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Commission hears room-tax fund update; staff to draft carryover policy
Summary
City staff reported a year-end room-tax balance and recommended developing a carryover policy after several multi-year grant balances were identified. Staff said contract language expects awarded funds to be spent within the award year.
Monona Tourism Commission staff told commissioners on Jan. 17 that the room-tax fund finished 2024 with several carryover items and that the commission should consider a formal carryover or close-out policy.
Finance staff member Mark reported the fund’s preliminary numbers: "We started off 787,000... We spent 488,000. We have outstanding of 38,787... So we had available 260,000." He estimated additional receipts and adjustments next quarter would add roughly $405,000, producing an estimated $703,000 available before known commitments.
Mark said the commission had approved a Discover/Mesba tourism contract (reported in the meeting as about $256,000) that will be paid in February and reduce immediately available funds. "We did approve and paid out in 02/2025 already. Discover, tourism entity contract for Mespa, which is, 256,000... So 408,000, available after that," he said.
Commissioners discussed multiple outstanding carryover requests, including a recurring River Rink grant and an applicant, MG Singh, whose contract had not been fully executed by year-end. Staff said typical practice is to ask grantees near year-end whether they will spend remaining balances; some notify staff they will not use the full amount and return funds. "Usually, I happen, like, towards the end of the year, I would send... an email to a couple places... and ask them, this is how much is left," Mark said.
Commissioner suggestions included creating a formal request process to ask grantees to justify carryovers and a time limit for closing unresponsive grants and returning the money to the pool. Staff noted grant contracts include language that funds are to be spent in the award year; commissioners asked staff to draft a formal carryover/close-out policy for consideration at a future meeting.
The finance update framed grant approvals later on the agenda, with staff advising commissioners to include anticipated outstanding balances when deciding new awards.
