Jamestown  (CSi)  The Jamestown Tourism Grant/Executive Advisory Board meeting was held Thursday at Historic Franklin School.

Grant requests were heard from the Stutsman County Museum concerning staffing, and Jamestown Drag Racing Association for advertising and Capital Construction.

The Stutsman County Museum represented by Tom Lindberg, requested $8,000 for the 2017 payroll for summer staffing.

Other donations/sources of funding were listed as $8,243 from the Stutsman County, mill levy, and $7,000 from donations and dues.

The 2017 payroll is expected to be $9,342.94.

At Thursday’s meeting, the Tourism Grant board granted, 80 percent of the anticipated payroll, which is $7,500.

It was pointed out that recent funding requests by other entities for payrolls, also in some cases, have not been fully funded.

 

Jamestown Drag Racing represented by Mike Trautman, requested a grant of $6,000 for advertising including posters.

It also requested $1,700 in purchasing  public address equipment, which previously had been rented.

Other funding sources and amounts were listed as: Local Business Sponsors, $11,170, from race entry fees, game admission fees, $10,000, event t-shirt sales, $2,500.

The economic impact of the drag races is estimated at $225, 000, with an attendance of visitors of 1,500.

The Grant Board approved giving,  the full amount of $6,000 for the advertising request, and the full amount of $1,700 to purchase the public address equipment.  This year’s Drag Races are scheduled for July 15, 16, at Jamestown Regional Airport.

In other business the Board, reviewed the Capital Construction process.

It was noted that the next round of applications are due by March 1st, this year, and that the news media was given the explanation of the Capital Construction fund and the application process.

The board reviewed the score sheet board members use  from the application information .

Tourism Director, Searle Swedlund  reported that officials with the University of Jamestown have pointed out that the NAIA Wrestling Championships are looking at holding the event in Jamestown, both at the Civic Center, and the University of Jamestown.  He said talks concerning a possible two year agreement will continue, and would include 2018 and 2019, if agreed to.

He pointed out that Tourism is helping to improve and expand the signage on the hiking and biking trails by working with the designer.

Tourism also assisted  Birding Drives North Dakota with the designing of the new brochure. The cost of $5,000 comes from last year’s Tourism budget.