Mayor asks council to retain hotel-motel tax and create city tourism department amid review of Logan County bureau finances

Mayor Tracy Welch asked the Lincoln City Council during the April 15 committee meeting to consider retaining the usual 95% share of the city's hotel-motel tax revenue for a city-run tourism department, citing a recent financial review of the Logan County Tourism Bureau and community feedback questioning the bureau's return on investment.

Welch said the review, prepared by Scott McCoy for the Logan County Tourism Bureau, showed about $221,000 in annual income for the bureau (city hotel-motel tax $169,000; a state grant of roughly $45,000; museum sales about $7,000) and approximately $205,000 in regular operating expenses, leaving little to spend on advertising. After the bureau's reported $68,000 for marketing and advertising is included, Welch said the bureau's statement of activity showed a net deficit of roughly $51,600.

"It's not a reflection of anyone in particular or the bureau," Welch said. "It's just the facts as they currently stand." She recommended hiring a consultant — referencing McCoy, a consultant with Route 66 experience — under a city-run model and relying on a small number of part-time staff to reduce payroll and rent costs. Welch said McCoy estimated consulting costs at about $45,000,…