MANCHESTER — Questions surrounding the makeup of the Manchester Tourism Commission, newly organized hotel and restaurant associations and the city's tourism ordinance dominated a special-called meeting of the Manchester City Council Monday, with officials ultimately agreeing more information is needed before moving forward.
But following the meeting, several council members sought to clarify why the city's tourism ordinances and commission structure are being examined in the first place.
In a statement provided to The Manchester Enterprise, the council members said their actions have nothing to do with the recent hiring of a new tourism director and are not an effort to eliminate the city's tourism tax.
Instead, they said questions from taxpayers and local businesses over the past several months have prompted them to examine the practices and makeup of the current Tourism Commission. Their stated goal is to allow local hotel and restaurant organizations and the Chamber of Commerce to nominate individuals to represent their respective interests on the commission.
"We are simply seeking to allow local hotel and restaurant boards and the Chamber of Commerce to nominate members to represent their interest," the statement said.
According to the statement, the council members believe KRS 91A.360 provides for three members appointed by the mayor from nominees submitted by the local hotel/motel association, one from nominees submitted by the restaurant association, one from nominees submitted by the Chamber of Commerce and two members appointed directly by the mayor.
The statement says all members of the current Tourism Commission were appointed by either the current or previous mayor.
Some of the council members stressed they are not seeking to repeal the tourism tax or necessarily prevent current commission members from continuing to serve. Current members could be reappointed if nominated by the recognized organizations, according to the statement.
"The City Council is simply seeking to dissolve the commission as currently constituted and allow the representatives of the local nominating boards to make the nomination as prescribed in statute KRS 91A.360 in order to allow each of these entities to have representation by parties of their choosing to represent their interests," the statement said.
The statement says that, based on guidance from the Kentucky League of Cities, the council members believe the city has authority under KRS 65A.050 to modify, replace or dissolve the governing body of a special purpose governmental entity established by the city.
Multiple associations raise questions
Monday's meeting drew a standing-room-only crowd that included citizens and members of the Manchester Tourism Commission.
The meeting was called to discuss hotel/motel and restaurant groups, the structure of the city's tourism ordinance and possible changes involving the commission.
Councilman Earl Owens had originally attempted to hold a special meeting Friday, but notice to several council members and City Attorney Jenna Corum came after the required 24-hour deadline. Owens told those attending Monday that the earlier attempt was not an illegal meeting.
Much of Monday's discussion centered on which hotel/lodging and restaurant associations should be recognized for purposes related to the Tourism Commission.
The city's original tourism ordinance was created in 2017 and revised in 2019. At that time, no hotel/lodging or restaurant associations existed, according to information presented at the meeting.
On July 6, the City of Manchester and The Manchester Enterprise received letters announcing the creation of a hotel/lodging group with Amy Janutolo as president and a Restaurant Association with LeeAnn Smith as president.
However, council members received documentation in their packets Monday showing additional organizations had subsequently been formed.
One document identified another Restaurant Association with Shannon Felter of Wendy's as president and was dated July 31.
Additional hotel/lodging documentation was also included. One group listed Mayor Steve Collins' wife, Danielle Collins, as president and Tourism Commission members Vanda Rice and Carmen Reid as board members. That letter was dated July 30.
Glenda Hubbard, a member of the Clay County Tourism Committee, also submitted a letter as president of the Clay County Hotel and Lodging Association dated July 16.
The multiple organizations led council members to question which association or associations should be recognized.
Owens said he had been under the impression there could be only one board of each type, while Collins said the Kentucky League of Cities had advised him that multiple boards could exist.
"KLC did not tell me that," Owens said. "I think we need to meet with KLC and get some answers because we're receiving conflicting reports."
Collins agreed that additional clarification was needed.
Concerns raised about commission
The discussion also broadened beyond the competing associations.
Council members Betty Meredith and Alma Faye Gregory said they had heard concerns from citizens that the Tourism Commission had become "political."
Tourism Commission Chairman Jamey Mills, a former Manchester City Council member, defended the commission, saying it had been operated properly and that politics was not being played.
Members of the audience also began speaking, with several defending the Tourism Commission.
City Attorney Jenna Corum provided council members with a separate six-page legal analysis titled "City of Manchester Tourism Commission — Dissolution, Tourism Taxes, and Disposition of Commission Funds and Assets."
Corum's analysis makes clear that dissolving the commission would not occur simply through a single council vote. Because Manchester has an eight-member council, six affirmative votes would be required to initiate the statutory dissolution process, followed by development of a dissolution plan, public review, a public hearing and another six-vote approval before dissolution could ultimately become final.
Ultimately, no action was taken Monday to dissolve or restructure the Tourism Commission.
Those involved agreed to postpone further action until a future joint meeting can be held to seek additional information and resolve questions surrounding the associations and Tourism Commission.
See Page A10 for an Enterprise Explainer detailing the legal process that would be required to dissolve the Manchester Tourism Commission.
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