Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
A request of $79,314 for Convention and Visitors Bureau's second quarter expenditures was approved by the Kosciusko County Convention, Recreation and Visitor Commission Wednesday. The funds will not become available until formally approved by the county council.
Mary Kittrell, named executive director of the CVB, and Mike Stetzel, president of the CVB board, appeared to answer questions and give details about the request.
The funds will be spent on administration, $42,553.94; services to the commission, $600; current visitor and resident services, $19,527.12; visitor attraction and outreach, $5,093; and community relations, $11,550.
Kittrell said a community awareness event is scheduled at the Visitor's Center May 7 through May 14, National Tourism Week. Plans are for the staff to hold an open house during the entire week and to host familiarization tours for area residents.
The CVB also is establishing a group of volunteers to serve as "tourism ambassadors." The group could assist at the Visitor Center and at community events, and act as guides for motorcoach groups. A junior ambassador program would allow students to volunteer.
Board members expressed their appreciation for the bureau's cooperation.
The board also:
• Approved an expenditure of $26,519, explained as a severance package to the CVB's former director Linda Arnold. The funds were spent prior to the commission's approval, commission president Deb Wiggins said.
• Heard the committee overseeing a long-range strategic tourism development plan had its initial meeting. Proposals from three consultants were reviewed. Each consultant will be invited back for a separate interview.
• Approved funding requests for several events including the Annual Classic Rock Concert, $7,605 as requested by the Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department; the Midwest Sprint Championship Optimist Triathlon, $850 as requested by the Warsaw Breakfast Optimist Club; and for two events, the Great Lakes/City of Lakes Tournament and the Central Regional Show Ski Tournament, $13,000 for advertising as requested by the Lake City Skiers.
KCCRVC members are Deb Wiggins, Jan Carter, Fay Medlock, Joy McCarthy-Sessing, John Elliott, Jon Sroufe and David Taylor. Sroufe was absent.
