Jamestown  (CSi)  The Jamestown Tourism Grant/Executive Board met Thursday morning at the CSi Technology Center, at Historic Franklin School.

Present were board president Matthew Woods, Tena Lawrence, and Taylor Barnes.

Tourism Director Searle Swedlund, and Ex-Officio member Pam Phillips, Jamestown City Council

There were no grant requests on the agenda, so the Executive Board business was centered on the 2019 budget.

Tourism Director, Searle Swedlund  projected reductions in tax revenues.

He said that puts Jamestown Tourism in a position to reduce the budget by between $10,000 and $13,000 for 2019.

He said reductions will change the operations of Jamestown Tourism.

Swedlund proposed three budget cutting solutions that were presented. Each one focused the reductions in either marketing, operations, or grants.

He presented possible reductions in expenses:

Budget “A”….Reduce grant approvals by $10,000

Reduce Operating costs by $3,000

Budget “B”….Reduce marketing expenditures by $13,000

Budget “C”… Reduce operating expenditures by $13,000, by eliminating summer staff.

He pointed out 2019 projected expenditures:

Operating costs

Building Maintenance

Office Computer Software upgrades.

A two percent increase in payroll.

 

The current calendar year 2018 budget revenue projections include:

Motel and Lodging Tax income at $160,00

Restaurant Taxes at three percent increase at $166,000.

Tourism has also submitted a funding request from JSDC of $75,000 for approving grant requests.

He said the continued goal of Tourism is to use resources to keep visitors in Jamestown longer.

Board President Matthew Woods stated that tourism is more than a grant  approval entity, adding that he doesn’t see income improving, adding that motel occupancy in Jamestown and statewide is down.

The consensus of the board members is that grant requests be further scrutinized, with the goal of the entities requesting grant dollars become more self-sufficient, after getting initial tourism grants.

The board unanimously approved a motion to have Swedlund and Office Manager, Emily Bivens, look at sharing reductions across the board in the areas of Operations, Grant Approvals and Marketing with no one budget category reduced by more than 75 percent.

In other business, Swedlund said the Feed The Buffalo fundraiser at the World’s Largest Buffalo Statue, to pay for its refurbishing  takes in about $30-$50 per week.

He said the quarterly Hospital Tax amounted to $65,000, with year to date funding at $130,941.03.

He noted that the Frontier Village is keeping the grass mowed, with a self-funding account.

City Council Member Pam Phillips told the board, the next city budget meeting is at 8-a.m. Thursday at  City Hall. She said state funding to the city is down about a half million dollars.

She added the city is looking for equitable ideas with solutions to storm water drainage issues, in the the city.