B.C. Kowalski
Dick Barrett
Richard Barrett speaks before the Tourism and Finance committees in July. On Wednesday the two committees voted to end the city’s contract with the CVB.
Two city committees voted to terminate the city’s contract with the Central Wisconsin Visitors and Convention Bureau after the director accepted funds meant for area municipalities.
The city’s Finance Committee and Tourism Commission each voted in favor of terminating the contract. The final decision will go before the city council.
The committees first met in July to discuss the possibility of ending the contract after Wausau leaders learned that CVB Director Richard Barrett had collected room tax money from Expedia that should have gone to Wausau and other municipalities.
Barrett claimed he was collecting the money on behalf of the municipalities, but city leaders say they were never contacted by Barrett about the money, and weren’t paid until they brought it to his attention.
Rothschild ended its contract last summer over the incident, and Weston and Rib Mountain are still deciding what to do.
