By: Charles Romans
Carter County Times
Grayson Tourism Commission President Daniel White resigned from the commission during last Thursday’s (May 14) meeting. White said his resignation was effective immediately, citing that the position was not a good environment for him. Commissioner Deana Miller, who has been serving as the commission secretary, also informed the commission that she will not be seeking reappointment when her term expires this year. Both of these announcements came at the end of the regularly scheduled meeting.
Miller reminded the commission that at the April meeting, the commission had received a contract for an attorney appointment of Brandon Music, but no action was taken on the bid during that meeting. Commissioner Shadow Skaggs had agreed during the Apil meeting to reach out to two other attorneys to secure bids for the contract of attorney to represent the commission, and he presented the results of this at the May meeting.
Skaggs said he had spoken to Attorneys Justin Criswell and Whitley Bailey.
“They both agreed to give me estimates after the last special meeting,” Skaggs told the commission. “Whitley quickly gave me her contract. Basically, there is a $500 one-time fee, and then she charges $250 per hour with no minimum. Justin Criswell bowed out and said he didn’t feel this was for him.”
Skaggs told the commission he would attempt to get another contract estimate, but that he personally felt it would be more expedient to choose from the two contracts already presented. The commission voted to approve the contract with Music.
The commission then reviewed and discussed tourism financials, with White going over points listed. White directed the commission’s attention to page one of the financials sheet, and began by saying there was at that time $143,000 in the transient tax account and $3,700 in the First National Bank account. Page three of the report showed activity for the month and year-to-date. For the month of April $4,683 income was listed, with a year-to-date income of $63,450 for the 10-month fiscal year period.
The tourism financial report also listed advertising and marketing expenses of $6,500 for the month. Among other expenses were interest payments and the Blue Goose loan, as well as bank loans and other small expenses for events. Total expenses for the month were totaled at $11,394. The net loss for the month was calculated at $6,709. The commission also discussed the financials for the Grayson Sports Park.
Sports Park Director Bert Bayes told the commission that the sports park was going like “gangbusters.”
“We have already hosted seven events,” Bayes told the commission. “And we have everything scheduled out to the month of November. We are averaging about 1,200 guest per month, not counting weekend events.”
Those events, he said, saw about 1,500 to 2,500 guests on the weekends.
“We are staying very busy,” Bayes said.
Bayes also informed the commission that the sports park will be hosting a District Little League Tournament, in all four age categories. That tournament is scheduled for May 27, he said, and the park will also be hosting the State Little League Tournament for three age groups July 18.
“Those are five-day events,” Bayes said. “They run from Saturday to Wednesday.”
Bayes said to prepare for the tournaments he would need to order new, regulation pitching mounds. The new mounds will cost between four and six thousand each, and Bayes said that four mounds would need to be ordered.
“I’d like to get those in before the District Tournament to do sort of a dry run before the State Tournament,” Bayes said.
A decision would also need to be made on the PA system required by the tournaments, meaning four would be needed. Bayes said the Sports Park had one in good working order and another that could be repaired for around $500, and he was working on an estimate for what else was needed to meet the criteria for the tournament play.
In other sports park related business, the commission discussed the proposed pickleball and basketball courts. Financing for the projects was listed as a line item in the Tourism Commission budget utilizing regular funds. Grayson Mayor Troy Combs addressed this expense, stating that the Grayson City Council (the entity that approves tourism’s budget) would prefer grant money was utilized instead.
Certain government grants are available, Combs told the commission, through the City of Grayson. In order to apply for these grants, however, the commission would be required to either sign a long-term lease (minimum of 25 years) with the City of Grayson or the property would need to be put in the city’s name. Combs told the commission he believed this was the best way to move forward, and that it was at the commission’s discretion on whether to lease the property or deed it to the city.
Tourism Director Lana Axtell told the commission that they were preparing for the Memory Days event in Grayson. Axtell said that since Maker’s Lot was not yet ready, she was going to try to use the sub flooring used for the skating rink so a tent could be set up for the event.
Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com
