Council approves revised hotel‑motel tax allocations after trimming roughly $10,500
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Summary
After a line‑by‑line debate about constrained hotel‑motel fund balances, the council approved a set of hotel/motel tax allocations — including $5,000 to the Boone County Ag Association, $10,000 to Boone Community Theater and $2,500 to 7 Oaks — following a motion and roll call vote.
Boone — The City Council voted to approve the city’s proposed hotel‑motel tax allocations after trimming roughly $10,500 from staff’s initial recommendations. The motion to approve was made and seconded during the meeting and carried on a roll call vote.
City staff presented a line‑item proposal for the hotel/motel fund, citing limited cash balance after increased spending over the prior two years. Staff noted several organizations on the list: Boone County Ag Association ($5,000), Boone Community Theater ($10,000), 7 Oaks ($2,500), and requests for the Convention/Business entity (figures discussed in the transcript ranged between $94,000 and $98,000), the Chamber (a combined request described as $15,000), Farmers Market ($2,000) and Main Street/Downtown contract support. Staff warned there was "not much of a cash balance left" and said the fund had been drawn down in recent years.
Councilmembers conducted a line‑by‑line review and recommended adjustments to reach the target. Some members argued for trimming the community‑theater allocation because it has received sizable support historically and does not directly generate hotel/motel tax revenue; others urged support for Chamber programming tied to major events (including a 50th anniversary celebration). The council also discussed whether the Chamber membership fee should be paid from hotel/motel funds or the general fund and members agreed the membership fee would likely be paid from general funds in addition to the hotel/motel allocation.
A roll call as read in the transcript recorded these votes: Kehokalie — No; Norman — Yes; Hilsbeck — Yes; Lamson — Yes; Angstrom — Yes; Hammer — No; Henson — Yes. The motion carried based on the recorded roll call statements.
The approved allocations were those read into the record after the adjustments; staff said they would finalize the line items consistent with the council’s directions. The council did not attach additional conditions to the approved allocations in the public discussion recorded in the transcript.
The council will continue budget and revenue work as part of the city’s broader fiscal process, including department presentations scheduled for January and public hearings tied to the tax‑levy timetable.