Town of Sevastopol, Door County, Wisconsin : Town Board : Town Board Minutes

Home : Town Board : Town Board Minutes

Selected Town Board Minutes
TOWN OF SEVASTOPOL
Apr 11, 2007

TOWN OF SEVASTOPOL
Door County, Wisconsin
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’
"SPECIAL MEETING" MINUTES
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Meeting Room, Modular Building at Sevastopol Schools
4550 STH 57, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Call to Order:
Chairman Leo W. Zipperer called the meeting to order at 4:15 p.m. for
the purpose of discussion and action on a proposed ordinance for the
collection of room tax and the Tourism Zone Agreement.

Pledge of Allegiance: Chairman asked all to rise and join in the
Pledge of Allegiance.

Establish Quorum/Roll Call:
Roll call was taken. Chairman Leo Zipperer, Supervisors Tom Girman,
Chuck Tice, Dan Woelfel and John Staveness, along with Clerk/Treasurer
Linda Wait were in attendance.

Also In Attendance:
Laddie Chapman, Brad Birmingham, John Thenell, Donna Thenell, Bob
Graef and Maude Graef.

Discussion:
Chairman Zipperer explained the urgency in calling this special
meeting, in that the Door County Visitor Bureau has a meeting
scheduled for April 12, 2007, at which time the Door County Tourism
Commission begins and municipalities will be asked their intent on
participation or not in the collection of room tax on transient
lodging and the Tourism Zone Commission Agreement. Some citizens have
expressed favor and other are opposed to the Town joining a room tax
coalition. Supervisor Tice has attended the various meetings and
Zipperer invited him to provide a further explanation and status
report.
Tice provided a brief history of the room tax and tourism zone
proposal, initiated in August 2006. Karen Raymore, DCVB (former Door
County Chamber of Commerce), has presented samples and proposals to
the various municipalities as to the Tourism Zone Commission
Agreement, Tourism Entity Agreement and Room Tax Ordinance. Joint
meetings were also conducted through the Municipal Taxpayers
Commission for discussion, suggestions and corrections which would be
acceptable to the municipalities. Attorney Nesbitt put together the
proposed agreements for review. Specifically, we looked at the
ordinance used by the Town of Liberty Grove and created our draft from
that.
Tice went on to explain the Commission and its makeup, funding,
authority and process for collection of the room tax and the hiring of
administrators to promote Door County tourism. There was discussion on
the DCVB member structure and dues; member or not, the room tax would
be collected and is expected to generate $2.2 million, based on
"everyone in the pie," and the various ways in which tourism would or
could be promoted. Tice explained that transient lodging was defined
as 30 days or less and that Wis. Stats. grants municipalities the
authority to impose a room tax, with 70% to be spent on advertising
and promotion and 30% to be retained by the Town. The 4% maximum
allowed for operational expense comes out of the 70% collected.

Tice indicated the Commission will start tomorrow and that if we do
not join, we will not have a say in the marketing, funding, etc. Once
on board, we could opt out after five years, upon six months' notice.
Tice also mentioned the Commission at this point has no starting
capital; funds would have to be borrowed, either from an outside
source or from the municipalities, and paid back later.
Brad Birmingham, John and Donna Thenell and Bob Graef expressed their
concerns with the implementation of a room tax and the fact that they
were lodging providers on a small scale, with just one or just a few
units.
Zipperer said that the room tax matter had come before the Town Board
back in 1998 and at that time, the Town did go on notice to accept it,
if other municipalities jumped onboard. He indicated that tourism is
our biggest industry and needs to be promoted. Even though the Town
is used as a conduit for implementation and collection, these are
funds that would be available for our use and not have to go on the
tax levy.
Motion by Zipperer and seconded by Girman to first adopt a room tax
ordinance, similar to that proposed by Liberty Grove, and then proceed
to the Tourism Zone Commission Agreement. Following some additional
discussion, the motion carried, unanimously, by roll call vote
(Staveness-aye, Woelfel-aye, Zipperer-aye, Girman-aye, Tice-aye).
Motion by Tice and seconded by Staveness that the Door County Visitor
Bureau be notified of the adoption of the room tax ordinance, but we
would like clarification as to the members. Motion carried,
unanimously.
Motion by Girman and seconded by Woelfel to accept the Tourism Zone
Commission Agreement, subject to Commission Representative Tice's
approval of the final version of the agreement. Motion carried,
unanimously.
Motion by Zipperer and seconded by Girman that Tice continue as our
representative to the Door County Tourism Zone Commission and
authorize Tice to execute any agreements relative to the establishment
of the Tourism Zone Commission Agreement. Motion carried,
unanimously.

Adjourn:
Motion by Staveness and seconded by Woelfel to adjourn. Motion
carried, unanimously. Adjourned at 5:46 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Linda D. Wait, Clerk
[approved 5/21/07]

Archive

View all from: 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001