Merchants get part of request

Business owners looking to promote Marion-area tourism got less money than they asked county commissioners for Monday.

Historic Elgin Hotel owner Tammy Ensey, representing Marion Merchants Association, asked for $15,375 in transient guest tax receipts to pay for signs directing visitors to a travel information center at the Elgin, television advertising, and publishing a brochure of tourist attractions.

Commission chairman Kent Becker said he’d like to come up with a plan for distributing transient guest tax money.

Commissioner Randy Dallke moved to give the group $10,000.

“Then we can sit down and have some discussion,” Dallke said.

Commissioner Dianne Novak said, “I’m going to go ahead and vote ‘yes,’ but I don’t like it. I think there’s some people being cheated.”