VCB Tapped to Manage Destination Marketing Services

The St. Johns County Visitors and Convention Bureau will continue to manage the destination marketing services for the county after the County Commission approved a new contract with the organization.

In November, the Tourist Development Council voted unanimously to recommend the VCB based on the evaluation scores from proposals submitted. The request for proposals included an option for presentations as a second stage of the evaluation process and according to a county staff report, a majority of the evaluation committee created to review the proposals agreed that presentations were appropriate. However, the County Commission was not obligated to proceed with the formal presentation process.

At the Commission’s Dec. 3 meeting, Jaime Lockler, director of purchasing, said presentations are not typically held “but there is nothing prohibiting that as a step.”

Commission Chair Krista Joseph said she was in favor of having the applicants make presentations to the County Commission.

“I do think they should come in and present before this board,” she said.

Newly elected Commission Clay Murphy, however, did not see a need for presentations.

“This horse has been rode and beat to death,” he said. “I don’t think we need another presentation.”

Commissioner Sarah Arnold agreed, citing the unanimous vote of the TDC to award the contract to the VCB.

“It was pretty resounding when it was a unanimous vote,” she said.

TDC Chair Gayle Phillips said the unanimous recommendation was based on the scores of the proposals and TDC members spent a lot of time considering the options.

“The scores of the evaluation committee shows that it was an overwhelming support (for the VCB) with the exception of a couple of people that downgraded the VCB,” she said. “They are local stakeholders and also have a proven success record.”

Joseph said she was not rejecting the TDC recommendation, but was advocating for the presentations in an effort to be transparent.

“This is bed tax money, and it is the peoples’ money,” she said. “I just think it would be good for everyone to see what their money is being spent on.”

Commissioner Christian Whitehurst said the board should trust the TDC’s expertise.

“I don’t think that we as a board that we know more about their businesses then they do,” he said. “These are the subject matter experts who are best suited to recommend.”

A motion by Whitehurst to forego the presentations and confirm the TDC recommendation passed by a vote of 4-1 with Joseph voting against.