Local restaurant owners gathered with tourism workers Tuesday to renew a local restaurant association inactive for four years.

&#8220We desperately need a voice,” said newly elected president Joyce May, owner of Walnut Hills.

Also attending the meeting were Rhonda Wright of Goldie’s Trail Bar-B-Que, Rowdy Nosser of Rowdy’s, Will Hood of Beechwood Restaurant and Lounge, Eddie Monsour of Monsour’s, Story Ebersole of StoryCook Catering, Harry Sharp of The Duff Green Mansion, Colleen May of the Vicksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau, Ken Crotwell of the Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association and Norman Ford and Larry Gawronski of Compass Facility Management, the company that manages the VCVB and the Vicksburg Convention Center.

Crotwell said a move is being made at the organization’s state level to &#8220get all the chapters back together.”

Mayor Laurence Leyens has also pushed for the group to become active. He wants a restaurant professional in a city-appointed seat on the VCVB board.

Another reason for Leyens’ encouraging the association, he has said, is to address a proposed tax increase that would give the VCVB more money for advertising efforts.

The existing 1 percent tax, in effect countywide, is collected on restaurant meals, room rentals and bar sales. Inside Vicksburg, there is also a 2 percent tax on room rentals, enacted 10 years ago to help pay for the Vicksburg Convention Center, which was paid off in March.

Leyens has said he will not revisit the proposed tax until a restaurant professional is on board, along with a viable hotel and lodging group – and both have voices in marketing efforts in the community.

Crotwell said although dues are paid to the state association, decisions regarding a tax are left up to the local chapter.

&#8220Y’all need to decide what to do with those tourism tax dollars,” he said. &#8220It’s all about putting (people) in seats and heads on beds. We are the hospitality business and tourism is a product of that.”

Before the meeting began, those present commented that tourism promotion is disorganized.

&#8220The right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing,” Nosser said.

The VCVB has been in disarray for nearly a year over hiring a manager or management firm. Employee turnover his been high in the agency and on the 11-member volunteer board.

May and others responded by encouraging the group to elect officers to take the first step in getting involved.

&#8220We need new leadership so we can be able to do the things we need to do,” May said.

Harry Sharp, president of the group since before it became inactive, passed on his seat to May, who was voted in unanimously. Members also elected Hood vice president, Ebersole as secretary and Wright as treasurer.

Conversations about the proposed tax ensued, leading to discussions and the overall desire to obtain more information regarding tourism dollars.

&#8220We need to have all the facts in front of us,” Sharp said.

The group adjourned until Oct. 10, when it hopes to have a member on the VCVB board. Nosser and May both will be recommended.

&#8220I would like to see us become a viable voice,” May said. &#8220Being the locally owned restaurants, we certainly should set the pace.”