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Midway council refines TAP grant process, flags building use and budget-tracking issues
Summary
City staff and council discussed tightening TAP grant rules: clearer allowable expenses, receipts and interim reporting, a two-member review team, interlocal coordination to prevent duplicate awards, and possible CIP-funded stage purchases. No binding policy was adopted; staff will return with implementation details.
City staff and council members at a Midway City Council meeting discussed changes to how transient-accommodation (TAP) tax grants are administered, focusing on building use, allowable expenses, budget compliance and application review.
Camille, a city staff member leading the presentation, told the council the TAP program is still new and that “we're learning as we go.” The discussion covered several operational changes the council signaled support for, including clearer guidance on eligible expenses, closer budget monitoring with receipts at closeout, an earlier annual application cutoff, and a rotating two-member council review team to pre-screen applications.
Why it matters: Midway has roughly $119,008.74 in a CIP TAP account restricted to trails and parks, and staff reported an additional general TAP balance (transcript shows a separate figure rendered as “$104.08 79”); combined, council members said there is roughly $200,000 of active funds to allocate. Council members said clearer rules will help the town direct those funds toward a mix of cultural events and infrastructure while avoiding inappropriate use.
Key proposals and concerns
- Building use vs. grant policy: Several members said frequent, recurring building rentals — notably new theater groups and multiple dance nights — are tying up weekend dates. One councilmember argued building scheduling and fee policy should be handled separately from TAP eligibility so town facilities remain available to community users.
- Fee schedule and duration discounts: The council questioned whether existing consecutive-day discounts and low resident rates remain appropriate given increased demand. Members cautioned against setting fees that price out community events such as weddings; the council asked staff to review the consecutive-day discount structure.
- Budget compliance and receipts: Staff noted applicants must submit event budgets with their applications. Council debate settled on a need for some flexibility (members suggested a modest variance such as about 5%) while requiring receipts at project closeout. Several members suggested interim reporting or holding a portion of payments until final receipts are submitted to create an audit trail and discourage misuse.
- Interlocal coordination and double-dipping: Camille and councilmembers described cases where a single applicant applied to Midway, the county and neighboring cities for the same project. The council agreed applicants should disclose other funding sources and that TAP funds should not be used to duplicate venue rentals already paid by another grant source; Camille summarized this stance as “No double dipping.”
- Application timing and review: Staff proposed moving the application window to January–February to give the council more review time and align with the county. Members favored assigning two council members per review cycle — avoiding quorum issues — to prefilter applications, with final ratification by the full council.
- Equipment requests and CIP use: Two theater groups requested staging and offered to donate equipment to the town if purchased. Councilmembers discussed using CIP TAP funds for durable items (staging, sound equipment) but flagged storage as a constraint and noted that larger purchases ($30k–$35k per staging system) may appropriately be handled through the capital budget rather than regular grant awards.
What happens next
Council did not adopt firm new rules during the meeting. Staff was asked to prepare more detailed guidance on eligible and ineligible expenses, draft procedures for interim reporting and receipts, and outline how a two-member reviewer assignment would operate. The council also supported implementing the earlier application cutoff starting with the July 1 cycle. The final procedural changes, budget details and any CIP spending decisions will return to the council for further consideration.
Quotes from the meeting
“We're learning as we go,” Camille said, describing the TAP program’s early stages and the need for clearer processes.
“It’s really benefiting, I think, the arts,” said a councilmember reviewing recent awards and cultural impacts, urging caution but expressing support for the program’s direction.
“No double dipping,” Camille said when describing applicants who seek the same venue rental from multiple jurisdictions.
Ending
The council moved to adjourn after agreeing to continue the conversation at future work and budget meetings. Staff will bring refined language and administrative procedures back to the council for formal adoption and to support consistent application reviews.
