NEW YORK: Funding of $200,000 for economic development work by the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce and $70,000 for its Joplin Regional Partnership was approved Wednesday night by the Joplin City Council.
The amount requested for the regional economic development work is $30,000 less than last year after some council members earlier questioned why Joplin was paying more than other participating cities.
Councilman Morris Glaze made a motion to cut the regional partnership funding to $50,000, but that failed.
The council delayed discussions about updating and revising its contract with the chamber because of the number of items on the agenda for council attention on the second night of budget proposal talks.
Among those items was a request to increase funding for the Joplin Sports Authority, which works as a nonprofit sports commission under contract with the city to bring in athletic events. It is paid from a percentage of the proceeds from Joplin’s 4 percent hotel and motel tax, which also funds the work of the Joplin Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Dean Dankelson, president of the JSA’s board of directors, asked that the city increase the percentage of funding from 25 percent to 35 percent. Because the JSA is paid by percentage rather than a flat fee, the amount of money it receives each year is dependent on the tax receipts. That amount has ranged from more than $251,000 in 2010 to $317,747 last year. It is projected to be $291,250 this year and $325,000 next year.
Dankelson told the council that the JSA could bring in more events if it had more money, which in turn, would further the authority’s mission to fill the city’s hotel and motel rooms.
Councilman Bill Scearce questioned whether the JSA could bump up its own revenue by becoming the promoter for its events, and keeping the entry and admission fees.
JSA Director Craig Hull said the authority is starting to be the host for its own events but that it is a fledgling effort that involves small events now.
