Minutes 06-06-2024 - Budget Work Session

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8 Janice Tyler said no dollar amount can be put on funding the MAP because there are so many projects there. She said the commissioners have accepted the plan and they ask how much money, and she is unable to put a dollar figure on it because there are so many projects. Commissioner Fowler asked if they are all funded through this fund or through county tax dollars. Janice Tyler said the MAP has 40-50 partners with money in their budgets. She said that this is a county grassroots plan and not a departmental fund. She said that the Carol Woods money does is provide seed money for projects that do not have any funding. She said that the commissioners get the matrix quarterly and they can see the private projects that are funded. Commissioner Fowler said the budget already moves $75,000 from this fund to use for departmental expenses. She asked if that happens annually. She said that she is trying to grapple with the idea of how this is funded because they just adopted the climate plan, and they do not have a separate fund. She asked if the budget could operate by amendment as funds are received. Bonnie Hammersley said because there have been these funds, that is what they have used. She said that it is hard to define funds because it is a strategic plan. She said that it is difficult to put a price on it because some things are funded with county dollars, like positions in the Department on Aging, she said that is not separate from the MAP. She said others are funded by grants. She said that when she recommended moving the$75,000, it was her recommendation to use the funds to offset what is doing to the tax rate. She said they went in with a scalpel to remove funds from the budget. Commissioner McKee said he thinks the Board is delving into management vs. policy. He said that the professional managers have been handling this. A motion was made by Commissioner Hamilton, seconded by Chair Bedford, to approve budget amendment OPER-001. VOTE: Ayes, 3 (Commissioner Hamilton, Commissioner Portie-Ascott, Chair Bedford); Nays, 4 (Commissioner McKee, Vice-Chair Greene, Commissioner Fowler, Commissioner Richards) MOTION FAILS Commissioner Hamilton reviewed budget amendment OPER-002, which she also sponsored. She said she would like to make a change to this amendment to reduce the Visitors Bureau fund balance by$69,000 to move to the general fund. This would ensure they maintain at 15% fund balance. Chair Bedford said they asked John Roberts and there is no statutory requirement for fund balance. Travis Myren said that is right. He said that the only requirement is that 10% of occupancy tax collections must be used for tourism purposes. Commissioner Richards said 15% is what the Visitors Bureau Advisory Board has set as a goal. She said that she is on the Board this year representing the commissioners. She said that the Eno Arts Mill pays for itself, and the Arts Center is now part of the Visitor's Bureau budget. She said she is trying to understand that if this is coming from occupancy tax, and their charge is to promote, is the thought that they do not need that much. Commissioner Hamilton said she thinks they have to ask that question because of priorities. She said that there are other departments that promote tourism, and these funds do not have to go to just one department. She said that not just one should take all of the revenue. She said especially since there was a fund balance accumulated, and dollars should be spent. She said if the funds are not needed then there are other places they can use the money.