AHOSKIE – Renting a hotel room in the town of Ahoskie will cost a little bit more starting September 5.

During their monthly meeting last Tuesday, the Ahoskie town council passed a resolution establishing an occupancy tax for the all rented rooms in the town.

The Ahoskie Occupancy Tax Bill (SL 2006-164) was passed by the General Assembly in Raleigh on July 25. This bill allows the town to levy a 3 percent tax on the room rentals at hotels, motels and inns in the town limits. This tax will be collected in addition to any applicable sales tax currently in place.

Concurrently, the town must establish a six-person Tourism Development Authority. Three members of the Authority will come from businesses that collect the tax and three members will individuals who promote travel and tourism in Ahoskie. All members of the Authority will be appointed by the Ahoskie Town Council. This newly created authority is required to report on a quarterly basis to the council its receipts and expenditures of the tax revenue.

By statute, at least two-thirds of the funds generated from the tax must be used to promote travel and tourism in the town and the reminder of the funds may be used for tourism-related expenses.

In other business, the council approved a $12,000 expenditure for grinding the over 300 stumps in the FEMA buyout area behind Roanoke-Chowan Hospital. The town received $9,900 in proceeds from timber cleared from the area several weeks ago. The area is being cleared and cleaned in a project to convert the former home sites into the town’s main recreation area. Plans call for several multi-use sports fields and parks.