Main Street to take over visitors bureau

By Don Bowen/Fremont Tribune
Thursday, Jul 03, 2008 - 10:45:04 am CDT

The Fremont and Dodge County Convention and Visitors Bureau again has a full-time leader of its daily operations.

At the regular meeting of the Dodge County Board of Supervisors, they unanimously approved a contract that would turn over the day-to-day operations of the tourism agency to MainStreet of Fremont.

The contract calls for

40 percent of the revenues from a 2 percent lodging tax in Dodge County to pay the downtown Fremont agency’s administration fees. The fee structure is similar to what had been paid to the Fremont Area Chamber of Commerce when it ran the day-to-day operations of the CVB.

That 2 percent lodging tax is earmarked for the operations and promotional expenses of the CVB. A second

2 percent lodging tax targeting capital improvements will not be used for MainStreet of Fremont’s fee.

“We would like to have MainStreet manage our day-to-day operations,” said CVB advisory board secretary Melissa Powell, who was appointed to oversee contract negotiations between the two agencies by advisory board chairman Phil Carter, who excused himself from participating in negotiations because his wife, Leslie, is the executive director of MainStreet of Fremont.

Supervisor Paul Marsh, who chairs the county board’s finance committee, said he saw only one problem with the contract. It asked that the fee be paid by the fifth day of each month.

Marsh said that could cause the county to breach the contract many months because the first meeting of the month may not be on or before the fifth day of the month.

As an example, he said the first meeting in August isn’t until the 13th.

The county board meets every two weeks on alternating Wednesday mornings. He said that schedule causes the potential breach.

“Clear it up so we don’t get caught violating the

contract ,” he said.

The Chamber oversaw the day-to-day operations of the CVB until two years ago when members of the CVB advisory board asked supervisors for a break from the Chamber. Since then, the CVB has had a pair of executive directors but has been without day-to-day leadership since the beginning of the year.

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Bad call
Jul 4, 2008 8:54 PM
But --- should we expect less?

This is the same bunch of "mental giants" that ordered the $25,000. security machine that sat and collected dust for well over a year, and made both Fremont / Dodge County the laughing stock of Nebraska!!

And we actually pay them $17,000. per year? Did you note the artical made no mention of (1) how much MainStreet will be paid to manage CVB, (2) details of the contract as to what is expected of MainStreet or the general game plan, (3) how much time is MainStreet expected to dedicate to CVB and (4) what overall goals/expectations per the contract does the Dodge County Commissioners expect of MainStreet?

If I were the owner or manager of a lodging establishment in Dodge County that must pay the 2% fee for use by CVB, I'd be very-very concerned about this arrangement, and I would have HIGH expectations of CVB / MainStreet and Leslie Carter. Just handing out some colorful little brochures or giving speeches to organizations in Fremont would not be enough to satisfy me as a lodging owner shelling out 2% and paying for the train Fremont to Hooper is a long long way from benefiting lodging establishments.

Oh, well......politics behind closed doors is a nasty game!And I guess since all of the Fremont business people that are County Commissioners and those Fremont Business people on the Fremont City Council are happy...that is what really counts, right?
RE Bad call
Jul 4, 2008 9:20 PM
The article clearly says MainStreet will get 40 percent of the 2 percent lodging tax. By the way, the advisory board is mainly made up of those who represent hotels or tourist attractions so I would guess they know what they will be getting. And remember it's not those hotel owners/managers who pay the tax -- it's the people who stay in the hotels. That said, they should have high expectations from MainStreet.
confused
Jul 5, 2008 5:41 PM
I am confused. Is Leslie Carter going to get her regular salary from Mainstreet "PLUS" another salary for the CVB? How much money is all that? Something is going to lose out. I think both of these jobs are such that they would require full time from whoever is in charge. If one person is capable of doing both jobs, then there must not have been that much to do with Mainstreet, but still collected the full salary. Something is wrong here!!!
status quo
Jul 6, 2008 1:05 AM
this town is crooked, always has been. for example, when we asked someone on the john c fremont days committee where all the money goes (from all the activities, etc), he got very angry and refused to answer. we said we would be happy to support our community, if he would just tell us where it goes, and he still refused. everything that happens in this town lines certain people's pockets.
why do tiny towns pay 1/2 what we pay for cable? because they don't have a monopoly, refusing competition the ability to come in.
RE Status quo
Jul 6, 2008 6:08 AM
As a former John C. Fremont Days committee member, I can tell you where the money goes: To pay for things like entertainment, porti-potties, security, trams to take people around town. Much of the entertainment is free. In fact, someone could spend the entire day at the festival and not spend a dime if they didn't want to.

As for small-town cable: Show me any small town that has more than one cable company. If there is only one of something, it's a monopoly. Are their rates half of Fremont's? I don't know. Less, maybe. Half, I doubt.
Tex
Jul 6, 2008 10:03 AM
Leslie Carter? This woman has zero follow through and she's running for office as well. She NEVER follows through on anything. There was a downtown garage sale recently she was supposed to be part of, it was a joke and there was no one official there to even help coordinate it. Give me a break!
nothing changes
Jul 6, 2008 12:15 PM
Corruption and insider control of city funds... a trademark of Fremont and it government. Nothing changes.
fremonter
Jul 6, 2008 5:20 PM
i may be ignorant but why do we need a visitors and or a convention bureau? this town has absolutly nothing worth coming here for. theres virtually no industry here, so why did we need a longer runway at the airport? certain companys wanted it. its all who has the money and who ever has the money has the control. this town is right up there with chicago, new york as well as most big cities. i suppose the politicians and the wealthy are proud of this fact. i think it disgusting that small towns are going down the toilet due to corruption. we needed the security machine at the courthouse like we need more hamburger joints or pizza joints. this town is so messed up that it will never get better unless we get rid of all the morons that run it. the people with the money run the city. the politicians, if they want to keep their jobs, will do whatever the money holders want them to do or they will be out. main street improvements? another joke. i do not and will not trade with any of the stores on main street or anywhere else downtown. prices way out of line, and i wont support any of them.
Fremonter Is Correct
Jul 6, 2008 6:38 PM
Fremonter hit the nail on the head. It also appears that the new city administrator is going to shake his head yes on anything they want. He obviously wants to keep his job!
Special interests get whatever they want in Fremont and the taxpayers pay the bills as the powers to be keep out competitive industries ans spend, spend, spendwith no acountability. My gosh, they could not even maintain pools!!
Even the airport authority is controlled by businesses who own planes!!
Bail out the downtown??? No, it is time to get new leadership and bail out the taxpapers!
Fremont needs a new direction. Main street business owners better get ready to invest in their businesses, like all other businesses did in Fremont.
Check the lists of who owns those dilapidated buildings downtown and the whole agenda will be very clear.
Tough Times Acomin
Jul 7, 2008 10:34 PM
Who wants to report to two boards? Evidently Leslie Carter does. How can she effectively divide her time between two agencies? Which ones takes priority? Good luck!