MAYVILLE - How to possibly divvy up $165,000 in bed tax revenues had been in the hands of a County Legislature-appointed committee the past couple months.
Now, it's in the hands of the County Legislature.
On Tuesday, the county's Planning and Economic Development Committee heard recommendations from a committee consisting of tourism related organizations on how to grant bed tax money to tourism-related events and groups.
Andrew Nixon, Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau executive director, presented the 24 bed tax revenue grant recommendations to the legislators.
The committee, which was appointed by the legislature, was created last year to make recommendations on how 20 percent of bed tax revenues from the 3 percent occupancy tax should go to tourism-related events and organizations. Around $825,000 is expected from the 3 percent bed tax for 2009, with 20 percent being around $165,000.
Nixon said each member of the committee had one focus when going through each application to determine who is more deserving of bed tax revenues.
Fact Box
The committee made
recommendations on how 20 percent of bed tax
revenues from the 3 percent occupancy tax should go to tourism-related events and organizations.
The following is a prioritized list of recommendations for 2009 occupancy tax revenue grants. The County Legislature will vote on these recommendations during their monthly meeting on Aug. 27 in Mayville.
Project Requested Recommended
Ice Skating Events $14,000 $14,000
Snowmobile Events $1,500 $1,500
Snowmobile Trails $20,000 $10,000
Roger T. Peterson Fest $5,000 $5,000
Grape Belt Region $40,000 $20,000
Snowmobile Marketing $4,395 $4,395
Jackson Center $5,000 $5,000
N. Shore Arts Alliance $4,000 $4,000
Lake Erie Charter Fishing $2,000 $2,000
Babe Ruth World Series $5,000 $5,000
Audubon Nature Festival $5,000 $5,000
National Jr. College Golf $10,000 $7,500
Bemus Bay Pops $60,000 $15,000
Scandinavian Festival $3,000 $3,000
Fredonia Events $9,300 $7,500
City of Dunkirk Events $20,000 $10,000
Westfield Thruway Ads $9,250 $9,250
DJDC Events $30,000 $10,000
Youth Fly Fishing $6,000 $3,970
Rails To Trails $17,500 $5,500
Silver Creek Festival $2,000 $2,000
Dunkirk Lighthouse $30,000 $5,000
McClurg Museum Marketing $35,000 $9,385
Great Lakes Youth Program $1,000 $1,000
''Projects should attract non-resident visitors,'' Nixon said.
Nixon said all six members of the committee reviewed and graded each application. He said scores were then added and averaged to rank each project on a one to five basis, with five being the highest. The highest score was 4.38 for area ice skating events.
Nixon said emphasis was placed on events that would generate an increase in overall visitations, overnight visitations, increasing pre or post summer visitation and adding or enhancing visitor product and experience. Nixon said the group decided to not grant more than $20,000 to any tourism-related event or organization.
All members of the Planning and Economic Development Committee thanked Nixon and the other members of the application committee for their time determining grant recommendations.
''This is more than I had envisioned,'' said Maria Kindberg, D-Jamestown and majority leader, about the quality job the committee did in determining bed tax revenue grant recommendations.
The committee voted unanimously to approve the recommendations, which will now be voted on by the full legislature at its regular meeting on Aug. 27.
