<!--Mark Scheer--><table width="234" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" background="http://static.cnhi.zope.net/flashpromo/niagaragazette/images/byline_234x60.jpg" height="60"><tr><td><div align="center"><font size="3" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">By Mark Scheer</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></font><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="mailto:mark.scheer@niagara-gazette.com">mark.scheer@niagara-gazette.com</a></font></div></td></tr></table>
The Niagara Tourism and Convention Corp. has until April 20 to produce a detailed account of its finances that is up to the standards of the Niagara Falls City Council.
City lawmakers on Monday unanimously approved a resolution calling on the countywide tourism group and its President John Percy to present the council with a “true and complete” copy of its 2009 budget, including specifics for all travel and operations expenses and salaries.
During Monday’s afternoon agenda review meeting, Percy told lawmakers the NTCC submitted a financial overview to the city corporation counsel’s office Friday afternoon.
Following Monday’s vote on the council resolution, lawmaker and outspoken NTCC critic Sam Fruscione said the one-page document was “not acceptable.”
“We are looking for a detailed budget with salaries and expenses, pretty much what the City of Niagara Falls budget looks like, so we know exactly what we are spending our money on and where it is going,” Fruscione said.
Fruscione raised concerns about the function and funding of NTCC last week. As liaison to the tourism board, he has called for a review of the city’s contract with the organization, which receives about $1 million each from the city’s share of casino funds and additional revenue from hotel bed tax money collected in Niagara Falls.
Percy and other NTCC officials have been criticized by Fruscione and others for their spending habits, including decisions to fly to India on promotional campaigns.
NTCC officials defend the visits as beneficial to the group’s efforts to market the region and have helped establish relationships with hundreds of people in the media and tourism industries.
Fruscione said the council is hopeful NTCC will comply with its request for more detailed financial information by the deadline. If not, he said, lawmakers will likely take stronger steps, including requests for an audit of the organization by the state Comptroller and a request for a clarification from the state Office of Open Government on the NTCC’s standing as an agency, including whether it constitutes a public body covered under the state’s open government rules.
“Right now, we are asking them to turn this over,” Fruscione said. “If they don’t turn this over, then we are going to go to the next step.”
Contact reporter Mark Scheer at 282-2311, ext. 2250
