By Charles Romans
Carter County Times
The Grayson Tourism Commission called a special meeting last week to discuss their budget for the upcoming year. Typical items on the budget included both old and new construction projects at the Grayson Sports Park and the Blue Goose building. For instance, the commission discussed making a business plan to move forward with the Blue Goose and complete the project using available funds.
The commission also discussed additional full-time employees that would be added to the upcoming budget. The new employees would include an assistant maintenance position at $40,000 per year plus health benefits and a clerical employee at $24,000 per year.
“I’ve come to the conclusion that we need a clerical person,” treasurer Don Combs told the Commission.
Combs said the new hire would be responsible for filing paperwork and ensuring that bills were delivered when required. Paperwork is both necessary and challenging, Combs said, “and the position would require someone with good organizational and clerical skills.”
The tourism commission also discussed a reallotment of funds ($187,000) that is now being proposed to go toward a cover for the amphitheater and a sensory garden at the Sports Park. The money earmarked for this was originally designated as matching funds for a Land and Water grant that will expire before all details can be submitted, and so will no longer be received.
Budget items such as the $18,500 set aside for staging events in the city were also discussed. That figure could potentially be offset by new revenue for that purpose. There is currently $5,000 designated for sponsoring events the commission feels will benefit their overall mission of promoting tourism in the city and county. Currently there is $55,000 in the budget for overall advertising and marketing.
The commission also discussed the need to escalate the Blue Goose project due to time constraints. The money received through a grant for the project came with a stipulation that it must be used within a two-year period after receiving the funds, and currently nine months have passed. Action was needed immediately during this budget, because of the risk of the time expiring if it was held over until the 2026 budget year.
The commission was divided on the subject, with some commissioners stating a belief that the current plan for the Blue Goose would not be the best use of money to ultimately generate tourism dollars. An alternative plan for the Blue Goose was suggested that might include a theater or a convention center as opposed to the market style plan currently in place for the property. Some commissioners expressed concern that the current plans for the Blue Goose were not in line with the original vision, but no change to the current plan was adopted.
The commission voted to approve the current budget with a divided vote of three against and three in favor, with the president casting the determining vote in favor of adopting the current budget.
Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com
