DEPARTMENT: Office of the City Clerk
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Leticia M. Vacek (OCC)
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Consideration of Applicants to the Convention and Visitors Commission (25 Slots)
SUMMARY:
The Economic and Human Development City Council Committee will review and recommend 25 applicants for the Convention and Visitors Commission (CVC). In accordance with the Bylaws of the CVC, there are 17 designated positions whereby various Associations and/or Theme Parks provide specific recommendations for representation on the CVC. In addition, there are 8 positions that are publicly posted associated with four other categories.
Terms of office for this Commission run concurrently with Council terms. However, all appointed members continue to hold over in their office until replaced by Council, which may be delayed during Budget preparations and Council recess. Staff recommends that in order to enable the Commission to continue to achieve its mission, and for all current members to serve a full term, that new appointees in the categories above be appointed to terms of office commencing June 1, 2015, to end May 31, 2017.
In May 2012 the CVC added three Chamber positions to their roster. It was agreed that these positions would rotate every two years from the following Chambers: Alamo City Black Chamber, Asian American Chamber, Greater Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic Chamber, Northside Chamber, and South San Antonio Chamber. A lottery was performed to establish the rotation.
The new Chamber positions provided additional perspective, broad-based feedback from an alternative point of view and complemented the current composition. To that end, the ideal candidate for the Convention and Visitors Commission is both active and influential in their respective industry, the business community, and San Antonio overall. A mixture of re-appointments as well as new candidates will help to infuse a greater synergy with the business community.
The following chart contains the recommended applicants from the various Associations and/or Theme Parks and the categories they represent. The current terms of office will expire May 31, 2017:
|
Category |
First |
MI |
Last |
Suf |
Resident |
New/Reappointment |
|
Chamber Representative (3 Sots) |
Rudy |
D. |
Garza |
|
9 |
New |
|
|
Roberto |
R. |
Rodriguez |
|
8 |
New |
|
|
Larry |
S. |
Anthis |
|
8 |
Reappointment |
|
Market Square Representative (1 Slot) |
Michael |
D. |
Cortez |
|
1 |
Reappointment |
|
Mayoral Appointee (1 Slot) |
Johnny |
|
Hernandez |
|
5 |
Reappointment |
|
Pasea Del Rio Association (1 Slot) |
Tammy |
L. |
Peacock-Werline |
|
9 |
New |
|
SAHLA (6 Slots) |
Maria |
A. |
Martinez |
|
9 |
New |
|
|
Timothy |
E. |
Sullivan |
|
10 |
New |
|
|
Justin |
R. |
Holley |
|
9 |
Reappointment |
|
|
William |
R. |
Petrella |
|
9 |
Reappointment |
|
|
Ronald |
R. |
Stinson |
|
1 |
Reappointment |
|
|
John |
R. |
Wallace |
Jr. |
9 |
Reappointment |
|
San Antonio Area Tourism (1 Slot) |
Davis |
|
Phillips |
|
8 |
Reappointment |
|
San Antonio Restaurant Association (1 Slot) |
William |
F. |
Grinnan |
Jr. |
1 |
Reappointment |
|
San Antonio Sports (1 Slot) |
Bob |
W. |
Raymond |
|
No |
Reappointment |
|
Theme Park - Sea World (1 Slot) |
Diane |
L. |
Centeno |
|
1 |
Reappointment |
|
Theme Park - Six Flags (1 Slot) |
William |
N. |
Thurman |
III |
9 |
Reappointment |
This next chart depicts the applicants for the publicly posted positions and the categories they represent. The current terms of office will expire May 31, 2017.
|
Category |
First |
MI |
Last |
Suf |
Resident |
New/Reappointment |
|
Airline Representative (1 Slot) |
Christal |
A. |
Campbell |
|
9 |
New |
|
Arts & Cultural Community (2 Slots) |
Vanessa |
|
Lacross Hurd |
|
1 |
New |
|
|
Henry |
|
Brun |
|
7 |
Reappointment |
|
General Community (4 Slots) |
Robert |
|
Gonzalez |
|
1 |
New |
|
|
Alice |
T. |
Lopez |
|
3 |
New |
|
|
Consuelo |
T. |
Lowery |
|
No |
New |
|
|
Angela |
L. |
McClendon Johnson |
|
No |
New |
|
|
Pratik |
R. |
Patel |
|
6 |
New |
|
|
Julie |
B. |
Patterson |
|
10 |
New |
|
|
Paul |
|
Tang |
|
1 |
New |
|
|
Jesse |
E. |
Torres |
|
2 |
New |
|
|
Bobby |
|
Wilkinson |
|
No |
New |
|
|
Geoffrey |
W. |
Crabtree |
|
9 |
Reappointment |
|
|
Patricia |
L. |
Frank |
|
No |
Reappointment |
|
|
Frank |
J. |
Miceli |
|
9 |
Reappointment |
|
|
Khavischal |
A. |
Tiwari |
|
8 |
Reappointment |
|
Taxicab Industry (1 Slot) |
John |
W. |
Bouloubasis |
Jr. |
2 |
Reappointment |
There are more applicants than positions for the General Community. Because of this, the Committee may consider seeking feedback from the various candidates to narrow the recommendations for Council consideration.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Convention and Visitors Commission is comprised of 25 members appointed by the City Council for two-year terms. Additionally, there are two members of the City Council serving as Ex-Officio Members bringing total membership to 27. The 25 CVC Commissioners represent various organizations associated with the hospitality and business community, as well as members of the general community.
The Convention & Visitors Commission assists the Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Convention, Sports, and Entertainment Facilities departments to positively influence the Quality of Life and Economic impact to San Antonio through hospitality industry advocacy and ambassadorship. The CVC achieves its mission through:
• Advising- As industry experts, provides important stakeholder feedback to the CVB, CSEF, COSA, and Mayor and City Council
• Advocating- As industry Ambassadors supports all efforts of the CVB and CSEF
• Acting- As industry leaders, works to improve the quality of life for the residents and visitors of San Antonio
ISSUE:
Board appointments require full City Council approval.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Office of the City Clerk will continue to advertise vacancies.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact.
RECOMMENDATION:
The Office of the City Clerk recommends that the Committee make recommendations for 25 applicants to the Convention and Visitors Commission for appointment at the City Council Meeting October 22, 2015.