The City-County Athletic Complex won't receive a final grant payment from the Kosciusko County Convention Recreation and Visitor Commission until proper financial statements are presented.

The commission approved a payment of $34,000 to the recreational facility earlier this year and have paid out $25,500. A condition of that agreement, as with all grants, is an accounting of expenditures.

Deb Wiggins, who was re-elected commission president, said the CCAC board has approved suggestions such as reducing the number of board members and add someone from the commission and a Warsaw parks representative to the board.

Another recommendation was to update the Web site with the 2006 schedule so people can register for leagues and plan events online.

Convention Visitor's Bureau Director Mary Kittrell has been a CCAC board member since March. She said the CCAC board agreed with changes in the board's number and makeup, but the by-laws haven't been officially adopted. The Web site is updated.

"So the bylaws are not yet approved and we have no financial report," said Wiggins. "Based on their good behavior, can we fund the last quarter or not?"

The vote to withhold the remainder of the CCAC's grant, $8,500, was unanimous.

"We want representation on the board as an obligation to taxpayers," Wiggins said. "We've asked for a financial report a couple of times, which was part of the grant agreement. We should have had two reports by now."

The 2006 contract for CCAC Director Ethan Bontley was not renewed.

Kristi Pickerd of Syracuse approached the board with a $2,732 grant request to fund advertising for the upcoming Taste of Home Cooking School.

The event, sponsored by the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce and the Syracuse Parks Foundation, brings hundreds of people to Syracuse.

Pickerd said this year the group's goal is to have 800 to 1,000 in attendance. She said the ticket prices will be dropped to $10 for individuals and to $8 per ticket for a group rate.

In answer to board queries, Pickerd said the event draws many people from outside the county but organizers never kept a tally of addresses. She said a system would be devised for that this year.

Taste of Home Cooking School is presented every two years.

The county's innkeepers tax collection was $389,255 last year, according to a financial report presented by Kosciusko County Auditor Sue Ann Mitchell.

Grants totaled $30,085 in 2005; promotion programs, paid to the CVB, totaled $284,300.

Since the Economy Inn hasn't paid the innkeeper's tax since July and the Super 8 hasn't paid the tax since August, commissioner John Elliott looked into the situation. Elliott said he contacted County Treasurer Kent Adams, Mitchell and County Prosecutor Steven Hern regarding the situation. He said the treasurer is prepared to file a warrant for collection.

Mitchell said action would be taken by today if there is no further response from the hotel owners. Tax warrants can result in arrests.

Each property is to return tax forms and monthly payments by the 20th of each month. If payment is not received within 10 days a reminder from the auditor's office is to be sent. If there is still no payment, the prosecutor's office is to be notified and that office is to send a letter within 15 days. The prosecutor's office is to notify the treasurer who is to file a proceeding for a criminal complaint.

The board also:

• Heard research regarding ownership of the Visitor's Center continues.

• Discussed reviewing grant applications every other month and eventually moving to quarterly reviews.

• Approved a grant cut-off date of Nov. 15.

Commissioners are Deb Wiggins, John Elliott, Jon Sroufe, Fay Medlock, Jan Carter, Joy McCarthy-Sessing and Dave Taylor. [[In-content Ad]]