08/11/1992 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e Gleason's proposal. The council agreed by consensus to drop from further consideration Component 26B, Business Assistance Team (Merge With Metropolitan Partnership). The council took a ten-minute break at 7 p.m. The council resumed its discussion by examining Component 38C, Convention and Visitors Bureau (Eliminate Contract; realizes $300,000). The council briefly discussed a proposal made by the hotel/motel industry to raise the Transient Room Tax by two percent to supplant the money currently directed to the Convention and Visitors Bureau by Eugene and Springfield. Mr. Robinette asked how the proposal affected the component. Ms. Ehrman said that the result would be elimination of the City's contract with the bureau. Mr. Robinette suggested that he supported inclusion of Component 38C in the draft strategy if it was clear that elimination of the contract was based on the County's support for the room tax increase as proposed by the hotel/motel industry. Mr. Rutan moved, seconded by Mr. Nicholson, to defer discussion of Component 38C. The motion failed, 5:3. The council discussed the hotel/motel industry proposal further. Mr. Rutan e expressed concern that there was an expectation on the part of industry as to where the dollars currently allotted for the contract would be spent. Mr. MacDonald agreed. He said while he believed the concept to be a good one, he urged that there be specificity about both the expenditures planned and the dollars involved before agreement was reached to avoid such disagreements as had been experienced in the past over how room tax dollars were spent. Mr. Boles agreed with Mr. MacDonald's remarks. He pointed out that, even were funds partitioned as proposed by the hotel/motel industry, the amount avail- able was inadequate to eliminate General Fund subsidies to the Hult Center. Responding to Mr. Nicholson's observation regarding the original resolution establishing the room tax and the stipulation in the resolution that the moneys be directed toward the performing arts, Ms. Ehrman said that the ordinance had been modified to encompass other activities. Mr. Nicholson said that the voters had approved the original resolution in the belief they were funding the arts. Mr. Miller said that he would favor a motion indicating that, were the County to increase the room tax as proposed, the council supported elimination of the moneys dedicated to the contract and would direct those dollars to the Hult Center. Mr. Robinette moved, seconded by Ms. Ehrman, to include Compo- nent 38C in the draft strategy. e MINUTES--City Council Work Session August 11, 1992 Page 8 5:30 p.m.