The Village of Jackson Tourism Commission on Oct. 14 recommended that the Village Board approve the 2026 hotel‑motel tax budget as presented, after hearing presentations from Visit Washington County and local event organizers and reviewing year‑to‑date revenues and the fund balance.

The recommendation followed a presentation by Tyler, a village staff member, who reviewed 2025 hotel‑motel tax figures. “For 2025, we had a budget of 74,000 in revenues and expenses,” Tyler said, and reported year‑to‑date revenues of $30,866.23 and a current fund balance of $53,237.81. He told commissioners the village expects remaining event expenses — including the Fall Festival of Fun and holiday activities such as the Christmas tree lighting and tree maintenance — to come in near the budgeted total.

Visit Washington County representative Kathy Moments summarized the countywide tourism organization’s outreach and promotional work and asked the village to continue a $6,000 annual contribution. “We develop and then print 50,000 copies” of the annual visitor guide, Moments said, describing statewide and regional distribution through newspapers and visitor centers. She also described advertising placements, social media reach and partnerships with local lodging and event venues.

Why it matters: commissioners were presented with data showing the hotel‑motel fund has declined from a 2024 high point and must be managed to sustain programming. Tyler said the fund balance was $107,719 at one point in 2024, is $53,237.81 now and is projected to be about $38,237.29 going into 2026. Commissioners discussed continuing support for core holiday decorations and signage while asking partner organizations to pursue sponsorships to help cover event costs.

Discussion and details

Commissioners asked about the 2023 revenue spike. Tyler said 2023 revenues rose to $74,498.88 from more typical historical levels of about $40,000–$60,000 and attributed some of the change to different lodging occupancy patterns. Commissioners and staff discussed projections that 2025 revenues will likely increase in the third and fourth quarters and that the commission will rely on the fund balance to balance the budget as needed.

Moments described Visit Washington County’s distribution and promotional activities in detail: printed visitor guides distributed statewide (50,000 copies printed annually, with an initial distribution of about 35,000 via partner newspapers and 12,000 as an insert with the Wisconsin State Journal), booths and materials at the state fair, two visitor centers (including one at Cabela’s), targeted advertising such as a half‑page ad in the Milwaukee Brewers yearbook and placements in Key Milwaukee magazine, and ongoing social media promotion (2,310 followers reported across platforms, with 1,300 on Instagram). Moments said the organization receives about 200 guide requests per year from across the U.S. and noted that next year Visit Washington County will mark its 40th anniversary.

Local events and plans

Tyler and the commission representatives described event plans that depend on hotel‑motel funding and partner support. Parks and recreation events include Monte Carlo night, beer gardens, the Christmas tree lighting and the Fall Festival of Fun. Jackson Festivals Inc.’s Action in Jackson festival reported increased attendance this year — the car show drew over 100 cars, up from a typical 60–70 — and organizers plan to add a third day and a softball tournament to attract out‑of‑town teams.

Budget recommendation and vote

Commissioner Heckendorf moved to recommend Village Board approval of the 2026 hotel‑motel tax budget as presented; Commissioner Buzer seconded. The commission voted verbally in favor and the motion carried.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of minutes for the Tourism Commission meeting of Oct. 15, 2024: motion carried (motion by Menzel; second by Heckendorf).
- Recommendation to Village Board to approve the 2026 hotel‑motel tax budget as presented: motion carried (motion by Heckendorf; second by Buzer).
- Adjournment: motion carried (motion by Heckendorf; second by Beazer).

What’s next

The commission will forward its recommendation on the 2026 hotel‑motel tax budget to the Village Board for final action. Staff and partner organizations were asked to continue monitoring revenues and expenses, pursue outside sponsorships, and return with updates as additional financial information becomes available.