To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): County Administrator’s Office
Staff Name and Phone Number: McCall Miller, 707-565-2431
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Fourth and Fifth
Title:
Title
FY 21-22 Tourism Impact Fund Grants
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Authorize the County Administrator, or designee, to execute agreements in the amount of $186,810.11 with the following grantees and County departments: Russian Riverkeeper, $25,000; Sonoma County Probation Department, $28,695; Showa Farm CA, LLC, $4,000; Russian River Alliance, $30,000; Circuit Rider Community Services (two grants), $53,615.11; Cazadero GMRS Project (fiscal agent: Cazadero Community Club), $8,000; River Arts and Media Inc., $1,500; Firesafe Guerneville (fiscal agent: Fire Safe Sonoma), $2,000; Sonoma County Department of Transportation and Public Works, $3,000; Timber Cove Volunteer Fire Department, $15,000; Coastal Hills Community Project, $11,000; and Waves of Compassion Foundation, $5,000; and
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.
(Fourth and Fifth Districts)
end
Executive Summary:
Staff recommends award of a total of $186,810.11 of FY 21-22 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 (Hotel/Motel Tax or Bed Tax) is levied at a rate of 12% in unincorporated Sonoma County. In 2016, voters approved Measure L, which established the County’s Transient Occupancy Rate as12%.The first 9% of the TOT rate is allocated 33% to the General Fund and 67% to the Community Investment special revenue fund. The 3% rate includes Measure L funds and are allocated according to the CommunityInvestment Fund Policy<https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CAO/Services/Community-Investment-Program/Community-Investment-Program-Policy/>.
Tourism Impact Funds
One component of the Measure L vote 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 (e.g. lighted and/or marked crosswalks, traffic calming devices), environmental impact mitigation (e.g. removing trash from beaches, waterways, and areas with high tourist traffic), public safety (e.g. Fire Services), and other tourism mitigation activities, such as parking enforcement in heavily trafficked areas. Funds may be used to support organization that coordinate community improvements, such as the Municipal Advisory Councils. Assuming sufficient funds are available, allocated and unused district allocated funds in a single fiscal year will be available in following years.
Details of the proposals may be found in Attachment A.
Fourth District
|
Project |
Organization/Department |
Amount |
|
Russian River Clean Up |
Russian Riverkeeper |
$25,000.00 |
|
Cloverdale River Vegetation Management |
Probation Department |
$28,695.00 |
|
Earthquake and Wildfire Expo |
Showa Farm CA, LLC on behalf of Northern Sonoma County CERT |
$4,000.00 |
|
Sub-Total |
$57,695.00 |
Fifth District
|
Project |
Organization/Department |
Amount |
|
Free public Wi-Fi |
Russian River Alliance |
$30,000.00 |
|
Prescribed Burns Training |
Circuit Rider Community Services |
$10,000.00 |
|
Fort Ross Fuel Mitigation Project |
Circuit Rider Community Services |
$43,615.11 |
|
GMRS Repeater |
Cazadero GMRS Project (fiscal agent: Cazadero Community Club) |
$8,000.00 |
|
Murals Project |
River Arts and Media, Inc. |
$1,500.00 |
|
Disaster Preparedness/Community Resilience |
FIRESAFE GUERNEVILLE (fiscal agent: Fire Safe Sonoma) |
$2,000.00 |
|
Permanent LED Lights on Fifth District Bridges |
Transportation and Public Works Department |
$3,000.00 |
|
Cliff rescue tools |
Timber Cove Volunteer Fire Department |
$15,000.00 |
|
School/Community Space Improvements |
Coastal Hills Community Project (in collaboration with Fort Ross School) |
$11,000.00 |
|
Purchase food for the Food Pantry |
Waves of Compassion Foundation |
$5,000.00 |
|
Sub-Total |
$129,115.11 |
|
Total |
$186,810.11 |
Funds will be disbursed upon Board approval and execution of Tourism Impact Fund Agreement contracts. The contracts will require the County logo 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, the project may require modification as the work/project may not be completed within the award 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 serveimportant community needs under Government Code Section 26227.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Prior Board Actions:
11/02/2021 - Awarded FY 21-22 Tourism Impact Fund Grants
03/01/2022 - Awarded FY 21-22 Tourism Impact Fund Grants
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 21-22 Adopted |
FY22-23 Projected |
FY 23-24 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$186,810.11 |
|
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|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
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|
Total Expenditures |
$186,810.11 |
|
|
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
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|
|
State/Federal |
|
|
|
|
Fees/Other |
$186,810.11 |
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
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|
Contingencies |
|
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|
Total Sources |
$186,810.11 |
|
|
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Tourism Impact Funds are included in the FY 21-22 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:
FY 21-22 Tourism Impact Fund Award Information
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None