Seventeen local groups given Transient Occupancy Tax funding

Seventeen Fallbrook-area organizations were allocated 2017-2018 Community Enhancement funds from San Diego County’s Transient Occupancy Tax revenue.

The Community Enhancement appropriations are part of the county’s 2017-2018 budget, which was approved on a 5-0 San Diego County Board of Supervisors vote June 27. Each county supervisor has discretionary control of a Community Enhancement budget of $1,079,000, not including returned funds from 2016-2017 awards. Supervisor Bill Horn had $1,079,307 to distribute to District 5 or multiple-district groups.

Although the revenue is only from Transient Occupancy Tax money collected from lodging facilities in the unincorporated portion of the county, organizations in incorporated cities are also eligible for funding. Each county supervisor also has a discretionary Neighborhood Reinvestment Program budget, so some Community Enhancement requests can be fulfilled through that source.

The Armed Services YMCA received $5,000, which was the requested amount by the YMCA located on Camp Pendleton. The money will enhance child care support programs for military children and families through staffing of the Fisher Children’s Center. Last year, the Armed Services YMCA was given $12,800 in Community Enhancement funding.

The Bonsall Chamber of Commerce was given $20,000. The chamber’s $24,000 request sought $10,000 for a networking festival, $5,000 to direct tourists and potential residents to the area and its resources, $5,000 for business and tourist attraction directories and $4,000 to organize quarterly events. The chamber was allocated $20,500 of 2016-2017 Transient Occupancy Tax revenue.

The Fallbrook Art Association was given $12,700, which will cover $11,500 for three annual shows at the Brandon Gallery and a plein air show and $1,200 for monthly demonstrations. The amount matches what the association requested. Last year the Fallbrook Art Association was provided with $12,000 from the Community Enhancement budget.

Fallbrook Center for the Arts received $20,000 of its $55,000 request. The arts center had sought $25,000 to pay for the electricity needed by the light-emitting diode illumination in the main gallery, $15,000 for art supplies for children and adult classes in ceramics and the Junior Wildlife Art Show and $15,000 for postcards, brochures, stationary, fliers, media advertising, postage, distribution services, window displays, signs, website design and maintenance. The 2016-2017 process included a $30,000 Community Enhancement grant to the arts center.

The $120,000 the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce received is less than the $151,000 the chamber requested. The chamber desired $60,000 for the Avocado Festival, $35,000 to provide business seminars and other services, $22,000 for the visitor center, $19,000 for a monthlong community collaboration intended to encourage December holiday shopping in Fallbrook and $15,000 for a tourist destination branding program.

The chamber was given $125,000 of Transient Occupancy Tax funding for 2016-2017. The Fallbrook Gem and Mineral Society will be allocated $10,000, which matched the society’s request and exceeded the $8,000 given last year. The Community Enhancement grant will fund permanent signage, event banners and funding for promotional items such as brochures, postcards and fliers.

The Fallbrook Historical Society requested $38,000 and received $10,000. The historical society desired $10,000 for facility maintenance, $10,000 for grounds maintenance covering the Reche School House as well as the museum grounds, $9,000 for utilities and security expenses, $5,000 for fire and casualty insurance and $4,000 for accounting services. Last year’s grant to the Fallbrook Historical Society was for $5,000.

The $12,500 requested by and allocated to the Fallbrook Music Society will allow for free Sunday concerts at the Fallbrook branch library. A $10,000 allocation was provided to the Fallbrook Music Society last year.

Fallbrook Senior Citizens Service Club asked for $32,742 and was granted $15,000. Had the organization received its full request, $17,242 would have been used to complete windows, blinds and entry doors and $15,500 would have funded a concrete masonry unit in the shape of a block monument pedestal with veneer rock and cap to match the existing Fallbrook Community Center signs. The organization did not receive Community Enhancement funding for 2016-2017.

The Fallbrook Sports Association was given $30,000, which will help offset permit, operations and maintenance costs for expanded services. The nonprofit entity which operates the Fallbrook Sports Park did not receive Transient Occupancy Tax funding last year, but the planned expanded use will require a Major Use Permit. The county cannot waive the cost of that fee, so the Fallbrook Sports Association requested $75,000 for the costs associated with expanding the sports park’s services.

The Fallbrook Village Association desired $35,000 and was awarded $29,000. The organization sought $20,000 for a study to develop a traffic calming program and $15,000 for a study to design and implement a special event venue in the library plaza parking lot adjacent to the Fallbrook branch library. Last year’s grant was for $24,000.

Fallbrook Youth Soccer League obtained $15,507 of its $89,000 request. The league sought $50,000 for player uniforms, $14,000 for field equipment, $12,000 for scholarships for children who cannot afford the registration fees, $8,000 for licensed competitive coaches and $5,000 for registration for all players. The organization did not receive Community Enhancement funding last year.

Friends of the Fallbrook Community Center was given the entirety of its $15,000 request, which will fund the annual tree lighting event including shuttle service which will be added for this year’s event. Friends of the Fallbrook Community Center was allocated $10,000 for 2016-2017.

The Live Oak Park Coalition desired $23,000 and received $15,000. The full requested amount would have covered $10,000 to replace or refurbish active recreation elements in the park including the kiosk, exercise equipment and exercise stations, $10,000 to repair and maintain 18 miles of trails in the Santa Margarita Valley and $3,000 for wood chips, dog waste bags, operational signs and cleaning supplies for the off-leash dog park area. The Live Oak Park Coalition obtained $12,500 of 2016-2017 funding.

The Pauma Valley Community Association sought and received $14,500 to make the 58-year-old restrooms compliant with current codes and increase energy efficiency. Last year, the organization received $8,512 from the Community Enhancement budget.

Riding Emphasizing Individual Needs and Strengths obtained $15,000 of its requested $38,500, which would have covered $15,000 for the REINS Country Hoedown, $10,000 for a portion of the volunteer coordinator’s salary, $7,500 for the new Horses, Hats and Hope community event in collaboration with the Foundation for Senior Care and focusing on the Kentucky Derby, $3,500 for the annual Spring Hop and $2,500 for the annual Day at the Races event at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club track. REINS was given $16,500 of 2016-2017 Community Enhancement funding.

Support the Enlisted Project sought $50,000 and was given $5,000. The organization desired $25,000 for the costs of a full-time case manager, $15,000 for its emergency financial assistance program and $10,000 for maintenance and repair costs for STEP’s three vehicles. The 2016-2017 process gave $5,137 to the project.

The Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation is located in Carlsbad, as is the lagoon that the foundation seeks to preserve and enhance, but the $20,000 the foundation received from the 2017-2018 Community Enhancement budget may fund an environmental stewardship school field trip for 170 third-graders from the two Camp Pendleton schools. The foundation sought $41,700, including $5,000 for the field trip.