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6 <br /> 1 Commissioner Jacobs said that the Visitor's Bureau is one of the most successful <br /> 2 economic engines that the County has and it is a very engaged <br /> 3 rou . <br /> group. <br /> A motion was made by Commissioner Nelson, seconded by Commissioner Pelissier to <br /> 4 ask the Chair to send a letter to the Chapel Hill Town Council regarding the hotel/motel <br /> 5 allocation. <br /> 9 9 tax <br /> 6 VOTE: UNANIMOUS Y <br /> 7 <br /> 8 Commissioner Hemminger asked about Carrboro and Commissioner Nelson <br /> said that it <br /> 9 has enabling legislation for a hotel/motel tax. She suggested talking o the Mayors a <br /> g y bout this. <br /> 10 Commissioner Jacobs said to send a letter within the context of this discussion. <br /> 11 Chair Foushee suggested waiting until Carrboro has a hotel before approaching pp g the <br /> 12 Mayor about the allocation of taxes. <br /> 13 Frank Clifton explained how the taxes are collected for hotels and motels. <br /> 14 Commissioner Gordon said that the letter should be hrased within the context xtofthe <br /> 15 Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitor's Bureau discussion and the ros and cons of this <br /> 16 procedure. <br /> p s allocation <br /> 17 Frank Clifton said that Orange County is using all of the Visitor Bureau's tax to ro <br /> p mote <br /> 18 Chapel Hill/Orange County/Carrboro/Hillsborough tourism. The Town of Chapel Hill is <br /> 19 collecting roughly the same p <br /> g g y amount as Orange County and is providing significantly less to <br /> 20 promotion. If it is a governmental function, then Orange County should take advantage of <br /> that <br /> 21 and maybe use some of it for other functions such as recreational facilities. <br /> 22 Chair Foushee said that she would craft a letter for review b the Board of County <br /> y <br /> 23 Commissioners members. It can be amended if it does not .'capture what should be said. <br /> d <br /> 24 Basically, the County puts forward about $909,090 as opposed to $250,000 that Chapel Hill <br /> II <br /> 25 contributes of the same tax collection. This is the issue. <br /> 26 Commissioner Nelson said that Chapel Hill is aware of this because the Visitors Bureau <br /> 27 talks about it every budget year. <br /> 28 A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded b Commissioner Hemmin er <br /> Y � , <br /> 29 to solicit from the Visitors Bureau a response to the County's inclination to spin off as an <br /> 39 independent entity and to tell the pros and cons. <br /> 31 VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> 32 <br /> 33 orange County Arts Commission: <br /> 34 Frank Clifton said that this is a unique situation because it is a department with one staff <br /> 35 person. This was created because there is some State grant money that comes in each Y ear <br /> 36 and there has to be a designated body to approve the distribution of those funds. The County <br /> 37 also provides a match for this function. His recommendation is to put money n for this function, <br /> , <br /> 38 but there is some overlap within the County and he cannot justify this full-time p osition. <br /> 39 Commissioner Yuhasz said that it is not clear to him what the alternatives are and he <br /> 40 would like more information on this. <br /> 41 Commissioner Nelson said that he has some strong feelings that the arts p la Y a <br /> 42 significant role in economic development and he is not convinced that the arrangement is <br /> 43 currently working with economic development and the arts in Orange County. He wants to think <br /> 44 about this. Lots of governments use the arts as an economic development engine. He is not <br /> 45 interested in disbanding the department, but he would like to look at alternatives. The Visitors <br /> 46 Bureau could nurture the arts and this is an alternative worth looking at. <br /> 47 Chair Foushee said that this was going to be her suggestion too regarding the Visitors <br /> g g <br /> 48 Bureau. She agrees that the arts do affect economic development. <br />