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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/15/1993 Work Session . . . -' City of Springfield Work Session Council Meeting MINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION MEETING OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD MONDAY, MARCH 15, 1993 The City of Springfield Council met in Work Session in the Springfield City Hall Meeting Room 2, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon, on Monday, March 15, 1993, at 7:00 p.m., with Mayor Morrisette presiding. ATTENDANCE Present were Mayor Morrisette, Councilors Adams, Berg, Walters, Burge and Schanz. Councilor Maine was absent (excused). Also present were City Manager Michael Kelly, Assistant City Manager Gino Grimaldi, City Attorney Joe Leahy, City Recorder Eileen Stein, and members of the staff. 1. Room Tax Allocation Process Mike Kelly summarized this issue. He indicated that due to the 2% increase in the metropolitan room tax rate, the city will have more room tax money to appropriate next fiscal year. This is because the 2% tax rate increase will be used to fund the operations of the Eugene/Springfield Visitors and Convention Bureau directly. In the past, the city paid a portion of the Bureau's budget directly through its share of room tax revenues. This will create an additional funding capacity of approximately $114,000 in 93/94. Mr. Kelly noted that traditionally Requests for Proposals have been sought for community-initiated uses of the city's share of room tax money. This year, enough uses have been identified that conceivably the RFP process is not necessary. Staff was asking for Council direction on this issue. He introduced Susan Daluddung, Development Services Director who presented the staff report. Ms. Daluddung reported that there will be a total of $182,118 available for appropriation next year. Again, a significant portion of this comes from not funding the Convention and Visitors Bureau contract. Ms. Daluddung presented a list of proposed uses for the room tax money for 1993/94. She noted that the projects on the list were projects identified by staff and Council advisory groups. She noted the total list of uses amounted to $224,721 which is greater than anticipated revenue. She indicated that traditionally the RFP process is used to provide an opportunity for community groups to access room tax money for projects that would generate tourism and overnight stays in Springfield. However, this year the list of city projects was so extensive that, conceivably, the RFP process may not be necessary. Projects on the list included the Oregon Rivers Museum ($50,000 challenge grant), Springfield Museum Permanent Historic Exhibit ($56,000 challenge grant), Filbert Festival contribution ($13,000), Arts Commission projects ($30,000, including an $15,000 mural dedicated to the Oregon Trail). Ms. Daluddung stated Council direction was sought whether to deviate from the RFP process, or whether to continue the process and compare the list of city projects with whatever proposals were received. If the decision was made to not go through the RFP process, then direction was needed on which projects to fund. . . . Work Session Minutes March 15, 1993 Page 2 Councilor Berg asked what the County's policy was on distribution of the amount of money generated in the current fiscal year from the increase. Mayor Morrisette replied he had attended a meeting where this was discussed and it was made clear to him the revenue generated this fiscal year belonged to the County. He indicated the County would like to develop a working capital reserve for the Visitors and Convention Bureau, but that anything above that may be distributed to the cities for use on tourism projects. He noted he endorsed this approach. The Council discussed how the room tax money could be used and distributed. The Council then discussed the projects on the list in the staff report. Ms. Daluddung noted that many of the projects were previous directives from the Councilor were ideas generated by the Council's advisory bodies. She stated that two of the projects, the Oregon Rivers Museum and the Springfield Museum permanent historic exhibit, had been given much attention by the Council in the past month. The Council discussed how to commit room tax money to both projects without breaking their commitment to provide a challenge grant to either one. Mayor Morrisette suggested a two year funding commitment could be made for challenge grants, with the understanding that which ever project met the challenge first would receive the first year appropriation of room tax money. If both projects met the challenge the first year, perhaps a loan could be made to the Room Tax Fund from another fund which would be repaid the next fiscal year. Mike Kelly suggested the decision about funding projects could be made this evening or could be incorporated into the budget process. If it was delayed, the RFP process could be initiated. Council members indicated they would like to make funding commitments that evening. Mr. Kelly suggested the Council could make some commitments now but leave an remaining amount and go through an RFP process. Those projects not committed to would then be evaluated against any proposals that came out of the RFP process. The Council discussed these alternatives and decided to forgo the RFP process. They noted the unusual nature of having such an extensive list of projects as the reason to forgo the process this year. However, it was understood that in future years the RFP process would be used again. Mr. Kelly commented the Council should make funding decisions in the regular meeting later that evening. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:33 p.m. Minutes Recorder - Eileen Stein Ma~~~ ATTEST: Cit~