Will Manteno remain part of the intergovernmental agreement for Kankakee County tourism?

That circumstance remains to be determined after Monday’s Board of Trustees meeting.

A motion on a resolution approving the IGA among Kankakee County, Kankakee and the village of Bourbonnais and Manteno for the Kankakee County Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Kankakee County), failed to get a needed second in order for the board to vote on the measure.

The resolution will now go back to committee so it can be put on a future board meeting agenda.

“I think we’ll probably see that come back to the board again for another conversation, just because, keep in mind that our contribution to that is $80,000, but with that, we get another $100,000 grant,” Trustee Joel Gesky said. “So by us not participating, we’re not taking advantage of that $100,000 grant [for the visitors bureau].”

Gesky, along with Mike Barry and Peggy Vaughn, was the only trustee present at Monday’s meeting. Annette Zimbelman is out with an illness, while CJ Boudreau let fellow trustees know he was away due to a family emergency. Trustee Todd Crockett was also absent.

Gesky said the resolution will be put on the agenda for the General Government Committee meeting at 7 a.m. on April 28. It can then be brought up for a vote at the May 4 village board meeting.

The new IGA for Visit Kankakee County, which was initially formed in 1983, is set to go into effect on July 1. It renews the previous two-year agreement.

“I’m torn on that, to be honest with you,” said Manteno Mayor Annette LaMore on the IGA after the meeting. “It’s a lot of money. It will gradually go up.”

The new IGA, a three-year deal, calls for each participating municipality to contribute a $70,000 base plus $5,000 for each hotel.

Manteno has two hotels, so its total commitment would be $80,000 in the first year. The $70,000 would increase by 3% year over year. In year two the base escalates to $72,100 and in year three to $74,263.

The previous agreement was $60,000 base plus $10,000 for the two hotels.

Angelina Gear, executive director of Visit Kankakee County, said what Manteno is generating now through its hotel tax would cover the total amount.

“The village of Manteno’s took in more than $80,000 in hotel tax last year, so they wouldn’t have to pull from their general fund,” said Gear when reached by phone Monday night.

Gesky noted the hotel tax revenue can’t be used by the village for anything other than tourism.

LaMore said she isn’t sure how much tourism brings to Manteno since the village doesn’t have a draw like the B Harley Bradley House or a college or university.

“They come here because they want to come to the festivals we have,” she said. “Like the Oktoberfest, Rockin’ on the Square, but we do a pretty good job of advertising that ourselves. … There will be more discussion on that.”

Barry said he has a problem with the IGA being a three-year agreement.

“I don’t have a problem signing a one-year agreement, but three years, I can’t see it,” he said. “With the percentages and increases there, that’s my concern.”