(A) Created. The Elizabeth City-Pasquotank County Tourism Board is created pursuant to G.S. §§ 160A-146 and 153A-76.
(B) Composition. The Elizabeth City-Pasquotank County Tourism Board shall consist of the following members:
(1) Three members, who at the time of appointment, shall reside within the corporate limits of Elizabeth City;
(2) Three members, who at the time of appointment, shall be county residents;
(3) The Elizabeth City Manager, Pasquotank County Manager and Administrator for the Museum of the Albemarle or their designees, ex officio without a vote; and
(4) A member of the Albemarle Regional Hospitality Association governing board who shall be a resident of the county, ex officio with a vote.
(C) Appointments; terms of members. The Elizabeth City-Pasquotank County Tourism Board members shall be appointed and serve at the pleasure of the governing board appointing them as follows.
(1) Three members from the class described in division (B)(1) above shall be appointed by the Elizabeth City Council, one of whom shall be appointed to serve a term of one year; one of whom shall be appointed to serve a term of two years; and one of whom shall be appointed to serve a term of three years from the initial appointment date of members. Thereafter, members shall be appointed annually effective July 1 for terms of three years.
(2) Three members of the class described in division (B)(2) above shall be appointed by the County Board of Commissioners, one of whom shall be appointed to serve a term of one year; one of whom shall be appointed to serve a term of two years; and one of whom shall be appointed to serve a term of three years from the initial appointment date of members. Thereafter, members shall be appointed annually effective July 1 for terms of three years.
(3) In the event of a vacancy of a member’s seat, the governing board which appointed the vacating member shall appoint a member to fill the unexpired term.
(4) Any member of the Tourism Board may be automatically removed if that member misses three meetings during a fiscal year running July 1 through June 30.
(D) Compensation of members. All members of the Elizabeth City-Pasquotank County Tourism Board shall serve without compensation.
(E) Establishment of Tourism Fund. Elizabeth City and Pasquotank County shall establish a Tourism Fund. Thereafter, the Tourism Fund shall be funded by Elizabeth City and Pasquotank County by each remitting an amount not exceeding 50% of its net proceeds derived from the occupancy and tourism development tax levied and collected during the previous calendar year.
(F) Duties and functions.
(1) The Elizabeth City-Pasquotank County Tourism Board shall receive requests from nonprofit corporations for grants from the Tourism Fund.
(2) Grants from the Tourism Fund shall not be awarded to nonprofit corporations with which a Tourism Board member is associated as an officer or governing board member and grants shall be used only to develop, promote and advertise travel and tourism in Elizabeth City and Pasquotank County or to sponsor tourist-oriented events and activities in Elizabeth City and Pasquotank County. Grants may be expended for public purposes only.
(3) The Elizabeth City-Pasquotank County Tourism Board shall consider requests for grants from the Tourism Fund and forward its grant award decisions to Elizabeth City and Pasquotank County which city and county shall disburse grants from the Tourism Fund as determined by the Tourism Board.
(4) The Elizabeth City-Pasquotank County Tourism Board shall receive from grant recipients a copy of the grant recipient’s annual audit and proof of nonprofit corporation status.
(G) Officers and meetings. The Elizabeth City-Pasquotank County Tourism Board shall elect a chair and other officers from among its members, each to serve one-year terms. The Elizabeth City-Pasquotank County Tourism Board shall meet at least quarterly on call of the chair or of any three members. It shall adopt rules of procedure to govern its meetings. A copy of the minutes of all meetings shall be sent to the Elizabeth City Manager and Pasquotank County Manager. All meetings or other business of the Elizabeth City-Pasquotank County Tourism Board shall be conducted in accordance with G.S. Ch. 143, Art. 33C, which statute is known as the Open Meetings Statute.
(Ord. passed 4-17-1995; Ord. passed 12-6-1999; Ord. passed 11-6-2000; Ord. passed 8-20-2001)