03/14/1983 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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e - e international market, and developing familiarization tours for meeting-planners. He reiterated that it takes dollars to generate dollars and that the dollars generated by the bureau's efforts would increase Room Tax funds available to support the arts in Eugene. Allen Lonstron, 85819 Barnwell Lane, spoke on behalf of the Valley River Inn and the hotel/motel industry. He said that industry needed more business, and he felt that the additional allocation to the Convention and Visitors' Bureau would help stimulate this. He said he believed that the additional revenues generated by area hotels and motels for the Room Tax Fund would provide more funding for the arts. There being no further testimony, public hearing was closed. Councilor Holmer referred to the ordinance under consideration and noted that the word "hotel" was used throughout the ordinance and that motels were not referred to at all. He also referred to a section of the ordinance which discussed application of the room tax to mobile home parks and asked if this tax was currently being levied. Mr. Holmer suggested that the council consider applying the tax to bed and breakfast establishments. City Attorney Les Swanson responded that use of the word "hotel" in the ordinance covered motels and that no distinction was made between the two. Finance Director Warren Wong said that the City only applied the tax to hotels and motels, not to mobile home parks or such uses as leasing the University of Oregon dormitories. Councilor Ball asked if the City's contract with the Convention and Visitors' Bureau includes performance criteria under which the bureau will be evaluated. Mr. Hartnett responded that broad performance criteria were contained in the contract. He said that area hotel/motel occupancy figures were one indicator of the bureau's performance. Mr. Gleason said that in the past the City had evaluated the bureau on the basis of its programs and had not quantified evalu- ation criteria. Councilor Ball asked how closely the City's proposed action was being coordi- nated with the one-percent increase currently being considered by the County. Mr. Gleason said that he had spoken with both County Administrator Margaret Mahoney and Springfield City Manager Steve Burkett and that he believed Eugene's action paralleled the County's. He said Springfield was considering taking parallel action. Councilor Smith said that this was not a new issue for the Room Tax Committee. She said it was encouraging to see the industry support the room tax for the first time. Councilor Wooten noted that the Convention and Visitors' Bureau currently received $85,000 per year from the City for services provided under contract and that the proposed one-percent increase would generate approximately $113,000 in additional funds. She asked if the bureau would be presenting a work plan for use of the additional funds. Mr. Gleason said that Mr. Hartnett had previously made a presentation to the council regarding the bureau's work plan, which had responded to the City's request for additional destination point promotion. Mr. Gleason agreed that the contract with the bureau would need to be amended if the additional funds are provided, since the City needs to purchase specific MINUTES--Eugene City Council March 14, 1983 Page 2