County Commission Finance Chairman Tim Boyd is recommending that the maximum percentage of the hotel/motel tax issued to the Chattanooga Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) not exceed 65 percent of the total hotel/motel tax collected by Hamilton County in one fiscal year.
The CVB now gets 100 percent of the tax, that this year is projected to bring in $7.1 million for the county portion.
He is also recommending that the CVB and other agencies getting $25,000 or more from the county in a year be subject to the Open Records Act. CVB officials are taking the position that specific details of the agency spending not be made public and have hired a lawyer to find attempts to make the spending records public.
Meanwhile, Bob Doak, CVB president and CEO, is set to make a presentation to the commission at its meeting on Wednesday.
Commissioner Boyd said a portion of the hotel/motel tax funds that the agency gets should be used by CVB to pay the county’s obligated portion of maintaining the Bessie Smith Preservation Hall/Afro-American Heritage Museum.
He is recommending that the balance of the hotel/motel tax be used "To service debt on bonds issued for the construction of facilities within Hamilton County which enhance and promote tourism, athletic events, and improvements to County operated (and/or jointly operated with the city of Chattanooga) public parks within Hamilton County, and to provide funds as may be needed by which to recruit various sporting, arts, and/or cultural events to Hamilton County."
Commissioner Boyd said a permanent seat should be added to the CVB board for the County Commission. The commission chairperson may hold the seat or appoint a fellow commissioner to fill the seat, it was stated. The County Commission CVB board seat will be held for a term of one year.
The commissioner said the CVB will be required to make a minimum of one financial report per year to the County Commission prior to a regularly schedule commission or agenda session. The commission may asked for additional presentations as may be deemed necessary.
He said the commission should adopt a new resolution requiring any agency receiving $25,000 or more from Hamilton County government be subject to all Hamilton County government procurement and travel policies.
Capital expenses greater than $25,000 would have to be approved by the board of commissioners.