Agenda Item #12.2
For Council Meeting of: January 25, 2022
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: RAFAEL RIVERO, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST
PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: SANTA ROSA TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA ADVISORY BOARD APPOINTMENTS AGENDA ACTION: RESOLUTION
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the Planning and Economic Development Department that the Council, by resolution: 1) appoint the Program Specialist of the Economic Development Division to the Santa Rosa Tourism Business Improvement Area (SRTBIA) Advisory Board to serve as representative Chair; and 2) appoint the Economic Development Division’s Arts and Culture Manager as an alternate representative to the Board on behalf of the City.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Santa Rosa Tourism Business Improvement Area (SRTBIA) was established by Ordinance No. 3946 creating an assessment district on Santa Rosa lodging establishments. Per the ordinance, and the 2010 Resolution No. 27690 which established the SRTBIA Advisory Board, the Board is comprised of one Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce employee, one City of Santa Rosa employee, and three Santa Rosa lodging operators, at least one of whom is employed by a full-service hotel and one by a select service hotel. This resolution updates the City’s appointee, changing it from the Division Director to the Economic Development Program Specialist. Furthermore, the resolution replaces the alternate position previously filled by the Program Specialist with the Arts and Culture Manager in the event the Program Specialist appointee is unable to attend the meeting.
BACKGROUND
The 3% SRTBIA assessment paid by people staying at Santa Rosa lodging establishments was established by Santa Rosa Ordinance No. 3946 on August 3, 2010, creating a public-private partnership between the City of Santa Rosa, the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce (aka the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber), and Santa Rosa lodging establishments. 30% of the funds collected go to the City and is managed by the Economic Development Division. The remaining 70% goes to the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce for their Convention & Visitors Bureau and Welcome Center operations & services.
The Advisory Board is comprised of one Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce employee (Executive Director Peter Rumble), one City of Santa Rosa employee (the alternate, Program Specialist Rafael Rivero, has been serving in this role), and three Santa Rosa lodging operators, at least one of whom is employed by a full-service hotel (vacant) and one of whom is employed by a select service hotel (Donna Renteria). The remaining representative may be employed by either a full-service or select service lodging operation (Todd Anderson).
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
On July 27, 2010, the City Council, by Resolution No. 27690, appointed the first Advisory Board for the Santa Rosa Tourism Business Improvement Area.
On August 3, 2010, the City Council, by Ordinance No. 3946, established the Santa Rosa Tourism Business Improvement Area.
On April 10, 2018, the City Council, by Resolution No. RES-2018-052, appointed the Economic Development Manager (Raissa de la Rosa) to serve on the Advisory Board of the Santa Rosa Tourism Business Improvement Area, and the Economic Development Program Specialist (Rafael Rivero) as the City’s alternate representative to the Board.
ANALYSIS
SRTBIA Advisory Board members are required to utilize their expertise in the hospitality and tourism industries to oversee use of the Area’s assessments, and to inform and advise the Council on the services, programs, and activities to be funded. Board seat representation is set by Resolution No. 27690, with the three lodging operator seats periodically changing depending on hotel representative availability, and the Chamber and City seats remaining steadfast and set by position. Resolution RES-2018-052 set the City representative as the person occupying the Economic Development Manager position (subsequently re-classified to Deputy Director, a position currently held by Raissa de la Rosa) and allowed for an alternate position to be filled at the Economic Development Program Specialist level (currently occupied by Rafael Rivero). The City’s representative serves as Board chair.
As work duties have shifted, the City’s Board seat has been better served at the Program Specialist level, with the assigned alternate having attended and chaired the meetings for the past three years. As such, staff recommends formalizing this shift, assigning the Economic Development Program Specialist (Rafael Rivero) to serve on the Advisory Board, and assigning the Division’s Arts and Cultural Manager (Tara Thompson) as the alternate.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of this action does not have a fiscal impact on the General Fund or the SRTBIA Fund.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Ordinance No. 3946 Establishing the SRTBIA Resolution
CONTACT
Rafael Rivero, [email protected], (707) 543-3460
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