARATION BETWEEN THE TWO BECAUSE THERE, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE POTENTIALLY BETWEEN MARKETING SEDONA AND MARKETING A BUSINESS.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO YOU'RE, I'D LIKE TO SORT OF JUMP IN A LITTLE BIT HERE AND LAND.
UM, I'D LOVE TO SAY WE, WE'VE NOW TALKED ABOUT, A FEW OF US TALKED ABOUT ROADMAP, BUT I DO THINK, UM, MELISSA, YOU WERE TRYING TO DEFINE WHAT THAT END STATE IS PRETTY WELL.
AND THIS IS A FIVE STEP PROCESS, WHATEVER IT IS GONNA BE.
AND TODAY, I THINK WE TRY TO DEFINE WHAT THAT END STATE IS AND, AND WHAT WHAT THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR'S STATE IS.
AND WE'RE GONNA LEAVE THE MIDDLE STUFF BLURRY.
UM, BUT I CAUTION US ALL TO MAKE, SO WHEN I TALKED ABOUT IDEAS AND MODELS, DES TO ME, DESTINATION MANAGEMENT INCLUDES MARKETING BECAUSE I DON'T THINK, MY BIG CAUTION HERE IS WE DON'T SEPARATE SALES MARKETING FROM DELIVERY.
I'VE SEEN THAT IN ORGANIZATIONS SELL, SELL, SELL, SELL, SELL.
WE GOTTA PICK UP, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HOLDING THE BAG OVER HERE.
IT'S GOTTA BE, IT HAS TO BE TOGETHER.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE COMMON GOALS AND UNDERSTANDING.
DON'T, DON'T SET THIS UP THAT WAY.
AND SO KAREN, RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH SOME OF YOUR VIEWPOINTS ABOUT HOW BEST IT IS TO DONE.
I DON'T THINK IT'S CITY BEST TO DO MOST OF THIS STUFF.
WE HAVE OUR PLATES FULL LOOKING AT HOUSING AND TRANSIT AND SHORT TERM RENTALS AND WHICH IS ALL PART OF DESTINATION MANAGEMENT WAS MY POINT.
AND SOME OF IT ISN'T DESTINATION MANAGEMENT, SOME OF IT'S RESIDENT MANAGEMENT AND SOME OF IT'S
[02:25:01]
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.I MEAN, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THINGS, BUT FOR THOSE PIECES THAT ARE REALLY ABOUT TOURISM AND OUR ECONOMY AND THE EFFECTS THEREOF, THOSE HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW, IN THE SAME SHOP, THE LEADERS HAVE TO BE IN THE SAME SHOP HERE.
IF WE'RE GONNA JUST OUTSOURCE SALES AND MARKETING, THAT'S, I WONDER WE CAN MOVE FORWARD IF WE COULD HEAR FROM THE CHAIN AND THEN I'D LIKE TO MOVE ON.
I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO MY BOARD MEMBERS.
I'D JUST LIKE TO FIND A LITTLE BIT OF EDUCATION HERE.
THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE STARTED IN 1949 AS A SEDONA OAK CREEK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AND IT EVOLVED TO BECOME JUST A SEDONA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AND SOMETIME AROUND 19, UH, 99, 2000, THIS EVOLUTION OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY BECOMING MORE FOCUSED ON, ON, ON MARKETING AND SPECIALTY SERVICES, THE DMO WAS CREATED AND IT WAS THE DMO MEANT DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION AT THE TIME BECAUSE THE STATE OF YOUR MARKETING WAS THE CORE ENTITY OR, UH, EFFORT TO PUT TOURISM DOLLARS INTO A CITY OR A TOWN OR, OR A DESTINATION.
AND I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE CHAMBER IN THE CITY ONE WAY OR THE OTHER FOR 20 YEARS.
AND I'VE NOTICED THAT THE DMO ALL OF A SUDDEN BECAME DM O DESTINATION MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION.
AND IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO GET CAUGHT UP TO HERE BECAUSE THE, THE MANAGEMENT SIDE OF TOURISM WAS EVOLVING SOLELY AND BECOMING MORE AND MORE IMPORTANT.
LAKELAND HAS BECOME T DMO AND IT'S JUST MANAGEMENT BECAUSE MARKETING IS PART OF MANAGEMENT.
MANAGEMENT HAS BECOME THE OVERALL MISSION.
AND YOU GO ONLINE AND GOOGLE THIS AND YOU'LL SEE IN OTHER TOURISM COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE PROBLEMS WITH SHORT TERM RENTAL OR OVERCROWDING AND TRAILHEADS AND WHATEVER, THEY'RE ALL TRYING TO GET A HANDLE ON THE SAME PROBLEM.
AND THEY'RE USING MANAGEMENT TOOLS TO TRY TO DO IT.
UM, AND SO WE'RE REALLY ON THE SAME PATH, BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY THINKING ABOUT DEVELOPING NEW BUSINESS MODELS THAT ACTUALLY ALREADY EXIST OUT THERE.
THERE ARE, THE WAY WE'RE SHOT OFF AND STRUCTURED WITH THE DMO AND THE CHAMBER OF CONGRESS IS ONE ENTITY IS NOT ALL THAT UNCOMMON.
NOW THERE ARE THOSE THAT ARE SPLIT, AS YOU SAID, TWO SEPARATE ORGANIZATIONS.
THEY TEND TO BE MUCH HARDER WITH COMMUNITIES THAN WHAT WE ARE.
BUT, UM, UH, THE CITIES THAT GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND THEY EMBRACE THE DMO, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A CERTIFIED ONE THAT HAS THE SKILLSETS AND THE BACKGROUND AND THE RELATIONSHIPS.
THEY, UH, UH, THEY HAVE THIS MODEL THAT THEY'RE FOLLOWING IN ORDER TO MANAGE THE TOURISM INDUSTRY AND MARKET BECAUSE THEY WANT THEIR SHARE OF THE GOLD.
UM, UH, THEY HAVE TO FIND MONEY TO PAY FOR IT.
WHAT DID THEY DO? THEY HAVE A, A FED TAX AND THEY GET THE MONEY FROM THE TOURIST TO PAY FOR THE DMO.
AND THAT'S WHY WHEN WE'RE NOT DOING IT THIS YEAR, BUT IN THE PAST WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE BED TAX THAT WAS COLLECTED WAS GOING TO THE DMO, YOU KNOW, AND UH, UM, IN SOME COMMUNITIES IT MIGHT BE 50%, SOME MIGHT BE 80%.
BUT THE POINT IS THAT BED TAX WAS SEEN NOT AS PUBLIC FUNDS.
THEY WERE SEEN AS ALMOST A PASSTHROUGH OF MONEY FROM THE TOURISTS INTO THE INDUSTRY TO HELP MANAGE AND PROMOTE THE REVENUE STREAM THAT CREATED THE ECONOMY THAT WE ALL AS RESIDENTS WANT TO HAVE.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO BE REAL CAREFUL THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIX SOMETHING THAT'S NOT BROKEN.
AND THEN THE ACT OF TRYING TO FIX IT, WE BREAK IT.
AND IN MY MIND WE HAVE A THREE AND A HALF PERCENT FED TAX.
HALF PERCENT OF IT WAS CREATED BY THE INDUSTRY, THEIR INITIATIVE.
AND WE SHOULD NOT SEE THAT AS PUBLIC FUNDS.
WE SHOULD LOOK AT THAT HALF PERCENT AS SPECIALIZED MONEY FOR THE PURPOSE OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT.
AND YOU THINK YOU NEED TO DO MARKETING, USE SOME OF THOSE FUNDS FOR MARKETING, BUT YOU SHOULD NOT, IN MY MIND, WE SHOULDN'T BE LOOKING AT THIS.
ALL THESE FUNDS THAT ARE COMING INTO THE CITY'S CRAWS AS CITY MONEY, LIKE A PROPERTY TAX WOULD'VE BEEN, OR EVEN BASIC SALES TAX.
ANYWAY, THAT'S COME ONE THING TO THAT JUST ABOUT YOU SAID DON'T SEE THE TAXES, PUBLIC FUNDS.
IT'S A TAX BY DEFINITION ONCE IT GETS INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT IS PUBLIC FUNDS.
BUT HOW IT GOT THERE, IT CAME FROM US TAXING THE TOURISTS FOR THE PURPOSE OF BENEFITING THE CITY'S MANAGEMENT NEEDS AND MAYBE MARKETING THE NO, I UNDERSTAND.
I JUST WANNA SAY WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE I KNOW,
[02:30:01]
I KNOW YOU'RE STUCK US LEVEL RESPONSIBILITY.LET'S NOT NO, AND I AGREE WITH YOU KEVIN.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE STUCK WITH DEFINITION AND IT IS THAT THREE AND A HALF PERCENT IS OUR PUBLIC FUNDS, BUT WE SHOULD SEGREGATE IN OUR MINDS THAT HALF PERCENT AND TREAT IT DIFFERENTLY.
EITHER THAT OR KILL IT AND NOT EVEN LET IT EXISTS.
AND LET'S THINK ABOUT YOU FUNDING YOUR MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES OUT OF YOUR 3% AND YOUR THREE AND HALF PERCENT SALES TAX AND WHAT OTHER FEES YOU COLLECT FROM WHATEVER.
SO ARE YOU GONNA LEAN TO THE MAYOR TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO MANAGE MEETING? WE TRYING TO GET, I DON'T THINK BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY MORE THAN HALFWAY THROUGH.
I DIDN'T WANT GET INTO A DEBATE.
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THE SPLITTING OF THE TWO EDITORS.
WAS THIS THE QUESTION ON THE TABLE? WELL, I THINK IT'S HERCULE AND TASK.
AND WHERE DO YOU FIND PEOPLE TO DO THAT? YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL.
UM, AND THIS IS A LITTLE BIRTH IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.
U S USA, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW THE VERDE VALLEY REPRESENTS 1% OF THE POPULATION OF THE, THE STATE OF ARIZONA.
WE'RE NOT ON ANY ANYBODY'S RADAR.
UM, SO TO ATTRACT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S, IT'S NOT BROKEN.
WE JUST NEED TO RETHINK THE WAY THAT WE ALLOCATE.
YEAH, THAT WAS JUST A QUESTION I WANTED TO KNOW.
BUT IF YOU WANT TO SPLIT IT, IT'S DOABLE.
ANYONE ELSE ON THE BOARD? YEAH, I'M THE ONLY ONE.
I THINK FROM ALL THE WHOLE HERE.
THEY DON'T HAVE ANY INTEREST IN TOURISM.
UH, CAN YOU SPEAK UP A LITTLE? I CAN'T REALLY HEAR YOU.
YOU MICROPHONE IN THE MIDDLE FLOOR THEN? NO, I'LL TALK LOUDER THEN.
I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TOURISM HERE.
SO LOOK AT MY PERSPECTIVE AS THE RESIDENCE.
CAUSE I'M THE RESIDENT OF SEONA AS WELL.
I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHEN I SEE THE PROBLEM, I MEAN EVERYTHING CAN GIVE THE SPLITTING QUESTION IS BECAUSE OF THE COMPLAINT OF THE RESIDENCE.
WE HAVE TOO MUCH REASON AND THE BUSINESS, NOT THE, I MEAN THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO THE BUSINESS.
IF WE'RE GOING TO SPLIT IT, HOW IT'S GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM THAT THE CITY RAISE.
WHETHER IT'S THE PROBLEM, HOW IT SOLVE IT, I MEAN, ASSUMING THAT WE ARE GOING TO SOLVE IT.
I MEAN YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD ANOTHER PERSON OUT IN THE CITY.
SO WE ARE GOING TO MAKE MORE TAXES TO PAY.
AND THE SPLIT WHAT, WHAT IT'LL BRING, HOW IT'LL BRING ANYTHING.
I MEAN AS SOON IN THE SPLIT AND YOU HAVE ANOTHER TWO BODY AND A PERSON IN THE CITY ARE THE CITIZEN OR THE RESIDENTS, SOMEBODY LIKE ME WILL BE MORE HAPPY.
UM, I PLANNING TO HAVE A BUSINESS HERE.
I CAME HERE AS AN ANNUAL TOURIST, STAYED RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET EVERY YEAR FOR 21 YEARS CUZ I LOVE THIS PLACE.
UM, CAME HERE TO, TO TRY TO IMPROVE OUR LEVEL OF HEALTHCARE AND THEN UP ON THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BOARD, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE SAID, WHY DO YOU, WHY ARE YOU GOING TO, WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE ON ON GETTING ON THAT BOARD? I SAID, WELL HERE'S THE DEAL.
TOURISM IS IS NEVER GONNA GO AWAY.
WHETHER WE SEPARATE THINGS OUT AND WE HAVE TWO SEPARATE BOARDS, TOURISM IS WHAT FUNDS THIS TOWN.
IT IS NEVER, EVER, EVER GONNA GO AWAY.
UM, OUR, YOU KNOW, TO TO TO BE KIND OF SCHIZOPHRENIC.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE BED TAX COMES FROM THE BEDS THAT GET FILLED BY ADVERTISING TO BRING PEOPLE HERE FOR TOURISM.
AND WHAT, HOWEVER YOU SPLIT IT, HOWEVER THAT MONEY COMES OUT.
IF WE HAD 12 MONTHS A YEAR OF THE EXACT SAME LEVEL OF TOURISM, WE WOULD NOT BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.
THE PROBLEM IS OUR BUSINESSES SUFFERED DURING THE COLD PART, LIKE RIGHT NOW AND IN THE HEAT OF THE SUMMER.
AND WITHOUT ADVERTISING TO BRING PEOPLE HERE DURING THOSE TIMES AND MAKING GREAT DEALS.
YOU KNOW, I, WE USED TO COME EVERY YEAR DURING PEAK SEASON AND APRIL AND I, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE TIMES WE CAME HERE IN JANUARY AND
[02:35:01]
IN THE SUMMER AND I THOUGHT, OH MY GOD, WHAT A DEAL IT IS TO GO TO SEDONA OFF SEASON.AND YOU KNOW, TO ADVERTISE FOR THOSE TIMES, IT HELPS OUR BUSINESSES, IT HELPS OUR TOWN.
YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOU DON'T LIKE TRAFFIC HERE IN SEDONA, LISTEN, HAVE MY OLD ROUTE THAT I USED TO DRIVE 18 MILES IN THE CENTER CITY, PHILADELPHIA.
AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE DRIVING THROUGH A TOWN WORRIED ABOUT GETTING CARJACKED AS OPPOSED TO LOOKING AT THE BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAINS AND SAYING, HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, I LIVE IN THE MOST GORGEOUS PLACE IN THE WORLD.
SO SEPARATING THESE THINGS OUT ISN'T, I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S GONNA SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
IT MIGHT LOOK GOOD ON PAPER, IT MIGHT PLAY WELL TO, UM, POLITICAL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT RUNNING FOR OFFICE SO NOBODY WORRY ABOUT YOUR SPOTS HERE CUZ IT MIGHT NOT PLAY WELL DURING A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.
OR IT MIGHT PLAY BETTER TO SAY, OH WELL THESE ARE COMPLETELY SEPARATE.
SO WHATEVER THE CHAMBER DOES, IF THE CHAMBER'S OUT THERE AND THEY'RE ADVERTISING FOR THESE BUSINESSES TO BRING PEOPLE IN HERE, WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THEM.
YOU'RE STILL GONNA BE IN CHARGE OF TOURISM.
YOU'RE STILL GONNA HAVE, I MEAN, THERE'S STILL GONNA BE SOMEBODY WHO IS MANAGING TOURISM.
AND SO IT'S SCHIZOPHRENIC TO THINK THAT SEPARATING THEM MAKES THE PROBLEM GO AWAY.
UM, I'M STILL IN SEDONA, EVEN THOUGH I DON'T WORK FOR NIH BECAUSE I CAME HERE WITH A DESIRE TO GROW OLD.
I SIT IN MY HOUSE AND I PINCH MY HUSBAND EVERY DAY.
AND I SAID, HOW IN GOD'S NAME DID WE GET THIS FORTUNATE TO LIVE IN A BEAUTIFUL TOWN LIKE THIS WHERE I WANNA RETIRE OR I WANT MY GRANDKIDS TO COME VISIT ME AND I WANT MY KIDS TO OWN MY HOUSE.
I DON'T WANT IT TO BE PART OF A RENTAL PROPERTY.
I WANT MY KIDS TO BE ABLE TO COME TO THE HOUSE THAT I LIVE IN RIGHT NOW WITH THEIR KIDS.
I HAVE AN ELEVATOR SO I CAN GROW FREAKING OLDEST THE HILL AND LIVE IN THAT PLACE.
BUT MY REASON FOR BEING PART OF THIS COMMUNITY NOW IS BECAUSE I WANNA BRING A HIGHER LEVEL OF HEALTHCARE TO US, WHICH WE NEED FOR TOURISM.
PEOPLE COME HERE, THEY HIKE, THEY GET INJURED, THEY HAVE TO HAVE AN ER.
AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT AN ER IN SEDONA FOR, FOR LOCALS.
IT'S AN ER TO PROVIDE A HIGH LEVEL OF QUALITY CARE FOR PEOPLE.
AND SO, HOWEVER WE HAVE TO DO THIS AND IT'S NOT GONNA BE PERFECT.
PEOPLE WOULD BE PISSED OFF PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE.
I AM A LOCAL RESIDENT, YOU KNOW, DO I NOT LIKE IT? IT WHEN I CAN'T GET A RESERVATION FOR DINNER? NO, I DON'T LIKE IT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANNA DO IS FIGURE HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE CREATE SOME HONEY FOR THE LOCALS TO GET THEM TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE WORKING HERE CAN GIVE SOMETHING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
PARTICULARLY DURING THE OFF SEASONS WHEN WE HAVE LOW SEASONS.
THAT'S THE TIME, YOU KNOW, I DON'T NEED TO GO OUT TO A RESTAURANT DURING PEAK SEASONS, BELIEVE ME, BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA WAIT.
I GOT A KITCHEN, I CAN COOK IN IT.
BUT THERE ARE, I THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME CREATIVE WAYS THAT WE CAN GO FORWARD LOOKING AT HOW THE CHAMBER CAN POTENTIALLY HAVE A POSITIVE, THE CHAMBER AND TOURISM BOARD HAVE A POSITIVE VIEW FROM THE, FROM OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE ALL BENEFIT FROM THE BUSINESSES, THE RESTAURANTS, ALL OF THE OTHER STUFF THAT'S HERE.
AND YOU KNOW, IF, IF, IF THE NEXT 25 YEARS OF MY LIFE ARE SUCCESSFUL, WE'RE GONNA HAVE BETTER HEALTHCARE HERE.
WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO, TO BE ABLE TO STAY TOURISM.
WE'RE NOT GONNA RUIN OUR TRAILS.
WE'RE NOT GONNA GET RUN OVER BY AN ATV.
CAUSE GOD FORBID, IF I DO, I'M GONNA HAVE A GREAT ER TO BE ABLE TO GO TO, TO BE TREATED AT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I I DON'T HAVE, I DON'T PERSONALLY HAVE, BUT I'M PLANNING ON OPENING A BUSINESS HERE.
I JUST, IF I COULD FIND A FRIGGING OFFICE THAT THAT IS GONNA ALLOW MEDICAL STUFF TO BE DONE IN IT, IT IS NOT THAT EASY TO, TO GO JUST GO FIND A PLANE TO OPEN UP A BUSINESS.
THAT'S REALLY A GREAT PERSPECTIVE AND WE SO APPRECIATE IT.
I THINK MICHELLE HAD A FEW THINGS YOU WANTED TO ADD SO THAT YEAH, I, I DO, I DO WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THE THEME MAP ACCREDITATION DOES INCLUDE DESTINATION MANAGEMENT, THE, WHEN YOU BECOME A CDME, A CERTIFIED DESTINATION MANAGEMENT AND MARKETING EXECUTIVE, WHICH IS A NATIONAL ACCREDITATION FOR INDIVIDUALS, WHICH I'M STARTING.
UM, THAT DOES INCLUDE DESTINATION MANAGEMENT AND IS A SHIFT IN MARKETING.
SO IT'S VERY, VERY, VERY SYNERGISTIC FOR A DMO TO DO BOTH.
I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT FROM AN INDUSTRY STANDPOINT, AND MICHELLE, I THINK ONE OF THE STRUGGLES THAT THE CITY HAS HAD IN TERMS OF, OF ACKNOWLEDGING IS, IS IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT MEANS BECAUSE THERE'S MANY, MANY, MANY THINGS THAT NEED TO BE MANAGED.
SOME ARE INFRASTRUCTURE, RIGHT? SOME ARE PROGRAMMATIC.
RIGHT? AND THAT'S WHERE WE HAVEN'T, WE STILL NEED TO, LIKE YOU CAN CLAIM TO BE A CERTIFIED MANAGEMENT TOURISM MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION, BUT DOING TRASH TRAILS AND TOILETS ISN'T REAL AND NOR DO YOU WANT TO CORRECT.
SO IT'S STILL THE ONGOING KIND OF FIGURING OUT NOW THAT WE'RE MOVING INTO THAT REALM, RIGHT, WHO DOES WHAT AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN AND WHAT, WHAT DOES THE RELATIONSHIP LOOK LIKE?
[02:40:01]
AND I AGREE.AND, AND WE, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN KNOW THAT TODAY.
PARTLY BECAUSE DESTINATION MANAGEMENT AGREED, AGREED ON, UM, I CAN'T RECALL WHO MENTIONED IT, BUT THAT IT'S A NEWER, IT'S A NEWER, UM, PRACTICE.
AND SO, BUT IT'S, AND SO IT, AND IT'S BROAD.
AND WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TO GULF THAT DOWN AS, AS A DMO WAS WHEN WE STARTED TO SUSTAIN THE SUSTAINMENT AL PLAN.
I MEAN, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE SAW AS A NEED.
WE KNEW THAT THE RUMBLINGS OF THE RESIDENTS AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE WAS CONCERNED AND, AND EVERYTHING WAS KIND OF REACHING A FAVORED PITCH.
THE ENVIRONMENT WE HAD TO CONSIDER.
NOW DOES THAT MEAN THAT WE OWN EVERYTHING IN THAT PLAN? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO ALL OF IT, BUT WE DO WANT TO HELP LEAD IT.
AND I SAY HELP BECAUSE I DO THINK IT'S A PART, IT WOULD BE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY.
CAUSE THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE.
UM, KATHY, I BELIEVE IT, MAYBE MELISSA, UM, I I CAME FROM THAT SIDE.
YOU MENTIONED ABOUT HAVING, BRINGING SOMEBODY AN EXPERT IN HOUSE.
I THINK YOU ALREADY, YOU ALREADY HAVE AN EXPERT.
SHE'S JUST NOT UNDERNEATH THE CITY ROOF.
SHE SITS OVER AT 45 SUNSET DRIVE.
YOU HAVE AN EXPERT IN TOURISM AND YOU'RE GETTING ALL OF THOSE SERVICES DEPENDS ON THE DOLLAR TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
AND SO YOU HAVE AN EXPERT THAT HER, HER DOOR'S OPEN AND LINES OPEN AS MUCH AS KAREN'S.
AND SO AGAIN, GOING TO WHAT, WHAT BRIAN SAID, THAT PARTNERSHIP AND, AND COMING TO THAT REALIZATION THAT THAT'S ALREADY THERE, THAT ALREADY EXISTS WITH, WITH MICHELLE, YOU HAVE THAT TOURISM EXPERT.
DO YOU HAVE THAT DMM O EXPERT ALREADY THERE? UM, NOT NEEDING, IN MY OPINION, TO BRING IT UNDERNEATH THE CITY, CITY ROOF.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF KAREN WANTS IT, IT'S NONE OF MY BUSINESS, UM, WHETHER SHE DOES OR NOT.
UM, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ROLLERCOASTER, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYBODY TRAVELS ON THE SLOW SEASON, THAT'S WHY IT'S SLOW SEASON.
BUT THE ONES THAT DO TRAVEL, AND WE DID PROGRAMS AND WE STARTED THE LIGHT, WE USED TO DO THE LIGHTS, BUT THOSE HAVEN'T BEEN HERE THAT LONG.
WE USED TO DO THE LIGHTS AT, AT, UM, AT UM, LOS ADOS FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF INCREASING, IF THAT IS NOT WHEN I WAS IN THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS AT THE HIGH, THE ORIGINAL HIGHWAY RESTAURANT.
AND LEMME TELL YOU, THAT WAS A, A HUGE IMPACT ON THAT, AUSTIN, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S PROGRAMS LIKE THAT THAT WE LOOK AT.
AND, AND AGAIN, YOU HAVE PROFESSIONALS SITTING HERE THAT WE KNOW WE DON'T NEED MARKETING AND ADVERTISING.
AND IN THOSE EIGHT STATIONS, WE'VE KNOWN THAT FOR YEARS.
YOU DIRECT US US NOT TO DO IT.
WE KNOW THAT WE, AND WE SPECIFICALLY LOOK FOR THOSE PROGRAMS. AND, AND MELISSA, I BELIEVE THAT YOU, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT GETTING PEOPLE HERE.
I I, AGAIN, FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES, I I LIKEN IT TO ARIZONA OFFICE TOURISM AS THEIR MARKETING.
THEIR SOLE PURPOSE IS TO GET PEOPLE TO THE STATE OF ARIZONA, THE CHAMBER, SEDONA CHAMBER COUNCIL, TOURISM BUREAU MARKETS TO GET THE PEOPLE TO SIT DOWN.
MY JOB AS THE MANAGER OF A ROY PIT HOTEL TO GET HIM TO COME TO THE ROYAL PIT HOTEL AS JESSE'S JOB IS TO GET HIM TO GO TO UPTOWN AND, AND EAT AT HIS RESTAURANTS AND SHOP AT HIS RESTAURANTS.
THAT'S HOW THAT UMBRELLA WORKS.
AND SO KNOWING THAT, I, I THINK IT'S BENEFICIAL HOW THAT STAGE, THAT TRADITIONAL THINGS GOING.
I THINK MICHELLE IS GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT THAT IF WE GET TO THAT POINT BEFORE THE END OF THE TIME.
SO A COUPLE POINTS THAT I, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT, YOU KNOW, KATHY, IF YOU HAVE AN EXPERT, I, I JUST LIKE TO JUMP IN.
WELL, WAS CALLED OUT BY NAME, SO I GIMME ONE SECOND PLEASE.
WE'RE NOT EVEN HALFWAY THROUGH THE PRESENTATION AND WE'RE MORE THAN HALFWAY THROUGH OUR TIMELINE.
AND WE STILL HAVE, IT'S BEEN PUBLIC TO GO TO.
AND I'M NOT DISPUTING THAT WE HAVE AN EXPERT IN THE AREA IN WHICH SHE IS EXPERT.
UM, BUT ALSO, BUT AGAIN, WHO THE PROBLEM IS THAT SHE'S ANSWERING TO THE CHAMBER AS WELL AS TO, YOU KNOW, THE CITY IS A CLIENT ON OUR NEEDS AS WELL AND THERE'S AN INHERENT CONFLICT THERE AGAIN BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO MANAGE SOME STUFF, WHEREAS WHEN THERE'S THE, THE CHAMBER STOCK OF THE ORGANIZATION IS SAYING THE ROLE IS TO INCREASE REVENUES FOR THE MEMBERS, RIGHT? THAT'S, THAT'S THE ROLE.
SO SOME OF IT IS IN CONFLICT, THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING BEFORE.
SO THAT'S WHY I THINK THE SEPARATION,
[02:45:01]
YOU KNOW, COMES IN HANDY.IT'S NOT THAT IT'S TO PUT UP A COMPETITION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S TO GET SOME CLEARER GUIDANCE SO THAT THERE CAN BE CLEAR WHERE THAT EXPERTISE IS BEST UTILIZED AND WHERE WE'RE BETTER GETTING SOME GUIDANCE IN ANOTHER DIRECTION.
SO WITH THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD ASKED THAT WE TRIED TO HAVE A BIT OF CLOSURE OR NEXT STEPS IN ALL OF THIS MEETING.
AND I KNOW THIS IS VERY INTERTWINED, BUT WE HAVE DONE THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY TO, TO VOICE THE CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM YOU PRESENT TO YOU SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO ACHIEVE CONSENSUS ON ALL OF THEM TODAY, BUT IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO COME UP WITH AGREED UPON NEXT STEPS ON THE NUMBER OF THEM FOR THE SHORT TERM SO THAT WE CAN COME BACK TO YOU WITH AN IDEA OF WHAT THIS RELATIONSHIP WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, HOW WE COULD BEST STRUCTURE IT WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS WOULD CHANGE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN EVOLVING LONG TERM PROCESS.
WOULD THAT BE BENEFICIAL? IT WOULD FOR ME.
SO MAYBE MICHELLE, YOU'D LIKE TO GO THROUGH THIS? YEAH, I THINK WE SHOULD JUST GO THROUGH THIS, THE NUMBERS THIS, UM, THAN I, YEAH, I MEAN NUMBER ONE, OPEN ALL THIS.
OH YOU, WELL I THINK YOU ALL AGREE TO THAT.
OPENING THE VISITOR CENTER TO THE I SEE.
SO WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
VISITOR CENTER IS OPEN TO ALL BUSINESSES.
TAX REVENUE THAT IS COLLECTED IS NOT BEING UTILIZED TO BENEFIT MEMBER BUSINESSES.
IS NOT BEING USED TO BENEFIT CHAMBER BUSINESSES ONLY EXCLUSIVELY, EXCLUSIVELY OPEN TO EVERYONE.
NUMBER TWO TURNS BUREAU MEMBERSHIP EXHAUST, WHICH REQUIRES SOME INTERNAL WORK.
WITH OUR ORGANIZATION, WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION TO JUST MOVE ANY CHAMBER, ANY MEMBERSHIP SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES AND ANYTHING ASSOCIATED TO THE CHAMBER SIDE.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S SOMETHING EVERYONE IS LOOKING SHORT TERM.
EVERYONE PLEASE LOOK AT IT IN THE CONTEXT THAT LIKE WE DID THIS LAST YEAR, YOU'RE GOING TO TELL US, WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTRACT WITH THE SEDONA, UM, TOURISM BUREAU, NOT THE CHAMBER TO WORK DO X, Y, AND Z FOR US.
PLEASE WILL COME UP WITH, UM, WHAT THE COST WOULD BE TO DO THAT.
AND I'D LIKE HOLLY'S SUGGESTION THAT WE COULD PROVIDE OPTIONS FOR YOU, UM, FOR SOLUTIONS TO THINK WE CAN TRY IT FOR A YEAR.
WE CAN SAY, BOY, THAT WAS GREAT, OR GEE THAT STUCK.
DOES THAT SOUND REASONABLE? SO THE AGREEMENT IS THAT IT'S GOING TO ACHIEVE AFFILIATION TO THE TOURISM, TOURISM TOURISM BUREAU FEE FOR SERVICE.
AT SOME POINT BEFORE WE ACTUALLY, I I DID NOT HEAR FROM MICHELLE OR JENNIFER AS YOU MAY NOT WANT TO GO TIE AS TO THE SPLITING.
I WAS GONNA SAY, CAUSE IF, IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA AGREE TO THE SPLIT AND SAYING THAT THE TOURS OF BUREAU, THIS MEMBERSHIP AGNOSTIC THING, THAT'S NOT A SHORT TERM SOLUTION.
SO I JUST KIND OF WANNA, AND MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO DISCUSS OVER TIME, BUT I, I'D SORT OF LIKE TO HEAR IMMEDIATELY WHAT WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE WAITED BACK AND FORTH.
I THINK IF THERE'S A WAY TO PAUSE BEFORE DISSECTING THE WHOLE ORGANIZATION, LIKE
SO I WOULD, IT'S MY PERSONAL RECOMMENDATION THAT WE TAKE THE STEPS AND WE TRIED THINGS AND WE LOOK AT WHAT WORKS, WHAT DIDN'T WORK, YOU KNOW, AND USE THIS AS A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF US BECAUSE IDEALLY IN THE PERFECT WORLD, I WOULD LOVE TO BE BACK TO THE PARTNERSHIP MODEL.
I THINK THAT THAT'S A HEALTHY THING, BUT I THINK WE'VE GOT SOME SCARS AND SOME BRUISES THAT NEED TO HEAL BEFORE WE COULD DO THAT.
SO THIS TO ME, PROVIDES AN INTERIM SOLUTION WHERE WE GET SOME CLARITY AS TO WHAT IT IS YOU WOULD LIKE US TO DO.
WE ARE VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHERE THAT MONEY THAT YOU GIVE TO US IS GOING TO BE UTILIZED AND TO THE BEST OF OUR
[02:50:01]
ABILITY, WE CAN PROVIDE CLARITY.I HEARD EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED THE, I WANTED TO HEAR.
I WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY SOMETHING.
OH NO, YOU WERE GONNA GO INTO THE REST OF THIS.
YEAH, WE THE FINISHED? YEAH, WE'RE NOT DONE.
AND I'M, I'M IN A, IN ALIGNMENT WITH POSITION STAFF.
UM, SO THEN WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT FEE FOR SERVICE FOR 24 IS WHAT I'M HEARING AS, AS A STEP YES.
I'D, THIS, I'M WILLING TO SAY SOME OF YES TO THIS STUFF BECAUSE I THINK IT IS THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT I THINK WE ALSO HAVE TO SET THE FINAL GOAL.
I I THINK COUNCIL HAS TO DECIDE AND GIVE THE DIRECTION THAT NO, WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS IN THE FUTURE.
WHETHER THE FUTURE IS TWO YEARS OR THREE YEARS OR I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS.
I THINK IT'S FLEXIBLE, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT SHOULD SAY WE'LL CONTINUE TO TALK, BUT WE WANT DO IT THIS YEAR.
WE GOTTA SET WHAT THE FUTURE NEEDS TO BE.
AND I COUNCILMAN, I BELIEVE I HEARD MICHELLE FOR, FOR JENNIFER SAY, TRY THIS FOR THE YEAR.
WE CAN STILL TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MOVING FORWARD, BUT IT MIGHT END UP WORKING THIS WAY AND IF IT WORKS, WHY, YOU KNOW, WHY CHANGE IT AS LONG IF IT WORKS.
AND I'M, I'M JUST RELAYING WHAT I HEARD.
NOW I'M NOT SAYING I AGREE OR DISAGREE, I'M JUST TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD.
OF COURSE RIGHT NOW, UH, I I WANNA MAKE SURE I HEARD THE SAME THING WITH YOU.
THERE'S A DIFFERENCE IN MY MIND THERE ABOUT NOT SETTING THE FINAL GOAL AND TRYING TO MAKE IT WORK.
THIS IS UNDERSTANDING WHERE YOU'RE GOING AND THEN TRYING TO MAKE IT.
YEAH, I THINK WE SHOULD BE STARTING WITH ITEM FIVE AND SIX ON THIS LIST OF WORKING BACKWARDS, RIGHT? THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, RIGHT? FIVE AND SIX, THE BOARD, BOARD, THE, WHETHER THIS IS GONNA BE TWO SEPARATE ORGANIZATIONS OR NOT, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THERE IS SUPPORT TO DO FEE FOR SERVICE AS AN INTEREST WITH THE UNKNOWN OF WHAT HAPPENS THEN FOR FISCAL 25, RIGHT? CUZ IT'S LIKE WE, WE ALREADY FEEL LIKE FISCAL 24 IS A LOST CAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE RIGHT.
IF IF IT'S TO HAVE YOU GUYS SPLIT.
SO I DON'T WANT TO SAY YES TO FEE FOR SERVICE WHEN I HAVE AN EXPECTATION THAT IT'S FOR ONE YEAR AND ONE YEAR ONLY.
IF IF BY TIME WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FIVE TO SIX ON YEAR, WE'RE NOT STILL GIVING THE DIRECTION THAT WE WANT TO SEE THIS.
BUT SO DO YOU WANNA SEE THE SPLIT? YEAH.
HOW MANY WANT, OKAY, WHEN I HEARD YOU TALKING, I ALL HEARD YOU SAY YOU WANT SPLIT, BUT, BUT IS THAT, IS THAT THE FACT SPLIT SPLIT? YEAH.
SO, SO SOME OBVIOUS, EXCUSE ME, QUESTIONS.
YOU WANT TWO ORGANIZATIONS, YOU WANT TWO BOARD DIRECTORS.
SPLIT QUESTION IS WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO FIND QUALIFIED PEOPLE TO DO BOTH ORGANIZATIONS? AND IF THOSE PEOPLE EXISTED IN THE CITY OF SEDONA WHEN MICHELLE WAS LOOKING TO HIRE PEOPLE FOR THE ONE ORGANIZATION THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE THAT IS LOADED WITH EXPERTS, WOULDN'T SHE HAVE HAD DROVES OF PEOPLE COMING IN TO APPLY FOR THOSE POSITIONS? AND IF THOSE PEOPLE CAME INTO THAT ORGANIZATION AS A SECOND ENTITY, WHERE ARE THEY GONNA LIVE? WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO FIND HOUSING? BECAUSE IF, I MEAN, YOU'RE DEALING WITH THAT EVERY DAY.
THERE'S NO PLACE TO LIVE IN SEDONA.
AND MY THIRD QUESTION IS, DO YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE AS A CHAMBER OR AS A COUNCIL, THAT THE TOURISM BUREAU AND THE CHAMBER HAS NOT DONE WHAT YOU'VE ASKED THEM TO DO? AND DO YOU HONESTLY NOT TRUST THE EXPERTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN PLACE TO FIX WHATEVER YOU WANT FIXED? UM, AND THERE WILL BE DISAGREEMENT BECAUSE THAT'S HUMAN NATURE.
BUT YOU ALREADY HAVE A, A PANEL OF PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO DO WHAT YOU NEED THEM TO DO.
BUT THEY ARE THE EXPERTS IN TOURISM.
[02:55:01]
LET THEM HELP YOU EDUCATE, EDUCATE YOU ON THAT SIDE.I MEAN I JUST, I'M, I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS SPLIT.
I TRY TO ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS.
I THINK YOU'RE A COUPLE THINGS, CHERYL.
FIRST OF ALL, THERE'S NO REASON WHY ONE ORGANIZATION CAN'T BUY SERVICES FROM ANOTHER ORGANIZATION.
SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A BRAND, A WHOLE NEW STAFF.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT NS IS LOOK LIKE, BUT DIFFERENT.
JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE A SEPARATE ENTITY DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T BUY SERVICES.
RIGHT? SO THE CHAMBER COULD HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THE TUR OR, OR VICE VERSA.
SO IT'S THE, IT ISN'T THE STAFF, IT'S THE LEADERSHIP.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH.
IT'S YOU, IT'S YOU GUYS, IT'S THE BOARD.
IT'S YOU CONSTANTLY TELLING US WE ARE NOT YOUR CUSTOMER, YOUR CHAMBER MEMBERS OR YOUR CUSTOMER.
THAT'S THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST THAT IT'S COMING FROM YOU GUYS.
IT'S NOT COMING FROM THE STAFF.
AND THE STAFF WILL SAY, I HAVE A BOARD AND I HAVE TO LISTEN TO THEM AND THEY'RE TELLING ME THIS.
AND THAT'S THE INHERENT CONFLICT BECAUSE YOU'RE CONSTANTLY COMING BACK TO US TO SAY WE ARE NOT, WE ARE THE CHAMBER AND WE ARE NOT SATISFYING OUR CHAMBER MEMBERS.
AND THE CHAMBER MEMBERS WHAT THEY WANT WAS NOT NECESSARILY WHERE THE CITY WANTED TO SPEND ITS MONEY.
AND THAT WAS WHERE WE'VE BEEN PUTTING HEADS.
THANK, THANK YOU FOR I WAS TRYING TO SAY BEFORE AND THAT SO SUCCINCT AND CLEAR THIS SIDE OF THE ROOM WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THE, THE, UH, ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM IS.
THAT IS WHAT I'VE BEEN HEARING FROM MY COUNSEL AND SOME STAFF.
NOT THAT IT'S DONE ON PURPOSE, NOT THAT IS THE ISSUE THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR THE PAST COUPLE MONTHS, NOT YEARS.
AND I'M SURE IT CAN BE ADDRESSED, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED AND AGREED TO.
I'M, I'M HOPING I'M SPEAKING TO MYSELF IF THIS WHOLE MENTALITY COULD BE CHANGED AND REALIZE THAT, REMEMBER I SAID BEFORE WE GOT THE CUSTOMER AND WE'RE COMING TO YOU FOR SERVICES AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE ARE THE CUSTOMER.
NOT BECAUSE THE BOARD TURNS AROUND SAYS, WELL I DON'T AGREE WITH YOU CAUSE IT IS NOT ALIGNED WITH OUR CUSTOMERS, YOU THE BUSINESSES.
YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE THING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, AND, AND I AGAIN, THERE'S LOTS OF GRAY AREAS HERE IN OVERLAP AND I UNDERSTAND YOUR THOUGHT ON THAT.
AS THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND TOURISM BUREAU, OUR JOB IS TO ADVOCATE FOR THE BUSINESSES.
MAJORITY, THE MAJORITY OF THE BUSINESSES ARE CHAMBER MEMBERS.
AND THE TOURISM BUS INDUSTRY, IT'S WHAT WE DO.
AND I THINK THAT OUR VOICE IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN THAT AND THEY DO NEED TO BE HEARING FROM THESE BUSINESSES AND HEARING WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
UM, AND I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I DON'T, BUT IT'S NOT JUST OUR MEMBERSHIP.
I MEAN THERE'S BUSINESSES AND WE ARE THE VOICE OF BUSINESS.
AND THAT HEARING YOU AND WHO'S STEERING THE SHIP BUREAU ALMOST STILL NEED TO ADVOCATE FURTHER TOURISMS AND BUSINESSES.
AND IT'S THE SAME GROUP, BUT THAT'S ALMOST EXACTLY.
I THINK WE, WE ARE SO CLOSE HERE, REALLY IT'S, WE TAKE THE ENTITY THAT EXISTS, WE GIVE IT A NEW BOARD.
THAT NEW BOARD, WE JUST KIND OF, SO YOU'RE NOT JUST ADVOCATING FOR THE BUSINESSES.
THE TOURISM BUREAU IS ADVOCATING FOR QUALITY OF LIFE FOR VISITORS AND RESIDENTS.
BUT I THINK WE HAVE THE PEOPLE AND, AND THEN WE'RE ASKING PERHAPS THAT A CHAMBER GROUP FORMS, BUT IT CAN CONTRACT WITH THE TOURISM BUREAU FOR THE MARKETING EXPERTISE.
THIS NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO EXIST.
I I THINK WE'RE, I THINK EVERYTHING WE MAY NEED THE SUPPORT IF, IF, IF WE DO GO DOWN THIS ROAD AS THE BOARD OVER THERE, THERE WOULD NEED TO BE SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT TO HELP US IN DOING THAT.
WE'RE NOT DOING OUR, BUT IF WE COULD ALL WORK TOGETHER IN THIS DIRECTION, THEN WE DON'T.
I THINK IT WILL WORK A LOT BETTER.
I'D LIKE TO ALSO, WHEN KEEP SAYING THE BOARD, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, UH, I HEARD OVER FROM CHERYL.
ARE YOU LOOKING BRAND NEW PEOPLE, PEOPLE ALREADY HERE IN,
[03:00:01]
BECAUSE NO, SOME OF YOU WILL BE THERE, SOME OF CITY COUNCIL COULD BE ON BOARD.CITY COUNCIL, I THINK NOT STAFF MAY.
SOME NONPROFITS, SOME RESIDENTS.
REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW.
DON'T, OKAY, CAN YOU JUST PLEASE, WE USED TO HAVE THAT AS, AS THE OLD MAN IN THE HOUSE.
WE USED TO HAVE A, A CITY STAFF DAYS LIAISON.
I THINK YOU WERE AROUND AT THAT TIME.
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO IT WAS, BUT WE USED TO HAVE THAT AND CERTAINLY THIS JESSE'S BEEN ON A LONG TIME ALSO.
THIS IS THE MOST DIVERSE BOARD I'VE EVER SEEN, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, BETWEEN MEDICAL AND YOU KNOW, I'VE EVER SEEN.
SO I'M NOT DISAGREEING WITH YOU.
AND WE'VE HAD THAT PLEASE HAVE, HAVE, IF THERE'S A TEAM MEMBER THAT'S AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, BUT AS A BOARD MEMBER, WE'RE DOING THE THINGS THAT YOU WERE ASKING YOU.
WE DO ADVOCATE FOR THE QUALITY OF LIFE, WE DO ADVOCATE FOR.
YOU MIGHT BE HEARING DIFFERENT, BUT WHEN THESE PROGRAMS OF WORK ARE COMING TO US FIRST AND ALL THIS, WE'RE PROVING THIS, THESE PROGRAMS OF WORK, UH, FOR THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND THOSE CITIZENS THAT, UM, ARE, YOU KNOW, BECOMING MORE AND MORE FRONT AND CENTER.
SO WITH DUE RESPECTS, DISAGREE WITH ALL OF YOU.
AND YOU MAY BE POSSIBLY MISUNDERSTANDING US AS BOARD.
I'LL STAND UP AND SAY WE ARE DOING THAT.
I THINK A GOOD EXAMPLE WOULD BE IF THE BOARD, IF THE BOARD DIDN'T AGREE WITH THE NOTION OF THAT WE GOT HUMBLED WITH TOURISM IN 2021.
I I I, I KNOW THIS MIGHT SOUND OFFENSIVE, BUT WE AGREED TO PAUSE BECAUSE OF THAT QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE WE WANTED.
I KNOW, I KNOW YOU WANT SAY THAT WE WERE TOLD, I KNOW.
I'M SAYING, BUT WE AGREE THAT YOUR PARTNER, THAT WAS A SMART THING TO DO AND THAT WAS THE BOARD DECISION.
IT SO WE, AND I THINK THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WENT INTO THAT DECISION.
ALL DUE RESPECT TO EVERYBODY'S CONCERNS.
I THINK THAT IF YOU GO BACK TO WHAT I'VE HEARD HERE AND TO WHAT YOU SAID, WHAT THE RULE ADMISSION OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS TO ADVOCATE FOR BUSINESSES.
AND I THINK THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE ROLE.
THAT IS EXACTLY THE ROLE YOU SHOULD HAVE.
AND JESSICA, YOU WOULD COME TO A MEETING AND HERE THE BOARD HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
THERE IS AS MUCH EMPHASIS, IN FACT PROBABLY MORE EMPHASIS ON QUALITY OF LIFE TOURISM AND SUSTAINABILITY AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
WE DON'T SIT IN THE BOARD MEETINGS AND SAY WE'RE GOING TO ADVOCATE FOR THE SUCCESS OF OUR BUSINESSES AT ALL COSTS AND WHO CARES WHAT.
THERE'S A SAYS THAT, BUT I WHAT I'M SAYING IS AT LEAST HALF OF THE MEETING YOU'RE ACCUSING THE BOARD OF HAVING CREATED THIS SITUATION.
I'M NOT, THE FACT IS, I WAS SAID A MINUTE AGO, THERE'S THE BOARD'S FAULT YOU POINTED AT US.
I I'M SORRY IF, IF YOU FELT THAT WAY.
YOU NEED TO COME TO A BOARD MEETING, HEAR WHAT'S BEING SAID IN RELATION TO EVERYTHING THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED HERE.
EVERYTHING THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED HERE IS BASICALLY SAYING THE BOARD AND THE CHAMBER AND THE TOURISM IS, IS MISSING THE POINT.
AND WE'RE NOT COME TO A BOARD MEETING AND UNDERSTAND WHAT'S BEING SAID.
READ THE MINUTES OF A BOARD MEETING, WE'RE NOT ALLOWED AND UNDERSTAND WHAT'S BEING SAID.
WELL COME TO A CLUB, TALK TO US AND ASK US THAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS DISCUSSION AND I THINK YOU'RE BEING VERY HARSH ON ON THE BOARD AND ON MICHELLE AND, AND AND THE, THE STAFF.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF AWARENESS AND, AND SYMPATHY FOR THE COMMUNITY FROM THIS BOARD.
I I I, I NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THE BOARD TALKS ABOUT THIS STUFF AS PASSIONATELY AS I'VE HEARD YOU SAY.
BUT SO HERE'S MY MEASURE IS WHEN THIS TOURISM BUREAU THAT I ENVISIONED IS THE ONE THAT INITIATES THE CONVERSATION ABOUT MAYBE IT'S TIME TO DIAL BACK MARKETING AND THE TOURISM BUREAU IS THE ONE THAT'S ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT, WOW, WE'VE GOT A TRASH PROBLEM AT THIS TRAILHEAD.
RIGHT? SO IT'S THOSE KIND OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN MISSING.
[03:05:01]
THE ORGANIZATION ARE GOOD.WE JUST NEED SOME NEW AND DIFFERENT SKILLS ADDED TO THIS AND WE NEED NEW AND DIFFERENT.
I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST, I, I THINK THAT WE'RE A PLACE WHERE WE WERE BEFORE, WHERE WE'RE GOING AROUND, WE'RE REALLY HEATED AND I ACTUALLY THINK WE NEED A FIVE MINUTE BREAK AND THEN COME BACK INTO THE PUBLIC SESSION.
THAT IS MY RECOMMENDATION TO GET OLD.
I'D LIKE TO GO TO THE PUBLIC BEFORE WE MOVE ON.
I KNOW IF IT DOES HAVE INFORMATION THAT SHE WANTS TO SHARE FROM THIS SHEET AND WANT YOU GO OVER, BUT LET'S GO TO THE PUBLIC FIRST.
SO I'M GONNA ASK EVERYBODY WHO WANTS TO SPEAK TO GO UP TO THE CENTER OF THE ROOM, UH, IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY.
THAT'S WHERE THE MICROPHONE IS UNLESS, UH, TERESA, THERE YOU HAVE, THIS IS THE MICROPHONE HERE.
SO WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE EVERYONE COME UP KIND TO THE FRONT HERE.
I'VE GOT THE TIMER ON MY PHONE SINCE WE'RE NOT IN CHAMBERS.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA GO WITH UH, PETER SANDERS.
PETE, I KNOW YOU'RE HERE SOMEWHERE.
PETE SANDERS, PROUD 42 YEAR RESIDENT OF SEDONA HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.
IN 1983, I SAT IN BOB'S THUMB'S OFFICE.
HE HAD HIS FEET UP AT HIS DESK AND TOLD ME HOW THE PROBLEM OF TOURISM IN ARIZONA AND SEDONA WAS GONNA GO AWAY.
THAT'S WHY WE DIDN'T HAVE TO HAVE BELL ROCK OUTTA WILDERNESS.
WE WERE GONNA STOP TOURISM BY MAKING 1 79.
AND THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A MINORITY THAT IS NEVER HAPPY WITH ANYTHING AND YOU GOTTA NOT LISTEN TO 'EM.
THE FUTURE IS BETTER SUSTAINABLE MARKETING THAN IS BEING DONE ANYWHERE.
SEDATE, SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IS NOT NEW.
AND WHATEVER YOU DECIDE, SPLIT COLLABORATIVE, YOUR NUMBER ONE GOAL SHOULD BE INNOVATIVE EDUCATIONAL MARKETING LIKE THE FOLLOWING.
COME TO SOME PLACE THAT IS BEAUTIFUL AND KIND TO OUR ENVIRONMENT, TO OUR VISITORS, TO OUR RESIDENTS.
THAT LADY, THERE IS A GENIUS ON THAT.
WHATEVER YOU DECIDE TO DO, DON'T THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER.
FIND A WAY TO KEEP THIS EXPERTISE.
IF YOU TOTALLY SPLIT, I LOVE WHAT YOU SAID, I DON'T HAVE THAT FAITH IN HUMANITY.
IF IT IS JUST THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE PEOPLE WHO JUST WANT TO MARKET THE SHIT OUT OF SEDONA FOR THEIR BUSINESS NEEDS.
THESE PEOPLE CARE ABOUT THE CITY THEY LIVE HERE.
FIND A WAY TO IMPROVE WHAT IS AND REBRAND IT AND DON'T LISTEN TO THE NAYSAYERS.
WHO SAID UNEASY WASN'T FUN? I BELIEVE IN YOU.
I THANK YOU ALL FOR VOLUNTEERING YOUR TIME.
NONE OF YOU ARE SUPER HIGH PAID FOR THIS.
MY DONNA IS FOLLOWED BY BILL SPRING.
I'VE LIVED HERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND I HAVE MY OWN BUSINESSES.
I BECAME INVOLVED WITH THIS WHOLE PRINCIPAL AND THIS WHOLE POLICY 10 YEARS AGO.
AND THE REASON FOR IT IS WHAT WAS THE BEST POLICY FOR THE CITY OF SEDONA? AND YES, I WAS AT THE MEETING WHEN THE LODGING PEOPLE SUGGESTED TO RATE THE BED TAX A HALF A PERCENT AND TO GET 55% TO MARKET.
I ALSO HAVE A LETTER FROM THE PAST CITY ATTORNEY TELLING ME THAT IT WAS ONLY A LITTLE KICK TO GET THE ECONOMY GOING.
SO WHAT I HAVE DONE IS I HAVE RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH.
YOU CAN GO TO DONNA JOYCES.COM.
YOU CAN FOLLOW THE, THE THE RESOURCES.
[03:10:01]
RIGHT TO THE RESOURCES.THE BOTTOM LINE IS, IS THAT I'VE SAT ON THREE BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS.
IT IS YOUR JOB TO GET THE BUSINESSES, THE JOBS.
THE CITY IS THE INCORPORATED CITY AND IT IS THEIR JOB TO TAKE CARE OF THE CITY NEEDS, NOT ADVERTISE BUSINESSES.
WHEN WE RAISED THE BED TAX, WE TOOK A RS 9500 0 6 AND WHAT THAT MECHANISM DID IS IT MADE THAT HALF A 5% A RESTRICTIVE TAX THAT CAN BE USED FOR ANY TOURISM EXPENDITURES, EVENTS, GRANTS MANAGEMENT, TROLLEY, SHUTTLES, TRAFFIC CONTROL.
ALL OF THAT IS ALLOWED TO BE USED UNDER THAT LAW.
SEDONA HAS NO TOURISM COUNTY AUTHORITY AND I'VE GOT THE LAW RIGHT THERE.
WE CAN NEVER HAVE ONE BECAUSE WE'RE IN TWO COUNTIES AND WE'RE TOO SMALL OF A POPULATION.
WE NEED TO STOP THE WAR BETWEEN ENTITLEMENT OF THE 0.5% AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL MAKE OUR CITY GO FORWARD.
I BELIEVE WITH ALL MY HEART, OUR CITY IS DOING SO MUCH FOR TOURISM AND NOW IT'S TIME THAT THERE ARE TIMES THAT YES, THEY NEED TO GO TO THE CHAMBER AND ASK THEM, YOU'RE GREAT MARKETERS MARKET THIS PROGRAM FOR US.
BUT TO MANAGE TOURISM IS A REGIONAL ISSUE, BUT THEIR JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES ARE DRIVEN BY THE MEETS AND BOUNDS.
IT'S GOT ALL THESE RESEARCH AND I WILL BE UPLOADING THOUSANDS MORE BECAUSE LITERALLY I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS.
AND YES, I CREATED A LOT OF BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS.
THEONA BRIDAL FAIR OPERATED, JESSE.
WE WORKED UNDER THE BRIDAL FAIR AND THAT WAS ANOTHER BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.
WE BROUGHT IN $4 MILLION OF ECONOMIC TO THE CITY.
WE WORK HARD TO BRING BUSINESSES HERE AND WE WERE BENCHMARKED AND PEOPLE LOVED THE SEDONA BRIDAL ASSOCIATION.
THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY ANN KELLY AND, AND, UH, WILLIAM SPRING.
BY WAY OF BACKGROUND, NOT NARCISSISM, I'M A FORMER, UH, SENIOR EXECUTIVE OR CEO FOR BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COMPANIES.
THE FORMER MUNICIPAL ATTORNEY IN ILLINOIS AND MOST RECENTLY WAS ASKED BY THE CITY TO SIT ON YOUR 2022 BUDGET COMMITTEE.
WHERE I MET MR. FURMAN IS A GREAT ADDITION TO THE STAFF BACKGROUND FOR THE NEWBIES ON THE COUNCIL.
THE CITY HAS, AND I'M GONNA DO THIS READING BECAUSE IT'S A BID HISTORICALLY, THE CITY HAS GIVEN THE COUN THE COMMISSION, I'M SORRY, THE CHAMBER.
UH, 1818 OVER 18 AND HALF MILLION.
COING, NOT SEGREGATED SINCE 20 19, 18 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS CO-MINGLED PRIMARILY FOR MARKETING SERVICES WITH NO COMPETITIVE BIDS.
AND UNTIL VERY RECENTLY, NO TRUE AUDITS AS TO USE OF FUNDS.
NUMBER TWO, SEDONAS CONGESTED ROADWAYS AND TRAILHEAD REQUIRE NO FURTHER MARKETING DOLLARS.
OUR VIEW, I REPRESENT SEVERAL DOZEN PEOPLE HERE.
THEIR THOUGHTS, OUR CONGESTED RAIL, UH, TRAILHEADS AND ROADWAYS REQUIRE NO FURTHER MARKETING DOLLARS.
IF TRAFFIC AND TAX REVENUES DROP, THE COUNCIL CAN SOLICIT BIDS FROM MULTIPLE.
DID I HEAR 200 QUALIFIED DOMOS? I'VE HIRED SEVERAL IN MY CAREER.
THE COUNCIL CAN SOLICIT BIDS FROM MULTIPLE QUALIFIED DOMOS FOR MARKETING, INCLUDING THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WHICH IS NOW RECENT.
MORE RECENTLY, A DMO FOR A DEFINED PREDETERMINED MARKETING BUDGET SERVICE BUDGET.
THREE MAJOR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE VISITOR CENTER, WHICH HELPS FACILITATE MORE TOURIST TRAFFIC.
THE PHYSICAL VISITOR CENTER IS MORE OF, IS IT BOTH A ABSOLUTE OBSOLETE AND REDUNDANT, BESIDES BEING COSTLY IN THE AGE OF MANY INTERNET INFORMATION SITES SUCH AS TRIPADVISOR.
WHY DO YOU EVEN NEED IT? FOR MANY OF US QUESTION.
THE REMAINING NON-MARKETING DOLLARS REQUESTED, INCLUDING THINGS LIKE $148,000 FROM THE BUDGET WE SAW FOR SUCH VAGUE EXPENDITURES AS QUALITY OF LIFE, WHICH CREATE THE IMPRESSION TO US OF MAKEWORK CHAMBER BUDGETED FUNCTIONS.
THE CHAMBER'S NON-MARKETING ANCILLARY SERVICES COULD BE ABSORBED BY POSSIBLY CURRENT CITY STAFF AND OR PUT OUT AGAIN FOR A COMPETITIVE BID.
THERE'S LOTS OF SERVICE OPERATIONS AROUND MANY RESIDENTS OF SEDONA QUESTIONED THE NEED FOR ANY FURTHER CHAMBER FUNDING AT ALL.
THERE'S NO CURRENT NEED FOR DMO MARKETING AS OUR PAST 18 MILLION WITH NO METRICS FOR PERFORMANCE, BY THE WAY, IN A PUBLIC CONTRACT, UH, 18 MILLION OF MARKETING HAS RESULTED IN TRAFFIC PROBLEMS IN THE RELATED EXPLOSION OF STR.
YOU GOTTA HOUSE ALL THOSE PEOPLE WILL RESULT IN REDUCTION OF QUALITY OF LIFE, REDUCTION OF QUALITY OF LIFE APPARENT TO ALL
[03:15:01]
WHO LIVE HERE.TO CONCLUDE THE CHAMBER IS A PRIVATE MEMBERS ONLY ORGANIZATION AND SHOULD BE FOUND THAT FUNDED SOLELY BY ITS MEMBERS AND NOT BY THE TAX REVENUES OF THE CITY OF SEDONA, OTHER THAN PURSUANT TO COMPETITIVE BID FOR SPECIFIED SERVICES.
IS IT, WHICH IS DONE IN MOST CITIES.
THE CHAMBER IS, IN OUR VIEW, NOT A PARTNER OF THE CITY, BUT A COMPETITIVE BIDDER IN THE PROCESS OF PROVIDING SERVICES TO THE CITY.
AND BY THE WAY, IF ANYBODY WANTS A DEFINITION FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM, JUST ASK.
I MOVED HERE SIX YEARS AGO, SO I'D BE A TOTAL HYPOCRITE IF I WAS AGAINST TOURISTS BECAUSE I JUST WAS ONE.
UM, TOURISM IS CLEARLY A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD WHEN THE COMMENTS MADE.
WE HAVE FOUR GROCERY STORES AND WE HAVE A DOG PARK.
WELL, WE ALSO, I DON'T GO TO ANY, UM, CHAMBER COMMERCE BOARD MEETINGS, BUT I HAD THE PLEASURE SITTING IN A COUNCIL MEETING LAST NIGHT FROM FOUR 30 UNTIL I FINALLY LEFT AT 10 15.
THEY TALKED FOR AN HOUR ABOUT TREAD LIGHTLY.
ANYBODY KNOW WHAT TREAD LIGHTLY IS? UM, YEAH, WE, THEY TALKED ABOUT MICROT TRANSITS, THEY TALKED ABOUT TRAILHEAD SHUTTLE.
THEY TALKED AT LAST NIGHT, BUT THEY TALKED ABOUT PARKING GARAGES.
THEY JUST BOUGHT THE CULTURAL PARK.
WAS THAT FOR THE BEST DOG PARK IN THE WORLD? NO, IT WAS FOR HOUSING TO SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES.
SO I THINK TO THEIR DEFENSE, THEY FEEL LIKE THE TOURISM BUREAU ALSO.
SO WE'RE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT AGAINST EACH OTHER.
THE, UH, SEDONA, UH, COMMUNITY PLAN.
HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE READ THE SEDONA COMMUNITY PLAN? HE'S MAD CUZ I KEEP MAKING HIM RAISE HIS HAND.
WHAT ABOUT THE CHAPTER ON TOURISM WHERE IT DEFINES THE VISION? IT DEFINES THE, THE KEY PRINCIPLES, THE, THE POLICIES, THE ACTIONS WE SHOULD TAKE TO HAVE THE TOURISM WE WANT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT CHAPTER? IT DOESN'T EXIST.
HOW ON GOD'S EARTH DOES SEDONA HAVE A COMMUNITY PLAN THAT DOESN'T HAVE A CHAPTER CALLED TOURISM? THIS IS WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, GUYS.
YOU'RE TALKING PAST EACH OTHER.
YOU DON'T HAVE A CLEAR VISION, YOU DON'T HAVE CLEAR GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
WHAT DOES RIGHT LOOK LIKE? WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACHIEVE AND HOW WILL WE KNOW IF WE ACHIEVED IT? WHERE ARE THE METRICS? I DID THAT FOR 15 YEARS WITH EXXONMOBIL.
I WILL OFFER MY SERVICES FREE TO DO IT FOR YOU GUYS TO TRY TO SIT DOWN AND PUT INTO WORDS WHAT WE ALL WANT SO THAT WE ALL CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.
UM, I'VE HAD ABOUT 45 YEARS OF MARKETING EXPERIENCE, UH, CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER, MULTIPLE TIMES SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING AT VISA.
SO, UM, I'VE TAKEN, UH, QUITE AN INTEREST IN TOURISM, MARKETING, TOURISM MANAGEMENT, UH, OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE.
UM, I THOUGHT I, I SHARED JUST SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS THAT HOPEFULLY WILL ADD TO THE CONVERSATION.
FIRST OFF, THE FEE FOR SERVICE ISSUE.
I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THAT'S IN FACT WHAT'S BEEN DONE THE LAST FEW YEARS.
YOU KNOW, THE CHAMBER HAS PUT OUT, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO FOR TOURISM, HERE'S WHAT IT'S GONNA COST.
THE CITY COUNCIL HAS SAID, OKAY, BUT LET'S TWIST THIS, THAT, LET'S ADD THAT.
AND THEN YOU END UP WITH THE BUDGET FOR THE YEAR.
I DON'T SEE HOW THIS FEE FOR SERVICE BEING DISCUSSED TODAY IS ANY DIFFERENT THAN THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU JUST NEED TO DO A LITTLE BIT BETTER JOB OF, OF SEPARATING THE, UH, ACCOUNTS, UM, ROLES AND MISSIONS.
I THINK THAT IS THE ESSENCE OF A LOT OF THE ANGST IN THE ROOM TODAY.
CUZ THE CHAMBER DOES HAVE PROMOTING BUSINESS IN SEDONA AS ITS PRIMARY MISSION.
AND THAT'S NOT TO DIMINISH YOUR DESIRE TO ALSO HAVE A GREAT COMMUNITY, CUZ THAT'S WHAT GOOD BUSINESSES DO.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, THE VISITORS CENTER, WHICH IS, UH, SIX FULL-TIME EQUIVALENTS REALLY IS A, A FUNCTIONAL THING.
IT'S GIVING THEM ADVICE, IT'S GIVING 'EM SAFETY TIPS.
IT'S MAKING SURE THEY'RE NOT WEARING FLIP FLOPS, THAT THEY'VE GOT WATER.
I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF PRAGMATIC THINGS, BUT IT REALLY DOESN'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT TO DO WITH THE BIG ISSUE HERE.
SO I'M SURPRISED NOBODY'S BROUGHT UP.
WHY DOESN'T THAT JUST SPIN OFF AS A SEPARATE ENTITY? AND YET THE CHAMBERLAIN PROBABLY HAS TO GET FAR MARK, FAIR MARKET VALUE FOR THE PROPERTY.
UM, AND THEN THE TOURISM BUREAU.
[03:20:01]
UM, WHAT, WHAT IS IT REALLY SUPPOSED TO DO? ONE, MANAGE THE BRAND AS BEST WE CAN.UH, NUMBER TWO, REDUCE TOURISM DURING PEAKS.
INCREASE TOURISM DURING TROUGHS.
NUMBER THREE, IT SHOULD CHANGE THE VISITORS PROFILE TO SOMEONE WHO STAYS LONGER, SPENDS MORE MONEY, AND IS INTERESTED IN SU SUSTAINABLE TOURISM AND RESPONSIBLE TOURISM.
AND, UM, FINALLY, UH, EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT, OH, SPENDING MONEY ON MARKETING, THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER.
HOW MUCH IMPACT CAN YOU REALLY HAVE ON THE AMOUNT OF VISITATION IN THIS TOWN? I MEAN, CAN WE CHANGE IT? PLUS OR MINUS 5%, 10%.
I MEAN, EVERYBODY THINKS THIS IS, YOU KNOW, MAGIC WAND, YOU SPENT A THOUSAND OR A MILLION DOLLARS ON ADVERTISING.
IT'S GOING TO CHANGE EVERYTHING.
IT WILL NOT CHANGE PERCEPTIONS OF THE RESIDENTS ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA BRING IT BACK TO THE TABLES HERE.
AND JENNIFER, YOU HAD WANTED TO DISCUSS, UH, SOME INFORMATION FOR YEAH, I JUST THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL IF WE COULD GO BACK TO THE CHART ONE MORE TIME, UM, AND IDENTIFY, YOU KNOW, GO THROUGH ALL OF THE THINGS, IDENTIFY WHAT WE DO AGREE ON.
CAUSE I THINK IF WE COULD LEAVE HERE KNOWING THESE ARE THE AREAS THAT WE FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT WAS PRESENTED TODAY, AND THESE ARE THE AREAS THAT WE NEED TO WORK ON.
WE'LL HAVE MARCHING ORDERS GOING FORWARD.
DOES THAT SOUND LIKE A, A NICE WAY TO, OKAY, SO TURN IT OVER TO OUR TRUSTEE.
SO WE'RE GOING BACK TO NUMBER ONE ON OKAY.
JUST PICK UP WHERE WE LEFT OFF.
SO YEAH, WE WERE ASKING FOR SERVICE.
WE DISCUSSED, AND I KNOW THERE'S A BIG, THERE'S A BIGGER QUESTION AT HAND HERE ABOUT THE LONG TERM GOAL IS, UM, BUT WE DISCUSSED, AND I BELIEVE WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH SETTING UP A FEE FOR SERVICE, UH, STRUCTURE FOR THE NEXT STEP.
I, I I, I MEAN, I'M TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO DEVOTE SO THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY GIVE YOU DIRECTION.
I MEAN, HOW MANY PEOPLE SUPPORT JUST AS IT IS FEE FOR SERVICE.
LOOK, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO HEAR.
ALL WE'RE DOING IS JUST, THAT'S TRUE.
IT'S ACTUALLY, BUT CAN WE JUST DECIDE, DO THAT SO THAT WE CAN GET THROUGH THE NEXT YEAR.
SO WE HAVE RAISE YOUR HANDS PLEASE.
SO WE HAVE, OH, IT'S YOU DAD, MELISSA, YOU ARE UP.
ALL RIGHT, NUMBER FOUR, THE FINISH THREE.
TALKING ABOUT DESTINATION MARKETING WANT NUMBER NO THREE IS, UH, FUNDING.
WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT GONNA TALK THE MARKETING AGENDA.
DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION THAT WILL NO, JUST NOT OTHER WORDS.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR DESTINATION MARKETING WHEN THE TIME COMES, THAT'LL BE WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT ON THE 24TH.
CORRECT? I, TO BE CLEAR, LET'S COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT AND CLEAR HERE.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU WERE COMFORTABLE WITH, IF THERE'S A FEE FOR SERVICE, THE CITY WILL CONTACT WITH THE SEDONA, WITH THE TOURISM BUREAU YES.
BUT THE TOURISM BUREAU HAS THE ABILITY TO HAVE OTHER CLIENTS.
IT COULD BE ANYBODY, BUT I JUST BE VERY, VERY CLEAR.
THESE ARE THIS, THIS ONE HOUR.
THE TOOLS THAT REALLY DO, IN OUR VIEW, LIVE TO SERVE BOTH DIVISIONS.
COULD WE LOOK AT PARTIAL FUNDING? PERHAPS? MAYBE THAT'S ONE WAY TO LOOK AT IT, WHICH DOES MEAN, WELL, MAYBE IT'S THE FUNDING IS SPLIT APPROPRIATELY.
YOU KNOW HOW LIKE WE HAVE ALLOCATIONS FOR STAFF TIME.
SO MAYBE BASED ON WHAT THAT STAFF, SINGLE STAFF PERSON DOES.
[03:25:01]
SO THERE ARE MEMBERSHIP QUALITIES IN THE EXPERIENCE GUIDE, FOR EXAMPLE, IT HAS LISTINGS, BUSINESS LISTINGS.SO PART OF IT KIND OF IN OUR VIEW, LIVES COULD LIVE ON THE CHAMBER SIDE, BUT IT REALLY DOES SERVE THE VISITOR 250,000 AND SERVE VISITORS AND GIVE INFORMATION TO VISITORS.
SO, I MEAN, JUST AS THAT QUICK THOUGHT, I'M THINKING, YOU KNOW, THE MAJORITY IS FUNDED BY TOURISM, TURNED UP BY THE TOURISM BUREAU.
WHAT'S, UM, THE COST? OH, IT'S ALL THIS UNDER HUNDRED PERCENT.
ALTHOUGH IS THIS IN OUR CONTRACT FOREVER KNOW? IS IT SPLIT IT ALLOCATED NOW OR SPLIT RIGHT NOW? OR IT'S THE STAFF TIME RELATED TO IT.
STAFF TIME RELATED WOULD BE SPLIT, BUT THE HARD COST PAYMENTS TO OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THAT TAX FUNDS.
BUT I THINK THERE'S A SEMANTICS ISSUE HERE AS WELL.
UM, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE, I DON'T KNOW, ASKING YOU GUYS PLEASE, IF IT HAD TO LIVE UNDER ONE PACK AND CHARGE BACK THE OTHER SIDE AS OPPOSED TO HAVING IT BE A SHARED, YOU KNOW, ALLOCATION WHEN GET THAT WAY, WOULDN'T THAT BE MORE IN MIND WITH THE QUOTE PEOPLE SERVICES AND TOWARD THE TYPES OF SEPARATION THAT WOULD'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IF YOU HAD TO CHOOSE LIKE, WHICH PACK IT SHOULD SHOULD BE ON EACH OF THESE ITEMS? IS THAT SOMETHING POSSIBLE TO DECIPHER? I THINK IT'S A GREAT SUGGESTION.
I WOULD DEFER TO GARY AS OUR BUSINESS MANAGER.
I WOULD REFER BACK TO BRIAN WHEN WE OUT, WE'RE MOVING DOLLARS AROUND WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO, BUT BACK YOUR POINT, FEE FOR SERVICE, WE WOULD'VE TO PROPOSE WHAT THOSE FEES ARE, BUT WITH THE SERVICES AND THE ALLOCATION IS TO BE DETERMINED.
I I JUST, I MEAN I, THIS IS THE ONE I HAVE PROBABLY THE LEAST HARD OPINION ON.
RIGHT? UM, I JUST THINK FOR ME, IT'D BE CLEAR IF I UNDERSTOOD WHAT SERVICE LIVE MORE UNDER WHICH, NO, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE THAT IDENTIFIED HERE.
CAN YOU MAYBE RUN THROUGH THAT? LIKE PER WHICH ONE? I MEAN, I JUST LOOK AT IT FROM A MORE, THE PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT IS THE END USE OF THAT PRODUCT, RIGHT? AND THE, AND THE VISIT SEDONA SITE AND THE EXPERIENCE, ACTUALLY EVERYTHING HERE, THOSE FOUR FOUR TOOLS SERVE THE VISITOR.
SO THEY SHOULD BE UNDER VISITOR'S BUREAU WITH A CHARGE TO THE, LET ME SEE IF I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU WERE SAYING EARLIER.
ONE OF OUR MEMBER BENEFITS AND IT'S A BIG ONE.
AND SO WE DON'T WANNA LOSE IT.
ONE OF THE MEMBER BENEFITS IS THE AUTOMATIC INCLUSION INTO THE EXPERIENCE OF DON GUIDE AND ON A RESISTANCE ON THE SITE.
IN THE DIRECTIVE IN THE DIRECTORY.
WHAT IF THAT WAS, AND WHEN MATT, WHAT IF THAT WAS SOMETHING WHERE THEIR THING IN FOR THAT NOT, IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, BUT SOMETHING THAT MAKES IT CLEAR THAT THAT'S SEPARATE.
IF IT'S FOR THE VISITORS, IT'S BEING FUNDED OUT OF VISITOR SIDE, RIGHT? BUT THERE'S A BENEFIT TO SOMEBODY OUTSIDE OF THE SEDONA BUSINESS COMMUNITY, THEN THERE SHOULD BE A CHARGE BACK TO THEM FOR THAT.
AS OPPOSED TO JUST BEING, MAYBE IT GETS OFFSET AND YOU REDUCE YOUR MEMBERSHIP OR YOU FIGURE OUT YOUR MEMBERSHIP.
I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THAT SIDE.
THAT'S YOUR SIDE, YOU KNOW? BUT I MEAN, I'M JUST LOOKING FOR SOME WAY TO CLARIFY WHO'S IN CHARGE OF WHAT SERVICE AND THAT THERE'S SOME SORT OF AN ACCOUNTING OF HOW THESE, HOW THERE'S A CHARGE BACK FOR THINGS THAT DON'T AUTOMATICALLY FALL UNDER THAT UMBRELLA.
I, I THINK THERE'S WAYS TO DO IT.
I MEAN, BUT THE EXPERIENCE, SEDONA GUIDE, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO CHARGE BACK, UH, THE CHAMBERS, THE LISTINGS, YOU KNOW, ARE WHAT, HOWEVER MANY PAGES, YOU KNOW, UH, OF THE GUIDE.
A LOT OF IT IS OTHER ADVERTISING.
MAYBE YOU OPEN UP THE PAID ADS TO BUSINESS, WHATEVER BUSINESS IS NOT PARTNER.
SO THAT THEN YOU BECOME MORE THAT AGNOSTIC, YOU KNOW? BUT THEN THERE IS A CHARGE BACK TO, UM, THE, THE PARTNERS THAT HAVE THE LISTING PART WHERE YOU'RE NOT NECESSARILY TAKING THAT OUT, BUT WHOEVER WANTS TO DO A PAID AD CAN DO A PAID AD.
I THINK YOU BRING UP A GOOD POINT, ERIN.
I MEAN, A QUICK AND EASY WAY TO DO IT MIGHT BE, SAY WE HAVE A HUNDRED PAGE GUIDE AND WE HAVE FOUR PAGES THAT ARE DEDICATED TO CHAMBER MEMBERS.
RIGHT? AND THAT HAS TO BE TO MOVE THAT MONEY FROM THE CHAMBER REVENUE
[03:30:01]
OVER TO THE TOURISM BUREAU TO COVER THE 4%.I THINK THAT'S SORT OF A MODEL TO EXPLORE.
AND WE'RE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT F Y 24 IS THE YEAR OF THE EXPLORATION FOR THESE THINGS THAT WORK.
I DON'T HAVE A BETTER SUGGESTION, THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
BUT I, BUT SOMETHING NEEDS TO ADDRESS IT, SO THANK YOU.
COULD WE LOOK AT IT THAT MAYBE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE ALL OF THIS SOLIDIFIED BY JULY 1ST EXACTLY.
BUT WE COULD PUT THIS IN OUR PLAN OF WORK FOR NEXT YEAR THAT WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT PRESENTING YOU WITH MODELS ON HOW TO ADDRESS THE DUAL TOOLS.
WITH THE FEE FOR SERVICE SOLUTION.
LIKE IT'S JUST ANOTHER SERVICE THAT, AND REMEMBER THE ADVERTISING THAT GOES IN THE BOOK, RIGHT? EXPERIENCE IS DESIGNED TO DEFER THE COST OF THE PROCESS.
IF WE DIDN'T HAVE ADS IN IT, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD COST X DOLLARS MORE FOR THE MAJORITY.
IT IS, WELL, UP UNTIL THIS YEAR IT PAID.
WE, WE DIDN'T PAY THROUGH THE TOURISM BUREAU STAFF TIME TO COORDINATE THE PUBLICATION EVERY YEAR.
BUT THIS LAST, THIS CURRENT YEAR THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW, WE DID HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.
UM, PAY FOR A PORTION BECAUSE OF EXOR COST SUPPORT THESE DAYS.
WHO, WHO COULD THEY EVER? WELL, IT HAS BEEN MEMBERS.
OKAY, SO ARE YOU GUYS, OKAY, I JUST THREW THIS OUT HERE IN MY MIND IS IF MEMBERS CAN ADVERTISE, THEY HAVE A POSSIBLE DISCOUNT RATE, CAN OPEN IT TO ANYBODY.
BUT IF YOU'RE NOT A MEMBER AT THIS RATE, OR DO YOU WANT IT ALL, DO WE GET INTO ANY SORT OF GIFT CLAUSE ISSUES WITH THAT? IT IT'S FAIRLY REMOTE, BUT IT'S A POTENTIAL.
SO THERE HAS TO BE A PUBLIC BENEFIT FOR ANY EXPENDITURE.
WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH REASONABLE SIMPLE SOLUTION.
I THINK THAT THEY'RE AGREE THAT THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO PURSUE AND WE NEED TO WORK OUT THE DETAILS.
BUT I, I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT THERE'S NO, THAT EVERYBODY'S SORT OF NODDING AND SAYING, OKAY, YEAH, THIS IS A PATH OF HERE WE GO DOWN.
THE OTHER THING IS MAYBE THERE'S SECTION FOR THE CITY.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? THAT TALKS ABOUT THAT.
MAYBE THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE PAYING FOR IS JUST THE SECTION AND IT HAS LANGUAGE TALKS ABOUT MAYBE WHAT SUSTAINABILITY AND WHATEVER YOUR PRIORITIES WOULD YOU VOTE OPTION SHOULD BE EXPLORED.
AND THE CITY, THE CITY DID HAVE A PAGE IN THE HOMETOWN GUIDE THIS YEAR WHERE THERE WAS SOME MESSAGING TO SIGN UP FOR THE, THE NEWSLETTER AND YOUR NEWSLETTER AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO DUAL TOOLS, WE WILL, UM, WORK PUT THAT INTO THE PROGRAM BEFORE FOR NEXT YEAR TO IDENTIFY SOME SOLUTIONS ON THE BEST WAY TO APPROACH DUAL TOOLS.
SO THEN WE GET UP TO THE FUN STUFF, FIVE AND SIX BOARD A DIRECTORS.
SO WE HAVE PRESENTED HERE OUR GOAL TO EXPAND THE SCOPE OF OUR END AREAS OF INFLUENCE ON THE BOARD.
ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH THAT? I WOULD LIKE TO ASK KAREN A QUESTION AND KURT QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS STAFF POSITION THERE.
BECAUSE IF THE CITY, IF A CITY STAFF MEMBER IS ON YOUR CHAMBER BOARD REPRESENTING THE CITY, HOW CAN THEY DO THAT WITHOUT COMING BACK AND GETTING POLICY DIRECTION? IT'S NOT, I DON'T SEE THAT AS POSSIBILITY.
WHAT ABOUT LIAISON LIKE YOU DO WITH THE OTHER NONPROFITS? THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE NEED TO DISCUSS INTERNALLY THAT MAYBE WE CAN DEDICATE SOME TIME TO IN OUR RETREAT ABOUT IT.
WE WANT TO, BECAUSE THAT IS RETREAT, THAT'S, IT'S A, IN THE OTHER, THE OTHER CONTRACTS, THERE IS A LIAISON TO EVERYONE AND THEY'RE NON-VOTING MEMBER.
LIKE I SAID, WE'VE HAD THAT ON THIS BOARD BEFORE.
IT DIDN'T LAST SEVERAL BOARD LIAISON.
I DON'T WHY IT, IT DID HAPPEN.
AND THE POSITIVE, HAVING THE CITY REPRESENTATIVE, YOU KNOW, IS ON THE COMMUNITY CENTER BOARD AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
AND, UH, IT, IT DOES PROVIDE SOME BALANCE, BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT PERSON ISN'T ALWAYS AUTHORIZED TO SPEAK UNTIL IT COMES TO A PUBLIC MEETING FOR A POLICY DISCUSSION.
YOU KNOW, IN ORDER TO GIVE THEM DIRECTION OF WHAT TO GIVE YOU BACK.
SO I'M JUST NOT SURE IF IT'S GONNA PROVIDE YOU WITH THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
BECAUSE I THINK IT COULD GET REALLY MUDDY.
SO I'M I, WITH THE REST OF THESE POSITIONS, I THINK THIS IS THE, YOU KNOW, DIRECTION THAT YOU NEED TO LOOK AT AND LIKE A NON-BUSINESS RESIDENT ON THE BOARD.
I'D LIKE AN ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARD ON THE BOARD.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S ALL GREAT.
[03:35:01]
AM ON THE CITY STEP POSITION.STAFF LIAISON, A CITY, WELL, A CITY POSITION.
AND WE WERE HOPING WITH THAT, JUST REALLY THINKING ABOUT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PIECE.
CAUSE THE CITY HAS BEEN DOING GREAT THINGS IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, SO FORTH.
AND IF WE HAD SOMEONE THAT WAS REAL THAT HELPED US BRIDGE THAT GAP THAT WE WERE WORKING TOGETHER IN THOSE EFFORTS.
BUT WE MAY BE EVALUATING WHERE WE'RE GOING IN THAT DIRECTION.
SO THEREFORE, WELL, NO PROBLEM.
I THINK THAT'S GREAT FEEDBACK.
I'M GONNA DO ANOTHER LANDMARK, UH, RESIDENT OF SEDONA VERSUS RESIDENT NONRESIDENTS, THE NEW PEOPLE ON THE BOARD.
WE WANT THEM TO BE RESIDENTS OF SEDONA.
OH, NEW CITY LIMITS VERSUS A NON-RESIDENT.
I, YEAH, A RELATED POINT, I THINK THEN WE HAVE TO DISCUSS WHETHER OR NOT WE DEAL REGIONALLY.
AND I, I AM TOTALLY, TOTALLY RELUCTANT TO, TO SAY WE CAN ONLY ONLY STAY WITHIN OUR BORDERS.
WE DON'T DO THAT WITH ANYTHING ELSE WE DO.
AND WITH LEADING RIO WITH EVERYTHING WE DO A REGIONAL THING.
AND SO I'M, I'M ADAMANTLY AGAINST, UM, SAYING IT'S ONLY WITHIN OUR BORDERS, UM, FOR MEMBERSHIP AND FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR ALL OF THAT.
BECAUSE I THINK, I THINK BUSINESS IS THE REGIONAL ISSUE AND THERE'S NO REASON TO BE WEALTHY.
WE'RE TALKING TO GIVE OUT ONE PHYSICIAN TO GET SOME, UM, NO REPRESE THINKING ABOUT ALL THE PHYSICIANS.
NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT RESIDENT ONE THING.
NO, I THINK IT SHOULD BE SEDONA.
WELL, WHAT DO YOU, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT WE PREFER A CITY, A RESIDENT OF THEY'RE DOING A HARD HARDCORE, IT'LL BE HARD TO FIND A RESIDENT.
HOW, HOW MANY MEMBERS ARE ON YOUR BOARD? 15.
WELL, THAT'S MY OTHER, SAY THAT NUMBER AGAIN.
IS THERE, SO WE'RE ASKING FOR ONE POSITION.
I'M SORRY, I, I HAVE THE FLOOR BEFORE JESSICA.
UM, WE WERE ASKING FOR ONE PERSON AS A RESIDENT POSITION ON THIS.
WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO SKEW YOUR WHOLE BOARD.
AND WE HAVE SOME, I MEAN, SO, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF THESE.
AND HE'S BEEN A REALLY GREAT ADVOCATE FOR PRESIDENT.
I MEAN, IS THERE NOT, I MEAN, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T JUST EXPAND THE BOARD TO A POINT WHERE THE BOARD HAS JUST BECOMES TOO CUMBERSOME AND TOO BIG.
I THINK THAT THE BIGGER THE BOARD COMES, THE LESS USEFUL IT IS AND THE LESS FUNCTIONAL IT IS.
AND SO I I I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU, I'D LIKE YOU TO THINK ABOUT WHETHER THESE ARE ADDITIONS OR WHETHER YOU'RE RESTRUCTURING THE BOARD IN SOME OTHER WAY TO KEEP IT MANAGEABLE.
AND THIS RESTRUCTURING HAS BEEN HAPPENING OVER THE YEARS, AS LONNIE MENTIONED.
UM, MANY OF US, MYSELF INCLUDED, I DO NOT BENEFIT AT ALL FROM TOURISM.
UM, SO, BUT I THINK THIS WAS JUST ANOTHER WAY OF LOOKING FORWARD OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAVE WE DONE IN THE PAST? HOW CAN WE IMPROVE? YEAH.
I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU HOW TO DO YOUR BOARD.
I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT, ABOUT TAKING THIS AS A, AS AN EDUCATION THAT WE WANT YOU TO HAVE A BIGGER, BIGGER, BIGGER, BIGGER BOARD WHERE ALL I THINK NOT WITH ALL THE RESPECT YOU KIND OF ARE HERE WITH THIS WHOLE THING.
WE'RE TRYING TO, IS THIS DIVERSIFICATION? OKAY.
WE'RE ASKING YOU PERMISSION HOW TO, TO DO OUR BOARD.
BUT TO THE POINTS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN, A LOT OF THESE CHECKS HAVE BEEN CHECKED OFF ALREADY.
I MEAN, WE HAVE FINANCIAL BANKING THAT IS, UM, HE'S THE HEAD OF FINANCE FOR NIH.
UM, WE HAVES HERE WE HAVE, SO, OKAY.
UM, THIS IS JUST SUGGESTIONS AND IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH THIS KIND OF, WE'VE BEEN WORKING AT IT, WE'VE BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DIVERSIFY THAT WAY.
I WOULD LIKE THE RESIDENT TO BE A NON-BUSINESS OWNER, I GUESS WOULD BE MY, INTO THE LAST HOUR.
SO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WERE ON FOR THREE YEARS AND WE COULD BE VOTED BACK ON OF THE THREE, AND THEN WE GOTTA QUIT FOR AT LEAST A YEAR.
WE, LET'S, LET'S CUT CHASE AND CONTINUE ON.
I JUST WANNA GIVE MY 2 CENTS AND SAY, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, OF THESE, UH, PHYSICIANS,
[03:40:01]
MANY ARE RESIDENTS AND THAT'S WITH THE DECREE.I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A COUNCIL LIAISON OR STAFF LIAISON, HOWEVER THAT WORKS.
THAT WOULD BE FINE FOR ME AS WELL.
I'M NOT LOOKING TO EXPAND THE BOARD, JENNIFER.
WELL, IT WAS AT THAT 0.5 AND SIX WHERE YOU GOT MONEY.
SO YOU'RE THE ONE THAT BROUGHT IT UP.
THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS ARE MEAN.
I SAW SIX, AT LEAST SIX VOTES FOR A YES.
I, CAN I ASK A QUESTION AGAIN? BROUGHT THAT UP IS IF YOU'RE DIRECTING US TO SEPARATE INTO TWO ENTITIES, WHAT HAPPENS IN TWO OR FOUR YEARS IN THE NEXT COUNCIL AND THEY DON'T WANT THAT, RIGHT? THEN ALL OF THE TIME AND EFFORT WE'RE PUTTING NOW TO SPLIT INTO TWO DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND GOING TO REAFF, REHIRE EVERYBODY FOR THE CHAMBER AND TO SPLIT THEM.
WHAT HAPPENS IN FOUR YEARS WHEN THE NEXT COUNCIL SAYS, NO, WE DON'T WANT THAT.
ARE YOU, ARE YOU AS THE CURRENT CITY COUNCIL WILLING TO COMMIT MORE OF OUR VET TAX FUNDING THAT IS CURRENT TO FUND THAT DMO INTO THE LONG TERM FUTURES? HOW, HOW COMMITTED ARE YOU TO, IF YOU WANT US TO SPLIT, HOW COMMITTED ARE YOU TO TO TO FUND THAT DMO INTO THE FUTURE? BECAUSE IN FOUR YEARS, NEW COUNCIL, WHO KNOWS WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN? YOU RAISED A VERY VALID POINT.
IN FACT, YOU RAISED THE MOST TWO YEARS.
HOW MANY OF YOU ARE UP FOR REELECTION? IT'S ALWAYS THE SAME.
THREE OF YOU CAN'T AND WE CAN'T COMMIT OTHER ACCOUNTS.
AND I THINK THAT YOU RAISED THE REALLY IMPORTANT POINT, THE ONE THAT WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED, WHICH IS IF, IF WE DO THIS, WHICH I THINK IT'S AMAZING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT IF WE DO THIS, I THINK THAT, I DON'T THINK THERE CAN BE A GUARANTEE.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THAT IS A REAL, REAL RISK.
I MEAN THAT WE SORT OF PROPEL YOU OR, OR WORK WITH, PARTNER WITH YOU TO TOTALLY RESTRUCTURE YOUR ORGANIZATION WITHOUT ANY CONCOMITANT, UM, OR, UH, COMMITMENT ON OUR PARTNERS.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD REALLY THINK ABOUT THAT AND TALK ABOUT THAT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT SPLITTING TO WHERE WE HAVE A CHANCE TO ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT IT MORE.
I'LL THROW OUT HERE THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A REAL FULL SERVICE DESTINATION MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION.
BECAUSE MARKETING DOLLARS ARE GONNA FLOW, COME IN THE MARKETING DEMAND, IT'S GONNA RISE E BUT THE MANAGEMENT IS, IS GOOD AND IT'S GONNA GROW.
THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE, BUT, BUT WE CAN'T ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD, AND I THINK THAT'S A REAL ISSUE THAT WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT.
WE SHOULD THINK THIS DECISION WOULD BENEFIT FROM BEING ABLE TO TALK ABOUT RETREAT NEXT INSTANCE.
I MEAN, BUT FOR THE POINT OF, FOR THE PURPOSES OF TODAY, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO TO, TO WRAP THAT UP.
AND I THINK FOR THE PURPOSES OF TODAY THAT WE WE'RE TRYING TO JUST AGREE UPON WHAT WE'VE PRESENTED.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE HEARD THE PROBLEMS, WE'VE PRESENTED SOLUTIONS.
WE KNOW THAT THESE MIGHT NOT BE THE ULTIMATE THINGS THAT WE DECIDE THREE YEARS FROM NOW, BUT WE DO NEED TO THINK IN THE SHORT TERM.
UM, AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE CAUTIOUS TO DIVIDE THE WHOLE ORGANIZATION IN HALF, UM, INTO TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO I THINK THIS PROVIDES US WITH THIS, WITH A STEP FORWARD WITH SOME UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE'RE AGREEING TO AND AN ARRANGEMENT FOR THE NEAR FUTURE.
I'D LIKE, BEFORE ANYONE ELSE SPEAKS, I'D LIKE TO THE CITY MANAGER TO SEE, EVERYBODY KEEPS SAYING, OH, LET'S TALK ABOUT AFTER RETREAT.
IS IT ALREADY ON THE RETREAT? AND IS THERE SCHEDULED FOR THREE HEAVY DAYS NEXT DOOR? DO WE, DO YOU HAVE ROOM AT, AT THE RETREAT SCHEDULE? SO THIS, THE CHAMBER RELATIONSHIP, THE CHAMBER CONTRACT IS PART OF THE RETREAT AGENDA.
HOWEVER, NONE OF THOSE ITEMS, BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY OF THEM ARE INTENDED TO BE DISCUSSED TO THE POINT OF, OF RECONCILIATION OR CONCLUSIONS.
OR IT'S ONLY MEANT TO SAY, WE JUST HAD
[03:45:01]
A WORK SESSION WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THESE ARE THE NEXT STEPS.AND SO THIS WILL LIKELY NOT BE ABLE TO BE ACCOMMODATED TO, TO DRAW ANY CONCLUSIONS AT THAT MEETING.
AND IT WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO BE AGENDA FOR A SEPARATE WORK SESSION.
NOW CURRENT, DO YOU SEE THIS AS, BECAUSE IT'S SOMEHOW ANOTHER WITH THE CONTRACT, DO YOU SEE IT AS AN EXECUTIVE SESSION OR AS AN OPEN SESSION? IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE OPEN SESSION MOST LIKELY.
UH, MICHELLE, WE HAVE 45 MINUTES LEFT.
I CONTINUE WENDY, YEAH, I'M TRYING TO THINK OF WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST USE OF OUR, UM, THIS WAS VERY HELPFUL.
THIS WAS A CONVERSATION THAT NEEDED TO HAPPEN, SO THANK YOU.
UM, BASICALLY WHAT WE HAVE LEFT IS A FISCAL 23 REVIEW STATUS OF OUR PROGRAM.
WE PURPOSELY WROTE THE SLIDE SO THAT YOU COULD READ THEM.
THERE'S A LOT OF CONTENT THERE BECAUSE WE HAD A FEELING THAT PART OF THE DISCUSSION WOULD GO THE LONGEST.
UM, SO IF, DO YOU WANT ME TO GO THROUGH THOSE STATUS REPORTS PAGES? DO YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT YOU WOULD RATHER JUST ASK OF THAT SECTION AND THEN WE SKIP RIGHT INTO FISCAL 24 PRIORITY? IS THERE A WAY TO GO INTO THE FISCAL 24 PRIORITIES? AND THEN IF THERE'S A QUESTION THAT COMES UP, WE REFER BACK.
SO WHAT PAGE? SO, UM, JUST THE FRONT LIGHT MIGHT WORK.
IT'S JUST THE FRONT ONE, RIGHT? I THINK SO.
WHAT'S LAST 20? I NEED THE STATUS OF 23.
NOW WE DO, BUT YOU WHAT YOU WANT.
TELL US ABOUT 23 HIGHLIGHT TALK WITHOUT THE SLIDES.
UM, YEAH, WELL, OKAY, SO THAT'S OKAY'S,
SO, UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT IN MOST CASES, AND I'M JUST VERBALIZING THIS, SO I I I DON'T EVEN HAVE A SLIDE I'M PARTICULARLY LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW IN MOST CA IN, IN, IN, I WOULD SAY 95% OF THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU'VE CONTRACTED WITH US ON.
WE'RE PACING APPROPRIATELY WITH OUR, UM, WITH OUR KPIS, WITH THE GOALS THAT WE SET AT THE BEGINNING OF, OR PRIOR TO THE BEGINNING OF, OF THIS FISCAL YEAR WITH YOU.
UM, WE DO HAVE ACTIVITY KPIS THAT ARE, THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO EACH PROGRAM.
AND THEN WE HAVE PERFORMANCE KPIS.
NOW THEY'RE SPECIFIC TO THE GOAL THAT ALL THOSE PROGRAMS FIT UNDER.
AND THERE'S SIX GOALS FOR THE YEAR.
UM, WE ARE DOING WELL WITH THE ACTIVITY KPIS AND ALL THE PROGRAMS, I WOULD SAY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE TRANSIT TOOLKIT.
SO WE'RE DOING A STAYING GOOD JOB ON TRANSIT, UM, GETTING THE WORD OUT, LOVE THE RELATIONSHIP WITH ROBERT WEBER AND LAUREN.
AND IT'S JUST LIKE JEFF SAID, REALLY GOOD PARTNERSHIP.
BUT WE'RE FINDING THAT THE TRANSIT TOOLKITS ARE NOT GETTING THE TRACTION THAT WE LIKE.
UM, I THINK THAT QUITE FRANKLY, IT, IT COULD JUST BE THAT THE HOTELIER AND THE BUSINESS OWNERS WHO WERE TARGETING WITH THE SCHOOL KITS TO SAY, MAKE SURE THAT YOUR, YOUR EMPLOYEE EMPLOYEES USE THE VERDE SHUTTLE AND MAKE SURE THAT YOUR GUESTS KNOW ABOUT THE STONE SHUTTLE.
I JUST THINK THAT THEY'RE TOO BUSY.
THEY DON'T HAVE DEDICATED MARKETING STAFF OFTEN.
SO WE JUST FEEL THAT THEY'RE BETTER OFF RECEIVING HANNAH COLLATERAL, WHICH WE DO THAT AS WILD.
SO THE TOOLKITS I THINK ARE JUST A LITTLE TOO MUCH WORK.
ARE YOU STILL WORKING WITH THE CONCIERGE? YES.
WE, HOW OFTEN ARE THOSE MEETINGS? OH MY GOSH.
UM, WELL, SO THE MEETING, THE CONCIERGE PROGRAM, WE'VE MADE GREAT STRIDES ON.
WE, UM, WE HAVE DISCOVERED WITH PETE CONCIERGE MEETINGS THAT THEY'RE VERY SPECIFIC.
IT'S REALLY ALMOST MORE LIKE A TRADE WORKING ASSOCIATION TYPE SITUATION.
AND SO WE, WE ARE ATTENDING THOSE.
WE ARE, UM, GOING TO BE AT THE NEXT ONE TO TALK ABOUT THE SHUTTLE.
[03:50:01]
BUT WE'VE, WHAT WE'VE DISCOVERED TOO IS WE'VE KIND OF UNCOVERED A NEED FOR A TRUE NETWORK EVENT.AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE TAKING THIS CONCIERGE CONNECTION IDEA, UM, AND REALLY BLOWING IT OUT TO ACTUALLY INCLUDE OTHER FRONTLINERS.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE CONCIERGE ARE JUST ONE OF THE, OF THE KIND OF TOUCHPOINTS FOR THE VISITORS.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE, WHAT ABOUT THE RETAIL STAFF WHO ARE TALKING TO THE VISITORS WHEN THEY COME IN? WHAT ABOUT THE WASTE STAFF? SO WE'RE GONNA REALLY BLOW OUT THIS KIND OF, WHAT, WHAT'S THIS CONCIERGE PIECE TO THE WHOLE FRONT LINER IDEA? START TO LOOP THOSE FOLKS INTO RECEIVING OUR SUSTAINABILITY MESSAGING AND MATERIALS AND EDUCATION.
WE WANNA GET IN FRONT OF THESE FOLKS AND EDUCATE THEM JUST AS MUCH AS WE WERE EDUCATING IN THOSE YEARS.
WE'VE DOUBLED THE SIZE OF OUR, UM, SUBSCRIBER LIST FOR OUR NEWSLETTER, THE FRONTLINER NEWSLETTER.
UM, AND WE NOW HAVE, SO WE NOW HAVE MORE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE SPEAKING WITH AND WE'RE CONSIDERING DOING A FRONT LINER EVENT CALLED, WHAT IS IT CALLED? FRONTLINERS AFTER HOURS.
AND THAT'LL BE A TRUE NETWORK EVENT.
SO THE SHORT TERM RENTAL, UM, PROPERTY MANAGERS ARE ALL AND OWNERS ARE ALSO BEING LOOPED INTO THAT ATION AND 411, UM, PROPERTIES.
WE'VE GOTTEN ONLINE TO THE PROGRAM ADDED TO THE FRONT LINER PROGRAM.
HOW MANY MANAGERS? 13 MANAGERS IN TOTAL PROPERTY MANAGERS.
JUST TO GO BACK TO THE BUSING TRANSIT, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, ROBERT, ROBERT CAME UP TO, TO COUNSEL, UM, JUST SHY OF A QUARTER OF A MILLION, QUARTER MILLION USERS OF THE BUSES, WHICH IS PRETTY, PRETTY EXCITING.
UH, LET'S SEE WHAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE KNOWN THE SAME THING.
I WOULD, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING, UM, WE'RE STILL GOT THE GF TEAM PROGRAM.
REALLY THAT'S, THAT DID GET US A LATER START IN LATE OCTOBER IS WHEN WE LAUNCHED IT BECAUSE WE HAD SO MUCH DEVELOPMENT TIME.
SO, UM, THE NUMBERS KPIS DON'T LOOK AS STRONG AS WE'D LIKE, JUST BECAUSE WE, WE, WE LOST, I SHOULD SAY WE LOST, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE NEEDED TO DEVELOP THE ASSETS, BUT THE LAUNCH REALLY DIDN'T HAPPEN UNTIL LATE OCTOBER.
SO WE'RE GONNA, WE'VE GOT A COUPLE MONTHS OF LIKE, IMPRESSIONS THAT ARE NOT GONNA BE ILLUSTRATED AND YOU KNOW, WE WERE THINKING, OH, WE'LL START JULY 1ST, BUT IT ENDED UP TAKING AS LONGER TO GET THE PROGRAM TOGETHER.
SHOULD WE BE, SHOULD WE, I REMEMBER CORRECT.
PEOPLE SEND MESSAGES TO PEOPLE ONCE, ONCE THEY COME, ONCE THEY COME.
I'VE BEEN TRAVELING BACK AND FORTH HERE.
I HAVE A LONG ISLAND PHONE NUMBER.
ARE YOU, SO YOU'RE NOT SEEING ADS SEARCH ONLINE, BUT I'VE DEFINITELY GOT ONE.
IT DOESN'T GO DIRECTLY TO YOUR PHONE.
I THINK IT'S WHEN YOU'RE USING OTHER APPS LIKE FACEBOOK OR INSTAGRAM OR WHATEVER, THAT'S WHEN YOU GET THE POPUP.
IS THAT RIGHT ERIC? IF YOU WERE LOOKING AT FACEBOOK FOR SOMETHING WHILE YOU'RE DRIVING, IF YOU HAVE TO BE ON A BROWSER, UM, DOING SOME SEARCHING THAT THAT'S HOW YEAH, YEAH.
SO IT'D BE MORE LIKE YOUR PASSENGER, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE DRIVING IN SOMEBODY ELSE'S LIFE ON GOOGLE MAPS OR WHERE TO EAT OR YEAH.
YOU'RE IN THE HOTEL OR YOU'RE IN A RESTAURANT.
WE PROMOTE SAFE IT WHILE YOU'RE DRIVING.
THAT EXPLAINS IT A LITTLE BIT TIGHTER.
CAUSE I, I DON'T, UH, DRIVE AND LOOK.
SEARCH, I CAN ASSURE YOU, YOU KNOW WHAT'S FUNNY? YOUR, UM, OR YOUR PR COORDINATOR, KEEGAN, UM, ACTUALLY SENT ME A SCREENSHOT OF THE, ONE OF THE APPS.
SHE'S LIKE, OH, SEE'S WORKING.
SO SHE, SHE UP THE ONLY ONE I'VE, YAY.
SEE, I GET AN INSIDE NEWSWEEK MAGAZINE INSIDE TIME.
UM, PLEASE, MY DIGITAL STUFF, WE DID GET OUR NUMBER IN DECEMBER AND WE DID GET 46,000 UNIQUE USER DEVICES, SO I'M KIND OF SURPRISED.
BUT DEPENDING ON YOUR SECURITY SENDING YOU MIGHT HAVE NOT SEEN IT.
THIS IS ALSO THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY PUSHED DELL ON SOCIAL DISPLAY AND NATIVE DAD AND THEY HAVE VERY DIFFERENT CREATIVES VERSUS LAST WEEK, FISCAL YEAR.
SO IT IS DEFINITELY REACHING A LOT MORE PEOPLE.
ALTHOUGH THE IMPRESSION NUMBER THAT YOU SEE ON THE PACKET MAY BE LOWERED BECAUSE WE STARTED LATER AS WELL TOO.
[03:55:01]
THE CLICK THROUGH A RATE THAT CLICK THROUGHS ARE MUCH, MUCH HIGHER THAN THEY'VE EVER BEEN BEFORE.INDUSTRY AVERAGE IS 0.08 AND WE'RE AT 0.6%.
SO THAT'S ABOUT FOUR TO 500% HIGHER THAN LAST TO YOU, ERIC.
UM, EVERYONE'S REALLY ATTACHING TO RESPECT RED ROCK COUNTRY.
UM, THAT IS, IT JUST ROLLS OFF THE TONGUE.
IT'S WHERE EVERYTHING LIVES, UM, AND EVERYTHING'S SUSTAINABILITY ORIENTED KIND OF LIVES.
UM, SO IT'S, IT'S INTERESTING HOW WHEN WE LAUNCHED THE, UM, SOME OF THE SUSTAINABLE TOURISM INITIATIVES AND STUFF, WE WOULD, YOU KNOW, WE DEVELOPED THE PLEDGE AND, UM, SEVEN AND DID ALL THESE THINGS KIND OF KNOWING THAT THEY WERE FITTING UNDER AN UMBRELLA.
BUT WE DIDN'T QUITE HAVE THAT UMBRELLA YET.
AND NOW WE DO RESPECTED OUR COUNTRY AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, UM, GOOD.
I'M GETTING A LOT OF GOOD POSITIVE FEEDBACK ON IT.
IN ADDITION TO THE, UM, THE CLICKTHROUGHS AND THE DATA OF THE ANECDOTAL AS WELL AS DATA, UH, IN ROOM VIDEOS ARE WORKING AS USUAL.
OUR, UH, PRINT ADVERTISING IN THE LONG, UM, TERM ANNUAL GUYS HAVE BEEN PLACED SUSTAINABILITY MESSAGE OR SUSTAINABILITY.
A SEDONA CARES IS ONE PROGRAM THAT WE LIKE.
SO THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS THAT AS WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THE KPIS AND LOOKING AT THESE PROGRAMS AND ASSESSING THEM, UM, UH, THE TOOLKITS FOR THE TRANS AREN'T REALLY GETTING MUCH TRACTION.
SO WE'LL PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, NOT PUT A TON OF ATTENTION, UM, TOWARDS THOSE.
UM, BUT KEEP IN LIES BECAUSE IT'S STILL GREAT TO HAVE IT LIVE ON ONLINE, YOU KNOW, IN CASE SOMEONE DOES NEED SOMETHING DIGITAL.
WE'RE STILL GOING TO CONTINUE PROMOTING IT THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR.
BUT WE'RE FINDING THAT IT MIGHT BE WINDING DOWN IT, WE THINK IT MIGHT BE PETERING OUT.
UH, WE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE REALLY WRECKED OUR BREAKS ON STAFF TO TRY TO FIND NEW WAYS TO PUT IT IN FRONT OF THE CONSUMER.
UM, AND WE DID GET 660 NEW PLEDGES SO FAR THIS YEAR, WHICH ISN'T BAD.
BUT, UM, I THINK WE'RE JUST, IT'S JUST LIZZIE AND STEAM.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GETTING READY TO KIND OF JUST, LET'S GO.
SECRET SEVEN ON THE OTHER HAND IS ROCKING IT.
WE'VE REALLY GOT IT EVERYWHERE AS SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS IN OUR NEWSLETTER.
26 MENTIONS IN THE CONSUMER NEWS, UM, THROUGHOUT THIS, UH, FIRST PART OF THE YEAR.
AND THEN I DO WANNA GIVE YOU AN UPDATE, UM, THANKS TO THE BRAIN OF OUR NEW COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, CAROL.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE TALKED WHEN CAROL STARTED ABOUT SOME OF THE FEEDBACK YOU GAVE US AT THE LAST MEETING ABOUT THE BROCHURE NEEDING, UM, SOME ATTENTION IN THE, THE ARTS AND CULTURE CATEGORY AND THE SPIRITUAL CATEGORY BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE ARE PLACES THAT WE NOTED IN THERE ARE BUSY ALREADY, LIKE THE CHAPEL AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE GALLERY ROW AND WHATNOT.
SO I REALLY TASKED CAROLYN, SHE DID A GREAT JOB COMING UP WITH SOME FRESH IDEAS ON, UM, ON THE, ON THOSE TWO CATEGORIES IN PARTICULAR.
AND ONE IS TO, ONE IDEA IS TO REPLACE THE SPIRITUAL WITH AN, UM, IT SAYS HERE, UH, NATIVE AMERICAN, OR SORRY, AMERICAN INDIAN TRAIL, BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY CALLING IT THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES TRAIL.
AND THAT'S GOING TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF WHAT THE STATE IS DOING.
THEY'RE DOING A BIG PUSH ON NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE WITH A AN 18 PAGE BROCHURE THAT THEY JUST CREATED.
AND SO ANYTIME THE STATE IS DOING SOMETHING, WE PAY ATTENTION.
CAUSE IT'S OF COURSE WE'RE GONNA GET, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE THAT, THAT EFFORT.
SO WE'RE GONNA, UM, PUT THAT TRAIL TOGETHER.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER PIECE, THE ARTS AND CULTURE IS REALLY COOL.
WE ARE REALLY, REALLY CAME UP WITH SOME HIDDEN GEM, INCLUDING THE HOME SITE OF SURREALIST MAX ARTS AND DOROTHY TAN.
UM, SO THEY'RE GONNA DO PRIVATE TOURS THERE NOW.
UM, AND THAT WAS FROM THE 1940S.
THEY'RE THEIR HOME SITE, SO KIND.
OH, WHO DO SON? IS IT? WHO IS? SO, UM, MARK BROWN BASICALLY PURCHASED THE HOME OF DOROTHY TANNING AND MAX ERNS.
AND, UM, SO BASICALLY CAP, CALL IT CAPRICORN HILL, WHICH IS ON BOROUGH ROAD, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE PART OF ONE OF THE SECRET LOCATIONS THAT SOMEBODY CAN GO TO.
AND ALSO PROMOTING THE FACT THAT WE HAD TWO AMO SURREALIST ARTISTS HERE IN SEDONA WHO ACTUALLY LIVED HERE, UM, MACER AND DOROTHY.
SO THERE'S A HUGE HISTORY BEHIND THAT.
AND THERE'S ALSO, UH, GALLERY 9 28.
IT'S A MURAL THAT'S LOCATED BEHIND THE SEDONA ARTS CENTER AND MEAN, SO THERE'S THESE ODD KIND OF AROUND THE CORNER, TRULY HIDDEN GEM THAT I THINK REALLY SPEAK TO THAT ARTS AND CULTURE, UM,
[04:00:01]
HISTORY THAT WE HAVE, AS WELL AS WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY, UM, BY ALL TYPES OF ARTISTS.AND SO IT'S REALLY KINDA A FUN THING TO REFRESH ON.
SO ONCE WE GET THIS WRITTEN, UM, AND WE'RE ALSO, WE ALSO HAVE CHECKED WITH THE FOREST SERVICE ON THE OTHER CATEGORY LOCATIONS.
HOW ARE THESE DOING? ARE THESE TRAILS BUSY? DO WE NEED TO REVERT YOU, YOU KNOW, TAKE THEM OFF AS SOMETHING NEW.
THEY'VE ACTUALLY, UM, SAID THAT EVERYTHING LOOKED OKAY ON, ON THEIR SIDE FOR THE, THE TRUE LAND, UM, LOCATION.
SO WE'RE ALMOST, ALMOST AS, OR WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF WRITING THESE UPDATES, GET THE, UH, PIECE DECIDE AND PRINTED.
AND THE GOAL IS TO GET IT IN, UM, PEOPLE'S TAB VISITOR AND TIME FOR SEASON WHEN WE GET A LITTLE BIT HERE.
WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB WITH OUR LEAVE NO TRACE, UM, CENTER FOR OUTDOOR ETHICS.
UH, WE FINISHED THE RESEARCH PORTION OF THE VOLUNTEERISM PROGRAM, UM, EFFORT.
SO THAT WAS KIND OF PHASE ONE TO DEVELOP A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM.
AND THAT VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, UH, WAS GOING TO LAUNCH IN NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
BUT THE FIRST STEP WAS RESEARCH.
SO WE'VE GOT SOME INITIAL, UM, INTERESTING DATA ON THIS.
LET'S SEE, IT'S STILL, THE ANALYSIS IS STILL IN THE WORKS, BUT WE ASKED THEM, THEY HAVE TO GIVE US A LITTLE INSIGHT THAT WE CAN PROVIDE TO YOU TODAY.
UH, VISITOR INSIGHTS SHOW THAT THE BIGGEST MOTIVATION FOR PARTICIPATING IN VOLUNTEER EVENTS WAS PERSONAL SATISFACTION AND GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
THE NEXT HIGHEST MOTIVATOR WAS DISCOUNTS FOR SHOPPING AND DINING
AND I'M LIKE, OH GOSH, YOU NEED INCENTIVIZED TO BE GOOD.
BUT YOU KNOW, THIS IS INFORMATION WE NEED TO KNOW.
UM, BUT THE GOOD THING IS, IS THIS IS, THIS IS ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF ACTUALLY A CHAMBER TOURISM BUREAU WORKING TOGETHER.
YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE ACCESS TO THE BUSINESSES TO BE ABLE TO SAY, HEY, DO YOU WANNA PARTNER WITH US ON THIS VOLUNT TOURISM EVENT AND HELP US INCENTIVIZE STUDENT BEHAVIOR? SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'LL LOOK AT.
UM, ALSO MANY SAID THAT A FUN AND MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE WOULD LIKELY AFFECT THE TYPE OF PROJECT THEY SELECT.
IT SUGGESTS ENSURING AND ENGAGING IN ENJOYABLE VOLUNTEERISM PROGRAM THAT SHOULD BE TOP OF MIND.
WE ALSO INTERVIEWED LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS.
INTERVIEWEES REPORTED THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CHAMBER TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR A VOLUNTEERISM PROGRAM, INCLUDING MARKETING AND PRO PROMOTION, CONNECTING TOURISTS WITH NON-PROFITS, FUND FUNDING AND ESTABLISHING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CHAMBER MEMBERS AND NONPROFIT STAKEHOLDERS.
UM, SO JUST A LITTLE BIT INITIAL INSIGHT, WE'LL, WE'LL REPORT BACK ON THE ACTUAL, UH, FINISHED REPORT OF THE DATA ANALYSIS.
SO LAST NIGHT, UH, TREAD LIGHT LEADERS AT COUNCIL UHHUH AND THEY HAD THEIR SLIDES, 400 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER AND A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE IN THE PHOTO WERE IN THE ROOM.
BUT I THOUGHT THAT MIGHT BE A REALLY GOOD VOLUNTEER MM-HMM.
I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY FUN FOR SURE.
THAT'S SOMETHING JUST ABSOLUTELY LOOK AT.
AND WE ARE WORKING RIGHT NOW WITH, UH, ALICIA, THE CITY TO, UH, PUT TOGETHER AN EARTH DAY CLEANUP.
SO EVEN THOUGH THAT'S THE, THAT'S MY BIRTHDAY.
I'M ALL IN
I GOT, I HAD A THING CALLED KIDS TAKING ACTION AS A KID.
CAUSE WE CLEANED UP OUR TOWNS.
BIRTHDAY'S A GREAT DAY TO START.
OH, YOU KNOW WHAT MAYBE WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IS THE, UH, THE SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATION.
THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WORTH BRINGING UP THE SPENDABLE TIME ON.
SO I THINK I HAVE SHARED WITH YOU WHEN THE PROGRAM, THIS IS ORIGINALLY THE SUSTAINABILITY ALLIANCE HAS FORMED THAT BUSINESS CERTIFICATION PROGRAM A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.
WE'VE ALWAYS SUPPORTED IN, IN THE SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO HELP GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT IT TO OUR BUSINESSES AND THEN PROMOTE THOSE WHO WERE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF DEEMED AT A CERTAIN LEVEL.
AND, UM, I SHARED WITH YOU WHEN WE PRESENTED THE FISCAL 23 DESTINATION MANAGEMENT PLAN, THAT THAT THAT PROGRAM, IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO BE POTENTIALLY, UM, MOVING OVER TO C RIO.
UM, BUT SINCE THEN, UM, THERE IS AN INTEREST, YOU KNOW, IN SCORECARD AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW SCORECARD AND SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATION THROUGH TV RIO NOW SINCE, OR DOES IT NOT.
SO I, I FEEL AT THIS POINT OUR ORGANIZATION'S IN A LITTLE BIT OF A, OF A MIDDLE JAM.
UM, SO WE WANTED TO KIND OF DISCUSS THIS WITH YOU ALL TODAY TO SEE HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
AND I'M LOOKING AT CARRIE, AND I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT.
AND I CAN JUMP IN AND PROBABLY PROVIDE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION.
UM, BUT SUSTAINABILITY ALLIANCE DID INITIALLY DEVELOP THAT PROGRAM.
I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW, HOW LONG,
[04:05:01]
BUT IT, IT SERVED A, A VERY IMPORTANT PURPOSE IN ENGAGING THE BUSINESSES IN THE WHOLE SORT OF CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABILITY AND HOW IT CAN BENEFIT BUSINESS.AND AT THE TIME IT WAS DEVELOPED AS A CERTIFICATION PROGRAM, MULTIPLE LEVELS, BRONZE, SILVER, GOLD, AND PLATINUM.
AND IT, WHILE IT DIDN'T HAVE VERY, A LOT OF STRUCTURE AROUND THE CRITERIA AND THE MEASUREMENT AND WHO WAS DOING THE CERTIFICATION, UH, IT DID SERVE A, A GOOD PURPOSE AT THE TIME.
AND ADMITTEDLY AT THAT TIME WE WERE IN OUR INFANCY AS A CITY IN THIS REALM.
AND OVER THE COURSE OF YEARS, WE HAVE SORT OF EVOLVED OUR SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM.
WE'VE ADOPTED THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF THINGS TO SORT OF FURTHER IMMATURE IN THIS AREA, INCLUDING GETTING SOME, SOME REALLY SIGNIFICANT IN-HOUSE EXPERTISE IN THIS AREA.
SO THEY ARE PILOTING A PROGRAM CALLED SCORECARD.
IT IS COMPLETELY AND FULLY VETTED.
IT HAS VERY, UM, SPECIFIC CRITERIA AND METRICS AND COACHES THAT WORK WITH BUSINESSES.
AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF HIGHLIGHTING THAT.
OUR SUSTAINABILITY MANAGER HAS, UM, QUITE A BIT OF EXPERIENCE WITH THIS PROGRAM AND ITS SUCCESSES.
WE'RE PILOTING IT WITH NINE ORGANIZATIONS RIGHT NOW.
CAUSE IT'S NOT JUST FOR BUSINESS, IT'S FOR ANY ORGANIZATION.
AND I THINK WE FEEL FROM THE, THE SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM, THE CITY'S PROGRAM, THAT IT, BECAUSE THE SUSTAIN SUSTAINABILITY, UM, OR THE BUSINESS CERTIFICATION PROGRAM DOES NOT HAVE SPECIFIC METRICS AND CRITERIA, AND IT DOES NOT HAVE FOLKS WHO ARE CREDENTIALED TO ACTUALLY DO CERTIFICATION.
THAT IT IS A LITTLE BIT MISLEADING FOR, UM, A BUSINESS TO CLAIM WITHOUT HAVING TO DEMONSTRATE OR MEASURE THAT THEY ARE AT THE SILVER OR THE PLATINUM LEVEL AND, AND USING CITY RESOURCES TO PROMOTE THAT.
BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO, WHO ONLY WANT TO GO TO BUSINESSES WHO, YOU KNOW, INVEST IN THIS AREA THAT WE DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE, OR AT LEAST I'M TALKING FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS COUNCIL'S OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN TO, TO USE CITY RESOURCES THAT QUITE FRANKLY ARE WORKING AT CROSS PURPOSES WITH THIS OTHER PROGRAM THAT SETS THE BAR HIGHER, ADMITTEDLY.
BUT WE AS A COMMUNITY, AS A CITY HAVE DONE THAT.
AND NOT TO SAY THAT MAYBE RIO COULDN'T, UM, CHAMPION THIS PROGRAM AND STILL ADMINISTER IT IN THE REST OF THE VERDE VALLEY, BUT WE FEEL LIKE IN SEDONA WE SHOULD BE SETTING THE BAR A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.
UM, THE SCC, FOR EXAMPLE, TAKES CREDENTIALING OR IN THIS REALM VERY SERIOUSLY.
AND THEY RECENTLY STOOD UP, UH, A TASK FORCE TO LOOK AT REGULATING THIS BECAUSE IT, IT ISN'T, IT IS DISINGENUOUS FOR AN ORGANIZATION TO CLAIM, UH, TO BE DOING SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE NOT REALLY DEMONSTRATING WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE DOING.
THEY MAY, UM, BUT THEY MAY NOT.
SO, UM, SO THOSE ARE OUR CONCERNS, UH, ABOUT EVEN FUNDING YOUR ORGANIZATION TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE IT WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
WHAT ARE YOU ACTUALLY DOING? UM, WE AGAIN, KIND OF BEING THAT CONNECTOR TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND SEDONA.
SO MAYBE RIO IS, IS ASKING EACH CHAMBER OR MINION MUNICIPALITY, ALMOST LIKE HAVING A LEAD PER, SO THERE'S SOMEONE FROM THE TOWN OF CLARKDALE, ACTUALLY ERIN WAS KIND OF DESIGNATED THE ONES FOR THE CHAMBER.
AND THEY'RE BASICALLY KIND OF, UM, I I THINK ARE THEY ASKING YOU TO ACTUALLY TRAIN? WELL, LISA VOSS IS WORKING, IS GONNA BE WORKING WITH US TO, TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT NOT OBVIOUSLY BE THE LONG TERM ONE THAT WE USE, UH, FROM THE SOUNDS OF IT.
BUT, UM, YEAH, TRAINING US SITTING DOWN WITH THE BUSINESS, EVALUATING WHAT ARE YOU DOING, WHAT CAN YOU BE DOING, YOU KNOW, WHICH ESTABLISHES AN INITIAL LEVEL.
SO YOU'RE ACTUALLY, SO WE'VE BEEN, OKAY, SO IT'S MORE THAN EVEN COMMUNICATION, UM, WHICH IS IN THE PAST WE'VE, WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T GONE THROUGH THAT PART YET.
BUT HISTORICALLY WHAT WE'VE DONE HAS PROMOTED THE SUCCESS, RIGHT.
CREATED A BLOG, PUSHED IT OUT IN OUR NEWSLETTER AND ON SOCIAL.
[04:10:01]
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, CHOCOLATE TREE REACHED CHOCOLATE BLOCK ROMS LEVEL, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE OTHER BUSINESSES TO, OH, I WANT DO THAT, YOU KNOW, I WANNA GET INVOLVED, UM, BECAUSE OUR CHANNELS ARE STRONG.SO THEY WANNA GET THAT RECOGNITION TOO.
BUT NOW IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'VE GOT ANOTHER LAYER BEING ASKED OF, YOU KNOW, SOME SEMI TRAINING, GETTING THIS, GETTING THEM CERTIFIED, GETTING THEM CORRECT.
KATHY, VERY MAYBE BASIC AND IGNORANT QUESTION ON THIS, BUT WE WERE DOING THIS, THIS WAS FUNDED AGAIN OUT OF THE SIDE, BUT IN TERMS OF YOUR SIDE, BASICALLY, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE OUR OWN STUFF UP AND RUNNING, BUT NOW WE'RE GETTING OUR OWN STUFF UP AND RUNNING.
BUT AGAIN, IF THIS WAS SOMETHING ON THE CHAMBER SIDE, AND I DON'T THINK WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE A, WE GO GET TO A PLAN ON THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A WAY THESE PROGRAMS CAN WORK COMPLIMENTARY TO EACH OTHER OR NOT.
I JUST DON'T, BUT I JUST, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND I DON'T THINK IT'S, IF WE HAVE OUR OWN STUFF, THE CITY PROBABLY SHOULDN'T BE FUNDING THIS BECAUSE IT'S COUNTER TO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO PROMOTEE FOR OUR CERTIFICATION.
BUT IF I WENT INTO A BUSINESS AND IT HAD, YOU KNOW, I HAVE THIS AND I HAVE THIS, YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE HOW THAT'S NECESSARILY A CONFLICT.
I JUST DON'T BELIEVE IT'S THE CITY FUNDING.
BUT I ALSO DUNNO HOW MUCH TIME WE WANT TO SPEND ON THIS SPECIFIC ITEM.
WELL, I THINK THEY NEED DIRECTION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE GONNA CONTINUE THAT WORK.
UM, FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE, WE ARE ASKING THAT THEY DO NOT.
SO IT'S COUNCILS, UM, SINCE YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TRAINED YET, CAN YOU PAUSE, SEE HOW OUR PROGRAM GOES? BUT, BUT THERE'S, THERE'S TRAINING THAT'S DONE LOCALLY AT A GRASSROOTS NONPROFIT LEVEL AND THERE IS CREDENTIALING THAT HAPPENS FOR SUSTAINABILITY PROFESSIONALS AND A VETTED PROGRAM WITH MEASUREMENT.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE.
AND AND THAT'S THE, THE RUB BETWEEN THE TWO.
I'D LIKE TO JUST JUMP IN HERE.
SO, UM, SOMETHING THAT, UM, MICHELLE MENTIONED EARLIER WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT DESTINATION MARKETING.
THE ORGANIZATION IS CERTIFIED, RIGHT? AND HIGHLY CREDENTIALED CAN DO D AS A DMO AND WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THE SAME THING IF WE WORKING WITH THE CHAMBER WHO'S HIGHLY CREDENTIALED.
AND YOU'RE SAYING THIS, THIS UH, UH, TRAINING THAT'S BEING GIVEN.
AND I REMEMBER WHEN GERARDO'S, I THINK HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO GET THE CERTIFICATION, WAS PROUD AS IT COULD BE HIS FACE LIT UP LIKE THE SON WHEN HE CAME, HE HAD A WHATEVER.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT AT THE TIME IT, IT WAS REALLY GOOD.
BUT SHOULD WE BE GOING WITH A CERTIFIED GROUP? AND I'M UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS NO CERTIFICATION AND IF WE'RE DOING THE CERTIFICATION FOR CHAMBER AND EVERYTHING ELSE, SHOULD WE BE DOING THE SAME FOR THIS? I'M JUST THE QUESTION OUT THERE.
AND, UH, COUNCIL BLA I THINK THE CITY HAS EVOLVED IN ITS SOPHISTICATION IN THIS REGARD.
IT'S A, IT'S A INTERNATIONAL, IT'S NOT INTERNATIONAL, BUT IT'S NATIONAL PROGRAM WITH VERY HIGH STANDARDS.
AND IT'S, IT'S RECOGNIZED BY SUSTAINABILITY PROFESSIONALS AND IT, IT HAS VERY HIGH STANDARDS AND METRICS.
AND SO I BELIEVE THE TIDE IS THE TIME TO MOVE ON, THINK THE NEXT STEP TOWARDS, TOWARD A SOPHISTICATED PROGRAM TO ACTUALLY MAKE MEANINGFUL.
UM, SO I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD BE PROMOTING THE OTHER.
I THINK THAT WHEN WE GET THIS GOING, WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHERE THAT BELONGS IN TERMS OF, OF PROMOTION AND WHETHER WE WANT TO DO THAT OR NOT.
UM, BUT I, I SEE NO REASON I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TWO WITH DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT STANDARDS AND DIFFERENT AWARDS AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THE CITY HAS AN OBLIGATION TO KIND OF BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT.
I THINK FOR THE MOMENT IT GIVES US A ALMOST CLIENT LIST TO APPROACH PEOPLE LIKE, YOU'VE DONE THIS SO WELL, WE WOULD LIKE TO GET YOU CERTIFIED THROUGH THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, JUST FYI, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A WORKSHOP AND A WEEK OR TWO FOR IT BECAUSE THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ORIGINALLY TOLD.
SO I I DON'T WANT TO LIKE COMPLETELY ABANDON IT RIGHT THIS SECOND.
SO, BUT IT, IT GIVES US PEOPLE THAT SHOW UP ARE INTERESTED.
SO IT, IT GIVES YOU A POOL OF INTERESTED ORGANIZATIONS.
[04:15:01]
DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? WELL, I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN.UM, BUT I'M JUST, JUST SAYING THAT SAME POOL OF INTERESTED ORGANIZATIONS WOULD BE RESPONSIVE TO, TO A, A HIGHER LEVEL PROGRAM AS WELL.
SO, AND I, I ALSO THINK THAT HAVING THE REST OF THE VERDE VALLEY IS, IS PERFECTLY REASONABLE.
UM, THEY'RE NOT WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF, OF OUR ABILITY TO SORT OF GREAT SUSTAINABILITY AND, AND PROFESSIONALLY HANDLE IT.
AND SO, I MEAN, I STILL THINK THERE'S A GREAT, A GREAT JOB FOR, FOR THE ORGANIZATION, JUST NOT NECESSARILY HERE.
PETE, I KNOW YOU WANT TO SPEAK.
YEAH, SO THIS IS AWKWARD FOR ME TO TALK ABOUT THIS.
SO I HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF INSIDE BALLOT ABOUT INSIDE HISTORY AND HOW THIS HAPPENED AND HOW IT'S FAR AND WHAT IT'S LIKE, AND THIS ISN'T ABOUT LISA, IT'S NOT EVEN ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY LINES.
THE SUSTAINABILITY LINES CONTINUES TO EXIST.
THIS PARTICULAR BUSINESS CERTIFICATION PROGRAM CONTINUES TO EXIST AND, AND IS GROWING IN THE, IN THE VALLEY.
THIS IS WHAT THIS IS FOR ME, SUSTAINABILITY IS A CULTURAL CHANGE.
THIS IS A LONG PROCESS THAT WE TALK WITH PEOPLE ENGAGED IN.
AARON, YOU SAID IT EXACTLY RIGHT.
THIS PROGRAM HAS CREATED A POOL OF A HUNDRED BUSINESSES IN THE VERDE VALLEY WHO CHOSE TO DO THEIR OWN INTERNAL WORK AND CERTIFY 60 OF THEM, THE CITY OF SADO.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TEACH OUR KIDS TO PLAY BASEBALL, THEY START OFF WHERE THEY START OFF IN T-BALL WHERE THERE ISN'T METRICS, THERE'S ONLY ENCOURAGEMENT, RIGHT? AND THEN SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE WANT TO EXCEL FURTHER AND, AND THEY ENGAGE IN A DIFFERENT KIND OF PROGRAM.
AND SO I REALLY DISAGREE WITH THESE PROGRAMS AREN'T COMPATIBLE.
THEY ACTUALLY VERY, QUITE COMPATIBLE.
AND I WOULD ACTUALLY SUGGEST THAT A BIGGER HEAVY METRICS MUSCULAR PROGRAM REQUIRES A POOL OF PEOPLE WHO GOT INTERESTED BECAUSE IT WAS EASY TO ACHIEVE.
AND WE STARTED A CONVERSATION WITH THEM AND THEY GOT EXCITED AND THEN DECIDED TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP.
SO IT REALLY, I REALLY DISAGREED THAT THE PROGRAMS ARE NOT COMPATIBLE.
UM, AND THEN I HAVE ANOTHER ELEMENT THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT HERE THAT I KNOW THAT I CAMPAIGN ON.
AND I KNOW THAT MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE AT CAMPAIGN ON THAT SEDONA WANTS TO ENGAGE MORE DEEPLY IN THE VERDE VALLEY, CUZ THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE TO, TO SOLVE HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, ALL THE REST OF THESE THINGS REQUIRE SORT OF A MORE REGIONAL THOUGHTFUL APPROACH.
SO WE'VE GOT A PROGRAM HERE THAT'S GONNA EXIST OUT IN
WE'VE GOT A BETTER PROGRAM THAT'S MEATIER AND FULL OF METRICS AND COSTLY ARE NO DOUBT AND REQUIRES MORE INVESTMENT FROM A BUSINESS OWNER TO GET THROUGH IT.
I DON'T KNOW, BUT THAT'S WHAT I SUSPECT.
SO I, I THINK THAT THERE'S ROOM FOR BOTH.
BUT NOW I STEP LIST IN THE OTHER SIDE HERE I GO LAND MINING.
I DO, MANY OF THE THINGS THAT THE CHAMBER TALKS ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY WISE ARE KIND OF, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUR VISITORS TO BE MORE SUSTAINABLE.
AND SO THAT'S A CLEARLY A TOURISM BUREAU FUNCTION.
ENCOURAGE US TO CONTINUE TO THINK AND GROW THOSE, BUT BUSINESS CERTIFICATION TO ME LOOKS LIKE MORE OF A MEMBER BENEFIT THAN A TOURISM BUREAU.
AND SO IT DOES SEEM TO ME THAT IT SHOULD BE HOUSED OVER IN, AND, AND I KNOW YOUR MEMBERS CLAMOR FOR THIS, RIGHT? WELL, 60, I DON'T KNOW, 60 MEMBERS, BUT 60 BUSINESSES HAVE GONE FROM THE PROCESS.
SO IT SEEMS THAT IT, IT'S REALLY BEST HOUSED OVER THERE, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO THINK ABOUT THE, THERE'S ROOM FOR BOTH AND THERE'S ACTUALLY A NEED FOR BOTH.
SO, UM, FIRST A QUESTION FOR KAREN.
PLEASE TELL ME WHAT, I KNOW YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE
SO FIRST WE HAVE A PILOT ALREADY IN PLACE.
[04:20:01]
SORRY, THE PILOT.WHAT? WE HAVE A PILOT THE SCORECARD.
I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT TIMING, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IF THERE WERE BUSINESSES WHO WERE INTERESTED NOW IN PURSUING THE SCORECARD, WE WOULD CONNECT THEM WITH THOSE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO DO SO.
IT'S NOT TO ME A MATTER OF WHETHER OR NOT THESE ARE COMPATIBLE PROGRAMS OR ONES THE BABY STEP TO GET TO THE, YOU KNOW, THE BIGGER BROTHER VERSION OF THIS.
THIS IS ABOUT REPRESENTING SEDONA.
THIS IS ABOUT WHAT WE WANNA SAY ABOUT SEDONA.
AND IF WE WANT TO SAY THAT SEDONA IS TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BUSINESSES WITHIN SEDONA ARE ONES THAT YOU, IF YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE ENVIRONMENTAL PEOPLE WHO ONLY WANTS TO BUY THE THINGS THAT SAYS GREEN PRODUCTS ON AMAZON, COME SHOP HERE BECAUSE WE HAVE DONE THIS.
WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED.
WE HAVE A SUSTAINABILITY MANAGER.
WE'VE GOT ALL THE THINGS THAT WOULD SAY WE'RE LIKE THAT LITTLE TAG IN AMAZON LISTINGS THAT SAYS GREEN.
AND WE WANT YOU TO COME HERE BECAUSE WE ARE A GREEN COMMUNITY AND OUR BUSINESS IS A GREEN.
AND SO I WANT, IT'S NOT THAT ONE IS BETTER THAN THE OTHER, BUT THIS IS, THIS IS THE APPROACH WE'VE DECIDED TO TAKE AS A CITY.
AND SO WE SHOULD BE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY WITHIN OUR CITY TO ENGAGE IN THAT SAME PROGRAM.
I DON'T THINK I'M FAR OFF FROM WHERE MELISSA IS.
I THINK, UM, I DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH BOTH PROGRAMS EXISTING.
I HAVE AN ISSUE THOUGH WITH THE CITY PAYING FOR TWO PROGRAMS LIKE THAT.
SO THAT, TO ME, THAT'S THE SIDE THAT NEEDS TO GET FIGURED OUT.
I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE ON THE CITY CONTRACT SIDE IF WE'RE PROMOTING PAYING FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
AND AGAIN, IF IT WAS A CHAMBER FUNCTION, YOU KNOW, IF, UH, IF AAA OR A A R P OR GOD KNOWS WHO COMES IN AND SAYS WE HAVE A CERTIFICATION PROGRAM, SURE.
THAT BUSINESS COULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, A R P AND AAA AND THIS ONE AND THE CITY ONE, YOU KNOW, AND ALL THAT.
WHAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THAT? I DON'T SEE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
I JUST, I DON'T THINK THE CITY SHOULD BE PAYING FOR BOTH PROGRAMS PROBABLY SIMULTANEOUSLY AND WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY DOWN 12, 10 MINUTES.
WELL, I CAN, I CAN ADD TO THAT.
LOGISTICALLY, I UNDERSTAND THE CHAMBER, MOVING IT TO THE CHAMBER IDEA.
I JUST THINK THAT, UM, WITH THE EXPERTISE IN THE, IN YOUR DEPARTMENT AT THE CITY, WE'RE LEANING ON YOUR ADVICE AS TO, YOU KNOW, WHICH, YOU KNOW, I, I MEAN, CAN THEY LIVE TOGETHER? IS THIS THE SAME STEP OR IS, OR DO WE GET BEHIND WHAT YOUR DESIRE IS? AND I THINK REGARDLESS OF FEE FOR SERVICE OR NOT FEE SERVICE OR CHAMBER SIDE OR TOURISM BUREAU SIDE, OUR TWO ORGANIZATIONS ARE PARTNERS.
WE'VE BEEN PARTNERS FOR A LONG TIME.
WE WORK COLLABORATIVELY AND COMPLIMENTARY TO EACH OTHER.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY COUNCIL GETS TO DECIDE.
BUT WHAT OUR SUSTAINABILITY TEAM, WHO ARE VERY HIGHLY CREDENTIALED ARE FEEL EXTREMELY STRONGLY ABOUT IS THAT A LEGITIMATE VETTED, MEASURED CERTIFIED PROGRAM IS, IS REALLY THE, THE ONLY ROOM THERE IS FOR A SPACE IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE THE OTHER PROGRAM DOESN'T HAVE ANY TEETH.
IT DOESN'T HAVE VALIDATION, IT DOESN'T HAVE METRICS.
AND FOR US, WE CAN'T SAY, YOU KNOW, OUR FACILITY IS LEAD CERTIFIED WITHOUT DEMONSTRATING THAT.
AND THAT'S THE EXPECTATION OF THE PUBLIC IN OUR COMMUNITY IS THAT WE ARE AT A HIGHER LEVEL.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE, AND I'M GONNA SAY, BUT I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO REPRESENT OUR TEAM AND SOMETHING THAT THEY REALLY FEEL PASSIONATELY ABOUT.
I'M, I'M NOW IN GARY'S SPOT FEELING FINGERS BEING POINTED.
AND I WANT EVERYBODY HERE TO KNOW THAT THE EXISTING CERTIFICATION PROGRAM WAS PUT TOGETHER ABOUT WOMEN NAMED DARCY HITCHCOCK.
HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW DARCY, DARCY IS AN EXPERT IN THIS FIELD? I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO GET THE IDEA THAT THE EXISTING CERTIFICATION PROGRAM WASN'T WELL THOUGHT OUT.
SHE'S, SHE TEACHES SHE'S GOT ALL THE EDUCATION THAT ANYONE WOULD WANT IN THIS FIELD.
SHE TEACHES IN THIS FIELD AND HAS TAUGHT, I THINK SHE'S RETIRING NOW AND
[04:25:01]
SHE TRANSFERRED THAT TO LISA BOSS WHO HAS A MBA IN SUSTAINABILITYSO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF CREDENTIALS IN BOTH PROGRAMS. AND I DON'T, AND I'M SORRY MELISSA, THAT I WAS MOTIVATED TO WANT TO CLARIFY THAT WITH YOU.
THAT THESE PROGRAMS ARE WELL THOUGHT OUT.
YES, I AGREE THAT THE CURRENT PROGRAM IS NOT METRIC HEAVY AND IT'S INTENDED NOT TO BE METRIC HEAVY TO GET PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND AND ENGAGE IN THIS CONVERSATION.
SO, SO, AND I'M NOT GONNA SAY ANYMORE ABOUT THIS BECAUSE AS I SAID AT THE START, YOU SAID IT'S NOT ABOUT LISA BOSS, IT'S NOT ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY ALLIANCE, IT'S NOT ABOUT THIS PROGRAM, BUT FOR ME IT'S ABOUT HOW DO YOU GET CULTURE CHANGE? I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION, WHICH IS CAN YOU CLARIFY WHAT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO DECIDE? YEAH, I MEAN, I I I DON'T WANNA ARGUE WHETHER ONE PROGRAM IS BETTER OR WORSE THAN THE OTHER.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW, WE HAVE ASKED YOU TO PROMOTE ONE PROGRAM, RIGHT? AND THE QUESTION IS DO WE WANT YOU TO CONTINUE TO, THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY DEAL.
THE QUESTION HERE, AND, AND, AND I WOULD SAY NO.
SO CAN WE HAVE A VOTE ON YES OR NO OR STILL DISCUSSION? I'M SORRY MAYOR, WE ONLY HAVE TWO MINUTES.
KAREN, WE NEED A SHOW OF HANDS FOR YOU TO, FOR THIS REALLY, FOR, FOR THE CHAMBER TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THEY CONTINUE TO PROMOTE THE WORK ON THE, WAS IT ABOUT PROMOTION OR WAS IT ABOUT PAYING FOR IT? PAYING? SO WE COULD DO IT, IT WOULD COME FROM CHAMBER OF FUNDING.
WELL, NO, HOW MUCH ARE WE PAYING FOR IT? I MEAN, WE OFFER IT FREE TO THE BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS.
DO YOU KNOW THAT GARY, IT SEEMS TO ME THIS IS STAFF TIME.
IT WAS FIVE HOURS IN CAREFUL LEADERSHIP.
AND IF WE JUST HAVE, WE HAVE LEADERSHIP, THE BABY RIO WAITING TO HEAR WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE RIGHT NOW AND I I JUST NEED YOUR GUIDANCE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE SAY THIS, WE CAN NO LONGER SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE WE ARE GETTING BEHIND SCORECARD OR WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM IN ADDITION TO SCORECARD.
I MEAN, HONESTLY, BY THE END OF THE MONTH, SCORE CARD IS IRRELEVANT RIGHT NOW.
JUST, WELL, IT'S ALSO A PILOT PROGRAM.
IT'S NOT, SHE'S, I I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT THE CITY DOESN'T WANT THE CHAMBER TO BE SPENDING TOURISM BUREAU MONEY ON THE PROGRAM.
BUT I DON'T, MICHELLE IS ALSO ASKING WHETHER IT'S OKAY FOR THE CHAMBER TO SUPPORT ANOTHER PROGRAM UNDER THEIR OWN NICKEL.
I'M OKAY WITH THE CHAMBER CAN DO WHAT THEY WANT ON THEIR OWN.
THEY WANT TO NOW TAKE ADVERTISING DOLLARS FROM THE LODGE ACCOUNTS, BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT ARE WE SPENDING ON FROM CITY? HERE'S TWO ISSUES, RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT.
THAT'S NOT ABOUT WHO PAYS FOR IT.
AND THIS IS OUR PARTNER AND, AND ARE WE OKAY WITH DOING SOMETHING THAT THAT FROM, FROM OUR STAFF PERSPECTIVE GOES AGAINST THE EFFORTS WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IN TERMS OF CLIMATE ACTION AND, AND SETTING THE BY FAR HIGHER AND DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
SO THAT THE QUESTION IS, IS IT OKAY IF IT'S ON THEIR OWN? DO NO, NO, NO, NO MORE NOW IT'S THE CITY STAFF IS SUPPORTING ONE PROGRAM AND THEY'RE PREFERRED OR THEY'RE ASKING THE CHANGE OF NOT TO WITHOUT FUNDING HAS NOTHING DO WITH FUNDING.
SERIOUSLY, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I KNEW THAT THIS WAS OUR WORKSHOP AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT AND, BUT HAVING A PROGRAM LIVE OR DIE ON OUR DISCUSSION TODAY SEEMS OUT OF THE REALM OF WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING.
WE WERE HAVING A LARGE PROGRAMMATIC DISCUSSION IN THE DIRECTION OF THE CHAMBER GOING ON.
I WAS, I DIDN'T COME IN HERE WITH ENOUGH BACKGROUND ON THESE PROGRAMS TO MAKE THAT DECISION ABOUT SUGAR WITH OR DIE.
SO I I I'M JUST, WELL THE OTHER OPTION IS FOR US TO FINISH OUR, SORRY, BRIAN.
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, JUST ECHO WHAT KATHY SAYING.
I'D LIKE TO SEE A ONE PAGER MATRIX TO COMPARE THE TWO PROGRAMS LOOK AT AND GO, OKAY, I KNOW.
SO COULD WE ASK THAT WE COULD HAVE A DECISION FROM THE COUNCIL BY THE END OF THE MONTH, BY JANUARY 30TH? WE COULD HAVE A YES OR NO SO THAT WE CAN RESPOND TO THOSE THAT ARE REQUESTING THIS SERVICE FROM US.
THAT MEANS IT WOULD'VE TO BE AGENDA AND HAVE A DISCUSSION THAT HER COUNCIL COULD COME UP WITH A, WE HAVE
[04:30:01]
A MEETING AGENDA.WHAT? IT WOULD HAVE TO BE AGENDA FOR THAT ONE OF THE TWO OF THOSE MEETINGS.
SO, UH, KAREN, UH, IS A ROOM AN NEXT AGENDA FOR A DISCUSSION? I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HEARD FROM PARENTS THAT ARE PROFESSIONAL, HIGHLY PAID STAFF THAT IS PAID TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS AND TO KNOW THAT STUFF IN DEPTH HAS GIVEN US A RECOMMENDATION FOR WHAT THEY, SO WE, I I DON'T REALLY WANT TO SEE A MATRIX PREPARED BY ANYBODY ELSE COMPARING THEM.
I, I THEY HAVE, WE PAY THEM TO MAKE THESE KINDS OF DECISIONS.
WE NORMALLY GET THAT ADVICE IN THE FORM OF A PRESENTATION TO LOOK AT OR REACT TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS.
WELL WHY DON'T WE TAKE A BREAK IF ANYBODY NEEDS MORE INFORMATION.
UH, I PREFER I STICK WITH THE STAFF MYSELF.
YES, SCOTT, WE'LL BE TAKING YOUR VOTE HERE TONIGHT.
SO STRAW POLLING IS ALLOWED OR NOT? NO, JUST DIRECTION.
THE QUESTION THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR FEEDBACK ON IS, DO WE, DO WE TRY TO RESTRICT THE CHAMBER FROM DOING WITH IT WANTS TO DO OR I DUNNO, WE HAVEN'T MADE IT NO, NO.
FREE TO MAKE THEIR OWN DECISION.
ARE THEY FREE TO MAKE THEIR OWN DECISION? I WANT TO HEAR FROM THE EXPERTS WHICH PROGRAM IS, IS, IS GOING TO BE MOST APPEALING FOR VISITORS.
THAT'S WHAT I REALLY WANT TO KNOW.
I MEAN, CAUSE THAT'S WHAT I NEED TO KNOW IS WHAT CAN MY BUSINESS COMMUNITY PARTICIPATE IN AND WHAT'S GONNA BE ATTRACTIVE FROM THE VISITOR PER PERCEPTION PERSPECTIVE.
BUT YOU'RE ASKING US TO EITHER KILL IT OR SUPPORT IT BEFORE YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION YOU JUST SAID YOU NEED TO HEAR FROM THOSE EXPERTS ABOUT WHAT YOU WANNA DO, WHETHER YOU WANNA MOVE IT TO CHAMBER SIZE.
WELL, I JUST SEE YOUR STAFF AND SUSTAINABILITY MANAGER AND WHAT AND THE OTHERS AS BEING, WE CAN'T MAKE THAT CALL.
WE'RE NOT SUSTAINABILITY EXPERTS.
WANNA LEAN ON, ON THE CITY STAFF.
OKAY, SO, SO MICHELLE JUST SAYS SHE WANTS TO LEAVE ON SIDE OF CITY STAFF.
SO NOT AS A VOTE, BUT AS A COMMENT, UH, YOU WANT TO GO ACROSS THE TABLE AND UH, AND HAVE A COMMENT AND JUST AGREE ON AGREEMENT WITH SPECIFIC POSITION.
THAT'S THE THING THAT THERE'S NOT A CLEAR QUESTION THAT'S A YES OR NO QUESTION.
IF THE COUNCIL IS SAYING IT IS UP TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO PRO PROMOTE BOTH PROGRAMS, ONE PROGRAM, EITHER PROGRAM, THEN THEY WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT DECISION BASED ON GETTING INFORMATION FROM US FROM THE SUSTAINABILITY, UH, UH, OR I'M SORRY, VIV RIO OR THE OTHER.
AND THEN YOU GET TO MAKE A DECISION WHAT SHE SAID.
I THINK YOU SHOULD PAUSE ON MOVING FORWARD IT UNTIL YOU CAN RESOLVE THAT.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE DIRECTION IS.
THE DIRECTION OF COUNCIL IS LEAVING IT UP TO US, US THE CHAMBER TO MAKE A DECISION ON WHICH SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM WE SUPPORT IF IT GOES TO THE CHAMBER SIDE IN TERMS OF THE PERMISSION.
BUT NOT FOR THE TOURISM, CORRECT.
SO WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT FUNDING THIS STAFF TIME FOR WE ARE AT SIX O'CLOCK.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING WELL CLOSING? WELL THESE WERE, I THINK WE'RE GOOD.
UM, ALL I ALL I'VE GOT UP HERE ON THE SLIDES FOR YOU IS JUST SOME, YOU KNOW, THIS SLIDE AND THE NEXT SLIDE AND I'M GONNA LET YOU GO.
BUT I THINK THIS, THIS KIND OF CHART IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE EASIEST THINGS FOR YOU TO LOOK AT.
WE CAN'T DECIDE, UM, THIS TONIGHT THEN LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE A FEW MORE MINUTES TO HANG AND TALK ABOUT IT.
[04:35:01]
ILLUSTRATES THAT ABOUT 95% OF OUR PROGRAMS WE'RE LOOKING TO CONTINUE INTO NEXT YEAR.WE'RE, AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE LOOKING TO PAUSE THE TRANSIT TOOLKIT AND THE CARES PLEDGE.
WE'VE JUST TALKED ABOUT THE BUSINESS CERTIFICATION.
PROGRAMS TO START AND PUT IT OUT THERE.
DESTINATION BRANDING AND MARKETING.
AND WE'D LOVE TO REINSTATE THOSE CITYWIDE BANNERS WITH PER LEAVE NO TRACE.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALREADY PAID FOR 'EM.
UM, AS LONG AS WE CAN GET THEM, YOU KNOW, KEEP THEM ON YOUR, UM, LIKE FULL.
I MEAN, I THINK THEY WERE REALLY EFFECTIVE AND IT'S JUST ANOTHER TOUCH, VOICE OR THE PARK AND RIDE AREAS FOR THE SHUTTLE.
SO DO WE, DO YOU WANT TIME TO DIGEST THIS? HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO DIGEST IT? YOU NEED MORE TIME? OKAY.
I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE ALE ON THAT.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE ANYONE HAS TO SAY? THANK YOU.