Commerce council approves $8,000 hotel-occupancy-tax amendment for Chamber visitor center

The Commerce City Council on a voice vote approved an amendment to the FY2024–25 budget to allocate $8,000 from the hotel-occupancy-tax (HOT) fund balance to the Chamber of Commerce to keep the city's visitor information center open.

The Chamber's board president, Amy Welch, told the council the Chamber was awarded $2,000 in the current year and is seeking an additional $8,000 so it would have $10,000 available this year. "This is a request for previously allocated funds. We have no expectation that this would extend into future years," Welch said, adding the money would support the visitor information center and tourism promotion.

Council members pressed the Chamber on procedures and oversight. Council members noted that unused prior HOT awards had rolled into fund balance and said awarding fund-balance money upfront departs from the city's usual practice of requiring organizations to spend funds first and submit receipts. Welch said the Chamber could place the funds in a separate account, provide receipts, and deliver monthly or periodic financial reports; she said the Chamber plans to start a strategic planning process in February to restructure operations and preserve reserves.

City staff confirmed the money would come from HOT fund balance, not current-year HOT receipts, and said total HOT fund balance was about $98,000. A council member recorded on the public record that the expenditure is an exception to the city's HOT-funds protocol.

The council motion to adopt the budget amendment passed by voice vote. City staff recorded that budget amendments are approved on first reading and a second reading is not required.

The Chamber said it will provide documentation of expenditures and financial reports as it spends the allocation. Council members requested monthly receipts and ongoing reporting while the Chamber uses the funds.