Meeting Notes

The Decatur Daily, by Paul Huggins

Decatur-Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau

The Decatur-Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau conducted the following business at its monthly meeting Thursday:


Passed a resolution supporting a new state bill to push back the school start date 10 days.


Reported May had a net income surplus of $13,080 and June had a net income surplus of $5,209. For fiscal 2010, the bureau now has a negative income of $42,933.


Reported the city collected $72,340 in lodging taxes in April. The bureau receives 75 percent of that for operating and promotional expenses. The amount was 13 percent less than the same month last year, and bureau treasurer Wade Weaver noted two hotels had yet to pay their taxes when the report was made. Lodging taxes are down 15 percent for fiscal 2010.


Reported the $2-per-night room occupancy fee generated $39,351 in April, down $4,874 from the same month last year. The fee has generated $308,300 in fiscal 2010, down 6.5 percent from fiscal 2009.


Reported April’s occupancy rate was 49 percent, down 6 percent compared to the same month last year.


Set Sept. 17 as the ground-breaking ceremony for the new pavilion at Ingalls Harbor.


Announced it has contracted with 21 hotels in Decatur, Madison and Huntsville to handle 850 of the 1,400 room nights needed to host the three-day Governor’s Cup soccer tournament next May.


Announced that the national 17-and-under soccer team from Ghana has cut six days from its planned three-week stay in Decatur during August as part of its preparation for its age group’s World Cup in Trinidad in September.


Announced Lindsey Wilson and William Carey colleges’ men’s soccer teams will play against each other in a fall preview at Jack Allen Soccer Complex.


Announced it will put a digital photo frame in local hotels with pictures of top attractions and places to eat with handouts next to the frame that give full details about the pictures.

PAUL HUGGINS