Money for three touchscreen kiosks was a topic of discussion during last week’s Manitowoc Common Council meeting.
The kiosks would be placed at the Inn on Maritime Bay and Holiday Inn for tourists to be able to see what’s around the city.
While most of the council liked the idea, Alderman Brett Vanderkin and resident Collin Braunel think the city could be spending money elsewhere.
Braunel says he’s listened to people about the idea, and they don’t like that money is going toward this.
“We all walk around with cell phones in our pockets,” he explained. “It just doesn’t really make sense to have kiosks in our city. There is a better way to do it, maybe an app or something.”
Alderman Brett Vanderkin agreed, saying “To me this is kind of taking a step back. I mean this is technology from like maybe 20 years ago implementing kiosks. It would make sense then but today, honestly an app is probably the better option.”
Council President Eric Sitkiewitz says the kiosks are another facet of getting people’s attention to know what’s around the city.
10th District Alderman Todd Reckelburg says after talking with Visit Manitowoc Director Courtney Hanson, he will support the project because it has a good plan but reminded everyone it’s only Room tax commission money, not property tax money.
“Most of the conversations I’ve had in my district is, it’s room tax money it’s not property tax or whatever,” he said. “But when it’s gone it’s gone. Trust me I will not approve, with my vote anyway, any property tax or whatever going into that program.”
Mayor Justin Nickels also said this is a better way to bring the visitor’s center to tourists and it can be edited unlike the hard copy guides printed every year.
The council voted 9-1 to approve using about $70,000 to go toward the kiosks, with Vanderkin voting no.