The Indiana Publisher

Page 4 May 2021 Ken de la Bastide The Herald Bulletin ANDERSON – After ini- tially denying a request, the Madison County Visitors Bureau has released their financial records for the past five years. The Herald Bulletin made an access to public records request seeking the amount of money received and how those funds were spent. Attorney Ashley Hopper, representing the Visitors Bureau said the commission is a public agency but the Visitors Bureau is a not for profit and not considered a public agency. As established the Visitors Bureau commission receives the funds from the innkeeper's tax and then provides the Bureau with the funds to operate. "The Commission does not have any records regarding expenditures of the Madison County Innkeeper's Tax," Hopper wrote in her response. "Any expenditures of the Madison County Innkeeper's Tax are records of the Bureau." Mark Thacker, executive director of the Visitors Bureau, issued a statement May 21 that the requested records are being made available. "The Anderson Madison County Visitors Bureau received a public records request and has responded pursuant to state law," Thacker said. "While the Bureau has complied with state law in regards to the request, in the interest of transparency and to foster confidence in the mission of the Visitors Bureau to promote tourism in Madison County, the Visitors Bureau has decided to share profit and loss statements for the years 2015- 2020." The initial decision by the Visitors Bureau to not dis- close how the funds are spent is a concern from the three Anderson area lawmakers. "The Innkeeper's tax cre- ates a commission, which has authority to receive and expend the tax revenues so clearly it is subject to both state audit and the APRA (Access to Public Records Act)," State Sen. Tim Lanane, D-Anderson, said. "The statute expressly allows the commission to include expenditures of the revenues to the Bureau," he said. "I under- stand the Bureau's position it is not subject to the APRA. If as a practical matter these tax revenues are then spent by the Bureau, I would think the intent of APRA to provide transparen- cy as to the use of public funds should apply." Lanane said he'd be open to the idea the law should be amended to make sure public accountability and transpar- ency is assured. Rep. Terri Austin, D-Anderson, requested a review of the statute that cre- ated the Madison County Visitors Bureau by the Legislative Services Agency "It was their initial inter- pretation that the revenues and expenditures of the commis- sion are publicly available," she said. "I agree with them. "Although the commission may contract with the bureau for promotion services, I believe it is in the best interests of tax- payers, who fund the commis- sion and ultimately the bureau, that there be transparency in their financial records." Austin said that she knows of other visitor and convention bureaus that are required to disclose their expenditures. "As a citizen, I don't like that," Sen. Mike Gaskill, R-Pendleton, said of the denial to disclose the expenditures. "There should be transpar- ency," he said. "It should be a condition to be transparent in how the money is spent." The Herald Bulletin is awaiting an opinion from the Indiana Public Access Counselor on whether or not the financial records of the Visitors Bureau is covered by the Access to Public Records Act. Visitors Bureau reverses course on release of financial records Patti Danner Greene County Daily World I was just reflecting on how strange, surreal and satisfying (I love alliteration) coming back to Linton has been for me. Back to the newsroom I know and love, but this time with a much bigger job to do. Every place I have worked, I have found myself starting out at the bottom rung, or sometimes a rung or two up the ladder and continuing to climb until I reach the top or a rung close to the top. In retail, that just means you go from crew to assistant manager and then manag- er, but in the newsroom that means you go from creating content, and for me that was going from never having written a news story in my life to crafting stories to inform, amuse and hopefully satisfy readers of all types. I spent about four and a half years soaking it all up and learning so much about an industry that was previously unknown to me. But I love to learn, and I had the opportu- nity to learn more every day. Now, as an editor, I am learning all of the many, many intricate parts of creat- ing a newspaper issue, from writing editorial content to putting together "There should be transparency. "It should be a condition to be transparent in how the money is spent." — Sen. Mike Gaskill, R-Pendleton Paper awaits PAC decision whether info is covered by Access to Public Records Act Any staff updates at your paper? Launching an innovative project? Let us know. Email your news to news@hspa.com. Back in the saddle again Danner See Danner, page 14 Journalist returns to state as editor of Greene County Daily World Danner's Manners

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