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of the main questions he is asked is about the street scape. He noted that work <br /> on this project is slow due to a 30% increase in the contract to complete the <br /> work. Main Street Batesville is working to secure funds to complete the project. <br /> Mr. Carius also reported that 3 years ago there were 20 vacant business <br /> located on Main Street. Today, there are only 2 buildings that are unoccupied. <br /> MSB has high hopes the new business incubator will be a great asset to our <br /> downtown merchants. The completion of the library should greatly increase foot <br /> traffic downtown. Loft apartments, the Maxfield Park and a project yet to be <br /> announced were also discussed during the report. Councilmember Bryant <br /> commented the Main Street revitalization has come back to life much faster than <br /> expected. <br /> B) IMPACT TOURISM COMMITTEE PRESENTATION <br /> IMPACT Tourism committee members Carter Ford and Kyle Christopher, tourism <br /> director, approached the council with background of IMPACT and how they have <br /> progressed to today. The results of the IMPACT survey was a need for more <br /> jobs, and tourism is one of the quickest ways to accomplish that. Batesville and <br /> Independence County have many natural attractions that can pull tourist to our <br /> area. The problem is we are "a business with no marketing department" so to <br /> speak. We are not telling our story and making it available to the public. In order <br /> to accomplish this, the Committee recommended the formation of an Advertising <br /> and Promotion Commission and the passing of an A&P tax on lodging. <br /> Committee members decided on just a lodging tax because they did not want to <br /> burden citizens with an additional food tax as some other cities do. The A&P <br />