Blair pauses Explore Altoona move
HOLLIDAYSBURG — Blair County is directing local municipalities to put a hold on their votes to decertify Explore Altoona as the county's tourist promotion agency.
Commissioners Chairman Dave Kessling said Tuesday that he is hopeful about developing efforts to resolve the matter without decertification and through the restructuring of an agreement governing the county's division of its bed tax revenue.
Kessling referenced a meeting that he attended Monday with representatives of Explore Altoona, the Altoona Blair County Development Corp., the Blair County Convention Center Authority, the Altoona Curve and Altoona City Council members.
With the exception of Altoona City Council, all those groups would be affected if county commissioners rewrite the agreement — often referred to as a memorandum of understanding — which establishes a formula for dividing revenue from the county's 5% bed tax.
Under the current formula, the revenue is currently divided among Explore Altoona as the county's TPA, the convention center, the Curve stadium and the county.
During a September meeting, Kessling and fellow Commissioner Amy Webster revealed their support for naming the Blair Alliance for Business and Economic Growth — the organization formed through the merger of Altoona Blair County Development Corp. and the Blair County Chamber of Commerce — as the county's TPA because of that agency's track record on asset development and its willingness to pursue the development of rail trails.
That revelation, however, drew backlash from representatives and supporters of Explore Altoona, who pointed to the agency's expertise and marketing efforts to bring in visitors who pay the bed tax.
It also prompted a recent clash at municipal meetings, where governing bodies have been hearing Kessling and Webster ask for a vote to decertify Explore Altoona and where representatives of Explore Altoona have been asking for a vote against.
For the decertification to be approved, the law requires the county to have a supportive resolution from municipalities representing an aggregate of more than 65% of the county's total population.
Kessling said Tuesday that it was members of Altoona City Council and representatives for the Altoona Curve stadium who asked about the county's interest in convening a meeting to consider alternatives to decertification — leading to Monday's meeting.
"We've always said that from the beginning," Kessling said.
At a previous commissioners meeting, Kessling reported no results from an effort to get Explore Altoona and Blair Alliance to work together.
As for the future division of bed tax revenue, Kessling indicated that there will be another meeting to resolve any issues and they will try to move forward with what's recommended as a solution.
"We're happy that everyone has come to the table and we're very hopeful that there's going to be a resolution," he said.
In the meantime, he said the county will be directing the local governing bodies to suspend voting on the decertification.
Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 814-946-7456.
