Second Reading For New Taxes By Klark Byrd kbyrd@suntelegraph.com SIDNEY - The Sidney City Council has a full 16-point agenda on its plate for tonight’s meeting, including the replacement of a Sidney Library Board member who has resigned. That resignation came from Todd Nienhueser, a former Sidney elementary school teacher recently found guilty of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and sentenced to serve one year in jail on each misdemeanor count. The Sidney Library Board is requesting that Elizabeth Soucie be his replacement. Nienhueser’s term ends December 2012. Two occupation taxes that found designation approval at the Sept. 8 city council meeting will have their titles read for a second time. Council will be open to any public discussion on the ordinances. The first ordinance to be revisited will be the occupation tax on hotels, motels and other lodging businesses. The ordinance will impose a 2-percent occupation tax on those businesses. Though opposed by George Perry, owner of Days Inn and chairman of the Cheyenne County Visitors Committee, and Ramona Joyce, Cheyenne County Tourism director, the hotel, motel and lodging occupation tax was unanimously designated by city council in a 4-0 vote. Councilman Marvin Filsinger was absent from the meeting Sept. 8. Perry said the hotels and motels are currently taxing at 12 percent to compensate for sales tax and other occupational taxes. Perry and Joyce said that placing an additional 2 percent tax would keep Sidney lodging businesses from being competitive with others in the area. Joyce and Perry said at the meeting that the industry might tolerate a 1-percent occupation tax, but 2 percent could be enough to drive away business. Gaston said he didn’t “buy that at all.” The other occupation tax that found approval for designation was the 1 percent tax on prepared food. There was little discussion held two weeks ago on that ordinance. The tax will be placed on restaurants and businesses serving cooked foods. More discussion will be held on a sales tax refund request brought up by Gaston. The request will ask the state for the more than $3 million in local sales tax dollars that have been taken to fund state incentive programs. Discussion two weeks ago was indecisive in action to send it because city officials do not want to hurt District 47 Sen. Ken Schilz’ chances of introducing legislation that will cap the refund limit at 10 percent. It was suggested that the residents of Sidney get behind the petition to show the state that it’s not just city officials who are concerned with the missing money. Other agenda items include consideration of new stop signs for new school driveways, a stop sign and a speed limit sign relocation on Fort Sidney Road, refunding three bond issues to gain savings and consideration of Historical Preservation Board appointments due to expiration of terms.