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WEIRTON -- The possibility of the City of Weirton creating its own convention and visitors bureau appears to have come to an end following Monday's meeting of city council.
City Manager Joe DiBartolomeo first publicly raised the idea of creating a municipally operated CVB in October, noting the idea of using approximately $200,000 a year from the city's hotel/motel tax funds, which currently are provided to support the Top of West Virginia Convention and Visitors Bureau.
A proposed ordinance on the matter initially had been set for consideration by council in November, but was pulled from the Nov. 9 agenda after council requested more information on the matter from the city administration and Top of WV CVB officials.
Council met in executive session with Top of WV officials during a special council meeting Nov. 12, after which City Attorney Vince Gurrera explained, while no official vote could be taken that night, council felt there would be no need to move forward with the city manager's proposal.
The ordinance appeared again during Monday's meeting, sponsored by DiBartolomeo, according to the agenda.
When the ordinance came up, Mayor Harold Miller asked for a motion of approval three times, receiving no response from any member of council.
"It died for lack of a motion," Miller explained.
No other comments were offered by council during or immediately after the vote; however, DiBartolomeo did ask Gurrera for a brief review of the issue during the departmental reports portion of the meeting.
"I didn't see it on the agenda, but you went into executive session," DiBartolomeo said, referring to the Nov. 12 special meeting.
Gurrera confirmed council met in executive session with Top of WV CVB Executive Director Terri Phillips and board member Mike Swartzmiller, with council able to ask questions about the CVB and its operations.
The Top of WV CVB has been in operation for 25 years, tasked with marketing the communities in Hancock and Brooke counties. In addition to funds from the City of Weirton, it receives revenue from the Hancock County Commission. It recently moved its offices to a larger space along Main Street in Weirton, with plans for display areas featuring information on local communities and activities, as well as a larger space for the Summit Art Gallery operated through the Top of WV Arts Council.
Under DiBartolomeo's proposal, the municipal CVB would have been overseen by a board consisting of various city officials, members of council and select community representatives. Offices would have been established in the Millsop Community Center.
(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com, and followed via Twitter @CHowellWDT)