TDC Workshops for Public Input

[Abby Prentiss]

http://defuniakherald.com/?p=5350

Citizens will have the opportunity to participate in general discussion and provide input on the South Walton Tourist Development Council (TDC). Approved at the request of the TDC, has been the hiring of a facilitator to conduct public workshops that are to include a number of topics related to the tourism council.


At their June 26 regular meeting at the Walton County Courthouse in DeFuniak Springs, county commissioners authorized the council to advertise for bids for the facilitator.
These workshops are to precede the facilitator-led workshops that the TDC had decided on previously, which are to include “visioning sessions” to work through what is needed with regard to space for TDC administrative offices—and to evaluate options for the TDC visitor center, including a center attached to the offices, separate, or in multiple locations.


While the initial workshops are to include discussion of needs for an interactive visitor center and TDC administrative offices, they are planned to be broader in scope to provide for more general public input on the TDC—and for informational content on the mission of the TDC and the statutes governing the organization.


At the June 26 Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) meeting, TDC Executive Director Dawn Moliterno told the commissioners that the TDC understood the public’s desire for a “bigger broader discussion” on the TDC, and that the council members had indicated that they would welcome that. She added that the council members saw these workshops as a good opportunity for information to be provided to the public on the state statutes under which the TDC operates and on the constraints posed by those laws.


District 4 Commissioner Sara Comander asked if the workshops could not be conducted by someone in county administration or by another county staff member so that funds would not have to be expended for a facilitator.


Molitero responded that the council members had thought that, in order to take public input, address community concerns, and provide the general information that the council wanted to share, it would be important for the workshops to be conducted by a facilitator not tied to the county. She added that funding was available in the TDC budget that would not result in a reduction of any funds set aside for capital improvement projects. Plans are for the workshops to be held at a location other than the TDC building and for the facilitator secured for the initial workshops to continue as leader of the workshops to follow on the administrative offices and options for the visitor center.


District 5 Commissioner Cecilia Jones was in agreement on the need for a professionally-trained facilitator to conduct the workshops. Speaking of the joint BCC/TDC meeting held two weeks earlier to discuss the issue of a new location for the TDC offices and options for the visitor center, Jones recalled that citizens in attendance had put forth “50 or 60 different ideas.”


Jones also spoke to the need for having a trained facilitator on county staff.
District 3 Commissioner Larry Jones moved to approve the TDC’s request to advertise for bids for a facilitator to lead the workshops. His motion was approved 4-1, with Comander voting no.

[Jdarg]

Any news on when the workshops will begin?

There are many great ideas about the TDC welcome center and the direction and purpose of the TDC, but I don't think there are "50 to 60". What I am hearing in conversations out in the community is that there seems to be some general agreement on just several points, and don't think organizing and shaping those ideas will be that difficult of a job for the facilitator.

[Jim Tucker]

I think dates will be set after a facilitator is chosen. From recent past experience there will be a few (not-so-well-intentioned) people at the workshop who are anti-government who will throw rocks with no purpose other than to hijack the process and grind their axe. The majority of well-intentioned folks there will not be heard very well.

I applaud the BCC, TDC and Moliterno for hearing public criticism and reacting in a professional way. A facilitator may help keep things on course. This sounds exactly what people have wanted.