Courtney Campbell Scenic Highway
Corridor Advisory Committee (CAC)
Minutes
Regular Meeting at
URS Corporation - Board Room
7650 W. Courtney Campbell Causeway
Tampa, Florida
March 10, 2006
9:00 a.m.
Attending:
Jessica White, Senior Planner, Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
The Honorable Bill Jonson, Vice Mayor, City of Clearwater
Ken Hoyt, Member, Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
Mike Palozzi, FDOT/GEC (PBS&J)
Mary Helen Duke, Greenways & Trails Coordinator, City of Tampa Parks & Recreation
Bill Sanders, Executive Director, Keep Pinellas Beautiful
Felicia Leonard, Administrative Manager, City of Clearwater Parks & Recreation
Christine Commerce, Executive Director, Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful
Karen Harris, Director of Transportation, Westshore Alliance (via telephone)
The minutes of the February 17, 2006 meeting were approved with no corrections. Mr. Palozzi commented
that the minutes from last month s meeting contain several $to do# items and he suggested reviewing those
items for action.
The first item he mentioned was the issue Councilwoman Saul-Sena inquired about regarding the
undergrounding of utilities and whether the CAG, as an advocacy group, could take a position that would
encourage the Public Service Commission toward that end. It was pointed out at that time that the CAG has
addressed this issue in its Goals, and Mr. Palozzi asked if the group intended to develop a support letter. Ms.
Duke thought she remembered Councilwoman Saul-Sena stating she would follow up on this issue herself.
Mr. Palozzi inquired of FDOT as to the chain of command for the review of the statewide enhancement grant
application and learned that it is an FDOT Central Office staff review that will take place. Recommendations
from each district will be forwarded to the Secretary of Transportation. The scoring of eligible projects was
discussed and Mr. Palozzi added that, in the end, there are a large number of good projects with very little
funding available. Mr. Hoyt reminded the group that this issue is on the agenda for the MPO CCC meeting,
also being held today. Ms. Duke added that the CCC Multi-Use Trails Committee did adopt a list of projects
being considered. Vice Mayor Jonson asked how the CCSH faired, and Ms. Duke stated that out of
approximately twenty projects the CCSH is probably sixth or seventh.
New Business:
1.
Grant Applications: Tampa Bay Estuary Program and Visit Florida
For this discussion, Karen Harris of the Westshore Alliance was contacted and put on speaker phone
in order to participate with the group. The package that Ms. Duke provided to her recommends that
when seeking the marketing grant, to work with the local convention and visitors bureau public
relations department to develop a targeted list of media contacts, sales departments, tour operators,
etc. The image development grants are awarded up to $5,000 each and there is a dollar for dollar inkind service match required. She is still seeking to meet with the convention bureau on both sides of
the Causeway to partner, or see if they have that availability at this particular point. The actual grant
deadline period has been extended to April 17, 2006. Ms. Harris stated what she might do, based on
this meeting and its outcome, is to put the package together, go over it with Ms. Duke and then
submit to everyone for their review prior to any further action. When she spoke with Ms. Duke, they
discussed prioritizing what grants they will seek first. Mr. Palozzi recalled discussion from last
month s meeting when the CAG appeared to be headed toward funding for brochures or interpretive
signage. Since the deadline for submittal is rapidly approaching, he suggested the group get through
its discussion at this meeting. Ms. Duke stated she thought it would be fairly simple to put together a
prototype of an interpretive sign. Vice Mayor Jonson asked Ms. Harris if interpretive signage was
what she had in mind with regard to marketing. She replied that part of what Ms. Duke had
highlighted in the package provided to her is the Cultural Heritage and Nature Tourism Display, which
involves developing a portable display to use at local chambers of commerce, convention and visitor
bureaus and at Visit Florida welcome centers. Mr. Palozzi asked, if the group focused on the two
grant applications for this year, i.e., Visit Florida and Tampa Bay Estuary Program Mini Grants, with
regard to interpretive signage and brochures, which of those fits better into the goals and objectives of
the programs. Ms. Duke offered that she felt the Estuary Program fit better in terms of environmental
education. It was felt that interpretive signage would be more meaningful with regard to
environmental education than would a brochure. Ms. Harris asked what the awarded amount would
be, and Ms. White thought it was $7,500. Ms. Duke stated that amount would probably fund three or
four interpretive signs. In the interest of time allotted for the meeting, Vice Mayor Jonson suggested
that the group move on to discuss the Visit Florida grant application, since the Estuary grant
application was not due until October.
Vice Mayor Jonson suggested that the Visit Florida grant could target the upgrading of the Scenic
Highway brochure so it could be distributed to businesses and hotels along the Causeway. He stated
the CAG could approach the Convention and Visitors Bureaus and ask if they each would be willing to
contribute 25 percent which would then be matched by the Visit Florida grant. There would be two
separate grants, one for image development and one for marketing, each up to $5,000. Upgrading
the brochure would involve obtaining a base map and a base aerial, quality photographs not only of
the environment but also of the people using the facilities, so the scope of work needs to be very
specific. Ms. Duke asked if they could draft a scope of work to attach to the grant application. Vice
Mayor Jonson suggested the group request an example of a successful grant awarded previously,
apparently there are some available on the web. Mr. Palozzi stated that the group needed to read this
information, then determine which grants it wishes to pursue and then define what it wants out of this
grant. The items defined are base map aerial, quality photos, revisions to text and brochure
development and printing. Mr. Palozzi asked if there was another medium the group wished to
consider. Vice Mayor Jonson mentioned the website and it was agreed that should be updated also.
Mr. Palozzi brought up the question of how to continue recognizing the sponsors. Currently, they are
listed on the brochure, but sponsorship is renewable on a yearly basis and they may change. He
stated the group needs to look at the grant application and determine which of the grant areas it fits
best that offers the greatest chance for success, and then decide the support information for that
grant and who can provide that information. Ms. Harris felt the main focus should be on the image
development portion first and then, subsequently, the advertising and brochure development.
Regarding the scope of work, Ms. Duke stated she would contact the grants coordinator with the City
of Tampa and request some samples of image development grants. Ms. Harris stated she would get
to work on what was discussed today and e-mail the other group members for input. The grant
application is due Monday, April 17th. Mr. Palozzi indicated there are selection criteria and the
evaluation is based upon the following: project must demonstrate a need for assistance; project must
demonstrate support for providing letters; projects must include a dollar/dollar; two or more counties;
design and creativity; shelf life of the project; projected economic benefit; and benefits to the local
community. Vice Mayor Jonson asked when CAG members would like to have a subcommittee
teleconference, once Ms. Harris had a draft and e-mailed it to members. Ms. Duke thought Ms.
Harris could work with each member individually once the draft is ready. Mr. Palozzi also read under
selection criteria, best practices: tourism/visitation expenditure figures must be collected and analyzed
locally and report statistics. If you are not already collecting this information, now is the time to start.
Attendance numbers at festivals and events; report the number of brochures or promotional items
distributed and points of distribution; record the number of inquiries; begin tracking e-mails, phone
calls, etc., track the number of unique visitors or click-throughs on local websites; record responses to
advertisements using dedicated tracking numbers. Vice Mayor Jonson suggested Ebe Bower at the
regional chamber of commerce in Clearwater would have access to this information, plus be able to
provide a contact on the Hillsborough side. At the last meeting, Councilwoman Saul-Sena indicated
that HDR had agreed to do all the drawings/visuals for the grant application and Mr. Palozzi stated the
group should follow up with her regarding this item.
2.
Logistics for Great American Clean-Up on the Courtney Campbell
As discussed at the previous meeting, it was decided to have a couple of people at a table to hand out
trinkets. The date is April 22, 2006. Mr. Bill Sanders stated that date is for Hillsborough only, as
th
Pinellas had to move its date up to March 18 because of so many other Earth Day events. They
have approximately 100 Clearwater High School students coming out on March 18 to clean the beach
side of Clearwater and all the way up underneath the overpass, depending upon the tide. Keep
Pinellas Beautiful has applied to adopt all the way from Bayview Park to the bridge.
The Great American Cleanup on the Hillsborough-side is scheduled for April 22. Check-in begins at
8:30 a.m., with the clean-up running from 9:00 to Noon. Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful will be
set up at the boat ramp to check-in volunteers and the folks from Courtney Campbell Scenic Highway
will be able to set up next to them.
3.
Other Business
Vice Mayor reported the CAG has been invited to make a presentation to the founding partners at the
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council s Future of the Region Awards Luncheon on Friday, March 31,
2006. He also announced there is a state Scenic Highway Conference May 11-12 in Coco Beach if
anyone is interested in attending.
Vice Mayor Jonson remarked that upon checking the website he noticed some items that need to be
changed. He asked that everyone take some time to look at the site.
Vice Mayor Jonson reported that the state coordinator, who was originally scheduled to attend today s
meeting, has notified him that their budget now does not allow any travel. He suggested inviting Mr.
Nichol to the April meeting via telephone. Vice Mayor Jonson wants to have a discussion with Mr.
Nichol because the state website makes a reference to the Courtney Campbell as a designated site,
but it only says $coming soon.# Mr. Hoyt mentioned that it might be helpful if there was a link to the
CCSH website. Mr. Palozzi stated he would send Mr. Nichol an e-mail to inform him that the group
would like to hear from him as soon as possible and they are willing to do so via telephone.
There being no further business, Vice Mayor Jonson adjourned the meeting.
Next Meeting: Friday, April 14, 2006 at 10:00 a.m.