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Council debates Visit Brainerd service agreement; members press for clearer audit, fixed term and firmer termination rights
Summary
Council members discussed Resolution 2025-038 and a draft services agreement designating Visit Brainerd as the city's marketing and visitors bureau. Staff said Visit Brainerd proposed annual compiled financial statements with agreed-upon procedures; members pressed for a set review cycle, annual spending clarity, and clearer termination language.
The Baxter City Council spent the bulk of its discussion on a draft services agreement and proposed resolution (2025-038) to designate Visit Brainerd as the city's marketing and visitors bureau. Robert, a staff member, told the council the agreement draft incorporates four priorities the council asked to be addressed: marketing, an economic impact analysis, a return of unspent lodging-tax proceeds, and financial accountability.
Why it matters: The lodging tax funds at issue are restricted by state law to tourism-related purposes; council members said they want clearer checks so money collected for tourism is spent on tourism and reviewed regularly rather than allowed to accumulate or be diverted to general-purpose accounts.
Robert said the city attorney's original draft included a formal audit but that Visit Brainerd proposed an alternative: annual compiled financial…
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