To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): County Administrator’s Office
Staff Name and Phone Number: McCall Miller 565-2431
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Tourism Impact Fund Awards
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Authorize the County Administrator, or designee, to execute agreements for a total of $102,000 with grantees: Boys and Girls Club of Sonoma Valley, $30,000; Sonoma Ecology Center, $10,000; Nuestra Comunidad, $10,000; LandPaths, $20,000; Russian Riverkeeper (on behalf of Clean River Alliance), $25,000; Pacific Coast Air Museum, $2,000; and Alexander Valley Winegrowers, $5,000;
B) Approve the allocation of $28,500 from the Tourism Impact Fund for the support of Municipal Advisory Councils and a Wellness & Preparedness Fair; and
C) 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.
end
Executive Summary:
Today’s Actions would award a total of $130,500 of Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Tourism Impact Funds from the Community Investment Fund; would allocate $28,500 to be used in support of Municipal Advisory Councils and a Wellness & Preparedness Fair; and authorize the County Administrator, or designee, to execute a total of $102,000 in funding agreements with grantees to complete projects; and authorize the County Administrator, or designee, to amend these agreements and 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 authorized a 3% increase to the tax - from 9% to 12%. The first 9% of TOT is divided with 33% of revenues received going into the General Fund. The remaining funds, including the Measure L funds, are allocated according to the Community Investment Fund Policy.
Tourism Impact Funds
One component of the Measure L funds is the Tourism Impact Fund, established to mitigate the impacts of Tourism. The Tourism Impact Fund distributes 10% of revenue from Measure L among the Supervisorial Districts, according to the percentage of TOT 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 organizations that coordinate community improvements, such as the Municipal Advisory Councils.
Unused funds in a single fiscal year will be accounted for and available in following years.
Details of the proposals may be found in Attachment A.
District One Funds: $49,000
Remaining Tourism Impact Funds: $371,511.51
|
Project |
Organization/ Department |
Amount |
|
The Club |
Boys and Girls Club Sonoma Valley |
$30,000 |
|
Sustainable Sonoma |
Sonoma Ecology Center |
$10,000 |
|
Springs Municipal Advisory Council (Springs MAC) |
Various |
$9,000 |
|
Sub-Total |
$49,000 |
District Four Funds: $62,000
Remaining Tourism Impact Funds: $41,009.73
|
Project |
Organization/ Department |
Amount |
|
Community disaster preparedness outreach program |
Nuestra Comunidad |
$10,000 |
|
RiverTrek |
LandPaths |
$20,000 |
|
Russian River Clean Up |
Russian Riverkeeper on behalf of Clean River Alliance |
$25,000 |
|
Visitor Way Finding & Signage |
Pacific Coast Air Museum |
$2,000 |
|
Visitor Way Finding & Signage |
Alexander Valley Winegrowers |
$5,000 |
|
Sub-Total |
$62,000 |
District Five Funds: $17,500
Remaining Tourism Impact Funds: $265,489.69
|
Project |
Organization/ Department |
Amount |
|
Lower Russian River and Sonoma Coast Municipal Advisory Councils |
Various |
$15,000 |
|
Wellness & Preparedness Fair |
Various |
$4,500 |
|
Sub-Total |
$19,500 |
|
Total |
$130,500 |
Funds will be distributed upon approval of these awards by the Board of Supervisors and execution of the Tourism Impact Fund Agreement contract by the entity. The contracts will be executed by the County Administrator. 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 and/or work may not be completed during 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 serve important community needs under Government Code Section 26227.
Prior Board Actions:
April 16, 2019: Board of Supervisors approved Community Investment Fund Policy and four year funding allocations for Transient Occupancy Tax, including the allocation of Measure L Funds
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 19-20 Adopted |
FY20-21 Projected |
FY 21-22 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$130,500 |
|
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
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Total Expenditures |
$130,500 |
|
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|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
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|
State/Federal |
|
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|
Fees/Other |
$130,500 |
|
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Use of Fund Balance |
|
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Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
$130,500 |
|
|
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Funds are included in the FY 2019-2020 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:
Attachment A: FY 2019-2020 Tourism Impact Award Data
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
FY 2019-2020 Tourism Impact Fund Agreement
Community Investment Fund Policy