— Move will generate $190,000 tax & $190,000 resort funds —

(OSOYOOS TIMES — April 25, 2007) —

At a special open meeting Monday, Council gave third reading to the Additional Hotel Room Tax Levy Bylaw after receiving clarification on a few issues, including the number of hotel and motel rooms in Osoyoos and some vagueness in the bylaw's wording.
The measure, which could get final Council approval within weeks, will have the Town ask the provincial government to have Osoyoos hoteliers collect an additional two-per-cent room tax from October 1, 2007 to September 30, 2012.
The program will be administered by Destination Osoyoos (DO) and how the money is spent will be voted on by a Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) made up of members of the Osoyoos Hotel-Motel Association (OHMA).
The bylaw was given first and second readings April 2, and revisions have now been made as follows:rn¢ Deletion of the provision which had said that after the new tax, the Town would continue to provide DO with an annual sum of $226,5000 (in 2007), and those funds would be reallocated to support the business attraction, relocation and business support parts of DO's mandate.
¢ With respect to the management and administration process, addition of the point that the OHMA Committee members will elect their chair (who must be an appointed member of OHMA) for a two-year term.
¢ Clarification of the terms as to who will give final approval to the TAC's annual marketing plan and budget, noting the Town of Osoyoos “ not DO “ will have final approval.
¢ Under amendments to the Terms of Reference, the inclusion that the Town of Osoyoos, along with the TAC and DO, will agree on any amendments.
¢ Within the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Town and DO, inclusion of the point that Town Council will have the final approval for the TAC's proposed draft budget.
¢ That the MOU be signed by Mayor John Slater and CAO Helen Koning on behalf of the Town and by Chair Chris Bower and Executive Director Glenn Mandziuk on behalf DO.
In addition to an estimated $190,000 in additional hotel tax revenue, the Town will also receive another $190,000 from the province under its new resort municipality funding program.
The annual $380,000 can then be used for additional tourism marketing and development.