Ten Fallbrook groups, Bonsall chamber receive TOT funds

The allocation of Fiscal Year 2008-09 Community Enhancement funds obtained from the County of San Diego’s Transient Occupancy Tax revenue included grants to ten Fallbrook organizations and to the Bonsall Chamber of Commerce.

Each county supervisor was given a $670,000 Community Enhancement budget and decided how much of his or her budget would be given to each group requesting funds.

Supervisor Bill Horn’s recommendations were ratified by the rest of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors when the supervisors approved the county’s 2008-09 budget, including the Community Enhancement allocations, on June 24.

Although the revenue is only from TOT money collected from lodging facilities in the unincorporated portion of the county, organizations in incorporated cities are eligible for funding.

Most organizations received less than the amount they requested. The money is not based on the previous year’s allocation, and there are no adverse consequences of asking for more money than will be granted.

The Bonsall Chamber of Commerce, which did not seek any 2007-08 Community Enhancement funds, requested $20,000 in 2008-09 TOT revenue and was allocated $10,000.

The money will be used for the Bonsall Country Festival, creation of a Bonsall Chamber of Commerce interactive Web site, a Bonsall Bucks coupon book, and a Bonsall business directory.

The Fallbrook Area Visitors Bureau asked for $165,000 but received the same $5,000 amount it was given last year. The money will be spent on advertisements.

Each county supervisor also has a discretionary Community Projects budget, and some Community Enhancement requests can be fulfilled by that source.

On June 17 the supervisors approved Horn’s recommendation to allocate $50,000 in District Five Community Projects funding to the Fallbrook Area Visitors Bureau for costs associated with its Insider’s Studio Tour event.

The Fallbrook Art Association, which received $10,000 of 2007-08 Community Enhancement funds, was given the entirety of the $14,500 sought for 2008-09.

That amount was based on $7,000 for the spring and fall art shows, $2,000 for public art demonstrations, $2,000 for art workshops, $2,000 for the PleinAir competition, and $1,500 for two art festivals in Downtown Fallbrook.

Fallbrook/Bonsall Rally for Children did not receive any 2007-08 TOT revenue and requested $20,000 for 2008-09. The organization was granted $3,000 of Community Enhancement funding, which will be used for the Arts in the Park event.

The Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce received $85,000, the same amount awarded in 2007, after requesting $190,000 of 2008-09 TOT funding.

The chamber will spend the money on Avocado Festival expenses, for tourism support, to provide economic development or expansion for existing businesses, and for the Fallbrook Christmas Parade.

The Fallbrook Gem and Mineral Society’s $3,000 allocation equals both the 2007-08 provided amount and the 2008-09 request. This year’s funding will provide $1,500 to landscape the museum and $1,500 for the preparation, printing, and distribution of promotional postcards.

The Fallbrook Historical Society, which received $4,000 of TOT funding last year, asked for $15,000 and received $5,000 for asphalt pavement of the area leading to and surrounding the museum’s interpretive center which is known as “The Barn.”

The historical society had received $30,000 of Community Projects funds to help the society pay the outstanding construction costs of the barn when the June 17 Community Projects allocations were approved.

The Fallbrook Land Conservancy, which did not seek 2007-08 Community Enhancement funding, requested and received $10,000 to cover $2,000 apiece for Stage Coach Sunday, the Tails and Trails dog show, planting and maintaining trees, maintaining the Santa Margarita Trail, and enhancing the Firescape Garden.

The Fallbrook Village Association, which received $45,000 in 2007, requested $100,000 and received $45,000 of Community Enhancement funds.

The organization, which on June 17 was allocated $35,000 of Community Projects funds to construct a restroom meeting Americans with Disabilities Act standards, will spend the Community Enhancement money on a reception and sculpture garden for the Fallbrook School of the Arts, advertising and marketing for the Fallbrook Art Center, outdoor lighting at the Fallbrook School of the Arts, and general support to the Fallbrook Area Visitors Bureau.

The Live Oak Park Coalition’s $17,500 request resulted in an allocation of $5,000, matching the 2007-08 amount.

The Live Oak Park Coalition will use the money to rebuild the wedding area of Live Oak Park into an amphitheater and to replace mature oak trees at the park.

The Reche Community Club, which did not apply for 2007-08 funding, requested $9,875 and received $3,000 to repair wood rot and termite damage in the old schoolhouse building and to replace doors with termite and weather damage.

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