DOBSON — Surry County commissioners adopted a 6 percent occupancy tax that will generate an approximately $100,000 revenue stream on Monday night.

“It’s a good tax,” County Manager Dennis Thompson said to the board. “It’s one that is not paid by the citizens of Surry County, but it will help them.”

The action comes after the North Carolina General Assembly gave its approval for the county to impose the surcharge. The bill was sponsored in the House of Representatives by District 90 Rep. Sarah Stevens and District 92 Rep. Darrell McCormick.

The bill was specifically aimed at taxing hotel rooms in unincorporated parts of Surry County. Municipalities in Surry County are already collecting an occupancy tax. This will not be an addition to that tax, Thompson said.

Now that it has been adopted, Thompson said, Assistant County Manager and Surry County Economic Development and Tourism Director Chris Knopf will be informing those businesses that will be affected concerning how and when the tax will be collected. He said he did not think the tax would be collected until at least September.

With the adoption of the tax, the board also agreed to appoint a tourism board called the Surry County Tourism Authority, which will be lead by Knopf. Thompson said 100 percent of the money collected through the tax will go directly back into marketing and tourism for Surry County.

A motion to approve the resolution was made by Vice Chair Paul Johnson and it was seconded by Commissioner Jimmy Miller. The vote passed unanimously.

Contact Mondee Tilley at mtilley@mtairynews.com or at 719-1930.