Fulton County commissioners vote to move forward with hotel-motel tax distribution per legal advice

Fulton County commissioners voted Feb. 10 to proceed with distribution of hotel-motel tax revenue based on legal advice after a staff briefing on options. The motion to "move forward with distribution of Hotel Motel Tax Revenue according to legal advice/recommendation" was made by Commissioner Randy H. Bunch and carried with all in favor.

County staff and outside financial counsel briefed commissioners earlier in the meeting. Interim County Treasurer Amy Bishop and Fiscal Administrator Sue Reed presented the discussion alongside Mike Lamb of Wessel & Co., who participated via Zoom; Chief Tax Assessor Melissa Gordon attended portions of the discussion. The transcript records a discussion of distribution options and references to legal guidance but does not record the concrete allocation method or any dollar figures tied to the motel-hotel tax distribution.

The vote authorizes county officials to implement a distribution approach consistent with counsel's recommendation. The transcript records no dissenting remarks or abstentions. Commissioners did not record a timeline for implementation or a detailed allocation in the meeting minutes.

The decision caps a staff-level review that included the county treasurer and outside financial advisement; the transcript does not show whether the county will publish the legal advice or the adopted allocation formula. The county will likely direct staff to execute the distribution steps recommended by counsel and reported by the treasurer and fiscal staff.