The purpose and duties of the Tourism Commission shall be to use the room tax revenue that it receives from the village to develop and execute a tourism marketing plan for tourism promotion and tourism development for the village. The Commission shall have the authority and carry out the duties set forth in Wis. Stat. § 66.0175(1m)(c) and (d), and as otherwise provided by law. Such duties shall include, without limitation, the following.
(A) The Tourism Commission shall monitor the collection of the room tax. The Commission shall report any delinquencies or inaccurate reporting to the Treasurer.
(B) (1) The Tourism Commission contracts as needed with a qualified organization under Wis. Stat.§ 66.0615, to perform the functions of a tourism entity as defined under the statute and shall ensure that the money distributed to the tourism entity shall be used for tourism promotion and tourism development as defined in Wis. Stat. § 66.0615.
(2) These activities include any of the following that are significantly used by transient tourists and reasonably likely to generate paid overnight stays at more than one establishment on which room tax may be imposed:
(a) Marketing projects, including advertising media buys, creation and distribution of printed or electronic promotional tourist materials, or efforts to recruit conventions, sporting events, or motorcoach groups;
(b) Transient tourist informational services; and
(c) Tangible municipal development, including, but not limited to, a convention center.
(C) The Commission shall operate a tourism grant program to provide financial investments for tourism-related projects, marketing projects, and/or events that promote and develop tourism in the village which substantially increases overnight stays within the village.
(D) The Commission shall report to the Village Board of Trustees at least quarterly the purposes for which the room tax revenues it received were spent.
(E) The Commission may not, however, use any of the room tax revenue it receives to construct or develop a lodging facility.
(F) The Tourism Commission shall in a timely manner provide the Village Treasurer with the information needed to make the reports required under Wis. Stat. § 66.0615, to the State Department of Revenue.
(Res. 2022-215, passed 2-15-2022)