Committee forwards tourism MOU with Frederick County that shifts fiscal agency duties

Committee members reviewed an updated memorandum of understanding with Frederick County governing regional tourism operations. The presenter said the MOU updates funding formulas to use the prior two fiscal years as a basis for adjustments, removes an outdated COVID-era floor tied to $1,000,000 in tax revenues, and proposes that Frederick County assume fiscal-agency responsibilities (payroll, HR and related functions) for the tourism operation.

"So we went and asked the county, would you be willing to take the fiscal agency responsibilities, which is the payroll. There's, what, 5 employees, payroll, HR, anything related to that, IT," the presenter said, describing the principal change in section 4 of the MOU. Committee members asked about metrics and whether city tourism would receive equitable promotion under the county-led fiscal arrangement; presenters said they have improved data-sharing and web metrics and that the county had approved the MOU pending council action. The committee moved and seconded to forward the resolution with a recommendation for approval.