Session Laws

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of section fifty-three of chapter forty-four of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, the town of Plymouth is hereby authorized to establish in the town treasury a special account to be known as the Plymouth Promotions Fund, into which account shall be deposited certain receipts which comprise a portion of the total local room occupancy tax received annually by the town under the provisions of section three A of chapter sixty-four G of the General Laws.

SECTION 2. For the purposes of establishing the portion of the local room occupancy tax that may be deposited in the Plymouth Promotions Fund, the town is hereby authorized to deposit, commencing during fiscal year nineteen hundred and ninety-four, twenty-five percent of all local room occupancy tax receipts; in fiscal year nineteen hundred and ninety-five, thirty-five percent of all receipts from said tax; in fiscal year nineteen hundred and ninety-six, forty-five percent of all receipts from said tax; and in each fiscal year subsequent to fiscal year nineteen hundred and ninety-six, forty-five percent of all local room occupancy tax receipts shall be deposited in said fund. All interest earned from said fund shall be treated as general fund revenue of the town of Plymouth.

SECTION 3. There is hereby established in the town of Plymouth a visitor services board consisting of seven members to be appointed by the board of selectmen, as follows: one member nominated by the Plymouth area chamber of commerce, one member nominated by the Plymouth county development council, one member nominated by the Plymouth development and industrial commission, one member representing retail interests within the town, and three members at-large. If any of the organizations with nominating privileges hereunder cease to exist or operate, the board of selectmen may appoint in place of such nominees individuals qualified to serve on said visitor services board, as appointees at-large. The board of selectmen shall fill any vacancies in said visitor services board in a like manner.

SECTION 4. The visitor services board shall recommend to the annual town meeting, commencing with the nineteen hundred and ninety-four town meeting, programs and projects that enhance the beautification, recreational resources, public safety, promotional and marketing activities, events, services, and public improvements which are of clear mutual interest to the residents and visitors of the town of Plymouth, and which strengthen said town as an attractive center for tourism, conventions, and related purposes of the visitor industry. The cost of such programs shall not exceed the funds available in the Plymouth Promotions Fund, and shall be allocated as follows: beginning with fiscal year nineteen hundred and ninety-four receipts appropriated for expenditure in fiscal year nineteen hundred and ninety-five, and appropriations made each subsequent fiscal year, no less than ten percent and no more than forty percent of said Plymouth Promotions Fund shall be used for public improvements including beautification, recreational resources, and public safety related to the mutual needs of visitors and residents with the balance available for promotional programs and projects.

SECTION 5. Upon approval by town meeting of the programs, services and other projects set forth under section four of this act, the visitor services board with the approval of the town manager shall be empowered to expend from said special revenue fund for the uses authorized by town meeting, and may for the purposes of this section designate funds to be expended under the direction of the Plymouth department of public works or other town agency as applicable; or obtain competitive proposals or bids for any services, programs or projects to be provided to the town by vendor contracts, all in accordance with the requirements of chapter thirty B of the General Laws or any other general law governing public bidding and procurement as may apply to the program or project. Any and all contracts for services, programs and projects authorized hereunder shall be awarded and executed by the town manager on the recommendation of the visitor services board, subject to compliance with applicable procurement laws of the commonwealth.

SECTION 6. This act shall take effect on January first, nineteen hundred and ninety-four.