To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): County Administrator’s Office
Staff Name and Phone Number: McCall Miller, 707-565-7099
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): First, Fifth
Title:
Title
FY 22-23 Tourism Impact Fund Grant Awards
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Authorize the County Administrator, or designee, to execute agreements with the following grantees: Safer West County, $22,050 (two grants); Circuit Rider Community Services, $29,837.51 (two grants); Friends & Residents of Guerneville, $4,000; Friends of Fife Creek (fiscal agent: Community Clean Water Institute), $5,000; Friends of Rio Nido, $63,060.14; Occidental Community Council, $10,000; Sonoma County Emergency Communications Project (fiscal agent: Fort Ross Volunteer Fire Department), $10,665; River Arts and Media, $2,500; Russian River Keeper, $30,000; Timber Cove Volunteer Fire Department, $30,000; and Cazadero Community Services District, $31,272;
B) Authorize the County Administrator, or designee, to amend these agreements to lengthen the time schedules and make minor modifications to the allowed uses that do not increase the amount awarded under the agreement.
(First and Fifth Districts)
end
Executive Summary:
Staff recommends award of a total of $238,384.65 of FY 22-23 Tourism Impact Funds and requests authorization for the County Administrator, or designee, to execute the funding agreements and to make minor modifications that do not increase the amount awarded under the agreement.
Activities performed utilizing Community Investment Program funds provide public benefits that serve important community needs under Government Code Section 26227.
Discussion:
Transient Occupancy Tax Funding
The Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) is levied at a rate of 12% in unincorporated Sonoma County, a rate established in 2016 by the voter-approved Measure L. The first 9% of the TOT rate is allocated 33% to the General Fund and 67% to the Community Investment special revenue fund. The last 3% includes Measure L funds and are allocated according to the Community Investment Fund Policy.
Tourism Impact Funds
One component of the Measure L voter-approved rate is the Tourism Impact Fund, established to mitigate the impacts of tourism. The Tourism Impact Fund allocates 10% of Measure L budgeted revenue among the Supervisorial Districts, according to the percentage of Transient Occupancy Tax revenue collected in each District during the previous fiscal year.
The Tourism Impact Fund was established to meet unique and urgent needs of areas within unincorporated Sonoma County that are most impacted by tourism. District Supervisors recommend how funding should be allocated in their district, for approval by the Board of Supervisors. In order to address urgent needs in a timely manner, the Board of Supervisors awards Tourism Impact Funds multiple times a year.
Funds in this category may be used for activities such as safety improvements (i.e.: lighted and/or marked crosswalks, traffic calming devices), environmental impact mitigation (i.e. removing trash from beaches, waterways, and areas with high tourist traffic), public safety (i.e.: Fire Services), and other tourism mitigation activities, such as parking enforcement in heavily trafficked areas. Funds may be used to support organizations that coordinate community improvements, such as Municipal Advisory Councils. Assuming sufficient funds are available, allocated and unused district allocated funds in a single fiscal year will be available in following fiscal years.
First District
|
Project |
Organization/Department |
Amount |
|
Fire risk mitigation in Sonoma Valley |
Circuit Rider Community Services |
$16,738.90 |
|
First District Sub-Total |
$16,738.90 |
Fifth District
|
Project |
Organization/Department |
Amount |
|
Defensible space |
Safer West County |
$20,000.00 |
|
Radios for at-risk Lower Russian River residents |
Safer West County |
$2,050.00 |
|
Pile burn workshops |
Circuit Rider Community Services |
$13,098.61 |
|
Public safety camera upgrades |
Friends & Residents of Guerneville |
$4,000.00 |
|
Creek clean up and butterfly garden |
Friends of Fife Creek (fiscal agent: Community Clean Water Institute) |
$5,000.00 |
|
Fountain restoration |
Friends of Rio Nido |
$63,060.14 |
|
Community planning process |
Occidental Community Council |
$10,000.00 |
|
GMRS repeater upgrades |
Sonoma County Emergency Communications Project (fiscal agent: Fort Ross Volunteer Fire Department) |
$10,665.00 |
|
Murals project |
River Arts & Media |
$2,500.00 |
|
Russian River clean up |
Russian River Keeper |
$30,000.00 |
|
Grant writing services |
Timber Cove Volunteer Fire Department |
$30,000.00 |
|
UTV-EMT vehicle and trailer |
Cazadero Community Services District |
$31,272.00 |
|
Fifth District Sub-Total |
$221,645.75 |
|
Total |
$238,384.65 |
Funds will be disbursed upon Board approval and the execution of Tourism Impact Fund Grant Agreements. The agreements will require the County seal on promotional materials produced using the grant award and will require submission of receipts to the County Administrator’s Office for the total amount of the grant award.
Due to the scope and nature of projects funded by the Tourism Impact Fund, a project may require modification as the work/project may not be completed within the fiscal year, necessitating an extension of time or modification of allowed uses for the organization to complete the project. Therefore, it is recommended that the County Administrator, or designee, be authorized to amend the contracts to lengthen the time schedules and make minor modifications to the allowed uses that do not increase the amount awarded under the agreement.
Activities performed utilizing Community Investment Program funds provide public benefits that serve important community needs under Government Code Section 26227.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Prior Board Actions:
8/30/2022 and 12/6/2022 - Awarded FY 22-23 Tourism Impact Fund Grant Awards
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 22-23 Adopted |
FY23-24 Projected |
FY 24-25 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$238,384.65 |
|
|
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$238,384.65 |
|
|
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
|
|
|
|
Fees/Other |
$238,384.65 |
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
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Contingencies |
|
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|
|
Total Sources |
$238,384.65 |
|
|
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Tourism Impact Funds are included in the FY 22-23 budget.
|
Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
None
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None