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Tourism board accepts funding changes, records disclosure; treasurer reports revenue ahead of budget
Summary
The Okeechobee County Tourist Development Council accepted a councilmember's abstention for a conflict of interest and approved two agenda funding corrections and awards Thursday while receiving a treasurer's report showing $469,349.64 in tourism-tax revenue through Oct. 9.
The Okeechobee County Tourist Development Council accepted a councilmember's abstention for a conflict of interest and approved two funding-item decisions during its meeting.
Miss Whitehead, the tourist development tax treasurer, reported the council's tourism-tax revenue through Oct. 9 at $469,349.64 and said three months in fiscal year 24-25 had not yet been reported. "We still have 3 months that have not been reported yet in fiscal year 2425. But we're currently at $469,349.64," Miss Whitehead said.
The council then considered a reconsideration from Balen's Bakery LLC. Denise (staff) explained the applicant originally requested funding for 12 monthly events but now wants to use the full award previously granted for 12 events — $3,000 — toward a single annual Christmas market at the Agri Civic Center. Denise said the market drew about 2,500 attendees last year and hosted more than 100 vendors. The council approved the reconsideration by voice vote.
The board also approved a housekeeping correction to a previously listed funding recipient. Staff said an application that appeared on the agenda under the name "Florida Bass Nation, Florida Elite High School" should instead be recorded as filed by a new organization run by the tournament director, identified in the record as Dave Driggers. The council voted to accept the corrected application name so finance staff could issue payment to the correct entity.
Councilwoman Rebecca Marsaki made a disclosure under the local officers' conflict rules and indicated she would abstain from voting on the agenda item because of her role as chamber secretary and the chamber's request for funds for a 5K race. The council accepted her abstention by voice vote.
All votes reported in the meeting were voice votes; where recorded the motions passed by affirmative voice responses. No roll-call tallies were presented in the transcript.
The council heard no formal challenge to any of the funding outcomes during the meeting and moved on to staff reports and discussion of future grant-process procedures.
What this means: The council's revenue position through Oct. 9 places it close to the budget target cited in the meeting (roughly $500,000), while the board continues to refine how it documents and disburses event-promoter funding.
