MANSFIELD — The work done at Destination Mansfield-Richland County is a force multiplier, according to Lee Tasseff, the organization’s long-time president.
“Tourism is a shared, public good. What we do affects not just us and restaurants and hotels and attractions — that’s just the conduit for the money to come in that makes its way to the rest of the community,” Tasseff told Mansfield City Council on Tuesday evening.
“Everything we do is designed to benefit the county as a whole and all residents in it,” he said during his annual year-end visit with local lawmakers.
Tasseff said travel and tourism is a $400-plus million industry in Richland County that employs more than 5,000 people.
“It generates over $11.6 million in multiple taxes for government services (that are) paid for by visitors, which essentially equals out to $562 less per household in taxes that have to be paid because of tourism functions,” he said.
Among its other efforts this year, Tasseff said Destination Mansfield-Richland County shot nine videos, used 161 models, took more than 700 photos at 19 different locations and ran eight digital campaigns.
“Everything we do, we also share with our members. We don’t keep it. If they want it, they can have it. Anything we created, we make sure that they can have it and can do a better job of amplifying their own message,” he said.
Local travel and tourism, which took a hit in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, has fully rebounded at this point, largely due to the so-called Baby Boomer generation.
“Sorry to the younger generations — X, Y, Z, millennials. Baby boomers still rule when it comes to the travel economy. It’s gonna be a little sluggish this year in some of the other demographics for some of the other generations.
“But one of the things that came loud and clear is that (Baby boomers) were probably more ticked off than anybody when it came to travel and shut down during COVID.
“They still have some of the resources, even though they’re retired, to go out and travel,” Tasseff said.
In other activity Tuesday, City Council:
— reversed a decision it made two weeks ago and voted 6-2 to put the 0.25-percent municipal income tax on the March primary ballot on behalf of the Water Main Initiative citizens’ group.
— gave a second reading to a temporary 2024 spending plan. A vote on the financial plan is scheduled for Dec. 19.
— approved three pieces of legislation to spend $512,701 on equipment for the Mansfield Police Department, including flooring, lockers and storage spaces. Funds for the purchases would come from the department’s operations and capital expenses funds.
— gave a second reading on proposed salary increases for elected officials in the city and for selected employees. A vote on the two pieces of legislation is planned Dec. 19.
— approved a resolution honoring Sheila Bradshaw, who retired Dec. 1 as the civilian operations supervisor of the MPD’s records and data section.
— voted to reappoint Ary VanHarlingen to the Richland Public Health board.
— approved a proposal to vacate an unnamed alley between Glessner Avenue and Spruce Street between Lost 1558 and 1559.
— approved the demolition of five deteriorating structures at 78 S. Foster St., 125-127 Home Avenue, 321 Newman St., 332 Reed St. and 335 Newman St.
— approved paying $19,820.30 to Madison Township through a “then-and-now” certificate. According to the legislation, the city engineering department contracted with the township to resurface portions of Illinois Avenue prior to submitting a purchase order.
— approved paying $37,100 to Quality Masonry Co., Inc., through a “then-and-now” certificate. According to the legislation, the city engineering department contracted with the company to perform stone wall restoration at North Lake Park prior to submitting a purchase order.
— appropriated $375,000 from the unappropriated Safety Services Fund to cover payroll expenses for the remainder of 2023.
— authorized the Ohio Dept. of Transportation to perform two bridge overlays on Ohio 13. The work, which ODOT will pay for, is expected be done in the summer of 2024.
— voted to accept a $750,000 grant from the Richland County Foundation for the Main Street Corridor Improvement project and improvements to the Vasbinder Fountain in Central Park.
— approved resolution regarding the city’s intent to begin eminent proceedings with local property owners to obtain property easement rights needed for the Main Street Corridor Improvement project.
— authorized the public works director to enter into a contract to replace the traffic signal at the intersection of Marion, Maple and Sherman.
— authorized the public works director to enter into a contract with Shook Construction of Dublin, Ohio, to handle the design, inspection and construction of improvements to the city’s water treatment plant. City engineer Bob Bianchi said prices have risen since council approved a $35 million bond for the project a few years ago. Work is still ongoing and will require an additional $2.7 million he said.
— voted to amend the city’s codified ordinances to extend and reallocate the transient occupancy tax, i.e. bed tax, through Dec. 31, 2026.
