Tourism commission awards $90,000 in funds, elects officers

Meeting with a full quorum for the first time in several months, the members heard presentations from community organizations requesting tourism funds.

Suzanne Smith and John Raines were present representing Salt Fork YMCA. They requested $922.50 to upgrade their current flag football field into a soccer field.

"There is the need in the community for an additional soccer field," Smith said. "We'll still be able to do our flag football program."

Raines noted that for the recent ConAgra-Cargill soccer tournament, which was actually not held because of poor field conditions, teams were turned away because there weren't enough playing areas. He hopes the Y's soccer field could be helpful in that tournament, as well as high school and Missouri Valley College events.

He said, "It's basically a community effort ... This is something we can give to the community."

The funds will pay for the field to be graded and re-seeded. Smith said she hopes it would be ready for use by fall 2010. The commission approved the Y's request.

The commission also approved the entire request package from Marshall Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee, which totaled $89,602.

Funds were awarded to the chamber itself, $20,207; Pennytown Reunion, $1,000; Saline County Farm Toy Show, $1,000; Patchwork Country Quilt Guild, $4,126; Slater Bear Creek Blues Festival, $3,000; Marshall Parks and Recreation Department, $3,300; Marshall Bow Hunters Club, $2,625; Friends of Arrow Rock, $2,000; Friends of Jim the Wonder Dog, $1,900; Saline County Fair Association, $10,440; Martin Community Center and Nicholas-Beazely Aviation Museum, $34,500; and Marshall-Saline Development Corporation, $2,500.

Bill Riggins spoke to the commission, representing Martin Community Center and Nicholas-Beazley Aviation Museum.

He said more than 15,000 people have visited the museum so far in 2009, and 170 events have been held in the community center.

"The word's beginning to get out," he said.

The center requested funds for two AmeriCorps VISTA workers to help with grant writing, $8,000; for Web site development, $8,000; and for two airplane cockpit simulators, $6000, among other things.

Commission members were wary at first about providing funds to pay VISTA workers because tourism money is not supposed to go toward salaries.

Stan Moore, with the Chamber Tourism Committee, explained that the money would be paid to AmeriCorps, not the volunteers themselves, so the transaction would be similar to all other uses of tourism funds.

"You're giving money to an organization, so they can hire a person to do that job," he said.

Commission members also discussed the Saline County Fairground's request for tourism funds, which are for advertising and a billboard along Interstate 70. Some thought the $7,440 estimate for a billboard was too great an amount, but it was approved.

Moore spoke highly of efforts by MCC and the Saline County Fairground and said they are big assets to Marshall tourism.

"You've got two things that you can market year round," he said.

About the fairground specifically, he said, "Over the past couple years, they've spent some money ... getting that visitor-ready."

The tourism commission also looked at revisions to 2009 grant awards. It moved to re-allocate part of the $11,200 awarded to, but not used by, Martin Community Center and Nicholas-Beazley Aviation Museum. The funds were awarded to advertise a grand opening, but now $7,960 has been allocated to cover the museum's other advertising and printing costs.

Before awarding the above amounts, the commission had a total of $133, 248.31 available in tourism funds, Treasurer Gracie Bouws said. A total of $66,040.07 has been collected in the first three quarters of 2009.

Commission members also voted to give $2,474.93 in additional funding to the Country Patchwork Quilt Guild to cover more expenses incurred by the annual quilt show, which featured the famous quilters from Gee's Bend, Ala.

Before adjourning, the commission elected officers. Bouws will continue as treasurer, Amy Crump will remain secretary, and new commission member Shelle Peuster will be president.

The commission will meet again Tuesday morning, Dec. 15, at 8:30 a.m.

Contact Sydney Stonner at marshallbusiness@socket.net