Pacific tourism commission discusses state statute change to broaden membership eligibility

Pacific tourism commissioners reviewed a proposal to amend the state statute governing membership on local tourism commissions to allow business owners who have premises in Pacific and residents of adjacent counties to serve on the commission.

The change under discussion would modify the current rule that members must live within city limits or within the county where the city resides; the chamber of commerce’s proposal would broaden eligibility to include people who own a business in Pacific and to include residents of surrounding counties such as Jefferson, Franklin or St. Louis County. "The way the statute is written is you have to live in city limits or within the county in which the city resides," one commissioner said. "If we can get it altered…