Emeril's Florida to feature South Walton in 2013

[Kurt]

I would say that Teresa said it pretty well, especially in the second paragraph of post #39. Money should be spent on improving security be it on the beach , road or other places. Why would you continually invite more people to an area than it can reasonably accomodate? The weak link in the chain is transportation, with the concurrent parking problem. I don't know what the perfect solution is but at least a discussion is finally being had. In the meantime can't we at least dial it back a little.

There are not perfect solutions to every problem. Like it or not, "dialing it back" is not an option for bed tax collectors.

There is a lot going on all the time in regards to beach safety, facilities maintenance and upgrades, and expansion, natural resource protection, etc. It's not just spending money on marketing and advertising. The issues facing our county are not always black and white.

For instance, the existing lifeguard contract is up for renewal and currently under review. It was up for approval at last week's meeting but was declined. There is another meeting on it this week. It costs about $80k to add a new tower location - mostly personnel costs. We'd all like more lifeguards, but some of the bed tax collectors paying the bills may not. Meanwhile the SWFD has not increased lifeguards' salaries in many years.

Parking problem? Do you mean overflow at beach accesses in the Summer? A plan was presented at last week's meeting to use county right of way to add lots of spaces to a few of the most used accesses. My guess is this will happen since it doesn't require buying land. In addition there was a plan presented to buy property next to a couple of the accesses. One was the lot on the northeast corner at Ed Walline which would add about 100 spaces (and a traffic circle maybe?). But buying land is an expensive option.

The county is not against spending money to maintain or improve the quality of a visitor's experience. It's important to keep in mind that bed tax collectors are in the driver's seat. While pleasing everyone is nearly impossible, most bed tax collectors would rather spend money on direct advertising and marketing to put heads in beds - not lifeguards or parking. Our biggest bed tax collectors have the biggest pull, and they are entities which take very good care of their own amenities and infrastructure and are not so concerned with public facilities.

Every tourist destination faces a challenge in hosting people and giving them a good and safe experience. In SoWal we face a unique situation. We are a small area and yet we have about 8 distinct entities that are kind of like their own city-states. If not for government, the areas in between would be totally ignored. We would have no maintained accesses, no parking, restrooms, trails, beach cleanup, etc.

 

[tsutcli]

There are not perfect solutions to every problem. Like it or not, "dialing it back" is not an option for bed tax collectors.

There is a lot going on all the time in regards to beach safety, facilities maintenance and upgrades, and expansion, natural resource protection, etc. It's not just spending money on marketing and advertising. The issues facing our county are not always black and white.

For instance, the existing lifeguard contract is up for renewal and currently under review. It was up for approval at last week's meeting but was declined. There is another meeting on it this week. It costs about $80k to add a new tower location - mostly personnel costs. We'd all like more lifeguards, but some of the bed tax collectors paying the bills may not. Meanwhile the SWFD has not increased lifeguards' salaries in many years.

Parking problem? Do you mean overflow at beach accesses in the Summer? A plan was presented at last week's meeting to use county right of way to add lots of spaces to a few of the most used accesses. My guess is this will happen since it doesn't require buying land. In addition there was a plan presented to buy property next to a couple of the accesses. One was the lot on the northeast corner at Ed Walline which would add about 100 spaces (and a traffic circle maybe?). But buying land is an expensive option.

The county is not against spending money to maintain or improve the quality of a visitor's experience. It's important to keep in mind that bed tax collectors are in the driver's seat. While pleasing everyone is nearly impossible, most bed tax collectors would rather spend money on direct advertising and marketing to put heads in beds - not lifeguards or parking. Our biggest bed tax collectors have the biggest pull, and they are entities which take very good care of their own amenities and infrastructure and are not so concerned with public facilities.

Every tourist destination faces a challenge in hosting people and giving them a good and safe experience. In SoWal we face a unique situation. We are a small area and yet we have about 8 distinct entities that are kind of like their own city-states. If not for government, the areas in between would be totally ignored. We would have no maintained accesses, no parking, restrooms, trails, beach cleanup, etc.

By "dialing it back" I was not referring to the bed tax collectors. It is the money being spent by the TDC I was referring to. If you look to some of my previous posts, you will see that I have advocated that entities like JOE, EBSCO, individual private rentals, etc. do plenty of advertising on their own to bring in more heads in beds. TDC monies should be redirected to providing and solving other things.

 

[Kurt]

You missed the entire point. The TDC is the bed tax collectors. Bed tax collectors who would rather not pay the tax. In which case you would get nothing unless you stayed in their beds.

 

[tsutcli]

You missed my point. I know the TDC is the final collector after investors collect it from tourists. I'm not saying they shouldn't collect the tax, it's what they do with the tax monies after that. Redirect that money towards other issues the county has. Let the marketing/advertising of the JOE's, EBSCO"s, etc. take care of getting the word out. They do it now and it doesn't cost the taxpayer anything.

 

[Kurt]

You missed my point. I know the TDC is the final collector after investors collect it from tourists. I'm not saying they shouldn't collect the tax, it's what they do with the tax monies after that. Redirect that money towards other issues the county has. Let the marketing/advertising of the JOE's, EBSCO"s, etc. take care of getting the word out. They do it now and it doesn't cost the taxpayer anything.

The bed tax collectors want money spent on advertising. The bed tax collectors are the TDC. I don't know how to say it any plainer.

 

[tsutcli]

So those of us who live here and have to put up with the craziness can have no say in how the money is spent. Is that what your saying?

 

[Jdarg]

The bed tax collectors want money spent on advertising. The bed tax collectors are the TDC. I don't know how to say it any plainer.

But the visitors they bring in with this money use the bike paths, roads, and beach accesses, so I look at it two ways. First, they are contributing to the wear and tear, and second, it would seem like we would want our visitors to have a nice experience while they are here, so why can't some of the TDC money be used for that? The TDC dollars should go for more than marketing. Many people in the community now see this, and there is a groundswell of support for examining the current function of the TDC and how it needs to be modified to be more of a balance of tourist development and tourist management.

 

[Kurt]

But the visitors they bring in with this money use the bike paths, roads, and beach accesses, so I look at it two ways. First, they are contributing to the wear and tear, and second, it would seem like we would want our visitors to have a nice experience while they are here, so why can't some of the TDC money be used for that? The TDC dollars should go for more than marketing. Many people in the community now see this, and there is a groundswell of support for examining the current function of the TDC and how it needs to be modified to be more of a balance of tourist development and tourist management.

Yes bed taxes do now go for more than marketing. Without government collection and redistribution of taxes, all the money would go back into developers' pockets, and they would only take care of their own developments. The TDC handles walkovers, garbage collection, bike path, parking, etc. The intervention of government allows us the voice to tell the developers how we want to spend some of the money. Like any government process, you have to be a part of it to get the results you want. It's easy to criticize and hard to make change. Stop by the TDC and take a look at the parking expansion plans and the lifeguard contracts. Go to a meeting and give your input.

If you want a new pedestrian bridge over Western Lake as part of the bike path you need to tell the TDC that, and your commissioners, otherwise it will be spent on marketing. Most bed tax collectors would rather advertise than build a bridge. That is reality.


Sorry if I sound preachy. I don't always like the way things are, or the process, but you have to be a part of it if you want change. It's easy to complain. Not so easy to be heard.

 

[Andy A]

I attended the last TDC meeting and was of the opinion it was very well run and organized. Two things popped into my mind as I sat there observing. One was how many of these board members live on or near the beach and actually go to it and second, why the decline of the SWFD bid for lifeguards? I understand the need for maintaining costs as low as possible but I do not want to see something similar happen here that happened to one area who employed a private lifeguard company. A guard was chastised and fired because he left his "area" to assist a distressed swimmer. We don't need that type of response in South Walton.

 

[justhavinfun]

As a local I have had the misfortune of seeing drownings occur and watch as the SWFD and lifeguard from Seaside respond to the Eastern Shores complex. TDC funds should be spent on more lifeguards for the entire beach area of 30A. Any time a human life is lost along our beaches BAD Advertising occurs and makes news in the areas the TDC markets.