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September 24, 2008

Groves Council to discuss Groves Chamber funding Thursday

By Darragh Doiron



GROVES — A boon to one tax fund could actually mean less funding for a long-standing Groves entity.

Funding for the Groves Chamber of Commerce & Tourist Center is a discussion item for the Groves City Council work session at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, in council chambers at City Hall, 3947 Lincoln Ave. in Groves.

“What has transpired is there has been a large boon in the amount of city hotel/motel tax,” D.E. Sosa, Groves city manager, said.

Cities generally set aside a portion of this tax to promote the area for tourism.

“The city of Groves has elected to let people who have appropriate projects come to the council to get their funding for things like horseshoe tournaments, softball tournaments, things that qualify,” Sosa said. “We have been in negotiations with the chamber for several months as to what they will need to operate. The current contract says ‘70 percent of all collected.’ In recent years that’s been pushing $100,000.”

Sosa said the question is if the chamber needs that much money to fulfill their obligation as a tourist bureau. Sosa said there is a difference of opinion among council members and that cutting the current amount is a “very real possibility.”

Ronnie Boneau, the chamber’s executive director, said he would not comment on the topic at this time, but he said he expected chamber board members would attend the Thursday session.

Sosa said no action will be taken at the work session, but the item may come up for the council’s Monday meeting at 5:30 p.m.

“I would think that there would be some action taken on Monday,” Sosa said.

Contact this reporter at ddoiron@panews.com.

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