The Durant Tourism Economic Development Authority, 5% of the taxes collected pursuant to the provisions of this subchapter shall be set aside unto the Durant Tourism Economic Development Authority, a public trust, created by Trust Indenture. Attached to Ord. 1822 as Exhibit A, the Trust Indenture for and is hereby made part of this code as if laid out here in full, wherein such Trust Indenture the City of Durant, Oklahoma, is designated as beneficiary; and such taxes shall be used for the purpose of encouraging, promoting, and fostering tourism economic development. The Durant Tourism Economic Development Authority shall consist of the following seven members approved by the City Council whom shall reside within the city limits. Terms of the members shall be four years. However, the terms of the initial members shall be staggered. For purposes of identification, the member positions shall be numbered one through seven, inclusive as follows: three members of the Durant hotel owners (or their designee). Member one of the Durant hotel owners will initially serve a two-year term, member two shall initially serve a three-year term, and member three shall serve a four-year term. If no entity exists that meets the definition of Durant hotel owners, the members designated therefrom shall be appointed by the Mayor, subject to City Council approval, and each appointee shall be the owner, operator, or manager of a hotel or motel within the city. Member four shall be a member of the governing body of the city and will initially serve a two-year term. Member five shall be a voting member from the Durant Industrial Authority (appointed by the DIA Chairperson) and will serve initially a three-year term. Member six shall be a board member of the Durant Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and will serve a four-year term. Member seven shall be the Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce. The City Manager and a designee from the Choctaw Nation shall be a non-voting member of the DTEDA. The DTEDA will meet on the last Tuesday of each month and shall following the state’s Open Meetings/Records Act, being 51 O.S. §§ 24A.1 et seq., and shall follow Robert’s Rules of Order. The duties of the Durant Tourism Economic Development Authority in administering the taxes collected under this subchapter are as follows:
(A) To assume responsibility for, govern, manage, operate, coordinate, and/or administer tourism and convention attraction programs, as may
become applicable, and all other tourism related organizations and entities, to the extent that they cooperate, and any and all pertinent buildings and structures located on any land that may come under the control of the Durant Tourism Economic Development Authority;
(B) To coordinate, conduct, administer, manage, and operate tourism activities, promotions, events, advertising, conventions and tourism centers, tourism transit, and the like; and
(C) To submit to the City Council, annually, a budget of operations for the forthcoming fiscal year for final approval.
(Prior Code, § 37.126) (Ord. 1822, passed 1-26-2017)