Agenda Item #13.10
For Council Meeting of: April 12, 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 Tony Pace, General Manager of Hotel E, to the Santa Rosa Business Improvement Area Advisory Board to serve as the representative for full-service hotels; and 2) appoint Charlene Lennon, Director of Sales of Visit Santa Rosa, to the Advisory Board to serve as an alternate representative for the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce (aka Santa Rosa Metro Chamber) in the event the Chief Executive Officer of the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber is unavailable to attend a meeting.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Santa Rosa Tourism Business Improvement Area (SRTBIA) was established by Ordinance 3946 creating an assessment district on Santa Rosa lodging establishments. Per the ordinance, the Advisory 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 current vacancy on the Advisory Board with the appointment of a full-service hotel representative. Furthermore, the resolution replaces the alternate position previously filled by Visit Santa Rosa’s Executive Director with the Visit Santa Rosa Director of Sales in the event the Chief Executive Officer 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 3946 on August 3, 2010, creating a public-private partnership between the City of Santa Rosa, the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce, 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 (Chief Executive Officer Peter Rumble), one City of Santa Rosa employee (Program Specialist Rafael Rivero), 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 March 8, 2011, the City Council, by Resolution No. 27848, appointed a full-service hotel representative to a vacancy on the Board.
On July 29, 2014, the City Council, by Resolution No. 28524, appointed a full-service hotel representative to a vacancy on the Board.
On October 24, 2017, the Council, by Resolution No. 2017-205, appointed a full service and at-large representative to a vacancy on the Board.
On January 25, 2022, the Council, by Resolution No. RES-2022-012, appointed a City representative and alternate to the Board.
ANALYSIS
SRTBIA Advisory Board members are required to utilize their expertise in the hospitality and tourism industries to advise the Council on the amount of the Area’s assessments and on the services, programs, and activities to be funded by the assessments.
The Board experienced a vacancy in 2021 with the resignation of full-service hotel board representative Vern Lakusta, Hotel E General Manager.
Tony Pace, the new Hotel E General Manager, holds the necessary expertise in the hospitality industry, and full-service hotel, to participate in the activities required by Ordinance No. 3946. Tony Pace will join Donna Renteria of Best Western Garden Inn (a Select Service Hotel), Todd Anderson of Best Western Plus Wine Country Inn & Suites (an At-Large Hotel), Rafael Rivero of the City of Santa Rosa, and Peter Rumble of the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce (aka Santa Rosa Metro Chamber) on the board.
In addition, Visit Santa Rosa Director of Sales Charlene Lennon will replace former Visit Santa Rosa Executive Director Brad Calkins as an alternate representative to the Board on behalf of Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce’s (aka Santa Rosa Metro Chamber) Chief Executive Officer.
On April 7, 2022, The Santa Rosa Tourism Business Improvement Board held a Special Meeting to support and recommend the following appointments to the Board: Tony Pace, General Manager of Hotel E as the full service hotel representative; and Charlene Lennon, Director of Sales for Visit Santa Rosa as an alternate representative for Santa Rosa Metro Chamber.
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 Guideline Section 15378.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment – Ordinance No. 3946 Establishing the SRTBIA Resolution
CONTACT
Rafael Rivero, [email protected], (707) 543-3460
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