DANIEL TYLER GOODEN / L’Observateur / August 2, 2000

CONVENT – The St. James Parish Council will vote Aug. 2 on appointees forthe new River Parishes Convention, Tourist and Visitors District Commission.

The district was proposed to the Louisiana House of Representatives by District 57 Rep. Bobby Faucheux Jr. It was passed into legislation in the firstextraordinary session this year as R.S. 33:4574.12.The district is designed to promote efforts directed at attracting conventions, tourists and visitors to St. Charles, St. John and St. Jamesparishes.

The commission will be comprised of nine members, three from each parish.

Each member is required to also be a member of the Economic Development boards of their parishes. The economic development board will choose one,as will the parish president and the parish council, said St. James PresidentDale Hymel Jr. Five ar six members of the St. James economic developmentboard have expressed interest in serving on the commission.

“The commission will be funded by the hotel/motel tax that has been collecting in the last four or five years,” said Hymel. The commission will alsohave the power to levy taxes, approved by the vote of River Parishes citizens. There are other such commissions in the state, but they may notbe tied directly into the economic development boards like the River Parishes commission will be, added Hymel.

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