County to establish a Tourism Development Authority

Bertie County’s establishment of a Tourism Development Authority is moving forward.

In April, the Bertie County Commissioners voted to establish a county occupancy tax enabling the county to levy a tax and create a taxing district. The move is expected to substantially increase revenue from county visitors.

The tax is derived from gross receipts coming from the rental of any room, lodging or accommodations furnished by a hotel, motel, inn, tourist camp or similar place within the district subject to sales tax imposed by the state.

The tax is to be administered locally by a Bertie County Tourism Development Authority. The board will consist of seven voting members whose initial terms will be staggered. Two members will serve one year terms. Three members will serve two year terms, and two members will serve three year terms. All subsequent appointments will be three year terms.

There are state requirements.

At least one-third of the membership will be individuals affiliated with the businesses that collect the tax in Bertie County and at least one-half of the membership will be individuals who are currently working in the promotion of travel and tourism in Bertie County.

The members and chair shall be appointed by the Bertie County Commissioners from a list of candidate responses to a public advertisement posted within 90 days of receipt of adopted resolution.

Other requirements include affiliated industry backgrounds for board members. Three members must be from the lodging industry, three members involved in the tourism promotion in Bertie County and one member from the Bertie County Chamber of Commerce. The Bertie County Finance Officer shall be the ex officio officer of the authority.

The authority shall meet at the call of the chair and the rules of procedure or bylaws are to be adopted by the TDA within 12 months of formation. The TDA has financial obligations as it expends the net proceeds of the tax levied under the act. All of the proceeds are for promoting travel and tourism and for tourism-related expenditures.

The authority shall report quarterly and at the close of the fiscal year to the Bertie County Board of Commissioners on its receipts and expenditures for the preceding quarter.

The commissioners also implemented a penalty structure for failure to file a return. The five percent penalty for failing to file is charged monthly up to 25 percent. Failure to pay when the tax is due will cost an additional two percent, charged monthly with a maximum of ten percent.

The next step is to advertise, within 90 days, for candidates to fill the seven board positions.