Three months after doubling the bed tax and promising businesses it would use the funds to promote Tombstone as a tourist destination, the city took the revenue stream away from the Chamber of Commerce, and will instead use a portion to hire a part-time promotions manager.

Since June 30, the city has spent $25,000 of bed tax money to pay off some of the Chamber’s promotional debts. Left outstanding is about $11,000 for an outside audit of chamber finances.

To finish paying the bill for that audit, the city agreed Tuesday to dip into revenues from the Boot Hill Cemetery. Once that bill is paid, the audit should be released.

“We want to get it (the audit) out there,” said Chamber President Susan Wallace.

When it will be released is uncertain. Marshal Billy Cloud said it is part of a criminal investigation of spending by previous chamber officials and he will not release the report until that investigation is complete.

Cloud has held onto a preliminary draft of the audit since August. At first, he said he would not release it because there was a possibility he could conduct a criminal investigation, and because he wanted to protect the reputations of previous chamber officials who have not been charged with any crime.

After the Epitaph requested the release through state public records law, Cloud again refused, and said the document was now part of a criminal investigation he was conducting.

The Heinfeld Meech and Co. audit contract was signed by the chamber’s former acting Executive Director J.R. Botts. The city authorized Botts to use bed tax money to pay for the audit.

Once that money was spent, the Chamber had no way to pay for the audit until Tuesday’s decision to allow the Chamber to use Boot Hill funds. Council’s action allows Wallace to finish paying the approximately $13,000 tab due to Heinfeld Meech.

To help jump-start a promotions campaign for the town, as city officials promised when they doubled the bed tax in September, council voted Tuesday to hire a part-time promotions and marketing manager. The position will pay $15 an hour. City Clerk/Manager George Barnes said he hopes to fill the position by Jan. 1 and has already received a few resumes.

“It (hiring a promotions manager) wasn’t our first choice,” said Wallace. “It would be nice to keep it within the (existing) system without creating another system.”

Ward 1 Councilman Steve Troncale said the city “did quite a bit of research” on the decision to hire a promotions manager and the best example came from Bisbee. Despite the change, Troncale said the relationship between the city and the chamber is “improving” and the city shares some of the fault for past disconnects.

“It’s a new relationship now,” he said.

Ward 2 Councilman Jim Doherty said he likes the promotions plan because it has a six-month trial period through June 30.

“We want to have a better working relationship with the Chamber,” he said. “…I consider the Chamber a part of us.”

Doherty also said he is pleased with the progress the Chamber has made paying off its debts and reorganizing itself since the change in administration.

“They got left with a load,” he said. “Bottom line.”

Still, Doherty said he expects hiring a promotions manager to help the Chamber be more focused on helping the town earn money.

“So much needs to be done,” he said. “Especially with this economy, we need to be on top of this stuff.”

Ward 3 Councilwoman Stacey Korbeck-Reeder voted against hiring the promotions manager.

“I believe the chamber has had no problem in the past handling the advertising and promotion,” she said. “I believe the city should support them and not circumvent them.”

Korbeck-Reeder described the relationship between the city and chamber as “rough at best,” and said she thinks Wallace has done a great job since taking over as president and executive director.

“It seems like every time we turn around the city is pulling money away from them,” she said. “…it makes their job a little harder, and I don’t support that.”

The city and chamber have worked together in operating the Visitor’s Center, Boot Hill Cemetery and the Tombstone Courthouse Historic State Park. But Troncale said if the new strategy does not show positive results, the city could relieve the chamber of all promotional duties and, turning them over to the new manager.

“At this particular point we want to keep a positive attitude,” he said. “I can’t see any reason why it wouldn’t or shouldn’t work.”