The Seguin City Council will hold a public hearing Tuesday on a proposal to dissolve the City’s Convention and Visitors Bureau Board, commonly known as the CVB Board.
The matter previously appeared before Council and returns on the August 4 agenda for consideration on first reading.
At first glance, eliminating an advisory board may appear to be little more than an administrative change.
At first glance, eliminating an advisory board may appear to be little more than an administrative change.
But advisory boards can provide something important to local government: another layer of citizen involvement and public oversight.
That makes this proposal worth examining.
What Does the CVB Board Do?
Convention and visitors bureaus generally work to promote tourism, conventions, events and visitor activity.
Tourism can play an important role in Seguin’s local economy.
Visitors spend money at hotels, restaurants, stores, attractions and events. That activity also generates Hotel Occupancy Tax revenue that can be used for qualifying tourism-related purposes under Texas law.
Seguin’s August 4 agenda illustrates the amount of community activity connected with tourism funding.
Council is also scheduled to receive quarterly reports from organizations receiving Hotel Occupancy Tax funding, including the Seguin Conservation Society, Mid-Texas Symphony, Teatro de Artes de Juan Seguin, Seguin-Guadalupe County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Seguin Heritage Museum, Guadalupe County Fair Association, Seguin LULAC Council #682, Seguin Art League and The Fields of Huber Ranch.
Those programs demonstrate why oversight of tourism policy and funding deserves public attention.
The Important Question Is What Comes Next
The issue is not necessarily whether Seguin must maintain the CVB Board exactly as it exists today.
City organizations sometimes need to be reorganized. Responsibilities change. Some boards outlive their original purpose, while others can be consolidated or replaced with a structure that works better.
The important question is:
What replaces it?
If the board is dissolved, residents should understand:
Who will provide citizen input on tourism priorities?
Will another board or commission assume those responsibilities?
Will tourism decisions move primarily to City staff?
How will Hotel Occupancy Tax priorities be evaluated?
What opportunities will residents and tourism stakeholders have to participate?
Efficiency and Transparency Can Coexist
Government does not need to maintain boards simply because “that’s the way it has always been done.”
If a board is no longer necessary, eliminating it may be reasonable.
But efficiency should not come at the expense of transparency.
Seguin is growing rapidly, and tourism is part of the community’s economic-development strategy. Downtown improvements, festivals, sporting events, cultural organizations and visitor destinations all contribute to Seguin’s identity and economy.
Those activities frequently involve public resources.
That makes citizen involvement valuable.
Residents Should Hear the Reasoning
Before dissolving the CVB Board, Council should clearly explain:
- Why the existing board is no longer needed;
- What responsibilities the board currently performs;
- Where those responsibilities will go;
- Whether another citizen advisory body will be involved; and
- How transparency and public participation will be maintained.
If there is a better governance structure, residents should be able to understand what it is.
Better Seguin Will Be Watching
Better Seguin believes effective local government requires both efficiency and accountability.
Advisory boards should serve a real purpose. But citizen involvement should not disappear simply because an organizational chart changes.
The public hearing provides residents an opportunity to hear why the City is proposing the change and what system will replace the current board.
The Seguin City Council meets Tuesday, August 4 at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, 210 E. Gonzales Street.
