The gridlock between the city and county that”s been choking the Columbus Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau may be loosening.
A meeting Friday between Columbus Mayor Robert Smith, Lowndes County Board of Supervisors President Harry Sanders and Columbus Lowndes Development Link CEO Joe Higgins produced a new ordinance that could get the CVB Board of Directors back on track.
The proposal passed unanimously through the board of supervisors Monday, as did the county”s three appointees to the CVB board. Smith is expected to call a special meeting of the Columbus City Council to present the ordinance and propose the city remove one of its four current board members.
A six-member board will bring the CVB into compliance with state code, but the ordinance includes a petition to the state Legislature for a local and private agreement which would expand the board to nine members.
Under the new ordinance, the city and county would appoint four members each with a ninth member to be jointly appointed by the mayor and president of the board of supervisors. Both entities will appoint two at-large members and two industry-specific members.
During its Monday meeting, the board of supervisors appointed Bart Wise, who was originally proposed to represent the Link, as the “business or industrial community” representative to a one-year initial term. Hotel developer Mark Castleberry was appointed to represent the hotel industry for a two-year initial term. And George Swales was appointed to an at-large term of three years. All successive appointments will be three-year terms.
The county will add a fourth board member if the Legislature approves the local and private agreement.
If the city passes the ordinance, it will appoint a restaurateur and a historic home owner in addition to two at-large members. The city had previously been opposed to both a nine-member board and any industry-specific appointments.
Sanders said the Legislature won”t approve a local and private bill if it does not have unanimous support from the board of supervisors and city council, but added Smith seemed confident he could deliver a unanimous vote from the council.
However, the council voted 4-2 in December for a six-man board and to make all appointments at-large. Also, several council members said Monday they hadn”t heard from anyone regarding a new ordinance.
Smith was unavailable for comment.
Despite the city council”s past disagreement with the composition of the CVB board proposed in the new ordinance, some concessions are present. For instance, the Link is not offered a board representative, despite having previously suggested Wise.
The Link is promised no funding in the new ordinance, but the board has the option to spend funds for the purpose of economic development.
The board is also allowed to designate funds for special events, which may include festivals organized by elected officials.
“I”m not going to make a decision until I get to see what”s going on,” said Ward 5 Councilman Kabir Karriem.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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