Near the end of the budget workshop, councilors discussed how to allocate hotel‑occupancy (hot) tax revenue for visitor‑oriented projects such as Robertson Park improvements, wayfinding signage and the depot museum.

A council member noted the city collected about $172,000 in hot tax last year and that the proposed budget language would allow the city to use hot tax receipts for acceptable facilities rather than limiting funds to a single named project. The item is intended to be available for projects starting in 2027, the speaker said.

The speaker told councilors she had invited festival organizers to the workshop so they would be aware of the potential change; she also said a lawyer from the state Hotel and Lodging Association had called to discuss allowable uses. “I got a phone call from a lawyer from the Hotel and Lodging Association,” she said, and described coordinating with local event founders so they were not surprised if funds were reallocated.

Councilors discussed options: allocate a portion now to signage and parking wayfinding, reserve some funds for future larger projects such as the depot museum, or retain funds to support festivals. One staff comment noted an application deadline of Sept. 26 for a related grant the city had submitted.

No formal vote was recorded during the workshop. Council members said they could vote that night to keep the money available for acceptable facilities but would not commit the funds to a specific project in the session. One councilor said the county might contribute as previously promised, and that city representatives would attend a future meeting to press the case.