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23 Regular Meeting March 28, 1988 Page 2 Mayor Younger introduced Item 14.B. on the agenda, a discussion re- garding the hotel/motel tax and tourism. Jack Fider, General Manager of the Holiday Inn in San Marcos, addressed the Council. He advised the Council the hotel/motel industry had falling occupancies and revenues and that there is a need to market San Marcos. He stated some businesses are barely hanging on and that he is in hopes that situation can be turned around. Mr. Fider reviewed charts with the Council of the 4% portion of the tax wherein a decrease is shown over the past three years. Mr. Parr asked Mr. Fider what is being requested of the Council beyond what the Tourist Development Council is now doing, and Mr. Fider expressed a need to promote San Marcos through bus tours as one approach. Jay Moore stated there is a trend that there will be less funds next year in advertising dollars, and that possibly addition- al money could be used or existing money prioritized differently. He stated more specific information would come to the Council at a later time. Jack Lindstrom of the Tourist Development Council stated he had recently attended a Corridor Council Meeting and became aware that the competition is strong in this industry. He stated San Marcos places some funds towards a future civic center, some funds towards arts pro- jects, some funds for Hispanic projects and some funds towards tourists. Mr. Lindstrom stated Mayor Cooksey of Austin had spoken at the Corridor Meeting and indicated they had mistakenly placed their city's money in different projects rather than into advertising. Mr. Lindstrom stated the San Antonio Convention Bureau had advised the Corridor Meeting that 100% of their dollars goes back into advertising San Antonio, and that New Braunfels also puts 100% back into advertising. He stated the hotel/ motel association wants to come back before the Council in the next few weeks with something more concrete. Mr. Lindstrom stated San Antonio and Austin are working on bus tours and that if we could join in with them and a few other cities in the area, it would be beneficial. He stated on an emergency basis, this industry in San Marcos needs some help. Mayor Younger introduced for consideration adoption of an Ordinance on emergency, the caption which was read as follows: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN MARCOS, TEXAS, AMENDING THAT ELECTION ORDINANCE CALLING FOR A SPECIAL AND A JOINT GENERAL ELECTION BY SAID CITY AND THE SAN MARCOS CONSOLIDATED INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DIS- TRICT TO BE HELD IN THE CITY OF SAN MARCOS, TEXAS ON MAY 7,1988, WHICH WAS APPROVED ON EMERGENCY BY THE CITY COUNCIL AT ITS REGULAR MEETING ON FEBRUARY 8, 1988, AND WAS AMENDED ON EMERGENCY BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON FEBRUARY 10, 1988 AND MARCH 7, 1988, TO AMEND SECTION 9 TO CHANGE THE LOCATION OF THE POLLING PLACE FOR PRE- CINCTS 10 AND 13, TO AMEND SECTION 15 TO NAME TWO ADDI- TIONAL CLERKS FOR ABSENTEE VOTING, TO PROVIDE THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY AND CITY SECRETARY PREPARE A CORRECTED VER- SION OF SAID ORDINANCE REFLECTING THE AMENDMENTS MADE BY ADOPTION OF THIS ORDINANCE, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. Ms. Kissler moved for adoption of the Ordinance on emergency and Mr. Guerra seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. Mayor Younger introduced for consideration approval of an Ordinance on first reading, the caption which was read as follows: