THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 19, 1997 TAG: 9701180143
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL REED, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 40 lines
City innkeepers have rejoined the Resort Leadership Council nearly six months after splitting from the lobbying group because of a disagreement over procedures for voting on issues vital to the local tourism industry.
A leadership change in the Hotel and Motel association last month - hotelier James H. Capps was elected for a new two-year term as president - apparently has prompted the reversal.
Hoteliers, under former president Henry Richardson, decided to leave the leadership council in protest to its policy of deciding by unanimous rather than by majority vote to back or oppose issues vital to the city's tourism industry. These issues include anything from funding of Oceanfront streetscape projects to resort trash pickups.
At the time, Richardson wrote a letter explaining that innkeepers had a problem with the requirement for unanimous agreement on almost every issue that came before the council. A majority vote is sufficient to decide the leadership council's position on various issues, he contended.
At a general meeting of the city innkeepers association Thursday Rick Anoia, president of the Resort Leadership Council, said the voting policy is being changed under a reorganization now under way.
Anoia preached unity to fellow innkeepers. ``It's important that we go out of here and speak with one voice,'' he said. ``The goal is to strengthen the organization (leadership council). Membership and dues are being worked out.''
The Resort Leadership Council was founded almost 10 years ago to provide a forum and a solid front for resort business operators in lobbying the City Council for tourism improvement projects and entertainment programs.
Capps said the decision to rejoin the Resort Leadership Council, which represents all three arms of the resort industry - retail shops, restaurants and hotels - was made at an early January meeting of the hotel and motel association board of directors.
In other action Thursday, general members of the innkeepers' association approved ``in concept'' a plan to speed up and increase Oceanfront trolley service during peak summer months.