Holmes Chamber seeks bed tax grant funds
Dave Mast
The front area of the Holmes County Chamber office will soon take on a very different look, and the chamber is seeking to partner with the Holmes County Commissioners to fund the renovation process that will allow visitors to stop in after hours.
The Holmes County Chamber is set to improve its facilities in Historic Downtown Millersburg, and it recently looked at developing a financial partnership with the Holmes County Commissioners through the county’s bed tax grants.
Holmes County Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau Executive Director Tiffany Gerber and chamber board member Jay McCulloch met with the commissioners Monday, March 3 to discuss the possibility of receiving a $25,000 bed tax grant commitment for the next three years as the chamber prepares to make renovations on its building to allow for easier access for tourists during hours in which the chamber building is closed.
Gerber said one of the action items from the comprehensive plan the chamber and tourism bureau took on is creating a welcome center that would be open after hours and on weekends to aid visitors in finding key tourism destinations, restaurants and lodgings around the area.
“We want to make sure that visitors get what they need when they need it,” Gerber said. “It’s also a direct benefit to our business owners, especially those in the tourism community, not only in downtown Millersburg, but across the county.”
Gerber said once the renovation process takes place, they will eventually have videos in the kiosk area explaining to visitors what takes place in Holmes County and some history and other pertinent information that will help guide people around the county and surrounding area.
Other major benefits of the renovation will include moving the public restrooms to the front area and adding an adult changing table for individuals with special needs.
Gerber said the chamber will fund the project, and her hope is they can unite with the county to help support the project, which she said will be instrumental in inviting people to spend more time in the area during their visits.
“We’d like to see this as a partnership between the tourism bureau and the commissioners, and we’re hoping you’ll make a minor investment in the project,” Gerber said.
She said the chamber has already committed $150,000 to the project, but another $250,000-$300,000 will be needed to complete the project.
She said the additional funding would be for assistance with some of the final phases, like signage and informational technology that will accompany the kiosk area. She said they have the intent of paying off the additional loans over the next three to four years.
While the chamber was asking for the commissioners to commit $25,000 a year for three years through the bed tax grant funds, the commissioners were hesitant because they generally don’t provide more than $10,000 per year to any entity in order to devote dollars to as many qualifying recipients as possible who are promoting tourism and overnight stays in the county.
“These bed tax grants have been very valuable to the county, and we’ve never given one out over $10,000, and we have a lot of people who depend on them,” said Commissioner Joe Miller, who said these various events supported by the county’s bed tax grants are critical to bringing people to the area.
He said devoting that much funding over the three-year period would put a strain on the bed tax grant effort.
Commissioner Dave Hall wondered what type of bang for the buck that type of commitment would present for the county, and Gerber said it is always the chamber and tourism bureau’s goals to invest in things that will entice people to not only come to Holmes County, but also stay here, something she believes this project will do.
Miller also expressed concern over the lodging tax, something Gerber said was a pass through that is never a financial burden on the local business owners.
She said their only commitment is doing the paperwork involved.
Miller said the commissioners would begin the process of feeling out the bed tax grant process, and he wants to see what types and how many requests the county receives before making any commitment.
“You’re certainly going to be part of that,” Miller said. “I love what you’re doing.”
The commissioners also brought up the idea of a five-year plan on a lesser dollar amount.”
McCulloch said there was no immediate rush, and they want the commissioners to explore every possible option.
“We’re thinking anything you give us would be beneficial to pay down debt or look at phase two of our projects,” McCulloch said.
The commissioners said they will discuss options and wait to see what will take place with other entities seeking bed tax dollars, as well as seeing what the overall bed tax grant funding looks like.”