Travel Bureau reports increase in TRT tax collected

Emery County travel bureau employee Tina Carter said Emery County’s Transient Room Tax for June was the highest we’ve ever had.
The group discussed the Marketing Match Funding applications. Castle Valley Small Engine Repairs has asked for a grant. Brett White has started a small engine repair shop where he will also have rentals and sell other recreational items. Brett is asking for $5,000 to help with signage, windows, and concrete work. There was a question on whether or not he collected the tax needed to qualify for this grant. Travis motioned to approve funding contingent on Brett collecting the correct tax.
 Search and Rescue is up to 40 rescues for this year. Our County’s Search and Rescue is made up of volunteers and personnel from the Sheriff’s Office. With the hours being put in by volunteers they are unable to afford to go out on every search and rescue and the Sheriff’s Office is unable to pay their Officer’s overtime. Sheriff Funk spoke to Tina to request TRT funds to help alleviate the finances needed for these search and rescue missions. Those being rescued could pay for the rescue efforts but nobody wants to charge them.
 Lamar Guymon, chairman, spoke about funding and taxes that go towards the Sheriff’s Office specifically for these reasons. The Board didn’t feel like we should release TRT funds since there are taxes and funding available for the Sheriff’s Office from other resources.
Wayfinding and Directional Systems Project: The majority of visitors getting lost and needing to be rescued are in the Little Wildhorse/Bell Canyon area. The BLM has been contacted and they have since placed signs and ordered more signs to hopefully help with this issue. Tina said we need to be sure to have adequate signage for our County so that our visitors aren’t getting lost which will hopefully help alleviate the amount of rescues.   
 Jordan Leonard said that Huntington State Park was really busy over all the holiday weekends.
Trail’s Committee: Double E got the bid for the trail work for Crystal Geyser. Lamar is going to meet with Jay Mark about completing the paving work going up the dam in Huntington.
Tim Glenn with the John Wesley Powell Museum spoke on the City’s strategic plan and how they have identified a need for a river walk so people can get to the river and access it easier. Tim met with Johansen and Tuttle Engineering about the river walk and they suggested a feasibility study which would cost $2,270. Tim is asking if the Travel Bureau could pay for the feasibility study. The City would also like to install a stage for events and the total cost would be just under $100,000. Tim said that this will be the first phase of a larger museum rehab since the exhibits are all 10 years old. Lamar said for Tim to get a project proposal put together for the board to review.  
Expos: Two scholarships have been awarded. Castle Valley Outdoors and Knights Inn are the businesses who received the scholarships.
HUB: Now that they have heard from the photographer the mailing brochures are ready to go to print. They will be printing 40,000 brochures and will cost $15,000. Guymon suggested adding our website to the brochures.