Spring Break
City to vote to allocate tourism funds
Funds will go to Eastern's Celebration Festival of the Arts
Joe Astrouski / City Editor
Issue date: 2/17/09 Section: News
The Charleston City Council will decide at its meeting tonight whether to fund advertising for Eastern's Celebration Festival of the Arts from May 1 to 3.
The council will vote on a proposal to give $2,800 of tourism funds raised through the city's hotel/motel tax to support the event.
Mayor John Inyart said the festival, which includes artists, artisans and musicians will bring more revenue to the city's tourism fund.
"It's supposed to be a self-perpetuating fund," Inyart said. "The idea is we take money out of the hotel/motel tax to … encourage more people to come to Charleston and stay (overnight)."
The council will also decide whether to hire country musician Heidi Newfield to play a free concert at the city's annual Red, White and Blue Days festival on July 3.
"We always have a free concert on the night of the third and then we have another performer on the fourth," Inyart said.
The city would pay Newfield $15,000.
The council will also vote on two resolutions to continue tax abatements for renovations to the Rotary Park pool in 2003 and updates to the city's Water Treatment Plant in 2004.
Tax abatements mean the city will not raise taxes to pay for the projects.
Inyart said the Water Treatment Plant upgrades are being paid for out of water and sewer revenues while the city is funding the Rotary pool repairs out of its general fund.
"This resolution is just reaffirming that we're not raising taxes to pay for … these projects," Inyart said.
The City Council meets today at 7:30 p.m. in City Hall at 520 Jackson Ave.
Joe Astrouski can be reached at 581-7942 or at jmastrouski@eiu.edu.
The council will vote on a proposal to give $2,800 of tourism funds raised through the city's hotel/motel tax to support the event.
Mayor John Inyart said the festival, which includes artists, artisans and musicians will bring more revenue to the city's tourism fund.
"It's supposed to be a self-perpetuating fund," Inyart said. "The idea is we take money out of the hotel/motel tax to … encourage more people to come to Charleston and stay (overnight)."
The council will also decide whether to hire country musician Heidi Newfield to play a free concert at the city's annual Red, White and Blue Days festival on July 3.
"We always have a free concert on the night of the third and then we have another performer on the fourth," Inyart said.
The city would pay Newfield $15,000.
The council will also vote on two resolutions to continue tax abatements for renovations to the Rotary Park pool in 2003 and updates to the city's Water Treatment Plant in 2004.
Tax abatements mean the city will not raise taxes to pay for the projects.
Inyart said the Water Treatment Plant upgrades are being paid for out of water and sewer revenues while the city is funding the Rotary pool repairs out of its general fund.
"This resolution is just reaffirming that we're not raising taxes to pay for … these projects," Inyart said.
The City Council meets today at 7:30 p.m. in City Hall at 520 Jackson Ave.
Joe Astrouski can be reached at 581-7942 or at jmastrouski@eiu.edu.
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