By Jamie Gentry on August 22, 2018
Bo Bowden, Commission Chairman Bob Cole, Commissioner Rob Williamson, Commissioner Sam Parker, dave piech, Elected official, Facebook, Facebook post, Florida Elections Commission, Jack Sanborn, John Link, Navarre, Sandi Kemp, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners, Santa Rosa County Supervisor of Elections, social media, Tamara Fountain, Tappie Villane, Tourist Development Council, Yvonne Harper
Headlines
County Commissioner Rob Williamson faced heat from constituents Monday for ‘liking’ vulgar comments made about Navarre residents on the social media platform Facebook. Navarre resident Yvonne Harper, past president of the Holley by the Sea Homeowners Association, told the Board of County Commissioners that she wanted to bring some comments to light during the public forum […]
By Rob Johnson on June 20, 2018
Adventures Unlimited, Alan Lowery, blackwater river state park, Commissioner Rob Williamson, Dan Schebler, david piech, Florida-Alabama Transportation Organization, Florida's Sunshine Law, Guy Thompson, Jack Sanborn, Julie Morgan, Kyle Holley, Milton, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County Judicial Center, Tough Mudder Inc., Tourist Development Council, Vernon Compton, Wesley Meiss
Headlines
Jack Sanborn’s forced resignation from the Santa Rosa County Tourist Development Council last week came so suddenly that some of his supporters missed their chance to send letters backing him. “I was preparing a letter but he resigned before I could send it,” said Milton City Councilman Alan Lowery, who also sits on the volunteer […]
By Jamie Gentry on June 16, 2018
bed tax collections, infrastructure, Jack Sanborn, Judy Windorfer, July 2, Kyle Holley, Lynne Myer, Navarre Park, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners, Tourism infrastructure grant, Tourist Development Council
Local
As the Santa Rosa County Tourist Development Council (TDC) continues to push toward prioritizing funding of physical tourism assets, some members of the council admitted a lack of firsthand knowledge of some existing tourism facilities. “I think if we could go back in time a little bit and actually tour some of those areas, see […]
By Gail Acosta on June 15, 2018
accusations, Board of County Commissioners, Bob Cole, Dan Schebler, Don Salter, Jack Sanborn, Jerry Cooey, Kyle Holley, Lane Lynchard, Rob Williamson, Sam Parker, Santa Rosa County, Tourist Development Council, Wallis Mahute
Headlines
Update: Jack Sanborn submitted his letter of resignation from his position on the Tourist Development Council Thursday to the Board of County Commissioners. He resigned prior to a scheduled vote to by the BOCC to decide whether or not to remove Sanborn from the council following allegations of threats made on social media and an […]
By Editorial on June 13, 2018
#METOO, Commissioner Bob Cole, Commissioner Rob Williamson, Jack Sanborn, Navarre Park, Santa Rosa County, Tourist Development Council, Visit Florida
Navarre Press Editorial, Rob Williamson
The penalties are stiff for not supporting our current commissioner Williamson – just ask Jack Sanborn. He found out the hard way. The maestro of manipulation orchestrated a move during the board of county commission meeting Monday to remove longtime Tourist Development Council member Jack Sanborn from the TDC. It wasn’t even on the agenda. […]
By Jamie Gentry on May 24, 2018
Bagdad Waterfront Florida Partnership LLC, Commissioner Sam Parker, fourth of July, grant funding, Gulf Breeze Poker Run, Jack Sanborn, Julie Morgan, Kyle Holley, Local Tourism Event Marketing Grant program, Lynne Myers, Monarch Madness, Munson Heritage Festival, Navarre, Navarre Beach, Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, Navarre Beach Fishing Pier, Navarre Beach Fishing Rodeo, Navarre Beach Mardi Gras Parade, Navarre Beach Sports and Recreation LLC, Navarre Chamber, Panhandle Butterfly House, Riverwalk Arts Festival, Run for the reef, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners, Santa Rosa County Tourism Development Board, Shipwrecks on the Blackwater, Southern 100 race, Southern Motorsports of Milton LLC, tourism, Tourism marketing, Tunes by the Dunes
Business
The Santa Rosa County Tourism Development Board took a hardline approach to grant funding for the second year in a row during their May 17 budget workshop meeting, but even with the cutbacks, many events that did not receive the grant may still count this year’s budget a victory. The Local Tourism Event Marketing Grant […]
By Jamie Gentry on May 23, 2018
bed-tax dollars, Bill Andersen, Commissioner Rob Williamson, Commissioner Sam Parker, Dan Schebler, Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge, Holley, Jack Sanborn, Jingle Run 5K, Mary Salinas, Navarre, Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, Navarre Beach Hometown Fourth of July, Navarre Christmas in the Park Festival, Navarre Christmas Parade, Navarre Park, Navarre Park Master Site Plan, Panhandle Butterfly House, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners, Tourist Development Council
Headlines
Stay the course. That is what the Santa Rosa Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) decided to do with millions of dollars of funding for the Navarre Park Master Site Plan. The Tourist Development Council (TDC) had asked the board to re-evaluate a proposed loan of more than $1.8 million, to be paid back with future […]
By Jamie Gentry on May 10, 2018
Brenda Stokes, Damien Huffman, East River, East River Boat Ramp, Florida National Scenic Trail, Gulf Boulevard, Gulf Coast Kiln Walk, Holley, Jack Sanborn, Joe Farley, Kyle Holley, Navarre, Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, Navarre Beach fireworks, Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners, santa rosa county tourist development council, State Road 87, Tamara Fountain, tourism, Ye Olde Brothers Brewery
Business
U.S. Highway 98 is changing and a new business corridor is emerging. Though the thoroughfare has functioned as Navarre’s main corridor for decades, increasing traffic and potential expansion plans could mean the roadway may not be able to serve that function much longer, especially for the hundreds of thousands of tourists who visit the […]
By Jamie Gentry on April 13, 2018
Arcadia Mill, Blackwater Maritime Heritage Trail, BP Oil Spill grants, Brenda Stokes, City of Milton, Commissioner Lane Lynchard, Commissioner Rob Williamson, Commissioner Sam Parker, Doug Lasater, Emerald Coast Warrior Run, Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge, Gulf Coast Kiln Walk, Holley, Holley Hill Pottery, Jack Sanborn, Julie Morgan, Kyle Holley, Navarre, Navarre Beach, Navarre Beach Area Chamber Foundation, Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center, Randy Jorgensen, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County Commission, Tourist Development Council, Volleyball courts
Local
After more than a decade of work and grant applications, the Gulf Coast Kiln Walk in Holley has finally received funds to take the first steps toward making its learning and arts center a reality. But the money is only a drop in the bucket of what the organization will need to break ground. […]
By Jamie Gentry on March 9, 2018
Bagdad Mill Site Park, City of Milton, Funded Project Status Report, infrastructure projects, Jack Sanborn, Juana's Inc., Juana's Pagodas, Julie Morgan, Kyle Holley, Milton Marina Riverside, Navarre Beach, Navarre Beach Marine Science Station, Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center, Nick Pheonix, Quinn Street Marina, Randy Jorgenson, RESTORE grants, Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners, Spring Jam concert, tourism, tourism development council, West Florida Train Museum
Local
As newly appointed chairman of the Tourism Development Council (TDC), Kyle Holley has pushed for a change in how the group approaches the county’s future and expenditure of funds. Holley has served on the board for years, but in the matter of a few months he and the rest of the board, largely composed of […]
By Jamie Gentry on February 2, 2018
Adventures Unlimited, Brenda Stokes, Commissioner Sam Parker, Dan Schebler, Emerald Coast Warrior Run, focus groups, Gulf Coast Kiln Walk, Jack Sanborn, Joseph Farley, Julie Morgan, Kyle Holley, Liz Horton, Louise Biernesser, Mike Sandler, Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, Navarre Chamber, Panhandle Butterfly House, Project teams, Sant Rosa County Fairgrounds, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County Chamber of Commerce, TDC meetings, Terrain Race, Tiger Point Community Center, Tourist Development Council
Local
In an unscheduled agenda item, the Tourist Development Council (TDC) on Monday discussed cutting its number of meetings each year in half and completely eliminating the committee aspect of the group. Tourism Development Director Julie Morgan said that now the grants process is being handled in one meeting each year, the committee lacked much purpose. […]
By Rob Johnson on December 10, 2017
Commissioner Bob Cole, Commissioner Rob Williamson, Commissioner Sam Parker, Jack Sanborn, Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, Santa Rosa County Tourist Development, Tamara Fountain, TDC
Local
Rob Williamson’s tumultuous tenure as the County Commission’s representative on the Tourist Development Council is almost over, despite his behind-the-scenes politicking to keep the high-profile job. New Commission Chairman Bob Cole of District 2 on Monday nominated District 1 Commissioner Sam Parker to replace Williamson, a move welcomed by some others who volunteer on the […]
By Rob Johnson on December 1, 2017
court, Florida Sunshine Law, Jack Sanborn, santa rosa county tourist development council, Sunshine law, TDC, tourism
Headlines
Tourist Development Council member Jack Sanborn was found not guilty Friday on charges that he violated Florida’s Sunshine Law by phoning two other panel volunteers to discuss matters that had previously come before the board. Santa Rosa County Judge Jose Giraud ruled after nearly an hour-long hearing that while Sanborn’s calls on his personal cellphone […]
By Rob Johnson on November 8, 2017
Adventures Unlimited, Attorney Bill Eddins, Attorney Roy Andrews, Barbara Petersen, Florida, Florida Sunshine Law, Jack Sanborn, Julie Morgan, Kyle Holley, Santa Rosa County, Tourist Development Council
Headlines
Jack Sanborn wants some light shed on allegations that he violated Florida’s Sunshine Law last June by speaking to another volunteer member of the Tourist Development Council. “I’d like to face my accuser and hear exactly what I said that supposedly violated the law,” Sanborn told the Navarre Press this week after State Attorney Bill […]
By Rob Johnson on October 18, 2017
Attorney Greg Marcille, Attorney Roy Andrews, Barbara Petersen, bed tax collections, Commissioner Bob Cole, Commissioner Rob Williamson, First Amendment Foundation, Florida, Florida's Sunshine Law, Jack Sanborn, Julie Morgan, Kyle Holley, Santa Rosa County, Sunshine law, Tourist Development Council
Headlines
Even the most seemingly innocent phone call between two members of a volunteer group such as the Tourist Development Council can cause suspicion and trigger legal questions that last for months. Such a phone call in August from council member Jack Sanborn to panel colleague Kyle Holley apparently prompted a complaint from an undisclosed source […]
By Editorial on September 28, 2017
bed-tax dollars, Commissioner Don Salter, Commissioner Lane Lynchard, Commissioner Rob Williamson, Commissioner Sam Parker, editorial, Jack Sanborn, Navarre, Navarre Park, opinion, Panhandle Butterfly House, Park renovations, Santa Rosa County, South Santa Rosa County, Tourist Development Council
Navarre Press Editorial
One thing we can all agree on is Navarre Park needs upgrades. The playground equipment needs repairs, and is not friendly to special needs children. The things we cannot agree on is why we would spend $7 million on one 7 acre park and the source of the $7 million. Pam Wingate, president of the […]
By Gail Acosta on September 27, 2017
bed-tax dollars, bed-tax revenue, Commissioner Don Salter, Commissioner Lane Lynchard, Commissioner Rob Williamson, Commissioner Sam Parker, Jack Sanborn, Navarre, Navarre Area Board of Realtors, Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, Navarre Park, Navarre Park master plan, Panhandle Butterfly House, Rebecca Pullum, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners, South Santa Rosa County, Starfish Project, Thursdays in the Park, Tourist Development Council
Headlines
“When we embarked on the master plan for Navarre Park, I had no idea whatsoever that we would end up with a $6.5 million plan,” District 5 commissioner Lane Lynchard said during Monday’s Board of County Commissioner committee meeting in regards to the Navarre Park master plan. He and other commissioners described their reaction as […]
By Rob Johnson on September 6, 2017
Adventures Unlimited, Bagdad Mills Site Park, Benny Russell Park, Commissioner Rob Williamson, Commissioner Sam Parker, Genesis Engineering LLC, Jack Sanborn, Navarre, Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, Navarre Beach bridge, Navarre Chamber, Navarre Park, Navarre Park visitor center, Panhandle Butterfly House, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners, Santa Rosa Sound, South Santa Rosa, Tamara Fountain, tourism bed taxes, Tourist Development Council
Headlines
Lee Majors, television’s “Six Million Dollar Man,” now has something of a financial kinship with Rob Williamson, the Santa Rosa County commissioner with a $6 million plan. Williamson intends to unveil the seven-figure fiscal details about the proposed overhaul of Navarre Park to his commission colleagues in their Sept. 14 meeting. The District 4 commissioner […]
By Rob Johnson on September 6, 2017
Adventures Unlimited, Attorney Greg Marcille, Attorney Roy Andrews, County Administrator Tony Gomillion, Escambia County State Attorney's Office, Florida Legislature, Florida Sunshine Law, Fred Piccolo, hotel bed taxes, Jack Sanborn, Julie Morgan, Liz Horton, Richard Corcoran, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County Tourist Development Office, taxpayer funds, Tourism marketing, Tourist Development Council, Visit Florida
Headlines
Santa Rosa officials bristled at the recent scolding they received from House Speaker Richard Corcoran about the financial practices of the county’s Tourist Development Office. But they rejected a first impulse to fire off a terse letter to Corcoran—deciding instead to invite him here to prove the transparency with which the county handles its annual […]
By Rob Johnson on August 30, 2017
Adventures Unlimited, Attorney Greg Marcille, Attorney Roy Andrews, Brandi Whitehurst, Commissioner Rob Williamson, Florida Legislature, Florida's Sunshine Law, Fred Piccolo, Jack Sanborn, Julie Morgan, Kyle Holley, Laurie Gallup, Navarre Beach, Richard Corcoran, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County Commissioners, Santa Rosa County Tourist Development Office, taxpayer funds, Tough Mudder Inc., Tourist bed taxes, Tourist Development Council, Visit Florida
Headlines
Santa Rosa officials have sidestepped the volunteer Tourist Development Council to revoke the county’s longtime membership in the state’s leisure industry marketing agency–Visit Florida–prompting a warning from state House Speaker Richard Corcoran. Corcoran described the move led by County Tourism Director Julie Morgan as a “futile attempt to shield financial information from public scrutiny” in […]
By Jamie Gentry on May 24, 2017
April Sarver, Bands on the Blackwater, bed taxes, bed-tax revenue, Christmas in the Park, County Tourism Director Julie Morgan, Fun Fest, Gulf Coast Kiln Walk Society, Jack Sanborn, Judy Morehead, Kyle Holley, Marketing grant program, Mike Sandler, Milton, Monarch Madness, Navarre, Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, Navarre Beach Fishing Rodeo, Navarre Beach Marine Park, Navarre Beach Marine Science Station, Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center, Navarre Beach Snowbirds Club, Navarre Chamber, Navarre Chamber Foundation, Panhandle Butterfly House, Run for the reef, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners, Santa Rosa County events, Santa Rosa County Tourist Development, Scarecrows in the Park, tourism, tourism development council, Tourist industry, Tunes by the Dunes
Headlines
Following spike in grant applications, the county Tourism Development Council (TDC) took a hard line stance on requirements to receive their funds, cutting event grant spending in half. More than $115,000 in funds was requested for 30 events throughout Santa Rosa County as part of the Local Event/Marketing Grant program. Only 14 events received approximately […]
By Jamie Gentry on January 12, 2017
bed taxes, Bill Geist, BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Brandi Whitehurst, Commission Chairman Rob Williamson, Commissioner Bob Cole, Evelyn Fine, Florida's Playground, focus groups, Gulf Breeze, Gulf Tourism and Seafood Promotional Funds Grant, infrastructure, Jack Sanborn, Julie Morgan, Mid-Florida Marketing and Research Inc., Navarre, Paradise Marketing, Public laws, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners, Tax dollars, TDC Meeting, Ton Merrick, Tourism Development Committee board, Tourism Development Committee Strategic Plan, Tourism Development Office, tourism staff, Vernon Compton, Zeitgeist DMOproz
Local
After three months of research and a roughly $14,000 tab, a strategic plan presented to and approved by the Tourism Development Committee board Friday would request additional tourism staff be placed on the county’s payroll. Plan creator Bill Geist of Zeitgeist DMOproz said the focus of the plan is to make the TDC a “trusted […]
By Rob Johnson on August 11, 2016
Adventures Unlimited, bed taxes, Bill Geist, Commissioner Rob Williamson, compromise, Florida Legislature, Florida Sunshine Law, focus groups, Jack Sanborn, Julie Morgan, leisure and hospitality industry, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County Commissioners, Shannon Ogletree, tourism, tourist, Tourist Development Council, Tourist watchdog group
Local
Fighting off a move by Santa Rosa officialdom to reduce its autonomy, the volunteer Tourist Development Council struck a compromise to keep open communication lines among members and avoid being shrunk. By a 6-1 vote the watchdog panel, which is authorized by the Florida Legislature to keep an eye on the county’s $2 million in […]
By Rob Johnson on July 29, 2016
Bob Cole, Jack Sanborn, Kyle Holley, Rob Williamson, Santa Rosa County Commissioners, Tourist Development Council, watch dog group
Local
We don’t need your advice quite so often. That’s what Santa Rosa County officials are saying to the volunteer panel of tourism industry leaders who advise them on strategies to grow the area economy’s largest segment. Members of the Tourist Development Council have been summoned one by one during the past month to meet […]
By Rob Johnson on June 15, 2016
Adventures Unlimited, bed taxes, bed-tax revenue, District 2 Commissioner Bob Cole, District 4 Commissioner Rob Williamson, economic impact, Florida Sports Foundation, Jack Sanborn, Julie Morgan, Liz Horton, Milton, northwest florida, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County Commissioners, SRC, TDC, Tough Mudder Inc., Tough Mudder participants, tourism, tourism dollars, Tourist Development Countil, tourists, University of West Florida's Haas Center for Business Research, Vernon Compton, Wyndham Vacation Rentals
Headlines, Tough Mudder
Disappointing bed-tax revenue in April, when Tough Mudder Inc.’s two-day event near Milton was expected to give the Santa Rosa County numbers a bump, is prompting tourism industry leaders to reconsider the financial incentives promised to the New York company. County commissioners voted last November to pay Tough Mudder $110,000, including $80,000 from bed taxes, […]
By Rob Johnson on May 12, 2016
Adventures Unlimited, Bagdad Mill Site Park, Florida Sports Foundation, Glenn Bailey, Jack Sanborn, Kayak Launch, Kyle Holley, lack of funds, Liz Horton, Navarre Beach renourishment, portable toilets, Public restrooms, recreational showplace, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County Tourism, Sheila Fitzgerald, Tough Mudder, tourism development council, tourist attraction, tourist taxes, University of West Florida, walking trails
Lifestyle/Leisure
The county’s new $750,000 Bagdad Mill Site Park that’s scheduled to open May 16 will be a recreational showplace, but some tourism leaders have questioned why it won’t have public restrooms. “We need bathrooms at parks where families will bring their children,” said Kyle Holley, a member of Santa Rosa County’s volunteer Tourism Development Council, […]
By Rob Johnson on March 10, 2016
Adventures Unlimited, bed-tax revenue, County Tourism Officials, District 4 Commissioner Rob Williamson, District 5 Commissioner Lane Lynchard, financial commitment, Florida Sports Foundation, host pre-party, Jack Sanborn, Juana's Pagodas, Kate Fitzpatrick, Kevin Rudzki, Liz Horton, lodging room stays, military-style obstacle course, Milton, Navarre, public funds, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County beaches, Santa Rosa County Commissioners, Santa Rosa taxpayer money, Shannon Ogletree, TDC, Tough Mudder, tourist attractions, Tourist Development Council, Wounded Warrior Project, Wyndham Resorts
Local, Santa Rosa County, Tough Mudder
Despite being given $80,000 in Santa Rosa taxpayer money as an incentive to stage its military-style obstacle course near Milton, Tough Mudder Inc. is apparently reneging on its contractual agreement to host a pre-event party. County tourism officials and commissioners thought they had negotiated the for-profit, New York-based company’s financial support for a party on […]
By Rob Johnson on March 10, 2016
Adventures Unlimited, bed tax money, budget proposal, City of Gulf Breeze, County Clerk Don Spencer, criminal complaint, District 4 Commissioner Rob Williamson, Gulf Breeze, Hoteliers, Hotels, interlocal pact, Jack Sanborn, new written agreement, Santa Rosa County, South Santa Rosa, SRC, TDC, TDC Chairman Vernon Compton, tourism tax dollars, Tourism taxes, Tourist Development Council, tourist events, tourist tax collections
Local
The longtime sharing of county tourism tax dollars with the City of Gulf Breeze, which was abruptly halted last fall, will be restarted under a new written agreement that remits to the municipality 90 percent of the money collected by hotels within its borders. Read the full article in the Mar. 10 issue of Navarre […]
By Rob Johnson on January 14, 2016
Adventures Unlimited, Alan Lowery, Art Festival, bed-tax spending, churlish minority, council members, County Comissioner Rob Williamson, dredging, economic impact, economic value, empty hotel rooms, financial support, grant requests, hospitality industry veterans, Jack Sanborn, lost wages, Milton, Navarre Beach, Navarre Beach Renourishment Project, public commission meeting, reschedule beach work, sand restoration project, Santa Rosa County, Santa Rosa County Arts and Culture Foundation, santa rosa county tourism development council, TDC, Tough Mudder, tourism events, tourism issues, Tourism leaders, tourism panel, Vacation Season, volunteer members, Weeks Marine Inc.
Santa Rosa County
The discord between District 4 County Commissioner Rob Williamson and some hospitality industry veterans has surfaced for the fourth time since November and made him a sometimes churlish minority of one on the Santa Rosa County Tourism Development Council. Williamson, appointed to the council last year by his fellow commissioners, has broken with most the […]
By Rob Johnson on December 24, 2015
Adventures Unlimited, advertising, approval, bed tax money, commission, condominiums, controversial contracts, costs, discount rooms, economic impact, escambia county, expenses, fees, final contract, financial demands, financial support, Hoteliers, Hotels, Jack Sanborn, Kate Fitzpatrick, Liz Horton, Lodging demands, Milton, Navarre, Navarre Beach, Negotiable, North Santa Rosa, Okaloosa County, overnight stays, revenue, Rob Williamson, room managers, Santa Rosa County, santa rosa county tourism development council, South Santa Rosa, Tax dollars, taxpayers, TDC, Tough Mudder, tourism, tourism industry leaders, tourists, Wyndham Vacation Rentals
Events, Santa Rosa County, Tough Mudder
Tough Mudder Inc. blinked. Under questioning from a prospective lodging “partner” about the company’s recent financial demands in return for promoting Santa Rosa County overnight stays at its event scheduled here next April, a company executive now says its fees are negotiable. A month after sending out controversial contracts to area hotels and condominium managers […]
