The Santa Rosa County agency responsible for attracting tourists to Navarre Beach is looking for a little outside guidance.
At its committee meeting on Monday, the Santa Rosa County Commission will discuss a plan from the county’s Tourist Development Council to seek request for qualifications — or RFQs — from consultants to help the group develop a strategic plan.
“The purpose of the strategic plan development is to align the goals of the TDC while working toward (the) desired outcome of increasing tourism bed tax dollars in Santa Rosa County,” TDC Executive Director Julie Morgan wrote in a report to the commission. The TDC unanimously approved the idea in November.
Commissioners will discuss the proposal at their committee meeting set for 9 a.m. Monday at the Santa Rosa County Administrative Office Complex, located at 6495 U.S. 90 (behind McDonald’s). The agenda for the meeting is posted at 
http://santarosa.fl.gov/agendas/2-8-16.PDF. The meeting will be broadcast online at http://santarosa.fl.gov/bocc/BOCC_Calendar/#.
Customarily, the Monday “committee meetings” are used to discuss and debate items on the agenda, while formal decisions are made at the commission’s regular meeting, held the following Thursday. The regular meeting is set for Thursday, Feb. 11, at the Tiger Point Community Center, located at 1370 Tiger Park Lane, Gulf Breeze.
The TDC is made up of nine representatives from the hotel and hospitality industry, as well as local governments. It is tasked with using proceeds from the county’s so-called “bed tax” — that is, taxes levied on short-term hotel/motel, condo, vacation home and campground rentals — to promote tourism.
The consultant would be expected to host two focus group meetings, a workshop/planning session with TDC members and staff, and any needed follow-up meetings.
Commissioners are also set to discuss spending $73,600 the TDC recently received in money related to the 2010 BP oil spill. The TDC wants to use the money to purchase TV ads in Birmingham, Atlanta/Columbus, Nashville, Little Rock and Baton Rouge.
The ads would air in March and April to promote visiting Santa Rosa County in the period before the main summer tourism season.
Other items on the agenda include:
— Changes to the drainage plan for the Settlers Colony neighborhood near Gulf Breeze.
— A special events permit for the CrossFit Navarre event on May 7-8 at the Navarre Beach Fishing Pier parking lot.
— Designs for tsunami warning signs to be placed on Navarre Beach
— Discussion and Presentation of the Navarre Beach Renourishment Project. (this agenda item will take place during the Feb. 11 regular commission meeting)
