Livingston City Council has agreed to move forward with a tourism partnership with the Chamber of Commerce, the County, and the Main Street Program.
Chamber Director Zach Stephens said the partnership would pull together city and county hotel/motel occupancy taxes to promote tourism in Overton County. Stephens said the partnership does not require the city to make any other financial commitment.
“We’re doing this to help promote our town and our county,” Stephens said. “I know I’ve met with several of you, I have talked to several of you on the phone, and kind of answered your questions. What I’m looking for tonight is there is a memorandum of understanding attached that I have also presented to the county.”
Stephens said both the city and county attorney have reviewed and given the thumbs up on the memorandum of understanding.
“In this agreement by the way, the city is always represented by the mayor or her designee, along with the county, chamber, and Main Street. There are appointees from merchants as well, so on and so forth.”
Stephens said the chamber would be the fiscal agent of the hotel/motel tax dollars.
“We would hire a tourism director, and Main Street would hire a part-time director as well, creating a full-time position,” Stephens said.
The council unanimously approved the agreement. The county commission has yet to officially join the partnership.