TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Tracy Cleveland - Agricultural Commissioner
REPORT BY: Tracy Cleveland - Agricultural Commissioner
SUBJECT: Great Wine Capitals Report from Napa County and Visit Napa Valley Delegates and other action items
RECOMMENDATION
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Interim County Executive Officer and Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer of Weights and Measures request the following:
1. Receive a presentation by Supervisor Pedroza, Supervisor Gregory, Agricultural Commissioner Tracy Cleveland, and Sarah Gillihan and Tom Davies of Visit Napa Valley on Napa County’s participation in the 2022 Great Wine Capitals (GWC) Annual Conference held in Mendoza, Argentina on October 28 - November 5, 2022;
2. Appoint Board representation for GWC per Napa County Policy Manual, Part 1, Section 8B, Rule 25-E; and
3. Authorize out of country travel for two elected official GWC representatives to attend the 2023 GWC Annual Conference in Lausanne, Switzerland from October 20 - 28, 2023 at an estimated cost of $14,000.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
County and Visit Napa Valley representatives will provide a presentation on Napa Valley’s participation in the 2022 GWC Annual Conference held in Mendoza, Argentina.
On August 7, 2007, the Board approved the Great Wine Capitals (GWC) policy [Part 1, Section 8B, Rule 25-E], which provides for the involvement of Napa County officials in the GWC. Today’s action will appoint representation for GWC and authorize out of country travel for two elected official delegates to attend the GWC Annual Conference in Lausanne, Switzerland from October 20 -28, 2023, at a cost not to exceed $18,000 (including Napa County’s Agricultural Commissioner).
PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS:
1. Staff Report
2. Public Comment
3. Recommendation, motion, second, discussion, vote on items.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
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Is it currently budgeted? |
Yes |
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Where is it budgeted? |
Agricultural Commissioner Subdivision 16000-01 |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
The BOS have discussed the County’s involvement in the GWC on several occasions and have decided on its importance to the Napa County wine industry and economy, with the participation of County officials. Section (E) of Part 1, Section 8B, Rule 25 of the Napa County Policy Manual establishes the policy for appointments of Napa County representatives to the GWC Annual Conference. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
Yes |
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Future fiscal impact: |
It is anticipated that the County will participate in future years and the associated costs will be budgeted accordingly. |
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Consequences if not approved: |
Napa County would lose representation at a collaborative event of the world’s wine industry. |
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County Strategic Plan pillar addressed: |
Choose an item. |
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Additional Information |
Click or tap here to enter text. |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The Great Wine Capitals Global Network (GWC) is an organization representing the most distinguished wine regions of the world. The GWC works to encourage international winery tourism as well as economic, academic, and cultural exchanges between members. Only one region per country can be selected as a “Great Wine Capital” and Napa Valley - San Francisco has been designated to represent the United States. Napa Valley- San Francisco joined the GWC in 2006. The cost of membership in the GWC is jointly shared by the Napa Valley Vintners, Visit Napa Valley, and the County of Napa. Representatives meet annually in a designated wine capital. The Board of Supervisors have agreed on the importance of County officials participating in the GWC program due to the global nature of the wine business in Napa County and the forum created by GWC to discuss issues of economic significance to the County and local wine industry.
Current GWC members include Adelaide, South Australia; Bilbao-Rioja, Spain; Bordeaux, France; Capetown-Cape Winelands, South Africa; Lausanne, Switzerland; Mainz Rheinhessen, Germany; Mendoza, Argentina; Napa Valley-San Francisco, USA; Porto, Portugal; Valparaiso-Casablanca Valley, Chile; and Verona, Italy.
Appointments
The appointment of Board members to the Great Wine Capitals General Assembly is addressed under Rule 35, in Part 1: Section 8B of the County Policy Manual, which states:
E. Notwithstanding the foregoing Guidelines, appointments to represent the County at the Great Wine Capitals General Assembly will be as follows:
1. The Board’s designated representative shall be appointed in the same manner as other appointments of Board members under this Rule 25.
2. The Chair shall be an additional designated representative.
3. The current Agricultural Commissioner will be designated to represent the County as the ranking agricultural official.
On January 7, 2020, the Board appointed Supervisor Pedroza to a four-year term to the Great Wine Capital General Assembly, which will expire in 2024, consistent with Rule 25. In accordance with Rule 35, the additional designated representative for the one-year term in 2023 would be Chair Ramos.