One down, three to go.

The proposed three-year intergovernmental agreement to fund Visit Kankakee County, the county’s tourism organization, was approved Monday night by a 12-0 Kankakee City Council vote.

The current two-year agreement, set to expire June 30, will seek support from the Kankakee County Board and the village governments of Manteno and Bourbonnais.

The Bradley Village Board backed away from the organization when the previous five-year agreement expired two years ago.

The agency is funded largely through the intergovernmental agreements, which require a $70,000 membership fee, plus a $5,000 per hotel/motel fee within the municipal government’s borders.

Kankakee has three lodging locations within its boundaries: Wyndham Garden Kankakee (formerly Hilton Garden Inn), 455 RiverStone Parkway; Economy Inn, 2125 S. Schuyler Ave.; and Model Motel, 580 W. Jeffery St.

Thus, in the first year of the agreement, Visit Kankakee County will gain $85,000 of funding from Kankakee.

In the second year of the agreement, the base funding increases by 3% to $72,100, and then in year three, $74,263.

The new agreement expires June 30, 2029.

In addition to the funding from the local governments, the agency is seeking a $150,000 grant from the state. Visit Kankakee County executive director Angelina Gear said the local tourism agency has always been successful in gaining the state grant and believes this year should not be any different.

No city council member appeared to have any objection to the city’s renewal of the agreement.

Barbi Brewer Watson, Kankakee’s economic and community development director, said prior to the vote that Visitor Kankakee County is a “key partner” to the city’s visitor attraction efforts.

Visitors, prospective residents, and potential businesses, she said, are seeking quality of life, recreational activities, and “what would a business look like here?”

The agency, she said, acts as a Kankakee team member and helps answer those questions.

Angelina Gear, Visit Kankakee County’s director, anticipates the Kankakee County Board acting upon the agreement at its April 14 meeting and the Bourbonnais Village Board voting on April 20.

The Manteno Village Board discussed the agreement at its Monday board meeting, but no action was taken. A village board vote does not appear to be on the table until May.

Kankakee Mayor Chris Curtis said after the council meeting, the intergovernmental contract renewal was an “easy yes.”

He said the organization aids the city with bringing in visitors regarding the Kankakee River Regatta boat races, Merchant Street MusicFest and the Saturday mornings Kankakee Farmers Market, to name a few.

He said the organization will also assist the city in bringing people to the downtown area when the Kankakee East Riverwalk is completed later this summer.

“For us, they (Visit Kankakee County) have been a positive,” he said.