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WE'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.UH, PLEASE JOIN ME IN A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY JUSTICE.
AND PLEASE JOIN ME FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
ITEM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE LOCAL MAYOR JALO? PRESENT VICE MAYOR PUG.
[3.a. AB 2930 Discussion/possible direction/action regarding next steps towards the development of a municipal destination marketing and management program, including a Resolution designating the City of Sedona as the official Destination Marketing Organization.]
OKAY.WE HAVE SPECIAL BUSINESS ITEM THREE, A AB 29 30 DISCUSSION POSSIBLE, UH, DIRECTION AND ACTION REGARDING NEXT STEPS TOWARD THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MUNICIPAL DESTINATION MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, INCLUDING A RESOLUTION DESIGNATING THE CITY OF SEDONA AS THE OFFICIAL DESIGNATING A DES DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION.
KAREN, DO YOU WANNA START? SURE.
UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNSELORS, UM, STAFF DOES NOT HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR YOU THIS AFTERNOON.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, THIS MEETING WAS ORIGINALLY AGENDA FOR A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION OR SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT CONVERSATION.
AND WE WERE, UM, PROVIDED NOTICE LAST WEEK FROM THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND TOURISM BUREAU THAT THEY DID NOT WISH TO PROCEED WITH, UM, THE DISCUSSION TODAY, WHICH WAS BASICALLY SETTING UP THE, UM, ESTABLISHMENT OF THE WORK PROGRAM FOR THE FY 24 CONTRACT.
SO IN THE ABSENCE OF THAT BEING NECESSARY, UH, FOR THIS, UH, AFTERNOON, WE DID MODIFY THE AGENDA JUST TWO DAYS AGO TO ALLOW YOU ALL THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS IF YOU HAVE IDEAS ABOUT HOW THE CITY MAY PROCEED WITH SOME OF YOUR OWN WORK PROGRAM GOALS, UM, IN THE ABSENCE OF THE PARTNERSHIP, UH, AND SERVICE CONTRACT WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
SO WE'D REALLY, UH, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT IS ON THE AGENDA IS THE CONSIDERATION OF, UM, BECAUSE IT IS THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ESTABLISH A DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION FOR THE CITY ITSELF.
THAT'S OUR 19 SQUARE MILES, NOT THE GREATER SEDONA REGION THAT, UM, THAT IS SOMETHING ELSE TO, TO BE ABLE TO CONSIDER THIS AFTERNOON AND POTENTIALLY ACT ON.
SO I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THEN THE, UH, THE COUNCIL.
WE HAVE ANY, ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO START WITH, ANY, UH, QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE OF KAREN OR MAKE ANY COMMENTS? DON'T, DON'T JUMP UP AT ONCE.
SO, UH, I THINK, CAN WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE STANDING SIT IN THESE CHAIRS OVER HERE? THEY WANT, RIGHT.
THERE'S THREE CHAIRS IN THE, ON, OFF TO THE SIDE.
WE MAY ALSO, UM, THERE'S A LARGE AUDIENCE FOR FOLKS WHO ARE WANTING TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
JUST A REMINDER ABOUT THE CARDS SURE.
AND THE, THE PROCESS SO THAT WE CAN GET THOSE QUEUED UP.
SO BEFORE THE VICE MAYOR START, BEFORE THE VICE MAYOR STARTS, IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO, UH, SPEAK TODAY AS DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, PLEASE FILL OUT YOUR CARDS OR ON THE TABLE OFF TO THE SIDE, UH, AND THEN HAND THEM TO THE, UH, CITY CLERK.
SO I'LL JUST START BY SAYING, UH, SINCE WE RECEIVED THE NOTICE AND IT BECOMES EFFECTIVE ON JULY 1ST, UH, ARE WE PREPARED TO INITIATE A CITY-BASED TOURISM PROGRAM FOR BUSINESSES THAT OPERATE WITHIN THE CITY OF SEDONA VICE MAYOR? I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO GET SOME DIRECTION FROM THE CITY COUNCIL ON THE EXTENT OF WHAT
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SUCH AN ENDEAVOR MIGHT LOOK LIKE.WHAT ARE THE THINGS BECAUSE, UM, AS YOU KNOW, IN THE CONTRACT WITH THE CHAMBER, THE PROJECTS, PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES HAVE RANGED QUITE A BIT FROM MORE TRADITIONAL BRANDING AND MARKETING EFFORTS TO SPECIFIC PROGRAMS, UM, AND OTHER SERVICES RELATIVE TO TOURISM.
IF COUNCIL HAS A SENSE OF WHAT TYPES OF THINGS YOU'D LIKE THE CITY TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MOVING FORWARD FOR THE CITY BUSINESSES, THEN I WOULD WANT TO PUT TOGETHER, UH, A SCOPE OF WORK, SOME RECOMMENDATIONS, WHAT WOULD THE RESOURCE NEEDS BE, AND BE ABLE TO PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER WITH OPTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO BRING BACK TO YOU.
I'M NOT PREPARED TO DO THAT, UH, THIS AFTERNOON, BUT I THINK GETTING A SENSE OF WHAT THE IMPORTANT WORK PROGRAM ITEMS ARE FOR THE CITY TO TAKE ON WOULD HELP ME IN BEING ABLE TO DO THAT AND BRING THAT BACK.
AND HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU THINK YOU NEED IT? IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHAT THOSE ITEMS ARE, RIGHT? THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT COULD PROBABLY BE RAMPED UP PRETTY QUICKLY.
AND THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT SIMPLY WOULD TAKE TIME BECAUSE THAT IS NOT THE BUSINESS THAT WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW.
IT WOULD BE AN ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW PROGRAM.
PROB PROBABLY POSSIBLY A NEW DEPARTMENT.
UM, SO IF WE WERE GONNA DO SOMETHING THAT I WOULD SAY IS COMPREHENSIVE, I WOULD PROBABLY AS A FIRST STEP LOOK TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
THERE ARE CONSULTING FIRMS THAT HAVE HELPED SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS MAKE A TRANSITION LIKE THIS.
OUR NEIGHBOR COTTONWOOD JUST DID IT A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
AND THERE ARE FOLKS OUT THERE WHO CAN PROVIDE ASSISTANCE IN, IN GETTING FROM THIS POINT TO AN APPOINT OF ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION ON SOME OF THE LARGER ITEMS. AND I'D PROBABLY LOOK TO DO THAT.
I, I THINK THAT'S, UH, I, I WOULD, I THINK, YEAH, WE ARE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT YOU SHOULD DO THAT, GET SOME OUTSIDE CONSULTING SUPPORT.
BUT LET'S START WITH, UH, THANK YOU.
BUT IN THE TERMINATION LETTER, IT WAS INDICATED THAT, UM, THAT THE VISITOR CENTER WOULD REMAIN AS SOMETHING THAT THE CHAMBER WOULD, WOULD OFFER TO VISITORS AND VISIT SEDONA.COM WOULD REMAIN AS A CHAMBER WEBSITE FOR VISITORS.
I THINK THERE WAS A THIRD THING.
UM, LEMME JUST LOOK AT THE LETTER FOR A SECOND.
AND OTHER, UH, TOURISM, UM, CHAMBER AND TOURISM BUREAU ASSETS.
SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT IS, BUT THE TWO PROGRAMS THAT WOULD REMAIN WOULD BE THE VISITOR CENTER AND THE VISIT SEDONA.COM WEBSITE.
SO I THINK THOSE, THOSE TWO ELEMENTS OF OUR CONTRACT WITH THE CHAMBER WOULD BE OFF, OFF THE TABLE.
SO WE WOULD NOT NEED TO PERFORM THOSE SERVICES OURSELVES IN HOUSE.
AND JUST SO I UNDERSTAND, VICE MAYOR AND I READ THIS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, I JUST, MAYBE I DIDN'T, OKAY.
UH, THE VISITOR CENTER WOULD BE MANAGED BY THE CHAMBER ON THEIR OWN.
CORRECT? THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
SO WE HAVE, WE'LL HAVE NO PART IN THAT.
SO THEY COULD THEN GO ABOUT DOING REVERTING BACK TO USING, UH, THE RACK CARDS AND PROMOTIONS OF THEIR MEMBERS.
WHATEVER, WHATEVER THEY, THEY CHOOSE WHATEVER THEY CHOOSE.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT THOSE ARE TWO, UH, TWO MAJOR PIECES OF OUR PROGRAM WITH THE CHAMBER THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO DO IN-HOUSE BECAUSE THE CHAMBER WOULD CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.
AND SO THE OTHER THINGS THAT WERE NOT CLEAR, UH, THAT I THINK ARE OUR, OUR BIG ELEMENTS ARE THE INDUSTRY TRADE SHOWS AND SALES EVENTS, WHICH I'M, AS I'M ASSUMING, BUT I HAVE NO INFORMATION TO MAKE THIS ASSUMPTION WOULD CONTINUE ON THE CHAMBER SIDE.
UH, AND THE, UH, OTHER, I THINK MAYBE THE PHRASE THE SCC AND TB ASSETS MIGHT BE OTHER WEBSITES OR THE, UH, GUIDES, THE MAPS AND THE GUIDES THAT ARE PRODUCED.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M ASSUMING, BUT I DON'T KNOW, I SHOULD BE ASSUMING THEM.
SO IN TERMS OF WHAT THE CITY WOULD,
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WOULD DO, SEEMS TO ME, UH, THAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ARIZONA OFFICE OF TOURISM PROGRAMS IF WE DECIDED TO BE A DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION, THAT WE WOULD ENGAGE WITH THE ARIZONA OFFICE OF TOURISM.AND THEN WE WERE GOING TO TALK ABOUT BRANDING AND MARKETING.
UH, AND I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THAT TODAY TO SOME DEGREE OF HOW WE SEE OURSELVES PROMOTING, UH, TOURISM THROUGH A MARKETING CAMPAIGN.
THE OTHER TWO IMPORTANT PARTS WERE THE SHUTTLE MARKETING PROMOTION, WHICH I WAS AGAIN ASSUMING COMING BACK TO US CAUSE IT'S NOT ON THE LIST.
AND THE VERDE SHUTTLE MARKETING AND PROMOTION, WHICH I BELIEVE WOULD COME BACK TO US.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, THAT WE STATE A COUPLE THINGS ON THE RECORD.
AND ONE OF THEM IS THAT WE WANT TO SUPPORT THE HEALTH OF OUR ECONOMY AND THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE BASED WITHIN THE CITY OF SEDONA.
I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT THAT SEEMS TO BE MISSING FROM THE EQUATION THAT WE ARE IN SUPPORT OF OUR BUSINESSES.
WE MAY HAVE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ON HOW WE GO ABOUT DOING THAT BETWEEN OURSELVES AND THE CHAMBER, BUT IT IS OUR DESIRE, MY DESIRE TO SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE HEALTHY WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
AND I KNOW THAT OUR NEIGHBOR IN COTTONWOOD AND A COUPLE OF OTHER CITIES WHO HAVE, HAVE RECENTLY BROUGHT THEIR TOURISM BUREAU IN HOUSE, UH, ARE VERY STRONG ABOUT THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE BUSINESSES WITHIN THEIR CITY LIMITS, LIKE WILLIAMS AND PRESCOTT AS OTHER TWO EXAMPLES.
AND IT SEEMS TO BE A TREND TO BRING TOURISM BUREAUS BACK INTO AND UNDER THE CITY MANAGEMENT.
THE OTHER THING IS THAT WE, UM, WE WANT OUR RESIDENTS TO HAVE A MORE ACTIVE VOICE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF OUR TOURISM ASSETS.
AND SO THAT, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY TOO, AND THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED IN THE PAST A LITTLE BIT, IS HOW TO BROADEN THE, UH, ADVICE THAT'S BEING GIVEN.
SO WE HAD ASKED AT ONE POINT FOR THE CHAMBER TO EXPAND ITS BOARD TO INCLUDE MORE RESIDENT VOICES.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE, UH, TO DISCUSS ON THE DIAS TODAY THAT ANYTHING THAT WE DO IN TERMS OF BRANDING AND MARKETING GOING FORWARD INCLUDE NOT ONLY THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, BUT THE RESIDENTS AS WELL.
AND SO RESIDENTS FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE A VOICE.
BUSINESSES FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE A VOICE.
AND, UH, AND THAT BETTER BALANCE THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR CAN COME THROUGH THAT.
SO I WOULD LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, FORMING SOME SORT OF A, OF ADVISORY BOARD.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE JULY 1ST, BUT WOULD BE IN THE NEAR FUTURE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
SO TH THOSE ARE MY, MY OPENING COMMENTS.
VICE MAYOR, COUNCILOR WILLIAMSON.
I THINK THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DEVELOPING A PROGRAM, I THINK THAT THE BROAD ASPECTS OF WHAT COUNSELOR BLUE SAID ARE TRUE.
AND I THINK THE, THE, BUT THE MAIN THING IS WE NEED TO GET THE, THE BLUEPRINT FROM THE CONSULTANT, FIND OUT THE STA WHAT WE, SO WE'LL KNOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
UM, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO, AND UNTIL WE KNOW THAT, I MEAN, I THINK WE DO NEED TO HIRE SOMEBODY TO DEVELOP THE PROGRAM THAT WE DECIDE WE WANNA HAVE.
SO IN THE BEGINNING, I, I THINK RIGHT NOW, I THINK HOLLY'S RIGHT AS WE'RE NOT DOING, WE'RE NOT DOING THE VISITOR CENTER AND WE'RE NOT DOING THE, THE TRADE SHOWS.
AND WE HAVE A VERY BROAD CONCEPT OF MANAGING TOURISM IN TERMS OF THE SUSTAINABLE TOURISM PLAN AND ADDING TO THAT AND MAKING IT A, A LIVING DOCUMENT THAT SORT OF ACTUALLY IS PART OF OUR MANAGEMENT, MAKING IT ACTUALLY A REAL ACTIVE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
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MARKETING AND BRANDING AND ALL THAT SORT OF BIG GENERAL STUFF.BUT I DON'T THINK THAT TELLS YOU A LOT, OTHER THAN I THINK WE NEED THE CONSULTANT AND WE NEED TO HIRE SOMEONE TO SORT OF BRING IT TOGETHER AND TO BEGIN TO WORK WITH ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS TO DEVELOP A ROBUST PROGRAM THAT THE, THE COUNCIL CAN, CAN APPROVE AND BUY INTO.
I I THINK THERE, THERE WILL BE, UM, SOME KIND OF BOARD CREATED.
I THINK RIGHT NOW WE SHOULDN'T DICTATE WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
CLEARLY THERE'LL BE RES GENERALLY RESIDENTS ON IT, BUSINESSES ON IT, STAKEHOLDERS ON IT.
BUT I THINK THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY LEAVE THAT FOR ONE OF THE DETAILS WITH THE DETAILS OF WHOEVER WE HIRED TO WORK OUT.
I REALLY, I DON'T, I'M NOT INTERESTED IN CREATING THAT PROGRAM FROM THE DAIS.
I'M INTERESTED IN GIVING THE BROAD DIRECTION, WHICH I THINK IS WHAT YOU DID.
UH, AND HAVING THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA ACTUALLY DO IT COME BACK TO US WITH WHAT THAT PROGRAM LOOKS LIKE.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY INITIAL COMMENTS.
ANYBODY ELSE WISH TO CONTINUE? OKAY.
I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS OF MY OWN, AND THEN I'LL, THIS IS NOT A COMPLETE LIST.
I'M SURE I'LL HAVE SOME MORE LATER.
UH, I RECO I HAVE ALWAYS RECOGNIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE VISITOR CENTER.
TO ME, EVEN THOUGH IT ONLY SERVES, UH, BETWEEN FOUR AND 5% OF THE VISITORS THAT COME HERE, I REALLY FEEL IT'S AN, AN ASSET WORTH, UH, HAVING HERE.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THE CHAMBER OF CONGRESS, WHICH IS TO CONTINUE SERVICING THAT.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT THE CHAMBER HAS DONE, IT WAS PRIMARILY WHEN IT WAS PROMOTING, IT WAS PROMOTING, UH, THEIR MEMBERS IN, ON THEIR WEBSITE.
AND SOMETIMES AT WHAT TO WHAT POINT AT THE VISITORS CENTER.
I THINK WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING IS PROMOTING EVERY BUSINESS.
EVERYONE IN OUR CITY, UH, WE DON'T HAVE, UH, TO WORRY ABOUT MEMBERSHIP.
UH, I DON'T, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULDN'T, IT WOULDN'T BE A FEE ASSOCIATED WITH IT BECAUSE WE IN SEDONA HAVE TO STICK TOGETHER AND WE NEED TO PROMOTE OUR OWN BUSINESSES HERE.
AND I THINK WE WOULD HAVE LUXURY OF BEING ABLE TO DO THAT.
UM, I WOULD SUPPORT A, A BOARD, UH, MI OF, OF AN EQUAL MIX OR A GOOD MIX.
UH, I THINK THAT THERE, IN THE PAST THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONTENTION BETWEEN, UH, THE CHAMBER, THE LODGING COUNCIL, UH, SOME OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT, THEY FORGET ABOUT THE RESIDENTS HERE.
AND I DON'T THINK IT'S REALLY AS TRUE TO SOME OF THE EXTENT THAT THAT WAS REALLY PROMOTED.
I THINK IT WAS MORE OF A, A THOUGHT PROCESS FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
UH, BUT I WANNA ELIMINATE THE, THE FIGHTING.
I WANNA ELIMINATE THE CONTENTIOUS ISSUES WE NEED TO BE WORKING TOGETHER FOR OUR CITY.
THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER ISSUES COMING AGAINST OUR CITY.
WE NEED TO BE WORKING TOGETHER.
AND, UH, I WASN'T REALLY THRILLED WHEN I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE CHAMBER OR SEE, I RECEIVED A COPY.
I DIDN'T EVEN RECEIVE THE ORIGINAL.
BUT WE NEED TO DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO MOVE FORWARD FOR OURSELVES.
SO, UH, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE FOR RIGHT NOW.
SO, UH, IF THERE'S ANYBODY ELSE? NOPE, THERE'S NOBODY ELSE UP HERE.
UH, CASTLE WILLIAMSON, DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING ELSE? I THOUGHT MAYBE YOU, WHAT'S YOUR PROCESS HERE, MAYOR? WHAT? YEAH.
WELL, WE NEED TO, LIKE KAREN SAID, SHE, SHE WANTS SOME DIRECTION.
SO IF, IF NO, IN TERMS OF, ARE, ARE YOU TAKING PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY? WHEN DO YOU, WHEN, WHEN WERE YOU THINKING OF SCHEDULING? WELL, I WANT TO HEAR FROM THE, THE, THE COUNCIL FIRST.
UH, AS WE NORMALLY DO AT A REGULAR MEETING, WE ASK QUESTIONS, THEN WE TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN WE CAN DO MORE QUESTIONS OR, UH, A, A STATEMENT, UH, AFTERWARDS FROM THE COUNCIL.
SO, UM, BECAUSE I'M SORRY, I'M MAYOR.
BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS VERY AKIN TO OUR SUMMARY CO COMMENTS.
WE REALLY DON'T HAVE THAT MANY QUESTIONS.
AND NORMALLY THAT COMES AFTER THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO I'M JUST CHECKING IN WITH YOU TO YEAH.
TO SEE WHAT YOU WANT THE PROCESS.
WELL, I WANT TO, TO START OFF WITH TRYING TO GIVE KAREN WHAT SHE HAD HAD ASKED FOR.
I'M THINKING, UH, THE CITY CLERK HAS MORE, AND THEN WE CAN, WE CAN GO TO THAT NOW AND MAYBE WE'LL HAVE MORE QUESTIONS AFTER THAT.
AND WE DON'T HAVE A STACK, SO I, CAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE HAVE AT LEAST THREE MINUTES, BUT IF IT GETS TO BE A BIG, YOU KNOW, BIG NUMBER, THEN WE, I WOULD HAVE TO RESTRICT, AND I DON'T WANNA DO THAT.
SO WHY DON'T WE OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
AND BOB PIKE, UH, YOU'LL BE NUMBER ONE
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AND YOU KNOW THE DRILL.THREE MINUTES, THE LIGHTS ARE OFF TO THE, YOUR RIGHT.
UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR HEARING FROM ME.
UM, ANN KELLY AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH EACH OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY OVER THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS AND COLLECTIVELY, UH, AT THE LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING, UH, TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT WHAT THE TOURISM BUREAU'S MISSION WAS, WHAT THE GOALS SHOULD BE, AND WHAT THE, UM, UH, THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES, UH, FOR THE ACTIVITIES.
AND ALTHOUGH YOU DID NOT FORMALLY AGREE WITH THE STATEMENTS THAT WE PUT FORTH, UM, I GOT THE SENSE AT LEAST THAT THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF, OF, UH, COMMON GROUND AMONG ALL OF YOU AS TO WHAT THE, UH, UH, THE TOURISM BUREAU SHOULD ACCOMPLISH.
AND THAT WAS MANAGING THE NUMBERS OF TOURISTS, THAT WAS PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT, THAT WAS SUPPORTING ALL BUSINESSES, AS YOU SAID, UH, BUILDING A CONNECTION BETWEEN RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY, COLLECTING DATA, UH, A HUGE ASPECT OF ACTUALLY KNOWING WHAT WORKS, WHAT DOESN'T WORK, WHAT PROGRAMS SHOULD CONTINUE AND SHOULDN'T CONTINUE AND SO FORTH.
AND THEN FINALLY, DEFINING THE SEDONA BRAND AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL THE COMMUNICATIONS WE GIVE TO POTENTIAL, UH, VISITORS IS CONSISTENT AND TRUE TO WHO WE ARE.
UM, THE CITY NEEDS A TOURISM BUREAU TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE GOALS.
NOW, WHETHER IT'S A, UH, A TOURISM BUREAU UNDER CITY MANAGEMENT, UH, OR SOME OTHER STRUCTURE, IT IS NEEDED.
AND, UM, WHATEVER IS DONE, UM, I THINK IT SHOULD BE DONE WITH RFPS.
IT SHOULD BE DONE, UH, AN OPEN, UH, OPEN PROCESS AND, UH, DONE WITH TRUE EXPERTS IN THE CATEGORY.
THANK YOU FOR KEEPING THAT CALM APPLAUSE.
UH, ERNIE STRAU, YOU KNOW THE DRILL.
FORMER VICE MAYOR, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING TODAY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR JALO, VICE MAYOR PLU AND COUNCIL.
I'M ERNIE STRAU, AND I LIVE IN SEDONA.
I WAS A MEMBER OF COUNCIL WHEN THE TOURISM BUREAU WAS ADDED TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND WAS THE FIRST COUNCIL APPOINTED LIAISON REPRESENTATIVE TO THE BUREAU.
MY PRIMARY PURPOSE TODAY IS TO SUGGEST THAT YOU WITHDRAW DECLARING ANY DMO, INCLUDING, UH, UH, EVEN THE, THE CHAMBER, UH, THAT IS CURRENTLY THE DMO, UH, FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
UM, LET'S SEE HOW THE CHAMBER PERFORMS. WITHOUT CITY FINANCIAL SUPPORT, I'M VERY PERSONALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE CITY TAKING ON THE ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS OF A DMO IN FY 24.
THE CITY CURRENTLY HAS NO, A LITTLE OR NO PROFESSIONAL TOURISM MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE THAT'S BEEN MENTIONED.
EITHER BRING THE FUNCTION IN-HOUSE AND HIRE HALF A DOZEN EXPERTS OR HIRE AN OUTSIDE CONSULTANCY GROUP THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP TO SPEED IN THE MIDST OF A COMMUNITY PLAN UPDATE THAT HAS NOT CONCLUDED A FINAL DIRECTION REGARDING TOURISM.
FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS, EVERY SINGLE FIRST PLACE CONCERN OF RESIDENTS ON EVERY NATIONAL COMMUNITY SURVEY HAS BEEN TRAFFIC.
TRAFFIC AND TOURISM GO TOGETHER LIKE PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY.
BY TAKING OVER THE TOURISM FUNCTION, YOU WILL HAVE MADE YOURSELVES THE MAJOR OBJECT OF BLAME FOR ALL OF THE TRAFFIC TIE-UPS IN SEDONA.
DO YOU INTEND TO OPERATE THE VISIT CENTER OR CLOSE IT DOWN? YOU'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.
UH, WHAT DO YOU DO TO REPLACE OR OPERATE THE VISIT? SIT ON A WEBSITE.
WE'VE ALSO HEARD A LITTLE BIT OF THAT, BUT IF YOU BRING THE FUNCTION IN-HOUSE, I FORESEE THE EVENTUAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE LARGEST SINGLE DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY.
THIS IS IMPORTANT STUFF TO DEAL WITH.
APPARENTLY THE CHAMBER DESIRES AND WILL BE PROMOTING SELECTIVE INCREASES IN TOURISM AT THE SAME TIME.
THE CITY CANNOT AFFORD TO BE ANYWHERE NEAR THAT PAGE WITHOUT A RESIDENT UPRISING.
SO WILL ALL THE MONEY SPENT BY EACH PARTY MERELY CANCEL EACH OTHER OUT? I'M TRULY SORRY TO SAY
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THAT.I FORESEE NOTHING BUT LOOMING TROUBLE FOR THE CITY.
IF YOU, UNDER THE CURRENT SITUATION BECOME THE OFFICIAL TOURISM BUREAU.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WERE STILL HERE.
UH, MY NAME'S MARK TIMBROOK AND I'M A RESIDENT OF UPTOWN.
I HAVE SOME GENERAL COMMENTS ON THE CHAMBERS DECISION NOT TO RENEW THE COMMENT.
AND I, IN MY OPINION, THAT'S A, A VERY GOOD CHOICE ON THEIR PART.
JUST WANTED TO NOTE SOMETHING THAT WAS IN SEDONA BIZ.
UH, IT WAS NOTED, LIKE IT OR NOT, WE, BUSINESS OWNERS LOVE TRAFFIC.
THE MORE CROWDED IT IS, THE HAPPIER WE ARE BECAUSE THIS MEANS MORE BUSINESS FOR US.
IN THE LONG AND SHORT RUN, JUST BEING HONEST IN GRATITUDE, WE WATCH THE CITY BULGE AND EACH BUSLOAD OF PASSENGERS DROPPED OFF AND UPTOWN THE CHAMBER SHIRKED AT SHACKLES, UNBRIDLED AND UNHANDCUFFED, THE CHAMBER WILL HELP TO WORK EVEN HARDER TO MAKE SEDONA THE NUMBER ONE DESTINATION POINT IN OUR GALAXY.
SEDONA WILL BE ADVERTISED EVERYWHERE AND IN EVERY OUTLET THAT PUSHES VACATIONS.
SO THIS IS A VERY DIFFERENT VISION THAN WHAT WE HEARD FROM ANNE KELLY AND BOB PIKE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO WHEN THEY REPORTED THAT THE, THE COUNCIL WANTED TO LIMIT PEAK VISITATION TO ABOUT 2019 LEVELS.
YES, THERE'S A DISCONNECT BETWEEN BUSINESSES AND THE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY CALL SEDONA HOME THE RESIDENTS.
SEDONA HAS DEVELOPED, UH, THE SEDONA MOTION TO MANAGE VISITOR TRAFFIC, THE PARKING STUDY TO MEASURE PARKING USE AND THE FREE TRAILHEAD SHUTTLE.
HOWEVER, WHAT'S NEEDED IS A COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN TO COORDINATE TRAFFIC, PARKING, AND TRANSIT, UH, POLICY, UH, WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AND PLAN SEDONA VISIONS.
THIS IS AN OPTIONAL OPPORTUNE TIME FOR THE CITY TO BEGIN THE REAL WORK OF SETTING POLICIES TO MANAGE PEAK VISITATION AND TRAIL ACCESS.
MOST TRAILS ALREADY HAVE PARKING LOTS THAT LIMIT THE NUMBER OF HIKERS.
IT'S IMPORTANT THESE LIMITS ARE ADHERED TO PARKING IN UPTOWN AND TRAILHEAD TRANSIT COULD ALSO HAVE VARIABLE USE RATES INSTEAD OF FREE ACCESS DURING NON-PEAK PERIODS.
THESE POLICIES COULD BE RELAXED TO ENCOURAGE MORE VISITATION.
A MASTER PLAN COULD ADDRESS THESE AND OTHER COORDINATION ISSUES.
THE CITY SHOULD ALSO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH ENTITIES LIKE KINO AND YAVAPAI COUNTY AND THE FOREST SERVICE TO MAKE SURE THAT VISITORS ARE APPROPRIATELY DISPERSED AND AS DO NOT OVERUSE AND DEGRADE THE HIKING TRAILS.
LIMITING PARKING AND TRANSIT IS ALSO LIKE A RESERVATION SYSTEM THAT PRIORITIZES USE BY VISITORS STAYING WITHIN THE CITY THAT HELP REDUCE THE USE OF VEHICLES.
A COMPREHENSIVE AND WORKING MASTER PLAN SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER AND PRIORITIZE SEDONA RESIDENTS WITH REGARD TO THE USE OF TRAILS AND OTHER FACILITIES.
RESIDENTS HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO EXPECT THAT THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE SHOULD NOT BE JEOPARDIZED BY COMMERCIAL EXPLOITATION AND GREED.
UH, DONNA JOVANNI WILL BE NEXT.
I THINK SOMEONE GAVE ME SOME MINUTES.
CAN I ADD 'EM ON OR THAT ALLOW ANYTHING? MINUTES.
DO WE HAVE A CARD FOR THAT? I, I DO HAVE A CARD FOR THAT PERSON.
UH, SO I JUST WANT, IF, IF, UM, IGNACIO CAN STAND UP AND JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HE'S, YOU'RE GONNA GIVE UP YOUR THREE MINUTES? YES, MA'AM.
THEN, UH, DOES THE COUNCIL AGREE THAT, UH, TO ALLOW? SURE.
SO ONE FOR ONE, WHAT'S THAT? HOW MANY MINUTES ARE YOU GONNA GET? UM, WELL, WE DECIDE, KURT, WAS IT, IS IT ONE FOR ONE OR THE RULES OF PROCEDURE ALLOWS THE MAYOR TO DETERMINE HOW MANY MINUTES TO, TO PROVIDE.
I'LL MAKE IT REALLY QUICK, I PROMISE.
UH, WELL, WE'LL CAP IT AT FIVE.
JOANNE, CAN YOU, LET'S WAIT TIL SHEET.
I LIVE IN THE CITY LIMITS OF SEDONA.
I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR BRINGING THIS TO THE TABLE.
THIS IS A, A VERY IMPORTANT, UM, UH, TOURISM POLICY TO DEFINE, SLOW IT DOWN, THINK IT THROUGH.
WHEN WE DO SLOW IT DOWN AND WE THINK IT THROUGH, AND WE LOOK AT OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES AND TOWNS THAT HAVE HIGH LEVELS OF TOURISM, THEY ARE IN YAVAPAI COUNTY, A SELF-APPOINTED CITY OF FLAGSTAFF, THE CITY OF PRESCOTT.
THEY OUTSOURCE PRODUCT TO THE LOCAL CHAMBER IF THAT'S NECESSARY.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE LOOK AT THE CONTRACT FOR THE CITY OF PRESCOTT, THEY ARE THEIR STANDALONE.
THEY HAVE A VERY SIMPLE WEBSITE.
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TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR VISITOR CENTER SERVICES, UH, UH, TRADE SHOWS, THE FAM AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES.THEY DO SOME ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PACKETS AT THE VISITOR CENTER.
THEY'RE ALL COUNTED IN RECORDED AND PERFORMANCE BASED TO THE CITY.
SO WHEN WE SLOW IT DOWN, WE RUSHED INTO THIS IN 2013, I WAS HERE AND I WAS AT THAT MEETING AND THERE WAS A SENSE OF URGENCY THAT SEDONA WAS GONNA MISS OUT ON TOURISM DOLLARS.
SO WE ACTUALLY WENT INTO A TOURISM POLICY WITHOUT SLOWING IT DOWN AND THINKING THROUGH THE IMPACTS OF IT.
HAVING A CITY BASED WOULD GIVE SCOTT EVERYTHING YOU SAID.
YOU COULD HAVE EVERY BUSINESS IN SEDONA, YOU COULD MAKE IT NO FEE.
YOU COULD HAVE A BOARD, YOU COULD HAVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE SAID OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS EMBEDDED IN THAT PROGRAM.
AND YOU CAN ALSO WORK WITH THE CHAMBER BY DOING A FEE FOR SERVICE AGREEMENTS FOR ITEMS THAT THEY DO WELL, THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN.
THERE IS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TOURISM POLICY IN ARIZONA ISN'T LIKE ANY OTHER.
SO THE STATE OF ARIZONA, THEY HAVE THE OFFICE OF TOURISM AND THEY ALLOW THAT CITY, A MUNICIPALITY OR A COUNTY TO BE THE DESIGNATION PERIOD.
AND IT'S UP TO YOU TO DETERMINE WHAT'S BEST FOR YOUR DESIGNATION.
AND THAT IS THE DRIVING FACTORS.
THE TOURISM TAXES ARE THE OTHER DRIVING TAXES ARE, ARE THE OTHER PRINCIPLE.
FOR EXAMPLE, A SINGLE D M O, THEY OUTSOURCE ALL KINDS OF ITEMS, BUT A CONVENTION TOURISM BUREAU IS RESTRICTED, LIMITED, AND CONTROLLED BY THE GOVERNMENT DESIGNATIONS.
MEANING IF WE LOOK AT THE CITY OF SCOTTSDALE, THEY ARE A TRUE CONVENTION TOURISM BUREAU.
AND THE IRS RATES THEM AS SUCH.
AND THE CITY OF SCOTTSDALE AND THE CITY OF PARADISE VALLEY HAVE EXCLUSIVITY FOR ALL LOGIC RESORTS AND SPAS BECAUSE THEY HAVE A COUNTY TAX.
THEN THEY ALLOW THE COUNTY TAX TO COME IN AND THE COUNTY TAX TOURISM TAX IS VOTED IN BY THE RESIDENTS.
AND THEN THEY PLAY A ROLE AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, BUT THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO BE INVOLVED IF THEY ARE IN LODGING, SPAS OR RESORTS.
THOSE EXCLUSIVE MARKERS ARE HELD FOR THE CITY OF SCOTTSDALE AND THE CITY OF PARADISE VALLEY.
IT'S CLEAR, IT'S ACCURATE, IT'S DEFINED, AND THEIR MEMBERSHIP IS VERY RESTRICTED.
YOU MUST BE PRIMARILY IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY OR YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PAY TO PLAY.
WE HAVE THINGS, UH, A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE RUSHED INTO AN ACTION WITHOUT SLOWING IT DOWN AND THINKING IT THROUGH.
UM, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT I WANTED TO SAY IS THAT THE OPTIONS ARE THERE.
IT FOLLOWS THE GUIDELINES OF THE LAW.
THE GOVERNMENT AGENCY IS ALWAYS THE PERSON IN CONTROL, EVEN IF YOU WENT INTO A CVB MODEL.
UH, CHRISTINA COBRA, AND THIS IS THE LAST CARD OF ANYBODY ELSE WISH WISHES TO SPEAK? UH, AGAIN.
I DON'T WANNA TAKE AWAY FROM YOUR TIME, SO, OH, DON'T WORRY, YOU WON'T TAKE IT.
AND ROBERTA, UM, ROBERTA ARMSTRONG, JUST WOULD YOU BE ON DECK AND JUST BE READY? OKAY.
HI, YOU, YOU KNOW, THREE MINUTES.
STATE YOUR NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE.
CHRISTINA COLBY SEDONA, ARIZONA.
UM, I CAME IN BECAUSE I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT A FEW SUGGESTIONS CUZ I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, ALL OF YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WE DON'T EVEN NEED TO PROMOTE THIS CITY ANYMORE.
I MEAN, EVERYBODY WITH A PHONE PROMOTES THIS CITY.
I HAVE STOOD FIVE HOURS IN LINE ON DEVIL'S BRIDGE JUST SO THAT I CAN WATCH EVERYBODY TAKE A PICTURE AND LEAVE AND IT'S INSTANTLY ON INSTAGRAM AND EVERYTHING THEREAFTER.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT NOTE THAT YOU HAVE,
[00:35:01]
YOU DON'T NEED TO EVEN HIRE ANYBODY.YOU HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF UNPAID PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY DOING THAT FOR YOU.
NUMBER TWO IS THAT IF YOU DO DECIDE TO GO AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, THE AMOUNT OF TRASH THAT I PICK UP EVERY DAY AROUND MY HOME IS EXTRAORDINARY.
SO IF YOU ARE GONNA USE THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR ANYTHING, USE IT THE SAME WAY A NATIONAL, UM, PARK DOES, WHERE THEY USE IT TO EDUCATE PEOPLE AND GET THEM TO START UNDERSTANDING THAT WE LIVE IN THIS, THIS BEAUTIFUL PRESERVED SANCTUARY THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.
WINE BOTTLES, BEER BOTTLES, CONDOMS, TAMPONS, AND MASKS IS NOT DOING IT.
SO I WANNA JUST MAKE SURE THAT WHEREVER YOU MOVE FORWARD, THAT YOU START TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND TO UNDERSTAND ALSO THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE TOURISM THAT HAS COME INTO THIS TOWN, AS OF LATE, HAS BEEN FROM THE VALLEY AND THEY'RE NOT SPENDING A DIME IN THIS TOWN.
THEY'RE JUST BLOCKING TRAFFIC AND GOING UP AND DOWN THE ROAD BECAUSE THINGS HAVE CHANGED A LITTLE BIT.
AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS NEED TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE PROMOTING A TOURISM FROM BEFORE 2020, THAT'S DEBT.
AND AS YOU'RE MOVING FORWARD INTO WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU DO DECIDE TO PROMOTE, THAT YOU CONSIDER THE SANCTUARY OF A LAND THAT WE LIVE ON.
AND THE BEAUTY OF IT, AND TO STOP PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU, STOP THE DESTRUCTION OF IT, THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT.
THAT IT'S BEING DESTROYED WITH THE, WITH OHVS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
AND I THINK THAT YOU CAN FIND A WAY TO HAVE A HAPPY MARRIAGE WHERE YOU RESPECT THE LAND AND ALSO CAN EDUCATE THE TOURISTS AND BRING IN TOURISTS WITH SOME MORE CONSCIOUSNESS AS WELL.
AND, UH, EITHER ROBERTA ARMSTRONG.
AND SHELLY EVANS WILL BE ON DECK.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME ADDRESS YOU.
MY NAME IS ROBERTA ARMSTRONG AND I LIVE IN SEDONA, ARIZONA.
HAVE BEEN HERE FOR MANY YEARS AND VACATION 30 YEARS BEFORE THAT.
SO I'VE SEEN A LOT OF CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED, AND I DO NOT ENVY THE POSITION YOU'RE IN AT ALL.
YOU HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS AND SOME OF THEM HAVE DIFFERENT VIEWS ON WHERE TOURISM SHOULD GO AND WHERE ARIZONA SHOULD, WHERE SEDONA SHOULD GO.
WE ONLY HAVE TWO ROADS IN AND OUT OF THIS TOWN.
AND MOST OF THOSE ROADS ARE NOT ONLY FOR TOURISTS, BUT THEY'RE ALSO FOR RESIDENTS GOING TO AND FROM WORK HERE, PHOENIX, FLAGSTAFF, COTTONWOOD.
SO HOW DO YOU MANAGE EVERYTHING GOING ON? YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE A REALLY GOOD OPTION.
I DON'T HAVE OPTIONS AND WITHOUT ANY BYPASSING ROADS AROUND THE Y YOU CAN'T GET THERE.
UM, YOU DON'T WANNA REINVENT THE WHEEL.
I'M SURE YOU KNOW, THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF DIFFERENT DESTINATION PLACES THAT HAVE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, BEEN CERTIFIED AS, YOU KNOW, E ECHO TOURISM AND SPECIAL DESTINATIONS.
I KNOW THAT THE, THE COUNCIL, UM, THE CHAMBER, I SHOULD SAY, HAD JOINED WITH A WELL-KNOWN GLOBAL COMMUNITY.
AND I HAVE SOME INFORMATION I'D LIKE TO GIVE TO YOU ABOUT THEM SO YOU DON'T RECREATE THE WHEEL.
I LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING EVERYONE, ALL STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO, BUT YOU ALSO, MOST STAKEHOLDERS NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE LIMITS ARE HERE IN SEDONA.
SO I DON'T ENVY YOU, BUT I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK MAKE THIS TO YOU.
SHELLY EVANS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY CAMERON WILD.
HI, I AM SHELLY EVANS WITH SEDONA, ARIZONA, AND YOU KNOW, I, THIS WHOLE, THIS TOWN IS LIKE SHE SAID, THERE'S TWO A STREET COMING IN AND OUT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, IT'S, WE NEED THE PEOPLE, THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE HERE TO BE ABLE TO REALLY PUT THEIR 2 CENTS WORTH IN ON WHAT THE TARGET MARKET SHOULD BE FOR MARKETING, IF MARKETING GOES FORWARD, AND NOT JUST BY CELL PHONES OF OTHER PEOPLE.
WE USED TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE COMING IN WHO STAYED HERE AND SPENT MONEY HERE, RATHER THAN DAY TRAVELERS COMING IN FROM PHOENIX.
AND WE NEED TO ACTUALLY PULL IN THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO MAKE OUR BUSINESSES THRIVE.
AND OUR BUSINESSES HERE LOCALLY IN SEDONA ALWAYS NEED TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT VOICE OF WHAT'S GOING ON BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES THAT KNOW THEIR TARGET MARKET.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HELP THEM THRIVE AND SURVIVE.
AND I'VE SEEN TOO MANY PEOPLE JUST HAVING TO SHUT THEIR DOORS DOWN
[00:40:01]
BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT PULLING IN THE PEOPLE THAT THEY NEED TO PULL IN.SO JUST MAKE IT MORE LOCAL, MAKE IT MORE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON HERE IN THIS CITY.
I I HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT SOME OF THE RESEARCH THAT DONNA HAS DONE AND IT'S AMAZING AND I JUST, I HOPE YOU REALLY TAKE TO HEART, YOU KNOW, WHAT SHE'S PUT FORTH ON THE TABLE AND DOING THE RESEARCH FOR YOU GUYS.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE, A LOT OF INTELLECT RIGHT HERE IN SEDONA WITH THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE.
AND WE CAN DO OUR OWN, OUR OWN RESEARCH AND HELP GIVE IT TO YOU AND, AND TRUST THAT YOU'RE GONNA LOOK AT IT AND YOU'RE GONNA LISTEN TO IT AND YOU'RE GONNA TAKE IT TO HEART.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING THE TIME TO CONSIDER WHAT IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY IMPORTANT MATTER FOR EVERY STAKEHOLDER HERE IN SEDONA.
EVERY RESIDENT, EVERY BUSINESS OWNER, UM, AND AS BOTH A RESIDENT AND BUSINESS OWNER OF SEDONA, THIS IS A TOPIC THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR TAKING THE TIME AND, AND RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF IT ALL.
UM, JUST A FEW GENERAL COMMENTS.
I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT TOURISM IS THE BACKBONE OF SEDONA AND ALWAYS WILL BE.
IT'S THE REASON THAT WE HAVE FOUR INCREDIBLE GROCERY STORES IN WEST SEDONA.
IT'S THE REASON THAT WE HAVE AMAZING RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS THAT WE ALL ENJOY AS RESIDENTS.
AND IT'S, IT'S NO DOUBT A CHALLENGING TOPIC THAT IS VERY MULTIFACETED FROM, UH, THE TRAFFIC TO THE OVERUSE OF TRAILS.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHY THIS IS SUCH A CONTENTIOUS ISSUE, IS BECAUSE ALL OF THESE OTHER PROBLEMS THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING FOR YEARS, UM, ALL, ALL PIGGYBACK OFF OF, UH, TOURISM.
UM, SO I, I DO THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY TO HAVE, UH, DIRECT INVOLVEMENT IN HOW THE, THE CITY IS BEING MARKETED.
BECAUSE IF WE LEAVE THAT UP TO, UH, THE INFLUENCERS WITH THEIR CELL PHONES OR YOU KNOW, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT DIRECTION THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE.
UM, IT COULD VERY WELL BE A GOOD ONE, WE DON'T KNOW THAT.
BUT THE CITY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO CONTROL THAT NARRATIVE AND HELP, UM, HELP MARKET THE CITY OF SEDONA TO THE TYPE OF TOURISTS THAT WE WANT COMING HERE.
UH, I AGREE THAT A, A MAJOR SOURCE OF OUR PROBLEMS IS THAT WE HAVE SHORT-TERM VISITORS THAT ARE COMING HERE FOR A DAY OR, OR ONE NIGHT.
THEY'RE NOT THE TYPE THAT ARE SPENDING MONEY HERE.
THEY'RE NOT THE TYPE THAT ARE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN OUR OUTDOOR RECREATION AND RESPECTFUL OF THE LAND.
SO I DO THINK THAT IF THE CITY WERE TO, UM, TAKE ON THE OBVIOUSLY IMMENSE CHALLENGE OF DEVELOPING, UM, YOU KNOW, EITHER A RELATIONSHIP WITH AN OUTSIDE ORGANIZATION OR SOMETHING WITHIN THE CITY TO, TO TAKE THAT ON AND RESPONSIBLY MARKET, SEDONA, I THINK THAT COULD BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR DECADES TO COME IN THE OVERALL HEALTH OF THE TOWN.
UM, SO OTHER THAN THAT, I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING A PART OF THE CONVERSATION AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR TAKING THE TIME.
I SEE THAT MESSAGE COMING OVER.
I WANNA GIVE EVERYBODY THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD.
SO, AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR, FOR THE APPLAUSE OF SOMETHING NEW AND I APPRECIATE NOBODY REALLY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT, SO, OKAY.
GLAD YOU JUST STEP RIGHT UP,
SO IA IA, YOU HAVE TO, UH, SAY YOUR NAME AND YOUR, THE CITY OF RESIDENCE ONLY.
YOUR TIMER IS THE LIGHTS OVER THERE ON THE COUNTER.
YOU'LL SEE THEM POPPING UP AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
UH, MY NAME IS AYANA ALEJANDRA AND I AM HERE IN SEDONA, ARIZONA.
AND, UM, I'VE BEEN HERE ABOUT FOUR YEARS.
UM, I JUST BARELY FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS, BUT, UH, FEEL REALLY STRONGLY ON MY HEART AND WAS ENCOURAGED TO SHARE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT, BUT I WANTED TO COME FROM THE STANDPOINT OF CONSIDERING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION, UM, AND, UH, WHAT WE HAVE HAPPENING WITH OUR TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A BACKUP.
UM, AND, UH, WE HAVE ACTUALLY A LOT OF LOCAL TRANSPORTATION BUSINESSES THAT ARE TRYING TO, UM, SUPPORT THAT AND MAKE MONEY.
UM, I KNOW WE HAVE A PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION HERE, BUT WE DON'T IN THE VOC.
AND SO JUST ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER THAT THAT'S A HUGE PART, UM, OF WHY PEOPLE MAYBE ARE NOT GETTING UP TO BUSINESSES.
ALSO, THOSE OF US WHO ARE LIVING HERE, THE TIME THAT IT'S TAKING, UM,
[00:45:01]
YOU KNOW, THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO SAVE IN THAT AREA, UM, AS WELL AS SUPPORT LOCAL TRANSPORTATION AS WELL AS HAVE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH FOR QUITE A LONG TIME.
UM, SO THAT'S REALLY JUST THE POINT THAT I WANTED TO MAKE AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT MARKETING AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
UM, BECAUSE BEING HERE AND JUST TRYING TO GET SOMEWHERE AND LOOKING AT WHAT'S HAPPENING, HONESTLY TO OUR AIR, UM, AND WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH OUR TIME AND OUR ENERGY AND THE TIME AND ENERGY OF BUSINESSES AND EVERYONE THAT'S HERE, IT'S BACKED UP.
IT'S BACKING UP BECAUSE OF THE TRAFFIC.
BUT NOT ONLY THAT, BECAUSE OF ALSO FOR ME, I LOOK AT WHAT I'M LIVING HERE AND WHAT'S GOING INTO THE AIR.
UM, AND SO THIS MAY BE A SMALL THING, BUT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AND PEOPLE THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, IT ACTUALLY IS A BIG THING, UM, AND IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD ASK FOR YOU TO CONSIDER LOOKING AT.
AND I THINK WE HERE HAVE ONE MORE, TWO MORE.
AND THEN JOHN MARTINEZ WILL BE ON DECK.
UM, I'M SANDRA TANNER AND I'VE LIVED HERE FOR 13 YEARS.
CAN YOU GO TO THE MIC AND YOU HAVE TO SAY, SAY YOUR NOT A PROBLEM.
I'M, MY NAME IS SANDRA TANNER.
I BEEN LIVING HERE FOR 13 YEARS.
UM, I THINK IT'S REALLY GOOD FOR THE DIALOGUE AND THE ENGAGING ON BOTH SIDES.
UM, I'VE JUST KIND OF OBSERVED AND LISTENED TO WHAT EVERYONE HAS BEEN SAYING AND I THINK FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN IN THE PAST, WE REALLY HAVE NOT HAD INVOLVEMENT FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, I'VE SEEN A LITTLE BIT MORE RECENTLY, WHICH WAS REFRESHING.
UM, BUT THE, THE COMMENTS I'D LIKE TO, UM, EXPRESS IS THAT ONE, I WORK, I'M A TE I WAS TEACHING BEFORE UP IN FLAG FOR EIGHT YEARS, THEN I CAME DOWN HERE, TOOK A REGULAR LITTLE JOB.
I WORK AT THE TAK PAKE, I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU WHERE, IT'S JUST MY HUSBAND DOES FINANCIALLY WELL.
UM, I LIKE TO ENGAGE WITH THE, THE TOURISTS WHEN THEY COME IN AND I ASK 'EM A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, MOST OF THE TOURISTS THAT COME HERE, THEY DO STAY LONG PERIODS.
THEY STAY AT LOS SALGADOS, YOU KNOW, I JUST KIND OF ASK THEM, I'M, I'M CURIOUS, UH, THEY STAY AT DIFFERENT RESORTS.
UM, THE BIG THING IS THEY'RE WILLING TO COME BACK.
THEY SEE HOW, HOW BEAUTIFUL IT IS HERE AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH, WE'RE COMING BACK AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO SLOW IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT CUZ PEOPLE ON THE WHOLE, I MEAN, WE ALL LOVE IT HERE.
UM, YOU COULD STILL MANAGE IT, BUT IT SHOULD BE BOTH PARTIES BECAUSE WE DO ALL LIVE HERE.
WE DO WANT THE BEST FOR SEDONA.
WE DO, OF COURSE, ARE NOT GONNA TRY TO NEGATE THE BUSINESSES FROM DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, BUT THERE HAS TO BE, YOU KNOW, ECONOMICS INVOLVED.
UM, IF YOU READ, UM, SO WELL, HE'S A PHENOMENAL ECONOMIST.
CAPITALISM CAN WORK IF YOU LET IT WORK AND THEN ENCOURAGE AND, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE DIALOGUE AND HELP THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO RETURN CONSTANTLY.
IT'S NOT, WE DO HAVE PEOPLE THAT COME FROM, UH, SU UM, EXCUSE ME, FROM PHOENIX.
WHEN THEY COME UP HERE, THEY'RE BASICALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT COME FOR A DAY OR TWO, BUT YOU STILL HAVE MASS AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT COME IN FROM ALL THE DIFFERENT STATES.
UM, WE DO TREMENDOUSLY WELL WHERE I WORK.
UM, SHE'S A SMART BUSINESS PERSON, HONESTLY.
AND, UM, SHE TAKES ADVANTAGE OF DOING SOME MARKETING ON THE SIDE.
WE THEN WE, SEDONA HAS BEEN DOING SOME MARKETING.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS I WILL TELL YOU, EVERY CUSTOMER THAT COMES IN WHEN WE GET OUR HIGH SEASONS, WE LIKE REALLY WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? WHY IS THE TRAFFIC SO LONG? AND I'M LIKE, I'M SORRY.
I GO, IT'S JUST, IT SOMETIMES WE HIT OUR PEAKS, BUT WHEN WE HIT THOSE PEAKS AND THEN WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO JUST WANNA COME IN AND THEY'RE SITTING 45 TO AN HOUR AND A HALF IN TRAFFIC AND EVEN DOWN 1 79, IT ISN'T PLEASANT FOR ANYONE.
SO I HOPE THAT YOU WOULD TAKE THAT IN A CONSIDERATION FOR EVERYONE.
WE DON'T HAVE TO OVER BE OVER BOUNDING.
SO I APPRECIATE EVERYONE HEARING ME OUT AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
JOHN MARTINEZ AND JOHN WILL BE OUR LAST CARD.
JOHN, WE, WE WANNA GET GOING HERE.
MR. MAYOR, UM, MADAM VICE MAYOR COUNSEL, MY NAME IS JOHN MARTINEZ AND I LIVE HERE IN THE CITY OF SED.
UH, THE ONE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM THAT I THINK NO ONE'S TALKED ABOUT, AND OBVIOUSLY IT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
WE NEED DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO DO AND MAYBE MY QUESTION IS GONNA BE DIRECTED TO THE CITY ATTORNEY
[00:50:01]
IS THE HALF CENT SALES TAX THAT THE ONLY TWO PEOPLE THAT ARE IN HERE THAT WAS VOTED IN AT THE TIME WAS COUNSELOR WILLIAMSON AND MYSELF.AND WE SAID IT'S GOTTA BE PART OF, UH, THE PROMOTION AND, AND ALL THE OTHER CALCULATIONS THAT WERE INVOLVED.
BUT WITH THE BREAK, AND FROM WHAT I'M READING ON THE AGENDA OF THE TAKING, TAKING OVER OF THE PROMOTION, THE MARKETING OF THE CITY BY THE CITY MM-HMM.
TO RECENT IS THERESA HERE, DID NOT, UH, PROVIDE YOUR LAST NAME.
AND YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO PROVIDE YOUR LAST NAME BEFORE YOU.
I'LL GIVE THE, THE CARD BACK TO THE CLERK.
BUT YOU, YOU WILL NEED TO DO THAT.
PLEASE START WITH YOUR NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE.
THE LIGHTS ARE ON YOUR, TO YOUR RIGHT.
TERESA MONTANINO IN SEDONA, ARIZONA.
I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE, UH, SOME INFORMATION JUST NOW BRIEFLY, REALLY BRIEFLY JUST AS AN OVERVIEW, BUT I'M GOING TO SUBMIT SOME INFORMATION ALSO FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN JUST EDUCATION.
I, UH, LIVED IN GALAPAGOS, ECUADOR FOR 15 YEARS AND THAT IS A UN BIOSPHERE DESIGNATED SPOT.
SO IT'S VERY MUCH A TOURISM SPOT.
I WAS THERE BEFORE TOURISM CAME DURING AND AFTER.
I'M A NATURAL NATURALIST GUIDE THERE.
SO BEING IN THIS AREA, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL SPOT AS WELL.
IF IT COULD BE UN BIOSPHERE DESIGNATED EVEN BETTER.
BUT THERE'S A LOT THAT I LEARNED ABOUT TOURISM, HOW TO MANAGE IT IN TERMS OF JUST EDUCATION AND JUST HANDLING VOLUME BECAUSE WE GET MILLIONS OF VISITORS A YEAR GOING THROUGH GALAPAGOS.
SO IT'S A VERY DELICATE BALANCE BETWEEN WHAT THE NEEDS OF THE CITIZENS ARE AND WHAT THE NEEDS OF THE LAND ARE.
SO I'M GOING TO JUST SAY THAT AS A PRECURSOR, I WILL PROVIDE A PACKET TO THE CITY FOR THEIR COUNCIL AND THEIR, THEIR EDUCATION AND JUST HOPEFULLY IT CAN SERVEE YOU IN SOME WAY.
BUT MY EXPERIENCE IS 15 YEARS VAST AND I FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN HERE QUITE A LONG TIME IN ORDER TO OBSERVE JUST SOME VERY SIMPLE THINGS THAT COULD REALLY BE FUNCTIONALLY RELEVANT AND JUST SMOOTH THINGS OUT IN TERMS OF TRAFFIC AND JUST FLOW AND JUST GET, GETTING PEOPLE TO BUSINESSES AND, AND PROVIDING A GOOD EXPERIENCE WHILE PEOPLE ARE HERE.
WE DO, WE NEED THE CARD COMPLETED.
THAT'S, UH, YOU, YOU KNOW THE DRILL SO WELL.
I ACTUALLY DON'T, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE BEEN OH, I THOUGHT YOU'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE.
SO MICHAEL WRIGHT AND I LIVE IN SEDONA.
AND YOUR LIGHTS ARE ON THE, TO YOUR RIGHT? UH, I'M RELATIVE RELATIVELY NEW AND I WON'T, UH, BELABOR WHAT HAS BEEN A VERY LONG-STANDING PROBLEM LONG BEFORE I GOT HERE.
BUT PRETTY QUICKLY IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE DYNAMIC IN THIS RELATIONSHIP WAS STRUGGLING.
AND IT MAY HAVE BEEN A BIT OF A SHOCK THAT IT FINALLY BROKE, BUT, UH, AND IT'S GONNA BE A TOUGH, AS PEOPLE HAVE SAID, YOU'VE GOT A TOUGH ROAD AHEAD, BUT IT'S, I THINK IT'S, IT'S TIME AND IT'S TIME TO TACKLE THIS.
I MEAN, TOURISM IS THE SINGLE BIGGEST ASSET AND IT'S SINGLE BIGGEST PROBLEM WE HAVE.
AND YOU CAN'T OUTSOURCE THE ULTIMATE DECISION OF WHICH DIRECTION WE GO THAT RESTS WITH US.
AND SO I DO THINK THAT WE ALL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO SAY THIS IS GONNA DETECT, YOU KNOW, IMPACT THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF ALL OF US FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
UH, AND I THINK WE WILL FOCUS ON THE CITY.
I'M JUST GONNA MAKE ONE OBSERVATION TO MAKE IT EVEN A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED.
ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE IS THE, THE NUMBER OF TOURISTS, WE BOTH NEED THEM, BUT THE NUMBERS OVERWHELM THE QUALITY SOMETIMES.
AND AS WE LOOK AT OUR ASSETS HERE, I HOPE WE'LL THINK REGIONALLY AND HAVE A VISION THAT IS MORE THAN JUST WHAT IS SEDONAS BRAND.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT US BEING A KEY PART OF A CIRCUIT WHERE WE ARE REALLY BRINGING IN THE NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY, SOME OF OUR SISTER CITIES, IT SPREADS OUR TOURISM AROUND.
EVERYBODY DOESN'T HAVE TO HIKE THEIR CULTURAL RESOURCES.
SO IT WOULDN'T BE AT THE EXCLUSION.
WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR, OUR VISION.
[00:55:01]
BUT I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE AN OUTREACH ELEMENT TO OTHER, OTHER CITIES AND THINK ABOUT THE, THE, HOW DO WE PUT TOGETHER ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE LANDSCAPES, NOT JUST HERE, BUT THIS WHOLE AREA AND BENEFIT PEOPLE THAT ARE, COULD BRING IN TOURISM CULTURALLY THAT GET LOST IN THE SHUFFLE.SO, YOU KNOW, IT, WE'RE GONNA BE STRUGGLING WITH THIS LONG AFTER MANY OF US ARE GONE, BUT, UH, BECAUSE IT'S MANAGING AN ONGOING PROBLEM, IT'S NOT A PROBLEM WITH A FIX.
BUT I CONGRATULATE YOU ON TAKING THE DECISION AND TACKLING THIS AND I HOPE EVERYBODY WILL PITCH IN.
NO, I, I, THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T SEE, EVEN SEE THE CARD COME UP.
YOU START WITH YOUR NAME AND YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE.
DON'T YOU HAVE TO GIVE THE STREET OR ANYTHING? OKAY.
THE LIGHTS ARE ON THE, THE PANEL THERE.
AND YOU'LL GO FROM GREEN TO YELLOW TO RED AND BEEP.
SO MY NAME IS ALICIA SCHNEIDER.
I AM ACTUALLY A RESIDENT OF COTTONWOOD.
HOWEVER, WE ARE A BUSINESS OWNER, UM, HERE IN SEDONA.
MY HUSBAND'S FAMILY'S OWNED BUSINESSES HERE SINCE 1982.
THEY'VE HAD FIVE HOTELS TOTAL.
UM, WE ARE ONE OF FOUR LEFT THAT ARE, UM, MANAGED BY, UM, FAMILIES.
EVERYBODY ELSE HAS PRETTY MUCH SOLD OUT.
I DON'T KNOW IF A LOT OF YOU HAVE KNOWN THAT, BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT.
UM, JUST AS SOMEBODY ELSE HAD MENTIONED, A LOT OF BUSINESSES DID HAVE TO CLOSE THEIR DOORS.
UNFORTUNATELY, COVID DID KILL A LOT OF BUSINESSES.
SOME OF US HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HANG ON, THANK THE LORD.
UM, AND OUR TOURISM, THAT IS A BIG PART OF IT.
I KNOW THE ROUNDABOUTS ARE A PAIN.
UM, I, LIKE I SAID, I COMMUTE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
UM, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO HIT IT RIGHT OR YOU ARE STUCK IN TRAFFIC FOR A WHILE GOING BACK.
UM, I GREW UP HERE PRETTY MUCH MY ENTIRE LIFE.
WHEN IT WAS THE WHY WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ISSUES, UM, WITH TRAFFIC.
I KNOW THEY DID THAT FOR SAFETY MEASURES AND I UNDERSTAND THAT AS WELL.
HOWEVER, THAT HAS CREATED A LOT OF ISSUES FOR US SINCE WE ARE LOCATED RIGHT ON THE MAIN DRAG.
ONE THING I DO THINK, AND I I AGREE, EVERYBODY NEEDS TO WORK TOGETHER.
IT CAN'T BE THE RESIDENTS AGAINST THE BUSINESSES BECAUSE THEN WE GET NOWHERE IF WE DON'T ADVERTISE.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE BED TAX? WHERE DOES THAT FUNDING GO? THAT'S, THAT'S JUST A GENERAL QUESTION THAT I HAVE AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT ANSWERED.
UM, IF WE DON'T DO ADVERTISING, WE STILL HAVE AIRBNBS THAT ARE STILL ADVERTISING.
SO WHETHER WE GET RID OF OUR TOURISM SIDE, THERE ARE SO GONNA BE PEOPLE ADVERTISING WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, UNFORTUNATELY, I DO THINK THAT WE SHOULD RESPECT THE RESIDENTS THAT DO LIVE HERE.
UM, BECAUSE I WAS A RESIDENT OF SEDONA AS WELL.
I JUST THINK THAT WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY THE CITY AND THE CHAMBER BECAUSE US BUSINESSES, WE FEEL THE TENSION BETWEEN THAT'S GOING ON AND IT'S NOT PROFESSIONAL.
I WOULD LOVE TO BE A PART OF IT IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT BUSINESSES ARE A PART OF.
AND ALSO ADVOCATING FOR ALL THE RESIDENTS.
I THINK IF WE WORK TOGETHER, WE CAN ALL BE ONE HAPPY FAMILY.
I USED TO BE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, SO I'M ALL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MAKING EVERYBODY HAPPY AT THE END OF THE DAY AS BEST AS WE CAN.
UM, SO I APPRECIATE YOU LISTENING TO WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY, BUT THE BUSINESSES ARE THE BACKBONE TO SEDONA.
UH, SEEING NO MORE
I APPRECIATE ALL THE, THE INPUT.
UH, I REALLY LIKE THE COMMENTS TODAY AND THE FACT THAT THEY WERE ALL SOMETHING OF MOVING FORWARD AND TRYING TO COME TO, UH, A GOOD AGREEMENT.
SO, UM, WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, WOULD THE, THE COUNCIL LIKE TO WEIGH IN NOW AND, UH, HAVE ANY MORE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING ELSE? COUNCIL FURMAN.
I, UH, FOR ONE, I'M NOT SUPER HAPPY THAT WE'RE ALL HERE TODAY.
AS I KIND OF THOUGHT ABOUT IT, WE'RE GATHERED HERE TODAY, UNFORTUNATELY NOT TO CELEBRATE.
THIS KIND OF FEELS LIKE THE EXAMINING THE CORPSE OF A PARTNERSHIP.
AND I THINK THAT THE CHAMBER TOOK A VERY DELIBERATE
[01:00:01]
AND A SIGNIFICANT ACTION BY SUBMITTING A LETTER TO US.AND SO, AND I APPRECIATE HOW DIFFICULT THAT MUST HAVE BEEN TO, TO HAVE GONE THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND TO HAVE MADE THAT DECISION.
AND TO ME, THIS FEELS LIKE THIS MEETING IS A LITTLE BIT EARLY.
UM, WE'RE REACTING YET PERHAPS WITHOUT GIVING IT SOME TIME TO SETTLE IN AND TO THINK THE CHAMBER, UH, MENTIONED IN ITS LETTER THINGS THAT IT WOULD LIKE TO DO, LIKE THE VISITOR CENTER.
BUT I DON'T THINK WE UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOUR VISION, I BET YOU DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR VISION IS FOR THINGS LIKE THAT YET.
I'M GUESSING THAT YOUR BUSINESSES STILL FEEL THAT THERE'S A ROLE FOR, UH, YOU TO WORK WITH THEM IN, UH, UH, MARKETING OR UNDERSTANDING THE SHUTTLE SCHEDULES AND ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO RUN.
THERE'S AN ADVANTAGE FOR THE BUSINESSES TO, TO TAKE IN THE, IN THE SHUTTLE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE, UH, EDUCATING VISITORS IN THE ROUNDABOUTS LEAVE NO TRACE DISBURSEMENT STUFF.
AND SO I FOR ONE WOULD LIKE TO, AS IT MATURES IN YOUR MIND, TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE OF WHAT YOU THINK YOUR FUTURE LOOKS LIKE BEFORE I CAN DECIDE WHAT WE THINK, WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO FILL IN THE GAPS, IF THERE ARE GAPS.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE FROM THE ARIZONA OFFICE OF TOURISM ABOUT WHAT HAS AND HASN'T BEEN DONE IN RECENT YEARS.
WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS YEAR OR NOT, WHAT MAY, WHAT THEY'RE PLANNING NEXT YEAR AND, AND HOW BEST TO WORK WITH THEM AND, AND WHO, UH, AND THE FOREST SERVICE.
THE FOREST SERVICE IS A, A BIG PRESENCE IN ALL OF THIS.
AND, AND I'D LIKE TO HEAR THEIR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE DEMISE OF THE PARTNERSHIP AND HOW THEY THINK IT INFLUENCES THEM AND HOW WE COULD BE HELPFUL MOVING FORWARD.
AND SO I THINK IT NEEDS MORE TIME BEFORE WE REALLY MAKE LOTS OF DECISIONS.
I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS ASKING FOR SOME DIRECTION, AND I DO THINK THAT THERE CAN BE SOME DIRECTION GIVEN HERE TONIGHT.
UM, THE, UH, DMO CERTIFICATION WITH THE A O T IS A DECISION THAT I DON'T THINK NEEDS TO BE MADE TODAY.
THAT'S A JULY DEADLINE DECISION.
SO I, I THINK WE HAVE SOME TIME.
I, FOR ONE, BELIEVE THAT THE CITY DOES HAVE A ROLE IN BRANDING AND PROMOTING SEDONA, BUT NOT SO MUCH THE INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES.
I THINK THAT FOR ME, I, I WORK TOWARDS A HEALTHY ECONOMY AND BALANCING SEDONA IS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE, TO WORK, TO RAISE A FAMILY, AND TO VISIT.
AND THERE ARE, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN THIS PROCESS, AT LEAST SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE DIAS, YOU'LL KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT MY DESIRED OUTCOME.
I WAS ADVOCATING BACK IN JANUARY THAT WE TRIED TO GET OURSELVES ON THE PATH OF DEFINING A NEW VISION, A NEW ORGANIZATION FOR TOURISM MANAGEMENT IN THIS CITY.
AND THERE ARE MODELS OUT THERE, AND I'M SORRY, BUT I'M GONNA BORE SOME PEOPLE RIGHT NOW, BUT I'M PULLING FOR SOME, FROM SOME RESOURCES.
THIS IS, UH, FROM THE UN WORLD TOURISM ORGANIZATION WHERE THEY TALK ABOUT DESTINATION MANAGEMENT.
THIS IS THE NEW EVOLUTION OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT THAT I SEE WE NEED IN THIS TOWN.
AND I'LL ADD HERE THAT THIS TOWN IS TOO SMALL FOR US TO BE IN A WAR.
WE ALL NEED TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE BECAUSE WE LIVE ALL TOGETHER.
SO THIS IS WHAT I WANNA READ, AND THIS IS WHAT I WAS TRYING TO CONVEY BACK IN JANUARY, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE THE WORDS FOR IT.
BUT LUCKILY, YOU KNOW, AS POLITICIANS DO, WE FIND WORDS THAT WE CAN STEAL AND MAKE OUR OWN DESTINATION.
MANAGEMENT CONSISTS OF THE COORDINATED MANAGEMENT OF ALL THE ELEMENTS THAT MAKE UP TOURISM DESTINATION.
DESTINATION MANAGEMENT TAKES A STRATEGIC APPROACH TO LINK THESE SOMETIMES VERY SEPARATE ELEMENTS FOR THE BETTER MANAGEMENT OF THE DESTINATION.
DESTINATION MANAGEMENT CALLS FOR A COALITION OF MANY ORGANIZATIONS AND INTERESTS, WORKING TOWARDS A COMMON GOAL, ULTIMATELY BEING THE ASSURANCE OF THE COMPETITIVENESS AND SUSTAINABILITY OF THE TOURISM DESTINATION.
THE DESTINATION MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION'S ROLE SHOULD BE TO LEAD AND COORDINATE ACTIVITIES UNDER A COHERENT STRATEGY IN
[01:05:01]
PURSUIT OF A COMMON GOAL.THOUGH DMO HAVE TYPICALLY UNDERTAKEN MARKETING ACTIVITIES, THEIR REMIT IS BECOMING FAR BROADER TO BECOME A STRATEGIC LEADER IN DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT.
THIS IS A VITAL INGREDIENT FOR SUCCESS OF EVERY TOURISM DESTINATION.
AND MANY DESTINATIONS NOW HAVE DMO LEADING THE WAY.
SO THAT WAS FROM THE UN WORLD TOURISM ORGANIZATION.
I THINK THAT'S AN, AN ENTITY THAT THE CITY MANAGER COULD REACH OUT TO AND LEARN, TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE LEARN FROM THEM.
TOM MCLAUGHLIN IS THE FOUNDER OF AN, UH, ORGANIZATION CALLED SEO TRAVEL, THE PART OF THE WORLD TRAVEL MARKET GLOBAL HUB.
AND I'M, I'M GONNA READ JUST A, A, A SHORT BIT HERE TOO.
WHAT IS DESTINATION MANAGEMENT? DESTINATION MANAGEMENT REFERS TO THE COORDINATED PROCESS OF MANAGING EVERY ASPECT OF A DESTINATION TO IMPROVE AND SUSTAIN TOURISM AND MAINTAIN A POSITIVE IMAGE OF A LOCATION.
THIS WILL INVOLVE LOCAL RESOURCES, ACCOMMODATION, TRANSPORT SYSTEMS, MARKETING AND ADVERTISING, AND THE ENVIRONMENT, LOCAL ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS AND SPECIFIC TOURIST ATTRACTIONS.
THE PURPOSE OF A DESTINATION MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION IS TO MANAGE A LOCATION SO THAT TOURISM HAS A POSITIVE IMPACT ON IT.
BY COORDINATING THE EFFORTS OF MULTIPLE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THIS, IT IS MUCH EASIER TO WORK TOWARDS GOALS AND PRODUCE TANGIBLE RESULTS, AS WELL AS ENSURE THAT TOURISM GROWS SUSTAINABLY.
SO THERE ARE MODELS OUT THERE, THERE'S LOTS FOR US TO LEARN.
WE ARE NOT ALONE IN THIS BATTLE.
IT'S SAD TO SEE THAT WHAT WAS A TRUSTED PARTNERSHIP SOME YEARS AGO, THE RELATIONSHIP HAS DEGRADED OVER TIME.
AND I, I DON'T THINK WE WERE MARRIED, IT WAS A PARTNERSHIP.
SO THIS ISN'T A DIVORCE, BUT IT'S A SERIOUS STEP AND WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT OUR NEXT STEPS AS WELL.
BUT WE SHOULD DO THAT BEING AS INFORMED AS POSSIBLE.
SO THAT'S REALLY, MAYOR THE COMMENTS THAT I WANTED TO MAKE.
I SUGGEST THAT WE GO SLOWLY, MAKE AS FEW AS DECISIONS TODAY AS WE HAVE TO, UM, AND, AND MOVE FORWARD WITH INFORMED BY THE RESOURCES THAT DO EXIST OUT IN THE WORLD.
COUNCIL WILLIAMSON, DO YOU WANNA, YOU DON'T ALWAYS GO AGAIN, JUST AS A NOTE, YOU DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO CLAP,
CAN WE JUST HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF QUIET? THANK YOU.
THE ISSUE THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US, I MEAN, I THINK WHAT COUNSELOR FURMAN SAID WAS, WAS A VERY STRONG MESSAGE, BUT THE ISSUE WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US IS, IS THE FACT THAT THE CONTRACT WITH THE CHAMBER EXPIRES ON JUNE 30TH.
THEY SAID THEY DON'T WANNA RENEW IT.
SO WE REALLY DO HAVE TO TALK ABOUT HOW TO MOVE FORWARD.
IT'S NOT REALLY JUST A RANDOM DECISION, DECISION THAT WAS MADE AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST DOING THIS.
IT, IT HAD A DEADLINE AND IT HAD, I, I MEAN, I, I THINK THAT IT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION TO DO.
AND I, I
THE RELATIONSHIP THAT THE CITY HAD WITH THE CHAMBER AND TOURISM BUREAU HAS BEEN MESSY EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
UM, AND WHATEVER WE DO IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE MESSY FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME TIME FOR THE CITY TO DE DECIDE WHAT ACTUALLY THE ROLE IS AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
THERE'S NO REASON THAT WE CAN'T DO IT.
AND I, WHATEVER WE UNDERTAKE, WE DO PRETTY GOOD JOB OF, AND I, AND I HAVE A LOT OF FAITH IN THE PROCESS, BUT THE PROCESS IS A MESSY PROCESS.
SO THAT SAID, UM, WHAT, WHAT COUNCILMAN FERMAN READ ACTUALLY TO ME, INDICATED EVEN MORE STRONGLY TOWARD A CITY, A CITY MANAGED, UM, ORGANIZATION THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO PULL ALL THOSE PIECES TOGETHER.
THE CHAMBER DOESN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO UNDERTAKE CAPITAL PROJECTS ON TRAFFIC.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO, TO, TO DO A TRANSIT SYSTEM, TO DO TRAILHEAD SHUTTLES, THE CITY.
THE CITY IS THE RIGHT ENTITY TO DO THAT.
AND I THINK, I THINK WHAT HE READ WAS VERY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF SETTING A BIGGER VISION OF WHAT THE TOURISM MANAGEMENT OR DESTINATION MANAGEMENT, UM, GROUP SHOULD DO.
UM, THE TRUTH IS THAT THE CITY ALREADY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TRAFFIC AND
[01:10:01]
WE ALREADY BLAMED FOR TRAFFIC, JUST CUZ WE TAKE OVER TOURISM'S.DESTINATION MANAGEMENT WON'T CHANGE THAT.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING NEW ON OUR PLATE.
UM, SEDONA NEEDS ITS BUSINESSES.
WE HAVE AN ECONOMY, WE WANT A HEALTHY ECONOMY.
UH, THE, THE IDEA THAT ALL BUSINESSES ARE GREEDY BECAUSE THEY WANT CUSTOMERS IS NOT A, NOT A REASONABLE ONE FOR THE CITY TO, TO SUPPORT.
WE NEED BUSINESSES AND BUSINESSES NEED CUSTOMERS, AND WE HAVE TO, TO BE COGNIZANT OF OUR ECONOMIC REALITIES.
AND IT WOULD BE, I THINK, REALLY, REALLY USEFUL.
AND I THINK PART OF THIS EFFORT IS INTENDED TO SORT OF BRIDGE THE, OR TO REDUCE, HOPEFULLY THE ANTAGONISM.
I'M NOT GONNA DOWNPLAY IT BETWEEN SOME RESIDENTS.
AS WE TALK TO EACH OTHER, WE TEND TO, YOU KNOW, URGE EACH OTHER UP TO MORE AND MORE KIND OF RABID THINKING ABOUT WHOEVER THE ENEMY IS.
BUT BUSINESSES ARE NOT THE ENEMY OF RESIDENTS AND RESIDENTS AREN'T THE ENEMY OF BUSINESSES.
WE DO HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER AND WE DO HAVE TO GET ALONG.
THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A COMMUNITY THAT DOESN'T HAVE TOURISTS, THAT DOESN'T HAVE TRAFFIC, THAT DOESN'T HAVE A TOURISM MANAGEMENT ROLE.
AND AS PEOPLE MOVE INTO PHOENIX MORE AND MORE AND MORE AND MORE OF THEM, MORE AND MORE AND MORE AND MORE OF THEM ARE GOING TO COME HERE.
CAMP VERDE IS GOING TO EXPLODE WITH BUSINESSES AND NEW RESIDENTS.
THE REAL QUESTION IS, AND I I I AGREE, WE NEED TO MARKET SEDONA, NOT INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES.
INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES WILL BENEFIT FROM, FROM THE MARKETING AND BRANDING OF SEDONA.
BUT WE REALLY HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER.
BUSINESSES NEED CUSTOMERS AND WE HAVE TO GET USED TO THAT.
WE HAVE TO, THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GET AROUND SEDONA.
AND IF WE DON'T WANT THEIR CARS, THEN WE HAVE TO HAVE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
AND WE HAVE TO FIND WAYS TO ENCOURAGE THAT.
IT, BUT IT'S NOT GONNA ALL HAPPEN TOMORROW.
AND THE FACT IS, WE CAN'T KEEP PEOPLE FROM COMING TO SEDONA.
THEY WANNA GO STAND FOR FIVE HOURS AT DEVIL'S BRIDGE SO THEY CAN TAKE THEIR PICTURE AND POST IT AND GET IN THEIR CAR.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY DO WHEN THEY LEAVE DEVIL'S BRIDGE, UM, BUT GET IN THEIR CAR AND PUT IT ON INSTAGRAM.
BUT WE REALLY CAN'T LEAVE THE FUTURE OF OUR ECONOMIC, FUTURE OF OUR CITY WITH PEOPLE WHO JUST WANT TO POST THAT PICTURE ON INSTAGRAM AND TALK ABOUT ABOUT SEDONA.
SO WE ARE GONNA MARKET, BUT EDUCATION IS A FORM OF MARKETING.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT EDUCATING PEOPLE, YOU TALK ABOUT HOW YOU'RE MARKETING TO THEM.
MARKETING CAN EDUCATE AND WE CAN HAVE TO ATTRACT THE KIND OF VISITORS THAT WILL SUPPORT OUR ECONOMY REGARDLESS OF WHO ELSE COMES.
AND THERE'S PROBABLY ALWAYS GOING TO BE MORE PEOPLE HERE THAN SOME PEOPLE WANT.
BUT WE DO HAVE TO MANAGE THOSE PEOPLE.
AND, UM, AND I ALSO, JUST ONE MORE THING.
I ALSO DO BELIEVE WE NEED A, WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE A REGIONAL APPROACH.
IF, IF WE DON'T HAVE NEW HOTELS, COTTONWOOD AND CAMP VERDE, WELL, AND THOSE PEOPLE WILL ALL COME HERE.
THEY'RE NOT NOT GONNA COME HERE.
SO REGIONALLY, I THINK IT'S IN ALL OF OUR INTERESTS OF ALL OF THE CITIES AND ALL OF THEIR TOURISTS, CUZ THEY'RE GONNA HAVE THE SAME TOURIST PROBLEMS WE HAVE, UM, IN I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS, BUT THEY WILL.
AND THEY MAY ALREADY BE HAVING THEM.
I KNOW THEY ALREADY HAVE THE, UM, THE HOUSE, NO, NO HOUSING AT ALL AVAILABLE FOR LOCALS IS HAPPENING IN EVERY CITY, EVERY SINGLE CITY IN THE THE VERDE VALLEY.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LOCAL, I I JUST WANNA KEEP THE REGIONAL IN THERE CUZ I THINK IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND HAS TO BE PART OF WHATEVER OVERALL STRATEGY.
AND I THINK WE ALL ARE STAKEHOLDERS.
ALL OF THE REGIONAL CITIES ARE STAKEHOLDERS, UM, IN OUR TOURISM POLICY AS WE ARE IN THEIRS.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE FOR NOW.
AND I ALSO, I DO UNDERSTAND AND, AND I'M SYMPATHETIC AND, AND I'M LEANING TOWARD THE IDEA OF NOT MAKING DECISIONS BEFORE WE HAVE TO, UM, IT, IT, IT LET THINGS PLAY OUT A LITTLE.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS.
IT'S ENDING AND FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, AND WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO
[01:15:01]
DO.AND I, I THINK KAREN'S MOVING AHEAD WITH, WITH WHAT WE HAVE, I THINK SO FAR DIRECTED HER TO DO, AT LEAST I HAVE DIRECTED HER TO DO
OKAY, THANK YOU COUNCILOR KINSELLA.
AND THEN WE'LL GO MOVE TO THIS SIDE.
UM, I AGREE WITH A LOT OF WHAT COUNCIL WILLIAMSON SAID, SO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THAT OUT THERE.
SO, SO WELL AND PLAINLY I RESPECT THE CHAMBER FOR ITS DECISION TO NO LONGER CONTRACT WITH THE CITY TO BE THE TOURISM BUREAU.
UM, AS ONE SPEAKER SAID, THE DYNAMICS OF THE RELATIONSHIP WERE STRUGGLING.
UH, NEEDS TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT WAS.
AND I THINK A LOT OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF CONFLICT, INHERENT CONFLICT THAT WAS BUILT IN.
I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY NOW TO, WITH, WITH THE CLEARER SEPARATION TO SUPPORT IN CITY BUSINESSES AS PART OF THE COMMUNITY BY REMOVING THAT CONFLICT.
WE CAN ENCOURAGE TOURISM, WE CAN MANAGE TOURISM.
UH, WE HAVE TO, PART OF MANAGING TOURISM IS THE RECOGNITION OF THE CAPACITY CHALLENGES THAT OUR CITY FACES IN TERMS OF THE ROAD CONGESTION, THE TRAIL CONGESTION, UH, RESTAURANT MINES, ALL OF IT.
AND IF THERE'S AN ENTITY THAT WANTS TO INCREASE FLOW AND THAT SAME ENTITY HAS TO DEAL WITH THE CAPACITY LIMITATIONS, IT'S AN UNAVOIDABLE, UNINTENTIONAL CONFLICT.
SO I THINK IT WAS GOOD TO RECOGNIZE THAT AND TO SAY THAT MAYBE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP IN A DIRECTION WHERE EACH ENTITY CAN DO WHAT THEIR MISSION BEST AND TRUIST IS, IS IT'S A GOOD THING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
UM, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO USE THE CHAMBER A AS THE DMO, UH, REGARDING EDUCATION.
BUT AGAIN, THAT CONFLICT INTERFERED WITH THAT.
UH, THE, ANOTHER PERSON HAD SAID THAT THE, WE CAN'T BE RESIDENTS VERSUS BUSINESS.
WE CANNOT BE, IT IS TIME FOR US TO BE ONE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND I THINK THAT I SUPPORT THE IDEA THAT VICE MAYOR PLU PUT OUT IN THE BEGINNING OF TONIGHT'S DISCUSSION OF THERE BEING SOME SORT OF AN ADVISORY BOARD.
I THINK IT'S NECESSARY AS WE WADE THROUGH THESE WATERS, I RECOGNIZE AS COUNCIL MEMBER FURMAN POINTED OUT THAT THERE ARE, THERE ARE WATERS TO WADE THROUGH NOW, MANY DECISIONS TO BE MADE.
I DON'T WANT TO BE CAUGHT NOT MAKING DECISIONS.
I DON'T WANNA PUT DECISIONS OFF TO THE LAST MINUTE AND THEN BE CAUGHT UNAWARE AS THERE ARE NEEDS THAT OUR CITY HAS.
UH, THIS IS, THIS IS LIKE A CHESS GAME.
YOU CAN'T JUST WAIT OR YOUR QUEEN WILL BE CAPTURED.
YOUR KING WILL BE CAPTURED, YOUR QUEEN WILL BE GONE
UM, SO I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO PROCEED WITH HAVING A CONSULTANT AND GETTING SOME PROFESSIONAL HELP WITH THIS.
THERE ARE MO MODELS OUT THERE, AS OUR CITY MANAGER MENTIONED EARLIER.
THERE ARE OTHER CITIES WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH SEPARATIONS.
THERE ARE PROFESSIONALS THAT HAVE HELPED THEM.
THERE ARE OTHER CITIES WHO'VE NEVER HAD THAT SORT OF LINKED RELATIONSHIP.
THOSE ARE MODELS TO LOOK AT AS WELL.
UH, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT TO STUDY HERE.
WE NEED A PROFESSIONAL TO HELP US WADE THROUGH THAT.
BUT I THINK THAT PART OF GETTING THE PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT SHOULD BE AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE MADE UP OF BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS THAT CAN SPEAK TO THESE ISSUES AND REACT TO THE INFORMATION THAT COMES FROM A CONSULTANT.
BECAUSE THIS IS, THIS IS WHERE WE ARE, THIS IS OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S A, IT'S PART OF BRINGING US BACK AS ONE.
LET'S GET RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES AT THE SAME TABLE AND, AND HAVE REAL INFORMATION THAT THE CITY IS PROCESSING OF HOW TO, TO DEAL WITH THESE, WITH THESE ISSUES.
UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE I COVERED ALL MY POINTS HERE.
UM, I THINK WE DO NEED TO PROCEED THOUGH TONIGHT WITH, UH, A DESTINATION WITH A DMO DESIGNATION BECAUSE THERE ARE RELATIONSHIPS THAT NEED TO BE KEPT ALIVE, AND SUCH AS WITH THE ARIZONA OFFICE OF TOURISM.
AND IT'S ONLY THE DMO THAT CAN, THAT CAN DO THAT.
SO I, I THINK, AS I SAID, THERE ARE DECISIONS THAT SHOULD NOT BE PUT OFF.
AND I THINK THE CITY NEEDS TO NAME THE CITY AS OUR DMO SO THAT THE CITY, WHICH IS REPRESENTATIVE OF BUSINESS AND RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TOGETHER, ALL OF THAT, UH, WE NEED TO BE OUR OWN VOICE IN TOURISM MANAGEMENT.
AND I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN HOW WE DO THIS.
[01:20:01]
ON THIS SIDE.I'VE GOT A LOT TO SHARE THIS AFTERNOON.
THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME.
AND, UM, I'VE LIVED IN A TOURIST DESTINATION.
I LIVED IN ORLANDO FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, OWNED A BUSINESS THERE, LIVED A MILE OFF THE BACKSIDE OF UNIVERSAL STUDIOS, AND COULD TELL WHAT TIME IT WAS AT NIGHT BY WHEN I HEARD THE FIREWORKS GOING OFF.
SO I'M HERE IN PART BECAUSE I LIKE LIVING IN A TOURIST DESTINATION.
I ENJOYED HAVING LUNCH WITH A COUPLE TOURISTS, SENIOR BOBS ON MONDAY.
AND THIS MORNING I TALKED TO SOME WOMEN CELEBRATING, UM, BECOMING MEDICARE ELIGIBLE
YEAH, I GOT A FEW YEARS TO GO ON THAT, THANKFULLY, I GUESS.
UM, BUT I, I, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT, I'M, I'M GONNA PUT MY BUSINESS HAT ON.
SO I, I'VE GOT A TWOFOLD BUSINESS LIFE OF BEING A CONSULTANT, WHICH MAKES ME A TRUTH TELLER TO MY CLIENTS.
AND I'M ALSO A FRANCHISE OWNER, WHICH MEANS THAT EVERY DAY I CONCERN MYSELF WITH WHETHER THE PHONE'S GONNA RING FOR PEOPLE TO BOOK SALES APPOINTMENTS, AND WHETHER MY EMPLOYEES ARE GONNA SHOW UP TO WORK, WHICH I THINK SOUNDS PRETTY SIMILAR TO WHAT A LOT OF THE BUSINESS OWNERS FACE HERE IN SEDONA AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, COUNSELOR PETE TALKED ABOUT THIS FEELING LIKE SORT OF A POSTMORTEM.
I THINK THERE ARE SOME ASPECTS THAT WE DO NEED TO RECOGNIZE AND SOME OF MY OTHER FELLOW COUNSELORS HAVE DONE.
SO THUS FAR, UM, YOU KNOW, NUMBER ONE IN, IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE CONFLICT THAT BROUGHT US TO WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, UM, N NUMBER ONE, YOU KNOW, THE BED TAX MONEY IS PUBLIC MONEY.
AND IT, GOING TO AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS RESTRICTED HOW THAT MONEY IS USED TO ITS OWN MEMBERS IS A INHERENT CONFLICT THAT WE HAVE STRUGGLED WITH.
AND THAT'S CONTINUED TO BE, UH, A POINT OF CONFLICT EVEN THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT, UH, BOB FIKE AND, AND ANNE KELLY LED.
AND, AND THAT WAS VERY VALUABLE FOR US TO SEE THAT IN WRITING, THAT THAT CONFLICT STILL EXISTS.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE ARE WHERE WE ARE.
AND, UH, THE CONTRACT WITH THE CHAMBER AND TOURISM BUREAU IS THE LARGEST CONTRACT I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY, UH, GIVES OUT TO SERVICE VENDORS.
AT LEAST NOT, YOU KNOW, EXCLUDING SIM CONTRACTS AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO, UM, THERE, THERE IS A, A DEFINITE NEED FOR OVERSIGHT.
AND IT SEEMS TO ME, AND, AND I AM A NEW NEWBIE, A NEWCOMER, UH, IN MANY RESPECTS.
SO I WASN'T AROUND WHEN THE GREAT BARGAIN CALLED, THE 55% AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED.
BUT WHAT I SEE IN THAT SEEMED TO BE, UM, A LACK OF OVERSIGHT.
AND NOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN 2023 AND, YOU KNOW, THIS GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS UP HERE FEELS, UH, A RESPONSIBILITY THAT THERE IS OVERSIGHT ON THOSE FUNDS.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN ASKING QUESTIONS IN THE FORM OF WHAT KPIS ARE THERE TO, UH, SUPPORT ONGOING INVESTMENT AND SPECIFIC INITIATIVES.
AND SADLY, WE'VE NOT GOTTEN ANSWERS THAT GAVE US CONFIDENCE THAT THE MONEYS THAT WE'VE BEEN, UM, PROVIDING HAVE BEEN GETTING USED.
AND THAT LEADS ME TO KIND OF A THIRD PROBLEM, WHICH IS JUST COLLABORATION.
SO I SPECIFICALLY HAVE OFFERED TO HELP, UH, THE CHAMBER, BOTH, UH, CHAMBER STAFF AS WELL AS BOARD MEMBERS, TRY TO AVOID SOME OF THE PITFALLS THAT HAVE OCCURRED DURING, UH, SOME OF THE RECENT MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD AND HAVE TRIED TO, UH, AVOID THE, UH, THE EMBARRASSMENT AND THE GNASHING OF TEETH AND EVERYTHING.
AND THAT, AND THOSE OVERTURES HAVE BEEN DECLINED, UH, NOT, UH, TACITLY, BUT, UH, IMPLICITLY.
AND THAT'S A MISSED OPPORTUNITY.
AND I'M DISAPPOINTED BY THAT BECAUSE I WAS HAPPY TO HELP.
AND I DO HAVE THE EXPERTISE AND THE EXPERIENCE THAT COULD HAVE HELPED US AVOID A LOT OF THE CONSTERNATION THAT HAS OCCURRED.
UH, IN RECENT MEETINGS BETWEEN OUR TWO ORGANIZATIONS.
IN A MEETING YESTERDAY WITH THE LODGING COUNCIL, THERE WAS, UH, SOME DEGREE OF SHOCK EXPRESSED THAT THE CITY IS CONTEMPLATING ESTABLISHING ITSELF AS THE D M O AT THIS TIME.
AND PERSONALLY, UM, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO, UM, ERNIE, WE'RE GONNA GET BLAMED FOR ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS NO MATTER WHAT ANYWAYS, WHETHER IT'S TRAFFIC OR WHATEVER.
SO, I, I, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA BE FEARFUL OF THAT ASPECT, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, HONESTLY, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE FINANCIAL VIABILITY OF THE CHAMBER IN TOURISM BUREAU ON ITS OWN.
AND I THINK THAT OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF OUR ECONOMY, WHICH IS TOURISTS DOMINATED, DICTATES THAT WE DO IN FACT, MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS D DMO, UM,
[01:25:01]
UH, RESOLUTION THAT'S ON THE, UH, UH, AGENDA FOR TODAY.SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AND INTERESTINGLY, WHEN THIS MEETING WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR TODAY, UH, THE EXPECTATION FROM CITY MANAGER WAS FOR US TO BE PROVIDING SOME, UH, EXPLICIT DIRECTION ON WHAT COULD GO INTO A WORK PROGRAM FOR FISCAL 24.
AND I CAME PREPARED TO CALL FOR A REBRANDING INVESTMENT, UH, FOR THE CITY OF SEDONA AND TO LOOK AT SELECT MARKETING.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I I'M SOMEWHAT SCRATCHING MY HEAD OVER WHY A DECISION WAS MADE WHEN IT WAS TO GO AHEAD AND SEVER, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE WERE ACTUALLY LIKELY MOVING IN A DIRECTION THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN CLOSER TO BEING ON THE SAME PAGE THAN NOT.
UH, ANOTHER AREA I WANT TO HIT ON, UH, AND THIS ONE IS A REAL HEAD SCRATCHER FOR ME, AND I'LL JUST TITLE IT AS PHOENIX.
SO THE INCONSISTENCY OVER HOW PHOENIX AND DAY TRIPPERS IS REFERENCED ASTOUNDS ME YESTERDAY, A LEADING BUSINESS OPERATOR IN THIS TOWN, RAILED THAT THIS CITY COUNCIL ONLY CARES ABOUT MULTI-DAY WEALTHY OUT-OF-STATE VISITORS TO THE EXCLUSION OF WHAT IS MERELY 100 MILES AWAY.
TODAY I READ AN EDITORIAL EXCORIATING THIS CITY COUNCIL FOR ENCOURAGING THE HORDES OF DAY TRIPPERS TO THE EXCLUSION OF MARKETING TO THE, UH, MULTI-DAY WEALTHY OUT-OF-STATE VISITORS.
THE 225
I FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN TRAINED BY THE HOSPITALITY COMMUNITY SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, THAT QUOTE, WE DON'T NEED TO MARKET TO PHOENIX BECAUSE THEY KNOW WE'RE HERE.
SO TELL ME, WHICH IS IT? WHICH IS IT? WHO DO YOU WANNA ATTRACT? NOBODY CAN SAY, AND THAT'S A PROBLEM.
IT'S TREMENDOUS INCONSISTENCY, CONTINUING ON THE BED TAX.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE GREAT BARGAIN OVER THE 55% WAS RESCINDED IN 2019, JULY 10, ACCORDING TO, UH, TODAY'S NEWSPAPER.
THAT WAS ALMOST FOUR YEARS AGO.
AND I'M NOT SURE WHY WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT IT.
THE CITY SPENDS SUFFICIENT MONEY THAT MORE THAN, UH, ACCOUNTS FOR WHAT IT RAISES IN BED TAX FUNDS.
SO I'M NOT SURE WHY WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT THAT.
AND I THINK THAT THAT UNDERMINES THE ABILITY TO WORK POSITIVELY GOING FORWARD.
YESTERDAY A QUESTION WAS ASKED, AND I SAID I WOULD SPECIFICALLY ANSWER IT TODAY, THAT QUESTION WAS, GEE, BRIAN, DO YOU WANNA SEE MORE PEOPLE HERE, LESS PEOPLE HERE, OR THE SAME NUMBER OF PEOPLE HERE? AND I WILL JUST SAY, WHO CAN TELL? BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY ARE HERE RIGHT NOW, AND WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IMPACT THEY'RE HAVING.
BUT THAT IS WHY I'M EXCITED THAT FOR OUR FISCAL 24, UH, PLAN THAT WE WILL BE, UH, INVESTING IN METRICS AND A BETTER ABILITY TO TELL WHO'S HERE, WHAT KIND OF IMPACT THEY ARE.
YOU KNOW, ARE WE GONNA TRY TO PULL LEVERS SO THAT WE HAVE PRECISELY 3.95 MILLION PEOPLE HERE? NO, CAN'T DO THAT.
BUT WE CERTAINLY CAN HAVE A MUCH BETTER IDEA OF THE GENERAL NATURE OF HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HERE.
KIND OF A PAIN AND SUFFERING INDEX, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, HOW BAD IS IT FOR TRYING TO GET INTO TOWN ON 1 79? I LIVE BY THE CHAPEL.
I LIVE RIGHT BY ERNIE AND KAREN AND BY BOB.
AND YOU KNOW, IT STINKS THIS TIME OF YEAR.
SO I DO THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE METRICS IN THE FORM OF A COMPREHENSIVE DASHBOARD SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A SENSE OF HOW THINGS ARE GOING.
NOW, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE IN BUSINESS, I KNOW YOU'RE LOOKING AT YOUR BOTTOM LINE, AND I KNOW THAT YOU USUALLY WANT TO SEE IT GROW, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT WE'RE IN BUSINESS TO DO.
WE WANT TO HAVE A GROWING BOTTOM LINE, AND THAT USUALLY ALSO MEANS HAVING A GROWING TOP LINE.
SO I GET IT THAT OUR BUSINESSES WANT TO BE PROFITABLE AND THAT THEY WANT TO HAVE GROWING PROFITS.
AND I HOPE THAT THEY CAN ACHIEVE THAT OBJECTIVE IN PART THROUGH INCREASED PRICES FOR PROVIDING SUPERIOR PRODUCT SERVICES AND EXPERIENCES, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, YEAH, YOU'RE GONNA WANT MORE PEOPLE TO COME.
AND THAT'S GONNA REQUIRE ONGOING EFFORTS TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING HERE.
AND WHETHER THAT'S TRAILHEAD TRANSIT OR OTHER FORMS OF, UH, MICROT TRANSITS, YOU NAME IT.
THINGS THAT WE CAN DO THAT LESSEN THE IMPACT.
UM, AND THAT BRINGS ME REALLY TO MY LAST, UH, AREA OF COMMENT, WHICH IS COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF STAKEHOLDERS IN THIS TOWN.
THERE'S RESIDENTS, THERE'S, UH, FOR-PROFIT AND
[01:30:01]
BUSINESSES, THERE'S THE FOREST SERVICE, THERE'S THE CITY STAFF, CITY COUNCIL.THERE'S EVEN THE MEDIA, BOTH PRINT AND ONLINE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YESTERDAY, UH, REALLY, UH, STRUCK A CHORD WITH ME, FRANKLY, IN A NEGATIVE WAY, WAS THE WAY IN WHICH PEOPLE WERE BE IN, WHICH GROUPS OF PEOPLE WERE BEING REFERRED TO.
IN BROAD STROKES, I HEARD CITY COUNCIL IS ALL A BUNCH OF RETIREES, AND THEY, ALL THEY WANT TO DO IS SHUT THE DOOR NOW THAT THEY'RE HERE, IT'S NOT TRUE.
AND IT'S HARMFUL TO MAKING PROGRESS IN ADDRESSING THE ISSUES THAT WE FACE.
I HEAR, WELL, RESIDENTS, ALL THEY WANNA DO IS CLOSE THE DOOR BEHIND THEM.
THEY WANNA, YOU KNOW, SHUT DOWN TOURISM.
THAT DOESN'T HELP ANY, I HEAR THE RESIDENTS SAY ALL THE BUSINESSES CARE ABOUT IS JUST BRINGING IN MORE DOLLAR AFTER MORE DOLLAR AFTER MORE DOLLAR.
I HOPE IT'S NOT AS BAD AS WHAT, UH, THE ARTICLE THAT MARK 10 BROOK, UH, QUOTED FROM, FROM SEDONA.BIZ.
I HOPE THAT WAS PERHAPS A LITTLE BIT OF SATIRE, UH, AND NOT THE, THE TRUE, UH, BELIEF OF ALL OF THE BUSINESSES IN SEDONA, BUT IT GOES TO SHOW THE DANGER OF JUST PAINTING EVERYBODY IN BROAD STROKES.
YOU KNOW, I, A YEAR AGO I WAS RUNNING FOR A SEAT ON THIS COUNCIL, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TALKED ABOUT IN MY MARKETING CAMPAIGN OR MY, UH, POLITICAL CAMPAIGN WAS THIS IS A ECOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE AREA.
IT NEEDS TO BE TREATED SIMILARLY TO THE GALA PAGUS ISLANDS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT SPEAKER IS HERE STILL.
I LITERALLY WAS SAYING THAT A YEAR AGO.
AND WE NEED TO BE UNAPOLOGETIC ABOUT TAKING THE NOTION OF RESPECT RED ROCK COUNTRY AND TAKING THAT TO ANOTHER LEVEL.
AND I HOPE THAT THAT'S WHAT WOULD BE PART OF A FUTURE BRANDING CAMPAIGN.
BUT WHEN THE DAY IS DONE, WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT EACH OF THESE CONSTITUENT GROUPS, EACH OF THESE STAKEHOLDERS ALL HAVE VALID CONCERNS FOR THEMSELVES.
AND WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE, THEY'RE VALID CONCERNS THAT THEY HAVE.
AND SO WE'VE GOT TO BE ACTING WITH EACH OTHER, UH, WITH A GREAT DEAL MORE EMPATHY AND OFFERING EACH OTHER A LITTLE MORE GRACE, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO WORK TOGETHER.
THE, UH, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CHAMBER, UH, BOARD AND STAFF THAT WERE PRESENT AT THE LODGING COUNCIL MEETING YESTERDAY SPOKE TO THAT FACT THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE, UH, SEPARATING RELATIONALLY IN A SENSE RIGHT NOW, WE WILL NEED TO COOPERATE AND COLLABORATE GOING FORWARD.
AND SO PAINTING EACH OTHER IN BROAD STROKES WILL NOT BENEFIT ANYBODY, INCLUDING OUR BUSINESSES AND INCLUDING OUR RESIDENTS.
SO, UM, I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY LISTENING TO MY BULLY POPE PULPIT MOMENT.
AND MAYOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
COUNCILOR DUNN, DO YOU HAVE, UH, ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE? WOW, I DON'T KNOW.
I THINK EVERYBODY SAID EVERYTHING
UH, SO I'M JUST GOING TO, TO LET YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL.
I'VE LOVED SEDONA FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.
WE CAME HERE AND WE FELL IN LOVE, AND WE FOUND A WAY TO MOVE HERE.
UM, SOME OF US TOOK LONGER THAN OTHERS, BUT WE FOUND A WAY TO MOVE HERE.
THIS TOWN CAN'T EXIST WITHOUT AN ECONOMY, BECAUSE IF WE HAVE NO ECONOMY, YOU HAVE NO STREETS, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE USE SALES TAX AND WE USE BA BED TAX, AND WE USE WHATEVER THE STATE GOVERNMENT IS WILLING TO GIVE US, UM, IN OUR SHARE TO MAINTAIN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, WE'RE ALL IN IT TOGETHER.
AND THE MINUTE WE THINK WE'RE NOT ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, I THINK THAT'S WHEN WE START TO HAVE PROBLEMS. AND SO, UM, I THINK WE DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF JUST WAITING.
I THINK IF YOU JUST WAIT, YOU GET A GAP AND THINGS FALL INTO THAT GAP.
AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK UP, SUDDENLY YOU'RE IN A PIT, UM, AND YOU DON'T QUITE KNOW HOW TO GET YOURSELF OUT AGAIN.
SO I THINK WE DO HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS, UNFORTUNATELY, FOR OUR CITY MANAGER, IT MOSTLY MEANS TELLING HER IT'S HER PROBLEM.
UM, BUT, BUT WE DO, WE DO NEED TO MOVE FORWARD AND WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD AS A COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH EVERY SIZE BUSINESS IN EVERY CATEGORY THAT IS OUT THERE, OR THAT WILL BE OUT THERE AS MORE PEOPLE MOVE IN WITH MORE GREAT IDEAS OF WHAT THEY THINK SEDONA NEEDS OR HOSTS OR VISITORS
[01:35:01]
WILL LIKE, OR HOWEVER YOU WANT TO PHRASE IT.UM, AND WE'RE STILL GONNA GET, I'M SORRY, GRAY-HAIRED RETIREES WHO ARE CELEBRATING GETTING ONTO MEDICARE.
THEY'RE STILL COMING, UM, BECAUSE THEY CAN AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S A PROBLEM AND IT'S A PROBLEM THE CITY HAS TO FACE AND IS TRYING TO FACE AND IS TRYING TO HELP WHEN WE DO OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS. SO THIS IS ALL ABOUT TRYING, FOR ME, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS I WANNA LEAVE BEHIND ME AS SUSTAINED AND SUSTAINABLE SEDONA.
AND IT REQUIRES ALL OF US FROM CITY STAFF DOWN TO KIDS IN KINDERGARTEN, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE NEXT GENERATIONS THAT WILL BE BE LIVING HERE.
AND, UM, IT'S A LOT OF WORK FOR US.
BUT TOURISM IS, IS WHAT WE HAVE, AND WE, WE CAN'T DENY IT.
IF WE DO, WE'RE GONNA GO AWAY.
BUT WE ALSO KNOW IF THE RED ROCKS ARE DAMAGED BEYOND BELIEF, WE'RE STILL GONNA GO AWAY IF WE RELY ONLY ON TOURISM.
SO WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A BALANCE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A REMARKABLE CITY MANAGER AND CITY STAFF AND CITY ATTORNEY.
HE WILL TELL ME TO SHUT UP WHEN I SAY SOMETHING INCORRECT.
AND SO WE, WE BASICALLY HAVE A GREAT CREW HERE AND WE HAVE A FANTASTIC COMMUNITY.
UM, AND I REALLY WOULD LOVE TO SEE US START TO WORK TOGETHER TO BRING THIS ABOUT.
THIS IS BEYOND A 10 YEAR COMMUNITY PLAN.
THIS IS THE REST OF THE FUTURE OF SEDONA THAT WE'RE STARTING TODAY.
SO I'M PRETTY EXCITED THAT, YOU KNOW, I GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE AT THE BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA FOR ALL OF US WHO LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, SO THAT'S JUST FROM MY HEART AND I WILL SHUT UP.
AND KAREN, I WANT YOU TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO MOVE US FORWARD, GET US A FRAMEWORK.
IS THIS TOO MUCH? GET US A FRAMEWORK.
AND, UM, I ALSO THINK WE DO NEED TO, TO BE A DM O I THINK WE NEED TO DECLARE THE CITY'S IN THIS ALL THE WAY.
WELL, VERY PROFOUND STATEMENTS TO MY RIGHT.
I, WHAT DO WE CHOP LIVER? NO,
THEY WERE THE LAST STATEMENTS.
I, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I, I, I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE, IN, UH, WHAT I FEEL HAS BEEN THE ATTACKS ON THE CITY AND THE COUNCIL.
BUT I'M NOT GONNA GO THERE CUZ THERE'S NO POINT IN GOING THERE.
I'M NOT GONNA TAKE IT PERSONALLY.
I, I KNOW IT WAS EMOTIONAL AND I, I'M WILLING TO ACCEPT THAT I JUST WANNA MOVE FORWARD.
I RESPECT THE CHAMBER FOR THEIR DECISION, AND I, AND WE NEED TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO NOW TO, TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND, AND I, I TOO SEE POSSIBILITIES AND I TOO CAN GET EXCITED ABOUT IT.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE PLACE I CHOOSE TO BE EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE AND EXCITED ABOUT BRINGING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER WITH VOICES FROM ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS, WHICH I FEEL HAVE BEEN MISSING FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS.
AND SO THAT GETS ME ENERGIZED.
I, I TOO FEEL THAT WE NEED TO DESIGNATE OURSELVES AS A DMO TO GET WITH IT, TO, TO START MOVING FORWARD.
UH, I APPRECIATE ERNIE, YOUR COMMENTS.
I TOO AGREE WITH, UM, MY COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNSELOR FOLTZ THAT WE WE'RE BLAMED FOR TRAFFIC NOW, SO WON'T CHANGE ANYTHING, UH, AND THICK SKIN.
UH, THE, UH, RESOLUTION FOR THE DMO.
I'M HAPPY TO MAKE THAT MOTION.
UM, MAYOR ERMAN, YOU MAY HAVE SOME WORDS THAT YOU WANNA SAY YOURSELF.
UH, SO I HAVE QUITE A FEW MORE THINGS TO ADD.
SOME MAY DUPLICATE AND I HOPE NOT, BUT, UH, I JUST WANNA THANK THE CHAMBER FOR STEPPING UP AND MAKING THIS BIG DECISION.
I THINK THAT, UH, IT GOES A LONG WAY, UH, FOR ME.
I, I DON'T REALLY DIDN'T REALLY LIKE IT, BUT IT, IT'S A BOLD, BOLD STEP.
SO, BUT IT'S, UH, THIS WAY WE CAN MOVE CLEAR BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT HAD THE SAME VISION FOR YEARS AS MUCH AS WE'VE TRIED.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, BOTH SIDES HAVE HAD PROBLEMS. SO THIS IS A REALLY TOUGH DECISION FOR, I'M SURE, FOR THE CHAMBER AND THE BOARD AND THE CEO.
UH, AND I REALLY RESPECT THAT.
UM, I SHARE, UH, BRIAN'S POINT ABOUT
[01:40:01]
THE TAX MONEY.UH, ONCE THE HOTEL TURNS THE MONEY OVER TO AOR IT'S PUBLIC MONEY.
IT IS PUBLIC MONEY, AND IT HAS TO BE MANAGED AND HAVE OVERSIGHT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR.
AND IT, SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER, IT HASN'T WORKED.
I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE THE FRONT PAGE OF THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER IF WE DIDN'T MANAGE IT PROPERLY.
SO, UH, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING MAYBE BY MOVING FORWARD, WE CAN WORK OUT BETTER.
I THINK THAT, UM, WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD.
THIS WAS NOT A DECISION BY US, IT WAS A DECISION BY THE, THE CHAMBER BOARD.
BUT WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO MAINTAIN A BALANCE HERE.
UH, IF THE, UH, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS STILL INTERESTED IN PROMOTING SEDONA, HOWEVER THEY DO, THAT'S FINE.
I DON'T THINK WE BOTH NEED TO DO THE SAME TOPICS OR THE SAME, SAME AREAS.
I THINK WE CAN WORK, UH, TOGETHER AND EACH COVER OUR OWN, UH, PLACES, UH, WHAT, WHATEVER THAT MIGHT BE.
IF WE'RE GONNA DO BRANDING OR WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR A CERTAIN TYPE OF MARKETING OR BRANDING, IT HASN'T, THE, THE BOARD OF THE CHAMBER HASN'T REALLY AGREED.
SO YOU DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, AND WE'RE GONNA PROBABLY, I WOULD LIKE TO STAY SEPARATE AND DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO SO WE DON'T OVERLAP, BECAUSE THAT'S JUST A WASTE OF MONEY.
UH, TO ME, THE, THE LETTER WAS VERY CLEAR, AND I, OTHER THAN, YOU KNOW, WELL, THE CHAMBER WAS CLEAR THAT THEY WANT THE VISITOR CENTER AND THE WEBSITE, AND THAT'S FINE.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS OTHER ASPECTS, IT HASN'T BEEN ADDRESSED.
UH, THE, THE CHAMBER WAS REALLY THOROUGH, REALLY GOOD IN A LOT OF WAYS, SUCH AS THE, UH, SHARED USE, NOT THE SHARED USE PATH.
THE, UH, UH, TRAILHEAD SHUTTLES, UH, WILL BRING, BRING THAT IN-HOUSE IF THE CHAMBER'S STILL INTERESTED IN DOING THAT.
THAT HASN'T BEEN SHARED WITH ME YET.
SOMEBODY SAID ONE OF THE, THE RESIDENTS THAT SAID SOMETHING ABOUT HAVING A BOARD PUTTING WHO IS EVER ON THE BOARD.
I BELIEVE THEY SAID SOMETHING ABOUT NOT HAVING EITHER HOTELS OR WHATEVER.
THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M LOOKING AT.
I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE EVERYBODY ON, OR ONE OR TWO OF, FROM EACH, UH, UH, BUSINESS.
AND THE, THE MARKETING I, I WOULD BE LOOKING TO DO IS MORE OF A BRANDING, NOT COME ONE COME WAR.
AND I DON'T THINK THE CHAMBER HAS THAT VISION EITHER.
UH, THEY'VE BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUT DOING WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, BUT I WANNA SEE A BETTER BRANDING FOR OUR FUTURE, FOR OUR RED ROCKS.
UM, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE COMMENTS ABOUT, UH, PHOENIX.
UH, AS COUNSELOR FOLTZ SAID, YOU KNOW, WE, WE CAN'T, EVEN IF WE MARKET PHOENIX, WE, I THINK WE WOULD BE MARKETING TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF DEMOGRAPHIC, BUT, UH, I, COUNCILOR WILLIAMSON SAID, AND THIS IS, I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE REALIZE PHOENIX IS A FASTEST GROWING CITY IN THE COUNTRY.
I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S 110, 120 DEGREES DOWN THERE IN THE SUMMERTIME.
BUT WHERE ARE THEY? THOSE PEOPLE GOING TO RECREATE? THEY'RE GONNA COME HERE MORE AND MORE, MORE AND MORE, RIGHT? AND IF INSTAGRAM, AND WE HAVE FACEBOOK PAGES PROMOTING SEDONA, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE DOING THAT.
AND THEY'RE PROMOTING THE SAME PLACES AND JUST COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO EVERYTHING WE WANT TO DO.
BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE A DIFFERENT MESSAGE, WHETHER IT'S IT'S PHOENIX OR NOT.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO DECIDE.
WE CAN'T BE BICKERING ANYMORE.
IT'S JUST, I DON'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN THAT ANY FURTHER.
UH, SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO HAS IT AGAINST GRAY HAIR, OLD PEOPLE WHO ARE SOCIAL ON SOCIAL SECURITY.
UH, I DON'T, BUT LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING.
WE HAVE A HOUSING CRISIS HERE.
OKAY? I WOULD LOVE FOR, YOU KNOW, RETIRED GRAY-HAIRED PEOPLE TO COME HERE.
THERE'S NO PLACE FOR THEM TO LIVE ANYMORE.
SO THIS IS A, YOU KNOW, A PROBLEM FOR EVERYBODY, NOT JUST RETIREES, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GETTING RETIREES OR VERY, VERY FEW, BECAUSE ALL THE HOMES THAT THEY WOULD BUY ARE OVERINFLATED AND SHORT-TERM RENTALS NOW.
WHAT ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT?
UH, ONE THING I, I WOULD ASK THE, THE, UH, TO CONSIDER, TO GIVE DIRECTION TO THE CITY MANAGER, THE NUMBER 3.5 MILLION VISITORS THAT COME HERE IS OLD.
[01:45:01]
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S ACCURATE, CURRENT, WHATEVER.I WOULD HOPE THAT WE COULD DO A STUDY TO SEE IF THAT NUMBER IS STILL ACCURATE OR NOT, BECAUSE HOW ELSE ARE WE GOING TO REALLY BE ABLE TO MARKET IF YOU, WE ALL AGREE, UNLESS WE HAVE THAT NUMBER TO START WITH.
SO, UM, THAT'S JUST MY THOUGHT.
UH, THAT'S ALL OF MY THOUGHTS.
UH, AND I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS ONE COMMENT THAT, UH, SINCE WE'VE ALL SPOKEN, NOW THAT HAS COME FROM THE AUDIENCE, THREE TIMES I BELIEVE WAS THE, UH, BED TAX.
AND I'M GOING TO TURN, UH, THE DISCUSSION OVER TO THE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY TO, TO ADDRESS THAT.
AND, UM,
UH, VICE MAYOR AND COUNSELORS.
UM, I GUESS WHAT I WOULD SAY ON THE BED TAX IS THE DEFINITION OF, IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST THE BED TAX, IT'S A DISCRIMINATORY, UH, TRANSACTION TAX.
AND IT'S SPECIFICALLY DEFINED IN STA THE STATE STATUTE.
IT'S NOT THERE FOR EVERYONE TO SEE.
AND IT'S ONLY THE TAX RATE THAT IS ABOVE THE, THE T P T, THE RETAIL TAX THAT'S ON ALL BUSINESSES.
SO, UH, CURRENTLY THE CITY HAS A 3.5 T P T RETAIL TAX AND A 3.5, UH, HOTEL TAX.
UM, AND THEN A 3.5 ADDITIONAL, UH, TRANSIENT LODGING TAX.
THOSE ARE ALL COMPARED SEPARATELY.
SO PER THE STATUE, IF IT'S NOT ABOVE THE 3.5 T P T, THEN IT'S NOT A DISCRIMINATORY BED TAX.
UM, BUT IN 2013, WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, PASSED THE, THIS, UH, HALF CENT, UM, BED TAX INCREASE, AT THE TIME THE T P T WAS ONLY 3%.
SO IT, IT WAS AT THAT TIME A DISCRIMINATORY BED TAX.
IT WENT FROM THREE AND A HALF OR THREE TO THREE AND A HALF, WHEREAS THE TPT STATE THREE, UH, BUT THE PART THAT EVERYONE, OR AT LEAST LOCALLY WE SEEM TO MISS, UM, IT'S SOMEWHAT COMMON KNOWLEDGE IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS, IS THAT IF A CITY OR TOWN IMPOSES A DISCRIMINATORY BED TAX, THE FIRST 2% OF THE DISCRIMINATORY, UH, TRANSACTION PRIVILEGED TAX IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE TOURISM PROMOTION REQUIREMENTS.
UH, SO THAT'S SUBSECTION E OF THE STATE LAW.
UH, SO THERE ARE CITIES OUT THERE THAT HAVE A, LET'S SAY A 2%, UH, T P T RETAIL TAX AND A 4%, UM, HOTEL OR TRANSIENT LODGING TAX.
AND, UH, THEY DO, THAT 2% DIFFERENCE IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE USED FOR PROMOTION.
SO, UH, THAT DOESN'T MEAN CITY COUNCIL CAN'T.
CITY COUNCIL, UH, DECIDED BACK IN 2013 AND HAS, AND HAS CONTINUED TO USE THE HALF CENT, UM, ON TOURISM PROMOTION.
UH, TOURISM PROMOTIONS DEFINED FAIRLY BROADLY IN, IN THE ORDINANCE AS WELL.
UM, HISTORICALLY, THE CITY HAS USED THAT HALF SENT TO CONTRACT WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND TOURISM BUREAU, BUT THERE'S ANOTHER PARAGRAPH IN THERE THAT ALLOWS THE CITY TO, UH, USE THAT MONEY TO, UH, DEVELOP, IMPROVE OR OPERATE TOURISM RELATED ATTRACTIONS.
UH, AND SO THAT HAS, UH, A, A VERY BROAD USE, I BELIEVE, AND THERE'S SOME CASE LAW THAT SUPPORTS THAT.
WAS THERE ANY SPECIFIC OTHER QUESTIONS, MAYOR? WELL, I'M GONNA CHECK WITH THE DAS AND SEE IF ANY OF US HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, VICE MAYOR, YOU SAID YOU, YOU WILLING TO MAKE THE MOTION? I DO.
I MOVE TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION DESIGNATING THE CITY OF SEDONA AS THE OFFICIAL DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION, PERENS DMO FOR THE CITY OF SEDONA.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION? I'LL, IF I COULD, MAYOR, THANK YOU.
SO I SPOKE TO THAT, UH, PREVIOUSLY, BUT I ALSO RECOGNIZE IN THE COMMENTS THAT I MADE, THAT THE CHAMBER'S ACTION WAS SIGNIFICANT, SIGNIFICANT ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES, I THINK IN THIS PARTICULAR ACTION, UH, IT'S USEFUL FOR THE COUNCIL TO SPEAK UNANIMOUSLY, SO I'M GONNA SUPPORT IT.
EXCUSE ME, MAYOR, I, HOLD, HOLD.
OH, IF WE COULD JUST GET THE, THE MOTION NUMBER, UH, THE RESOLUTION NUMBER 2023.
23, RIGHT? DASH 1223 DASH THREE.
SO IS THAT ALL I NEED TO DO OR DO I, WHY DON'T, WHY DON'T WE MAKE IT AGAIN ONE MORE TIME, JUST TO BE CLEAR.
RESOLUTION 2023 DASH 12 DESIGNATING THE CITY OF SEDONA AS THE OFFICIAL DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION.
ANY OPPOSED? WE ARE UNANIMOUS.
SO ITEM, UH, B, DISCUSSION, POSSIBLE ACTION.
[01:50:01]
MEETINGS.I AGENDA ITEMS, BEFORE WE GO THERE, MAYOR, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMENTS BEFORE WERE CAPTURED, CAN WE MAKE CHECK IN WITH OUR CITY MANAGER TO THANK YOU? YEAH.
TO SEE THAT SHE'S GOT THE DIRECTION THAT SHE NEEDS TO MOVE FORWARD.
CUZ WE DO NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.
I DO THINK THE DIRECTION WAS CLEAR, UH, BY CONSENSUS THAT, UM, WE DO WANNA DEVELOP A TOURISM MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IN HOUSE.
AND THAT I WILL, UM, PLAN TO ENGAGE THE SERVICES OF AN OUTSIDE CONSULTANT TO HELP US DEVELOP OPTIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, BUDGET AND TIMELINE.
AND THEN I WILL BE BRINGING THOSE BACK TO YOU IN THE COMING MONTHS FOR FURTHER ACTION AND DIRECTION.
COULD MAYOR, IF I COULD JUST ASK FOR CLARIFICATION, IT WASN'T CLEAR TO ME THAT THE IN-HOUSE WAS A, WAS A CONSENSUS DECISION.
AND I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND MY COUNSEL COLLEAGUES AS WHETHER I'M ON THE MINORITY ON THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE THAT OPEN AND LISTEN TO WHAT THE CONSULTANT MIGHT HAVE TO SAY.
I THINK WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
SO IT'S A CONSENSUS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CITY MANAGER CONTACTING WITH A CONSULTANT.
SO, BUT THE CITY MANAGER, UH, SPOKE THE DIRECTION IS TO WORK WITH A CONSULTANT UNDEVELOPED AN IN-HOUSE TOURISM MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION.
CAN I SPEAK TO THAT? THAT'S WHAT I DON'T AGREE WITH SINCE HE'S DONE.
UM, I THINK IT IS IN-HOUSE BY VIRTUE OF MOVING FORWARD NOW AND HIRING CONSULTANT AND GETTING THAT INFORMATION, IF IT DECIDES LATER TO BE SOMETHING THAT PIECES OR ALL OR WHATEVER ARE OUTSOURCED, THAT'S A DECISION THAT WILL COME.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, MAKING THOSE DECISIONS, WE'RE BRINGING IT IN-HOUSE TO DO THAT.
UM, SO I I I SUPPORT THE, THE LANGUAGE THAT THE CITY MANAGER USED, UH, BY SAYING IN-HOUSE, ARE WE YOU GONNA ALLOW THE, THE CONSULTANT TO DISCUSS POSSIBILITIES OF AN INDEPENDENT TOURISM BUREAU? YES.
I WOULD LET THE CONSULTANT WONDERFUL.
I WONDER IF THE CONSULTANT, UM, CAN DO THAT.
I, THAT SEEMS UNLIKELY TO ME THAT THE CONSULTANT THAT HAS DEVELOPED A CERTAIN KIND OF PROGRAM IN-HOUSE IS THE ONE THAT WOULD TALK ABOUT OTHER OPTIONS.
I I DO THINK THAT IF THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE US TO INCLUDE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OPTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS, A CITY FACILITATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF A THIRD PARTY STANDALONE ORGANIZATION THAT IS DIFFERENT.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION COUNSELOR THAN WHAT I'M SUGGESTING THAT WE WOULD BE PURSUING.
SO IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN I WOULD WANT THAT CLARIFICATION.
WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO HAVE THE, TO GET ALL OPTIONS, MOVE AT ONCE YOU ENGAGE THE CONSULTANT, SEE WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE, AND THEN WE COME BACK AND DISCUSS THE OPTIONS? BECAUSE POSSIBLY THE CONSULTANT MAY SAY NO OR YES.
WITH THEIR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE.
AND WHY IS THAT SOMETHING I I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW THAT THERE'S A LEAST A MAJORITY ON COUNCIL WHO WANT TO EXPLORE THAT AS AN OPTION.
I THINK THAT'S THE IMPORTANT QUESTION.
WHETHER PE A SEPARATE ORGANIZATION THAT WOULD HAVE ITS OWN, FOR EXAMPLE, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, RIGHT? NO, THAT'S NOT WHERE I AM.
IF THAT'S WHAT IT WOULD TAKE, I THINK YES.
I I DON'T BELIEVE, I, MY SENSE OF THE COUNCIL IS IN-HOUSE BECAUSE EVEN A SEPARATE BOARD IS NOT GOING TO BE UNDER OUR CONTROL.
I I WASN'T AWARE THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE COMPONENTS OF, AND IN THE HOUSE ASK DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU WOULDN'T BE OUTSOURCING RIGHT.
SO I DON'T SEE A CONFLICT WITH THIS.
I'M STICKING BY THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS USED AND WHAT I SAID BEFORE.
I AGREE WITH THAT NOW AFTER KNOWING THAT ONE DETAIL.
SO DO YOU, SO IT SEEMS THAT THIS COUNCIL IS ONLY INTERESTED IN, IN-HOUSE MOVING AHEAD.
AND THAT'S, I THINK, IMPORTANT THANK YOU FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL IS, AND I, WE MIGHT WANNA TAKE A VOTE ON THAT JUST SO IT'S, IT'S FORMALIZED THAT, OR THUMBS UP OR DOWN ON THAT.
NO, I MEAN I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW THAT THERE WAS, THERE WAS SOME, SOME ARGUMENT THAT, THAT THAT'S NOT THE WAY TO GO.
THAT SHOULD BE A THIRD PARTY SET UP.
UM, BUT IT'S CLEAR NOW THAT THERE'S MAJORITY CONSENSUS.
SO NOW WE WE WILL, THERE'S, THAT'S IT WITH THE COMMENTS.
YOU'RE SHAKING YOUR HEAD NO, BRIAN.
OH, I THOUGHT YOU, YOU WEREN'T HAPPY WITH SOMETHING.
SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR AS, UH, DIRECTED WITH OR AS PROPOSED BY THE CITY MANAGER AND THE PACKET,
[01:55:01]
WE'RE NOT VOTING ON THIS.WE'RE NOT, IT'S JUST I ADVISED.
UH, FUTURE MEETING, UH, ITEMS ATTORNEY.
KURT, YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO, I, I'M MAYOR.
I WAS GONNA TELL YOU, YOU, THIS IS AGENDAS FOR ACTION AND IT IS ABOUT SETTING UP A DEVELOPMENT OF MUNICIPAL DESIGN, DESTINATION MARKETING MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
AND SO IF YOU FELT LIKE YOU NEED TO, YOU COULD, BUT I DON'T SEE THE NEED FOR.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT, OKAY.
[5. ADJOURNMENT]
THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED.