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 21-22 Tourism Impact Fund Grants
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Authorize the County Administrator, or designee, to execute agreements for a total of $202,500 with grantees: Boys and Girls Club of Sonoma Valley, $10,000; Valley of the Moon Children’s Foundation, $15,000; Pets Lifeline; $20,000; Sonoma Ecology Center, $20,000; RA Marketing, $12,000; Listening for a Change, $15,000; Face to Face, $25,000; Sonoma Valley Collaborative, $15,000; Safer West County, $5,000; Fort Ross Volunteer Fire Department, $8,000; Russian Riverkeeper, $20,000; Russian River Chamber of Commerce, $7,500; West Sonoma County Union High School District, $30,000;
B) Authorize the allocation of $27,500 from the Tourism Impact Fund for the support of Municipal Advisory Councils; 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.
(First and Fifth Districts)
end
Executive Summary:
Staff recommends award of a total of $230,000 of Fiscal Year 21-22 Tourism Impact Funds and requests authorization for the County Administrator, or designee, to execute the funding arrangement 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 Community Investment 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.
District One Funds
|
Project |
Organization/Department |
Amount |
|
Springs Municipal Advisory Council (Springs MAC) |
Various |
$13,000 |
|
North Valley Municipal Advisory Council (North Valley MAC) |
Various |
$14,500 |
|
Ready to Work |
Boys and Girls Club of Sonoma Valley |
$10,000 |
|
Scholarships |
Valley of the Moon Children’s Foundation |
$15,000 |
|
Emergency Animal Shelter Project |
Pets Lifeline |
$20,000 |
|
Creek Stewardship Program |
Sonoma Ecology Center |
$20,000 |
|
Charla |
RA Marketing |
$12,000 |
|
Firestorm Climate Awakening Documentary |
Listening for a Change |
$15,000 |
|
HIV Mobile Van |
Face to Face |
$25,000 |
|
Public Outreach Program |
Sonoma Valley Collaborative |
$15,000 |
|
Sub-Total |
$159,500 |
District Five Funds
|
Project |
Organization/Department |
Amount |
|
GMRS repeaters |
Safe West County |
$5,000 |
|
GMRS repeaters |
Fort Ross Volunteer Fire Department |
$8,000 |
|
Russian River Cleanup |
Russian Riverkeeper |
$20,000 |
|
Downtown Street Cleaning |
Russian River Chamber of Commerce |
$7,500 |
|
Wood Shop Classes |
West Sonoma County Union High School District |
$30,000 |
|
Sub-Total |
$70,500 |
|
Total |
$230,000 |
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 serve important community needs under Government Code Section 26227.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Prior Board Actions:
None for FY 21-22
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 21-22 Adopted |
FY22-23 Projected |
FY 23-24 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$230,000 |
|
|
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$230,000 |
|
|
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
|
|
|
|
Fees/Other |
$230,000 |
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$230,000 |
|
|
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Tourism Impact Funds are included in the FY 21-22 budget.
|
Staffing Impacts: |
|
|
|
|
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
Community Investment Fund Policy
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None