LaPrade Says Hotel Chain Interested In East Tawakoni

The East Tawakoni Economic Development Corporation (EDC) is in discussion with a hotel chain that is interested in building in East Tawakoni, according to Councilwoman Johnnie LaPrade.

"We’re in the talking stage with a hotel chain interested in building a hotel in our city," LaPrade told the council Tuesday night at its regular monthly meeting.

LaPrade said much was yet to be done, but said the EDC was willing to spend the money for a study showing the need for a hotel in the city. She also serves as vice president of the EDC.

She stressed that nothing would be done with the city’s property on State Highway 276 without council approval.

"We need a tourism board in place," LaPrade said before a hotel tax was collected. She said Dwight Crater had agreed to chair the board. She said others would be needed to serve on the board.

In order to have the tax in place in case the hotel did locate in East Tawakoni, LaPrade moved to adopt a seven percent hotel tax.

Councilwoman Tamera McLaughlin disagreed that the city had what was needed to collect a hotel tax. She said six items like a historical area, arts, convention center and more were needed.

LaPrade agreed to rescind her motion until the next meeting to give time to answer questions McLaughlin had raised. The tax had been discussed at two earlier meetings.

The council set the tax rate and adopted its budget for the next fiscal year.

The tax rate was set at $0.4709 per $100 of valuation. The amount included $0.2931 for maintenance and operation; and $0.1778 for payment of principal and interest on bonds.

The rate would raise taxes by 5.34756 percent. An example given was that it would raise taxes for maintenance and operations on a $100,000 home by about $18.50.

Discounts were retained for early payment of taxes — three percent if paid in October; two percent, November; and one percent, December.

The budget approved was $36,380 less than the current budget.

Justin Epker of Grantworks offered his company’s services in securing grants for the city. He asked approval of a resolution that would name the company as the sole consultant for the Texas Community Development Block Grant program.

He said the firm was the largest in Texas and named other area cities for which it was engaged including West Tawakoni, Emory, Canton, Lone Oak and Van.

He said the last block grant that East Tawakoni had received was in 2006. The next application period deadline is next September. He said sewer and water projects as well as zoning studies were the primary items that were funded by the grants.

He said if the company were named as the block grant writer, it would agree to work on other grants such as the park grants secured by West Tawakoni.

The council voted unanimously to table the resolution for further research.

• The council raised the return check fee from $25 to $35, effective Jan. 1, 2010.

• The dog registration fee was raised from $7.50 to $10 per animal, effective Jan. 1, 2010.

• The transfer of the cable franchise from Arklaoktex, LLC to Buford Media Group was approved. The change reflected a change in name of the same company rather than a change of ownership.

• All members of the council were present. Mayor Buster Thomas presided.