Apprehension over Cultural Council proposal

When opening remarks from Director Glenn Hastings were interrupted, it was clear that the agenda for this Monday’s joint Board of County Commissioner and Tourist Development Council workshop varied depending on who you asked.

Commission Chairman Ron Sanchez called the meeting to order at 1:00; with Commissioner Mayes absent. After a brief overview of county staff’s objectives, Hastings began reading from slides that gave an abbreviated account of how the commission got to today’s point in the timeline of the TDC, the bed tax and the extra penny that began being collected April 1st.

Sanchez interrupted Hastings at the point where he began reading recommendations of the TDC Board on the heels of a private consultant’s report. “It’s my understanding that today is a workshop only,” Sanchez stated. “Am I right?”

With that, opinions from Hastings, County Administrator Michael Wanchick and County Attorney Patrick F. McCormack seemed somewhat apart; with Hastings trying to “accelerate the transition” to the proposed Tourist Development Plan and feeling that the TDC is at a point where they can’t move forward, Wanchick trying to come away from today’s meeting with some clear direction for staff based on the wishes of the commission, and McCormack’s position that, legally the board MAY act today, given his reading of the meeting notice, however, they did not HAVE to act.

Sanchez made clear his concern in voting for or against the proposal today since he felt that the public was not given a satisfactory opportunity to review the recommendations and express their support or objections.

Commissioner Ken Bryan abruptly said that he was “pushing to take action today” and that he had “other meetings this afternoon.”

Commissioner Cyndi Stevenson cautioned against moving forward too quickly with a plan that will have long lasting effects. “I am concerned about ties and commitments that the existing Cultural Council might have with the property at St. Augustine Beach.” Stevenson also expressed reservations about financial obligations – now and in the future; “There seems to be the potential for some strong overhead,” Stevenson observed, “including the costs of hiring an executive director, staff and building costs.” Stevenson recalled that one of Wanchick’s concerns was that the TDC might suggest adding staff positions — something that Wanchick said couldn’t happen. “There has obviously been limited competition,” Stevenson said, “for the opportunity to manage this project.”

Without offering much in the way of substantiation, Bryan dismissed Stevenson’s concerns saying that he had personally looked into the proposal and overhead was not going to be an issue. Then he alluded, without specificity, to the potential of obtaining “matching grants” through the 501.c.3 non-profit entity. Although it was clear that Bryan wanted to approve the TDC recommendation today and move on, it wasn’t clear if he was being consoling or condescending to Stevenson with remarks that there will be no increase to existing staff and that the new management contract wouldn’t be implemented immediately.

In support of the TDC Board recommendation to assign management of the Category II Funding Panel and Category II grant program to a non-profit organization, specifically designating the St. Johns Cultural Council as that entity, new TDC member Scott M. Bartosch said that, today, everybody has organized themselves into autonomous cultural groups. “They have no idea in reality the response to cultural events.” Bartosch feels that one central organization with strong leadership should oversee the historical, art and cultural implementation plans for the county.

Stevenson responded by saying that “The proposed TDC plan changes the original mission of Category II funding.” As to the Palm Beach consultant that was hired January 11th and furnished her report to the TDC just 60 days later, Stevenson says that it was her own impression from Rena Blade’s response to the county’s RFP that “She began with an end in mind”. Stevenson shared Sanchez concerns, saying “everybody needs a chance to be heard.”

Soon after, Stevenson referred to the ideal governance being “a coalition of different groups.” The commissioner said that she was surprised by several things she encountered in this process. “Blades’ expertise is in areas with much bigger budgets,” Stevenson pointed out. “I am also concerned that three of the five members of the panel that accepted her recommendations have direct ties to the St. Johns Cultural Council”.

Sanchez pointed out that it wouldn’t be a good idea to start a new relationship like this unless there was an easy termination clause for the county if it looked like things weren’t working out.

Bryan, almost appearing defensive, said that Blades interviewed and surveyed people in the heritage industry as well as the arts and cultural community. Bryan was apparently trying to squelch objections that the new TDC Board, by accepting the Cultural Council proposal, had changed direction away from tourism and heritage in favor of arts and culture — even going so far as to drop “tourism” from the implementation plan’s name; renaming it a “Cultural Development Implementation Plan”. Bryan took a moment to pontificate claiming that “his policy” through this whole process has been “structure, transparency and accountability” — a claim that would be disputed during public comments.

Hastings returned in support of figures used in the estimates provided to him by the consultant through the TDC Board, quoting an estimated $1.3 million budget for the St. Johns Cultural Council, partially offset by about $951,000 in recurring revenues. Estimated spending the first two years was projected to be about $250,000 per year. Bill Hughes, a TDC member, said that he believed all of these questions and concerns had been “well discussed” before the recommendation was brought before the board today.

In turn, County Commissioner Bryan, who concurrently serves on the Tourist Development Council, pulled a move inferring bias and discrimination; a move which he’s been known to pull before. “Why are you picking on the Cultural Council”, Bryan asked. “You don’t criticize the VCB … there isn’t any objection to Category III funds.”

Hastings returned to the podium to continue discuss the funding program and the continued role, if any, of the Category II funding panel. Bartosch interrupted and said we were “getting the weeds”. In Bartosch’s view, the role of the funding panel is to be what the new management organization says it will be.

Stevenson spoke again, concerned about how this all ties back to the Cultural Council. “We simply can’t do this without circulating some sort of RFP”, concerned that there may be other organizations allowed by statute to fulfill that role, including the Visitor’s Information Bureau, Convention Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, news bureaus or other associations, who would like to bid. “I think this plan and Rena Blades’ recommendations are full of big ambitions and big potential, but we have limited resources.”

Stevenson hoped that the Board of County Commissioners would each have an opportunity to see the RFP before it goes out. Attorney McCormack interjected that the RFP should not be limited to 501.c.3 non-profit organizations, as was suggested, and informed the Board that any RFP that has the potential to exceed $100,000, which the Cultural Council proposal would, must come before the Board for approval.

Again, Bryan asked McCormack, this time directly, “Can we vote to instruct staff to create the RFP today?” Chairman Sanchez said he wasn’t prepared to entertain such a vote until he had a chance to hear what the public had to say. At that time, the Chairman opened the floor to comments.

William Jones spoke in opposition to the Cultural Development Implementation Plan. His first comment was to call Bryan out on the “structure, transparency and accountability” claim, referring to Bryan’s attempt “to slip in a vote” during a meeting that people think is only a “workshop”. “That is hardly transparent, Mr. Bryan”. “What was said in the interviews and workshops is not what is written in this plan.” He went on to say that the “Cultural Industry panel had no expertise in tourism — only cultural activities.” As had been mentioned outside the meeting, Jones said, “The St. Johns Cultural Council is only concerned about their building at St. Augustine Beach — they want to rent the hall out for banquets and compete with local hotels that collect the bed tax.”

Bob Samuels with the St. Augustine Beach Civic Association that, as written, “the Cultural Development Implementation Plan is exclusionary”. Samuels said that it favored “arts and culture, not tourism.” Samuels also said, matter-of-factly, that he is concerned about the language proposed that would give the Cultural Council “governing” not “management” authority over the process of awarding funds; he was also concerned about “private fund raising” being comingled with the tourism activities. “Why would members be required to make annual charitable contributions to the Cultural Council in order to sit on the board?” Samuels asked.

After Diane Bradley from the St. Augustine Art Association spoke her concerns about the St. Johns Cultural Council, observing that their role as an oversight group might be questionable given the fact that they seemed to be more focused on the building they have to pay for and raising funds for themselves, Wanchick asked for a break from public comment to allow Hastings to finish his slides and get specific answers to his questions.

The following concepts were approved by consensus of the Board:

Funding panel appointments – Stevenson suggested that future seats on the funding panel be recommended by the TDC Board; but final approval be reserved in the Board of Commissioners. Bryan objected; wanting the appointed TDC to seat its own funding panel members without commission approval. The remainder of the Board was not swayed by Bryan’s objection.

Chain of command – In practice, the Category II funding panel will report to the TDC — who reports to the Board of Commissioners.

Focus of funding programs – A task force will be appointed by the TDC to develop guidelines for future funding programs — suggesting allocations, definitions, who qualifies, etc.

Stevenson interjected that she “was suspect” of how many people could compete for resources under the Cultural Council management proposal forwarded by the TDC. “In my copy, municipalities would not qualify for assistance,” she said. John B. Yanni, who was newly appointed to the TDC in August, remarked that the consultant’s recommendation did exclude municipalities, like the City of St. Augustine, from receiving support, however, the funding panel struck that down — realizing that the essential use of city resources legitimately qualified for funding. Eyebrows were again raised over the objectivity of the consultant’s recommendations and reliability of the documents being circulated. “We did not approve that exclusion,” Yanni said.

Competition for management – With concerns expressed in limiting funding for tourism in favor of arts and culture and the tracking of money, it was decided that other entities allowed under Florida law such as Visitor’s Convention Bureaus, Visitor’s Information Centers, News Bureaus, chambers of commerce and others whose focus is “singularly promoting tourism” would be considered as alternatives to the 501.c.3 non-profit recommendation of the St. Johns Cultural Council.

Timeline – An RFP will be developed by county purchasing staff “immediately”, however, it will likely take 90 days for that process to be complete.

Management costs – The additional 1 cent bed tax will be accumulated until such time as sufficient funds are available to pay for staff and other overhead items resulting from the TDC recommendations. However, County Administrator Wanchick suggested that “a bridge loan” could be made to hire a director sooner and then later hire staff, which could be repaid at some point in the future.

Retaining consultant – The contract with Rena Blades does not provide for renewal. Hastings questioned whether or not there was an interest in negotiating an extension of her services. Bryan expressed fear that if the county didn’t continue to pay for Blades consulting services beyond her contract, “after it’s over” the county might not be able to get further support from her if there are questions about the recommended plan. Commissioner Stevenson said that the new “Executive Director” should be capable of doing that.

Sanchez returned the meeting to public comment. In all, there were about 20 requests submitted from members of the public who were there to speak about the subject of the Cultural Development Plan — only five or six were allowed three minutes to speak.

Florida Public Archaeology Network Director, Sarah Miller, said that it has become clear to her that the definition of “cultural” obviously means “different things to different people”. To Miller, as an archaeologist, she thinks of the culture of a people — “what makes them who they are”. She went on to say that she was concerned that another word is not in the title, “heritage”.

Next to speak was Phil McDaniel who has become the subject of much controversy in this process; due largely to the fact that, to some, he appears to be making a power-grab — or at the very least, a money-grab. When he introduced himself prior to making his comments, he identified his positions as Chairman of the Category II Funding Panel, member of the Cultural Industry Committee and Board Member and Past President of the St. Johns Cultural Council.

It was of no surprise that McDaniel rose to speak in favor a single managing organization to oversee the entire funding program, and, of course, it would be his choice that the organization would be his St. Johns Cultural Council. Most people are speculating that he stands to take the newly created job of Executive Director if things go according to plan.

McDaniel spoke of the five areas of tourism that generate income for St. Johns County — travel, lodging, food, shopping and entertainment. He mentioned that as Chairman of the Funding Panel, he had sixty-two grant applications to consider for varying amounts totaling $150,000. He saw a need for grant management by local organizations applying for funding. As he ran out of the allotted time, McDaniel threw in comments about “cultural” tourism and “cultural” industries, closing with a request that an alternative grant program be set up for “non-tourism” funding.

Jason Morrow spoke about civic tourism and clarity of funding categories followed by Hester Longstreet who raised more questions about the relationship of McDaniel to the various boards, the consultant, and his heir-apparent role with the St. Johns Cultural Council.

Addressing Bryan’s overeager attempts to railroad through approval of the proposed Cultural Implementation Plan, Longstreet said “the commission is rushing to make decisions”. She compared watching the workshop meeting to “watching the Emperor’s clothes” — the childhood story where the Emperor was told by one person that he had been given the finest clothes in the kingdom, but, because he was the Emperor, everyone else was afraid to speak the obvious that he was, in fact, naked. Longstreet thanked Commissioner Stevenson for speaking up against what was beginning to look like a stacked deck decision of McDaniel’s design in cahoots with Bryan who was bullying anyone who questioned its approval.

Longstreet asked, “Why has everyone turned a blind eye towards the fact that 3 out of 5 of the Cultural Industry Committee are directly connected to the St. Johns Cultural Council?” She was referring to Past President Phil McDaniel, Current President Sandra Parks Kennedy and Tommy Bledsoe whose wife Joy D’elia works for the St. Johns Cultural Council.

“This recommendation seems biased,” Longstreet said. “It talks about being diverse, but, it’s not diverse at all.” Longstreet got back to her point about McDaniel’s motives, pointing out that one-third of the proposed plan called for payment of rent and payroll to which McDaniel is or would be connected.

St. Johns Cultural Council President Sandra Parks Kennedy who also served on the Cultural Industry Committee who hired the consultant and put forth her recommendation that the Cultural Council be selected as the 501.c.3 non-profit organization to manage the cultural program and grant funding, quoted “55 organizations, 36 artists and 33 government officials” without naming them, who were alleged to have been interviewed during the cultural industry survey.

Wanchick returned to the podium to clarify his understandings of the consensus of the Board in order that TDC Director Hastings could act accordingly. First Wanchick clarified that the Board does not accept nor reject the Cultural Development Implementation Plan from the consultant.

“Also,” Wanchick said, “nothing final is being adopted today.”

In closing, Stevenson cautioned about “expectations of future revenue streams” which, in her view, seemed to be overstated in the Cultural Development Implementation Plan; considering the present economy.