By Charles Romans
Carter County Times
The Grayson Tourism Commission met for its regularly scheduled meeting last Thursday, to discuss the business of promoting tourism in the city of Grayson. Minutes were approved from both the previous month and for the special meeting from the day before.
Next on the agenda was the treasurer’s report, submitted by Treasurer Don Combs. Budget items included a comparison of the restaurant tax revenue for the month of May, and current account balances and capital expenditures.
Grayson sports park manager Grant Harper reported to the commission on the closing of a local restaurant, which would result in a loss to the restaurant tax revenue for the tourism commission. The restaurant in question, Harper reported, was currently in arears by five months on those taxes, and there was a question of whether those taxes could be collected. The business closure was not a result of any action taken by the city, but rather of the business owner’s own volition.
Harper also discussed a grant for the 2024 grant cycle that would fund basketball courts, pickleball courts, lighting, and fencing. He said the estimates for the construction have already been secured and are ready to submit with that application.
“I submitted a total project of $250,000,” Harper told the commission.
But he also made them aware that estimates are subject to change depending upon how long the approval process takes.
The estimate included an asphalt surface for the courts, which Harper said is superior to concrete on that application due to being a less rigid surface. The company that submitted the estimate also does striping and painting of courts, Harper said. The project will ideally be completed in 2025, he said.
Another sports park project, the inclusive swing project, would ideally be a fall of 2024 and spring of 2025 project Harper said. He recognized the Kiwanis Club for doing a lot of work toward bringing the latter project to fruition. This would include wheelchair swings and buddy swings, rubber surfacing, and a sidewalk around the area. The inclusive swings will be adjacent to the current playground area.
Harper told the commission that he had ordered directional signage for the sports park in an effort to mitigate parking issues. The goal is to direct traffic in a single direction to improve traffic flow both entering and exiting the park.
“I ordered some signage, painted some arrows, and I am going to do a PSA on the park’s social media page,” he said. “It means a lot to people to have an adequate parking area and defined spaces; and that is a huge factor in being able to draw people to your park.”
The next scheduled meeting for the Grayson Tourism Commission will be July 11 at 10 a.m.
Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com
