County set to name new tourism leader

A former city council member is set to take charge of the Fremont and Dodge County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

But before Patti Emanuel-Vaughan can officially be the organization's executive director, the move must be approved by the Dodge County Board of Supervisors, which meets at

9 a.m. Wednesday in the third floor county board room of the Dodge County Courthouse in downtown Fremont.

Supervisors must approve the appointment because the CVB was created through a Dodge County ordinance and CVB funds are funneled through the Dodge County treasurer's office.

Emanuel-Vaughan is scheduled to be officially introduced at 9:20 a.m. after supervisors consider her appointment.

Emanuel-Vaughan, whose great-great grandparents homesteaded in Dodge County in the early 1800s and who is a third-generation Fremonter, said she believes that this is a unique opportunity for her.

“It feels like all the skills I've developed all my life have come together into one position, and that is to promote Fremont and Dodge County to attract more visitors here,” she said.

“I have a lot of pride in our community,” she continued. “It excites me to promote it and share the good news about Fremont and Dodge County. I began promoting the area as a reporter for the Tribune 20 to 25 years ago. I was one of the early supporters of the Fremont and Elkhorn Valley Railroad.”

Being a tourist destination is nothing new to people here.

“Fremonters have always catered to the traveling public from the early settling of our town 151 years ago. Settlers passing through going west were a ready market,” she said.

Until January 2006, Emanuel-Vaughan had served on the Fremont City Council for 15 years. She resigned to devote her time to researching and writing a series of special sesquicentennial articles for the Fremont Tribune. For many years before being elected to the city council, she worked as a reporter for the Tribune.

She also is the wife of Dodge County Attorney Paul Vaughan.

In a written statement, CVB chairwoman Nona Wiese said she believes Emanuel-Vaughan is perfect for the group's executive director position.

“Patti has been a strong advocate for Fremont and Dodge County, and I am very excited about what she brings to this organization,” Wiese said. “We are looking forward to working with Patti to

identify opportunities that will attract visitors to our community.”

The CVB is funded solely through a pair of 2 percent lodging taxes, which each collect about $70,000 annually. One tax funds the organization's operations, including payroll and tourism marketing. The other tax is solely earmarked for capital improvements to tourism sites.