AGENDA DATE: 1/16/2019
TITLE:
Title
Charlottesville-Albemarle Convention and Visitors’ Bureau Agreement
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Public hearing to consider the approval of a First Amended Agreement to Operate a Joint Convention and Visitors’ Bureau Agreement
ITEM TYPE: Regular Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Kamptner
PRESENTER (S): Greg Kamptner
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey Richardson
BACKGROUND: The City of Charlottesville and the County have jointly funded and undertaken the operation of a joint convention and visitors’ bureau since 1979 for the purpose of promoting the Charlottesville-Albemarle area as a tourist destination and site of convention facilities. The Charlottesville-Albemarle Convention and Visitors’ Bureau (the “CACVB”) has been funded and operated pursuant to a series of agreements between the City and the County. The current agreement was entered into on June 28, 2018 and became effective July 1, 2018 (the “Agreement”).
The Agreement is enabled by Virginia Code § 15.2-1300, which authorizes the parties to, among other things, establish a joint governing board and to determine its composition. Consistent with that authority, the Agreement changed the organization of the CACVB and established an Executive Board and an Advisory Board. The Agreement provides that one member of the Board of Supervisors (the “BOS”) and one member of the Charlottesville City Council (the “Council”) are among those appointed to the Executive Board. Supervisor Mallek and Councilor Galvin are their respective bodies’ appointees to the Executive Board. The Executive Board has met four times since it was established.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Economic Prosperity: Foster an environment that stimulates diversified job creation, capital investments, and tax revenues that support community goals
Quality Government Operations: Ensure County government’s capacity to provide high quality service that achieves community priorities
DISCUSSION: Following the Executive Board’s November 2018 meeting, Supervisors Mallek and McKeel, as well as Councilors Galvin and Signer, informally discussed amending the Agreement to increase the number of members from both the BOS and the Council appointed to the Executive Board from one to two. One of the reasons for this proposed increase is to allow broader representation by elected officials on the Executive Board.
At its meeting on December 20, 2018, the Executive Board took action to request the BOS and the Council to amend the Agreement to change the composition of the Executive Board by: (1) increasing the representation from both the BOS and the Council from one to two; (2) converting the Chamber of Commerce and Thomas Jefferson Foundation representatives from non-voting to voting members; and (3) adding two additional voting members - one representing the arts community and one representing the tourism industry. The Executive Board also recommended that the Agreement be amended to eliminate the Advisory Board.
A draft First Amended Agreement (Attachment A) shows the revisions to the Agreement required to make these and related necessary changes, with the exception that this draft does not include adding another representative from the tourism industry as recommended by the Executive Board. Under its proposed revised composition, the Executive Board would have 14 voting members, five of whom would be representing the tourism industry.
Because the Agreement is a joint exercise of powers agreement authorized by Virginia Code § 15.2-1300, any agreement (and by implication, any amendment to an agreement) must be approved by an ordinance adopted after holding a public hearing.
The City Council is expected to consider this proposed First Amended Agreement in January as well.
BUDGET IMPACT: None.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
If the Board desires to amend the Agreement as proposed, staff recommends that the Board adopt the attached Ordinance (Attachment B) approving the final draft of the Draft First Amended Agreement (Attachment A).
ATTACHMENTS:
A - Draft First Amended Agreement
B - Ordinance