Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Porter County Council members rap tourism bureau but leave budget intact

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By JEFF SCHULTZ

The Porter County Council voted 5-2 to approve the Convention, Recreation and Visitors Commission’s proposed 2016 budget with the only change being a $10,900 increase to the venue fund for the County Parks, Expo Center, Memorial Opera House and County Museum.

About 30 or so residents sat in on the discussion Tuesday, many of whom attended last week’s public hearing protesting the PCCRVC’s use of tax funds to lobby for legislation to allow alcohol at the Indiana Dunes State Park Pavilion. The PCCRVC Board of Directors also threw its support behind Pavilion Partners LLC which has a lease with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to renovate the pavilion and build a banquet center.

The PCCRVC receives funding for its budget through the innkeeper’s tax of five percent on hotel stays in the county, and a lease payment from the National Parks Service for the operation of the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center. The 2016 projected budget was approved at $1,341,690.

Margaret Willis of Chesterton and Dunes Action had read a statement last week asking the Council to increase the funding for the venue fund, reform the innkeeper’s tax and make the PCCRVC matching grant fund for local non-profit groups only.

But the County Council didn’t find problems with the organizations who received the grants this past year as all of them had been for events held in Porter County.

“There’s nobody on this list that doesn’t belong here. The money is being spent absolutely appropriately,” said Council member Jim Biggs, R-1st.

PCCRVC Board President Mitch Peters, who is the Council’s sole appointment on the board, said the tourism bureau has been true to its mission statement of “being a key economic driver of sustainable tourism growth in Porter County” and that “these grants are important to our communities.”

Council President Dan Whitten, D-at large, steered the discussion towards the Pavilion Partners issue telling Peters and PCCRVC Executive Director Lorelei Weimer that the Council “has been inundated with ‘hate mail’ because of the development up on the beach” and would be remiss if it didn’t address the concerns the public has expressed about the PCCRVC budget.

Peters said the Pavilion Partners project appeared on the board’s agenda in April right after the DNR held a meeting at the Chesterton Middle School and felt it best be moved to another time as a chance to provide the public with answers to their questions. The meeting was held on July 16 at the Memorial Opera House.

Whitten, who said he is not a proponent of Pavilion Partners, then asked Peters, “was it your charge on the (tourism board) to approve this project?”

Peters replied in the affirmative saying “this project has significant impact on tourism in Porter County, a positive impact.” There will be more people coming to the beach, staying in hotels and spending money in the county,” he said. “I believe there is millions of dollars of economic benefit.”

Since there had been an analysis into what the Pavilion will bring in, Biggs asked if there had been a study to look at the negative impacts it would have, given the PCCRVC’s stance that the Dunes are the most valuable piece of property in the state.

Peters said he does not believe a study like that has been done but Weimer said Pavilion Partners is currently conducting an environmental impact study. Biggs pondered why the study is being done now when it makes more sense that it be done prior to construction and applying for a liquor permit.

Biggs scolded the board for even considering support for the project and “carrying the water on this” when a representative on the PCCRVC -- Valparaiso businessman Chuck Williams -- is the primary investor.

“You should have gotten away from this as far as possible,” Biggs said, adding that it has caused much frustration to “the people who want to protect that park.”

If there was any time he felt he was not doing his job, Peters said he would step down from the board. He said he “takes issue” with accusations of him being “rude” at the July 16 presentation, contending that it “was handled well.” “It was controlled chaos,” Peters said.

Council member Sylvia Graham, D-at large, said there has always been a good rapport previously between the Council and the PCCRVC but suggested “that going forward things be drawn out into the open and we have good interaction with what is going on.”

Fellow Council member Jeremy Rivas, D-2nd, said he agrees that “there is not enough communication” between the two entities. He said he’s heard of the studies done on sports feasibility in Porter County and the Expo Center but the Council has not heard the results from the tourism bureau.

Rivas, Whitten and Council Vice-President Karen Conover, R-3rd, made the push that more money be given to the four County venues.

The Commissioners, PCCRVC and Council years ago directed that 10 percent, of the innkeeper’s tax help fund county venues that serve visitors as well as local residents. The “venue fund” was split with 40 percent going to the Parks Department, and the other 60 percent going to the Commissioners to be spent as they direct on the Memorial Opera House, the Museum and the Expo Center. During a later budget crisis the County Council raised the percentage to 12.5 percent of the innkeepers tax to relieve pressure on the county’s general fund.

Still later, the PCCRVC succeeded in getting the Council to freeze the venue fund at its current level of $89,000.

The Council Tuesday talked of changing the formula to give further help to the three smaller venues which are “struggling,” but Council attorney Scott McClure said that would need approval from the Commissioners.

Before voting, the Council examined line items that could be cut such as $250,000 for marketing, but Weimer said the last time the marketing was going to be cut, it upset a few businesses.

Graham said, “It’s hard to cut this budget because it is so necessary.”

Vote

The motion was made to boost the venue fund to $100,000. Those voting in favor were Graham, Biggs, Conover, Council member Mike Jessen, R-4th, and member Robert Poparad, D-at large.

Voting no were Whitten and Rivas who said their vote was influenced by their desire to see even more funding go to the county venues.

Whitten stated to the audience that the Council has no control over the DNR or the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission which will be voting on whether to grant Pavilion Partners a liquor permit.

 

Posted 9/23/2015

 
 
 
 

 

 

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