Lewis CVBs Urged to Meet to Consider Merging
By JOHN WICKLINE, Staff WriterLewis County's two competing tourism agencies have been asked to sit down with a state mediator in an effort to possibly merge the groups into one.
Marianne Moran, the president of the West Virginia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureau, made the offer Monday during a meeting of the Lewis County Commission. She said any decision would be left to the County Commission.
"There is a heightened awareness of counties that have more than one," she said. "With all of the CVBs cropping up and if we don't get a handle on it, the Legislature will look at how the hotel/motel tax is being spent. All of that hotel/motel tax may go away."
Lewis County's newest CVB, the Mountain Lakes Convention and Visitors Bureau, came forward in November 2007 and was officially by the County Commission in January. It began receiving funding a few weeks later when the hotel/motel tax was distributed.
It has since set up an office at the Comfort Inn, east of Weston, and is using the services of a Parkersburg marketing firm until a permanent director can be found.
"We are excited about the opportunity to work together," said Mountain Lakes director Cheryl Ferrebee. "We have some ideas on how the groups can work together."
The Mountain Lakes group began forming in 2007 after the county commissioners began receiving numerous complaints over the operations of the Lewis County Convention and Visitors Bureau. With future funding uncertain, the Lewis County CVB terminated the services of its director in September 2007 and hurried to pay all outstanding bills.
Both groups receive about 25 percent of the monthly collections of the county's 6 percent hotel/motel tax, a fee tacked on to overnight room rentals. The remaining funds are distributed among the county's parks and the public library.
"I'm not a bit disappointed with having a second CVB," said Commissioner Sam Hicks. "I don't feel a bit bad about it. I don't know how long that will last."
The commissioners, when agreeing to fund both agencies, set an invisible deadline for the two groups to work out any differences in an effort to consolidate services. The commissioners could opt not to fund any CVB, which would essentially put both groups out of business. Those taxes generated could revert back to the county's lodging facilities, which would have to apply to the county commission for the rebate. It would still be a requirement to spend that money on advertising and marketing campaigns.
Commissioners were also upset about the lack of informational reporting by the Lewis County CVB under its former director. But Commissioner Agnes Queen said Chris Richards is doing an "excellent job" as the new leader, adding that the new group is trying to pull in a positive direction.
"There were a lot of ills," said Lewis County CVB board member Gary Smith. "I would have been upset if I were in the (County Commission's) shoes. (The Lewis County CVB) is dedicated to helping Lewis County. They are meeting once per month, not once a year or three or four times a year."
Queen, the commission representative on the Lewis County CVB, said the previous group was "the most dysfunctional group I had ever seen, and that's when they had a meeting. Usually it was the executive board making all of the decisions."
Richards reported that there has been nine grants handed out to local agencies wanting to draw visitors to Lewis County. A new brochure has been printed and will soon appear on the agency's Web site.
A meeting involving the state and the two county CVBs has not been scheduled. Commissioner Bob Rinehart said he appreciated the efforts of Moran, saying the commission will not let her be the "fall guy" for the
CVB issue.
"We will take what you say under advisement," he said. "We will make the decisions; that's why we get the big bucks. Let the chips fall where they may."
In other matters, the commissioners awarded a $2,500 grant to the Jackson's Mill and Weston volunteer fire departments to help offset operating costs for the Haunted Corn Maze. The scary event will be held at the Jackson's Mill air strip every Friday and Saturday in October. The cost is $8 per person, and the money will be divided evenly between the two fire departments and WVU Jackson's Mill.
Commissioners also awarded a $2,000 grant to the Family Resource Network to stage the annual Children's Oktoberfest. The event for children and their families will be Oct. 25 at the National Guard Armory. The funding will be used to cover insurance costs, and any remaining money will pay for activities. Those attending are urged to bring in a canned goods.
