By Meghan Cookemcooke@salisburypost.com
The occupancy tax continued to be a subject of conversation at the Rowan County Board of Commissioners’ meeting on Monday night.
Commissioner Tina Hall said she thought it would be helpful to revisit the issue to establish a timeline of events leading up to the passage of recent General Assembly legislation that allows the city of Salisbury to create its own tourism development authority separate from the Rowan County Tourism Development Authority.
This separate tourism authority can establish an occupancy tax in addition to the existing 3 percent tax charged by the county.
The legislation also allows the new tourism development authority to use a third of its revenue for tourism-related expenditures, such as capital projects ó a departure from previous allowances.
“The county is at a major juncture at this point,” Hall said.
Some commissioners have expressed a disinclination with the way the legislation was passed, arguing that county representatives were not clued in to city plans.
“What’s right for the goose ought to be right for the gander,” said Chairman Carl Ford.
The commissioners asserted their desire for the county and the city to work together to maintain one tourism development authority. “I sincerely hope we can work toward having one group of people,” said Commissioner Raymond Coltrain.
In other business, the board voted to transfer ownership of the property on which the Rowan Museum is located on North Main Street from the county to Rowan Museum, Inc.
The county will continue to pay utilities, maintenance costs and insurance on the structure while the museum provides liability insurance and maintains the building’s interior.