Okaloosa County officials are working to restore the Tourist Development Council to its full capacity by early May.
The nine-member advisory panel has five vacancies. Its four current members — Warren Gourley, chairman; County Commissioner Kelly Windes; Fort Walton Beach City Councilman Bobby Nabors and Destin City Councilman Tuffy Dixon — do not constitute a quorum. The TDC has not held a monthly meeting since late January.
The county’s next step will be to advertise the vacancies, said Dan O’Byrne, director of the county’s Tourist Development Department.
“The specific qualifications are enshrined in the statute,” he said. “The statute is very specific about which type of individual needs to sit in which seat.”
Although O’Byrne wants to see the new TDC seated before the start of the summer tourist season, he said a thorough selection process is the top priority.
“I think we want to be deliberate … and make sure we’ve given everybody a chance to recognize there’s vacancies there and have as much participation as we can get,” he said.
O’Byrne and attorney Greg Stewart, special legal counsel to the county, are drafting a plan that will help the county refill the TDC posts.
“A procedure for the selection process is being prepared,” Stewart said.
According to state law, the TDC is comprised of:
- Two elected city officials, with at least one from the “most populous municipality” in the area where bed taxes are levied.
- Six people involved in the tourist industry and who have demonstrated an interest in tourist development. At least three but no more than four of those six must own or operate motels, hotels, RV parks or other tourist accommodations. At least two and no more than three shall be people who are involved in the tourist industry but who do not own or operate tourist accommodations.
- A county commissioner.
Stewart said the TDC members will be appointed to serve staggered terms of two and four years. County commissioners will determine the term length for each seat, he added.
Stewart said he also plans to recommend to commissioners, perhaps at their first meeting in March, that they establish a selection committee to screen the applications.
Some applications already have been submitted.
“I’ve got a number of people already interested in serving and some people who are interested even since the last round of (resignations),” O’Byrne said.
He said it’s important to get the TDC refilled because it’s made up of experienced tourism professionals who know how to market the area to out-of-towners.
“Where the council is particularly helpful is … really at the strategic level,” he said. “This is an advisory role. They are supposed to be advising the board of county commissioners on what to do with bed tax deployment. Clearly, the board wants people who know what they’re talking about.”
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Kari Barlow at 850-315-4438 or kbarlow@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KariBnwfdn.