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Erie County asks Lake Erie Shores & Islands for full 2025 budget, project and staffing details
Summary
County administrators told commissioners that materials from Lake Erie Shores & Islands lacked sufficient detail; the board instructed staff to request the full 2025 budget, project lists, expense reports and an employee roster after officials noted the 2% lodging tax slice is projected at $4.6 million for 2025.
Erie County officials said Wednesday the county needs more detailed budget and staffing information from Lake Erie Shores & Islands (LESI) before it can complete its review of the 2025 lodging‑tax allocation.
County Administrator Hank Solowiej told the Board of Commissioners that the documentation provided by LESI “lacked the detail necessary for a thorough review.” Commissioners instructed Solowiej to obtain a copy of LESI’s full 2025 budget, a detailed list of current and upcoming Visitors and Convention Bureau projects, comprehensive expense reports, and a complete employee list showing job titles and salaries.
Commissioner Matt Old emphasized transparency for organizations receiving taxpayer funds, saying publicly funded entities should make budget and staffing information readily available to county officials. No deadline was specified for LESI to supply the requested materials.
The board reviewed preliminary figures showing the 2 percent portion of the total 4 percent lodging tax is estimated to produce about $4.6 million in 2025; the county was told Erie County’s share is approximately $3.6 million and Ottawa County’s share about $1 million. Solowiej said county collections remain slightly below the annual budgeted projections despite a modest year‑over‑year increase in monthly gas tax receipts.
The board’s instruction to county staff is procedural: county staff will request the documents and report back to the commissioners if the materials remain incomplete or if follow‑up is needed.
