(A) Creation. There is hereby created the City Tourism Advisory Committee. The Committee shall have the powers and duties prescribed for it by this section and by the Illinois Compiled Statutes.
(B) Membership; appointments; terms.
(1) The Committee shall be comprised of 9 members appointed by the Mayor of the city. Members shall be persons of outstanding ability and integrity. One member of the Committee shall be a member of the Chamber of Commerce or a member of the business community. At least 1 member shall represent the hotel and motel operators of the city. One member shall represent the interest of Lake Lou Yaeger. The other 6 members shall be from the community at large. The Alderman assigned to tourism shall be an ex-officio member, but shall not vote.
(2) Vacancies shall be appointed by the Mayor. Each term, except the first one, shall begin May 1 of each year and be for a 3-year term. Members appointed to the first Committee shall be appointed as follows: 2 members for 1 year, 3 members for 2 years, and 4 members for 3 years.
(3) Members of the Committee shall serve until their successors have been named and qualified. Any member of the Committee who misses 3 consecutive meetings of the Committee, except for cause approved by the chairperson of the Committee, shall cease to be a member of the Committee and his or her term deemed vacant. The chairperson shall request the Mayor thereby entitled to appoint to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term. Five members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum, and no matter coming before the Committee shall be approved unless it receives not less than 5 votes.
(C) Officers. At the first meeting of Committee, and annually thereafter, the Committee shall designate 1 of its members as chairperson and 1 as vice chairperson. The officers shall continue to vote upon all matters coming before the Committee. The chairperson shall preside at all meetings when present, or in his or her absence the vice chairperson shall preside. The city shall provide staff support for this Committee, including keeping a record of the minutes of the meetings of the Committee, and keeping those at city hall for public inspection. No member of the Committee shall receive compensation for his or her services.
(D) Meetings. The Committee shall provide for regular meetings, not less than once each quarter. No special meeting notice needs to be given for regular meetings. The chairperson, or any other 3 members, may call special meetings at any time, upon 24-hours’ written notice. Notice of special meetings may be waived by giving written waiver of notice before or at the special meeting. Attendance at a special meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of that special meeting.
(E) Powers. The Tourism Committee shall recommend to the City Council its opinions regarding tourism and the tourism program for the city. These opinions of the Committee shall be considered advisory only, to be acted upon for approval by the City Council. However, the City Council shall have the final authority to act upon all the expenditures of tourism funds and is also authorized to accept proposals and recommendations from other parties. The proposals and recommendations from other parties shall not have to go before the Committee herein created.
(F) Rules. The Committee shall adopt all necessary rules to govern the procedure, conduct, and operations of the Committee.
(1983 Code, § 2-193) (Ord. 2884, passed 5-4-2000; Am. Ord. 2945, passed 10-4-2001; Am. Ord. 3066, passed 8-5-2004; Am. Ord. 3449, passed 1-21-2016)
Cross-reference:
Hotel operator’s occupation tax, see § 39.42