Merger of Lewis CVBs making progress
By JOHN WICKLINE, Staff WriterThe discussions regarding the merger of Lewis County's two Convention and Visitors Bureaus did a 180-degree turn from previous talks, but the move toward a positive resolution did not come without controversy.
The two CVBs met privately Thursday night before heading to Stonewall Resort to meet with the Lewis County Commission. But at the meeting of the Lewis County CVB, board members Gary Smith and Chip Turner resigned, although nothing was submitted in writing. LCCVB director Chris Richards was unavailable for comment, and she did not attend the joint meeting Thursday, said Commissioner Pat Boyle.
Another meeting involving the County Commission and the two CVBs is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday at Stonewall Resort. At that meeting, one of the items expected to be discussed is the moving of both CVBs into one office. The Lewis County CVB presently has its office inside Appalachian Glass, while the Mountain Lakes CVB is located next to the Comfort Inn on U.S. 33 East.
"I had felt the first two meetings were a complete waste of time, that we had gone backward," Boyle said. "I could not have asked for anything more positive from this meeting. I think we're on the right track."
County Administrator Cindy Whetsell said each group was allowed to address their concerns and ask questions. She said she believed "everyone got the answers they needed.
"The group there had the best interests and the common goals of Lewis County at heart," she said.
The county commissioners have set a goal of merging by the start of the next fiscal year. They are also considering using some of the hotel/motel tax collections to help recreational and tourism aspects in the Ireland community. The CVBs currently receive 25 percent each of the collected tax, while the remaining 50 percent is divided among the public library, the Jane Lew Park and the Lewis County Park.
The Mountain Lakes CVB has only been in existence since 2007, and it did not begin to receive county funding until 2008. Instead of merging the two groups into one at that point, the commission opted to fund both groups with the expectation that they would not duplicate services. Commissioners then were operating under the threat of pending legislation at the state level that would have forced CVBs across the state to be accredited in order to receive grant funding.
The Mountain Lakes CVB was formed shortly after commissioners began receiving complaints from groups wishing to stage events within the county as to how they were treated by the Lewis County CVB. The Lewis County CVB took steps to correct the problems, and commissioners have stated they are pleased with how the group is operating.
