Occupancy Tax Board

APPROVED March 29, 2016 MINUTES OF THE OCCUPANCY TAX BOARD MEETING Tuesday, February 23, 2016 Regular Meeting 2:30 P.M. CALL TO ORDER AND WELCOME – The regular meeting of the Occupancy Tax Board was called to order at 2:36 p.m. by Chairperson Dawn Ortega. ROLL CALL Members Present: Chair- Dawn Ortega, Jill Cleveland, Adam Roe Members Absent: John Mulcahy, Josh Ragsdale Three members of the board were present representing a quorum. Staff Present: Janice Self, Lodgers’ Tax Liaison; Martha Morales, Finance Dept. Others Present: Rochelle Acuna (Marriott), Jeff Tucker (Roswell Daily Record), Cla Avery (Hike It & Spike It), Barbara Gomez (Tour de Ocho Millas) APPROVAL OF AGENDA – Ms. Cleveland motioned to approve the agenda. Mr. Roe seconded the motion. A voice vote was unanimous and the motion passed; Mr. Mulcahy and Mr. Ragsdale were absent. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – Ms. Cleveland motioned to approve the minutes from the January 26, 2016 Occupancy Tax Board meeting. Mr. Roe seconded the motion. A voice vote was unanimous and the motion passed; Mr. Mulcahy and Mr. Ragsdale were absent. PUBLIC COMMENTS None PRESENTATION 3. Projected Lodgers’ Tax Fund Balance as of February 23, 2016: Ms. Self submitted to the members a worksheet with the projected available balance for the full Lodgers’ Tax fund as of February 23, 2016. Ms. Self explained that she feels that there is an error in the report, but did not have time to find it. She will send them the corrected balance later. Ms. Self reminded the board members that the Hike It & Spike It requesting funding at the meeting is already budgeted in the visitor’s promotion line and is included in the figures. The Tour de Ocho Millas will come out of the unallocated balance of the visitor’s promotion line balance of $4,695.01, which is also included in the fund balance figures. REGULAR ITEMS (Action Items): 4. Lodgers Tax Funding Request – 6th Annual Xcel Energy Tour de Ocho Millas (September 10, 2016) Ms. Barbara Gomez was there to present the request for $2,825.00 (two thousand eight hundred twenty-five dollars). Ms. Gomez informed the board that the Tour de Ocho Millas is a bicycling race around the Bottomless Lakes eight mile loop. Last year the event had over 80 racers from all over New Mexico. This is not a sanctioned race at this time. This year the event will rely more on social media and handouts at other bicycling events in a wider area. The proceeds from the event benefit “Reflections & Recovery” a program which helps with addictions. There will also be a Dinner/pre-registration event held the evening before which racers are urged to attend. Ms. Ortega made the motion to recommend to the Finance Committee that Lodgers’ Tax funding in the amount of up to $2,825.00 (two thousand eight hundred twenty-five dollars) on a reimbursement basis be provided for this event. Mr. Roe seconded the motion. After some discussion where Ms. Self informed the board that this is the 2nd time within the 2016 fiscal year that the Tour de Ocho Millas has applied for funding. The first time was in July 2015 when the event was awarded $2,000.00 and has been reimbursed $1,854.99 leaving a balance of $145.01 which went back into the visitor’s promotion line unallocated balance which is $4,695.01 at this time. This event did not apply in the fiscal year 2015, because of timing issues. Ms. Ortega restated the motion and a voice vote was 3 in favor and 0 against, the motion passed; Mr. Mulcahy and Mr. Ragsdale were absent. 5. Lodgers Tax Request – 2016 Roswell Hike It & Spike It 4-on-4 Charity Flag Football Tournament (May 27 - 29, 2016) Mr. Cla Avery was there to present the request for $20,000.00 (twenty thousand dollars). Mr. Avery informed the board that this year’s event will be the 21st Annual event and will be held on Memorial Day weekend. This year it is not being held on graduation weekend as has sometimes happened in the past. Rooms are already being booked even though the registration has not opened up yet. All entries will be online only. This is the world’s largest 4-on-4 flag football tournament and Roswell’s largest weekend event. The event also has the world’s largest payout of $15,000 cash in the “Show Me the Money” division. In 2015 there were 580 teams with 3,834 players with seven players on normal teams and eight players on the “Show Me the Money” teams. There were 20 states represented and an estimated total attendance of 44,000. Players range in age from 5 to 54. The “Show Me the Money” division winners in 2015 were from Dallas, TX; Jacksonville, FL and Cypress, CA. This is a non- alcohol, non-tobacco family friendly event. Ms. Cleveland made the motion to recommend to the Finance Committee that Lodgers’ Tax funding in the amount of up to $20,000.00 (twenty thousand dollars) on a reimbursement basis be provided for this event. Mr. Roe second the motion. Ms. Ortega restated the motion and a voice vote was 3 in favor and 0 against, the motion passed; Mr. Mulcahy and Mr. Ragsdale were absent. All attendees were informed that the date for the Finance Committee meeting has been set for Thursday, March 3, 2016 at 8:00 a.m. Other Business / Non-Action Items / Information Items / Reports (Non-Action Items): 6. Interim Chairperson & Vice-Chair Ms. Self congratulated Ms. Ortega on her new position in Colorado and explained the need to elect a chairperson and vice-chair to serve for only the month of March. At the April 2016 meeting a new chairperson and vice-chair will be chosen to serve for the new term year. Ms. Cleveland volunteered for the chairperson position and Mr. Roe the vice-chair. A voice vote taken was 3 in favor and 0 against, the vote passed; Mr. Mulcahy and Mr. Ragsdale were absent. 7. Reimbursement Report and Event Reports update: Ms. Self gave the update report on the Lodgers’ Tax funded events status since the January 23, 2016 meeting. ADJOURN Ms. Ortega asked if there was any other business or discussion and being none, requested a motion for adjournment. Mr. Roe made the motion to adjourn and Ms. Cleveland seconded the motion. A voice vote was unanimous and the motion passed; Mr. Mulcahy and Mr. Ragsdale were absent. Ms. Ortega stated that the next scheduled meeting of the Occupancy Tax Board is March 29, 2016. The meeting was adjourned at 3:04 p.m. Minutes submitted for approval by Janice Self. A copy of the written update presented and a copy of the update log may be requested through the City Clerk’s office.