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ELKINS – The Randolph County Commission granted a funding request of $5,285 from the Elkins-Randolph County Tourism Convention and Visitors Bureau during its most recent meeting
Commission President David Kesling said that he received a letter from Elkins-Randolph County CVB Executive Director Anne Beardslee regarding the county tourism center’s marketing budget for the 2026-2027 fiscal year
“In the letter she (Beardslee) says ‘as we continue to increase tourism in Randolph County, we recognize the need to target certain tourism entities in our efforts to bring more visitors here in the future,'” Kesling read.
Kesling stated that in the letter, Beardslee said the CVB’s marketing strategies the past two years have been extremely successful and that she was requesting an additional $5,285 in funding from the County Commision that will be designated as part of the marketing budget.
Kesling said the letter states that the money will be used for an expanded bus tour target market and to fund attendance at American Bus Association and Travel Alliance Partner shows, which has the potential to bring thousands of new individuals to Randolph County over the next three years.
“With the addition of the Railyard and we have the Gandy Dancer, this will allow them to go to these conventions to help promote those businesses to bring them (tourists) into the county,” Kesling said. “By doing that, it not only helps the Gandy and the Railyard, but it helps restaurants and small businesses when they (tourists) go looking through town. And the hotels they would possibly stay at is how we gain the hotel-motel tax. Anne (Beardslee) wouldn’t ask if she didn’t need it and if it wouldn’t benefit the county as a whole”
Commissioners Cris Siler and Kenna Barger were present at the meeting, and the Commission voted unanimously to approve the request and take the money from the hotel-motel tax line item in the county budget.
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The Randolph County Commission unanimously approved a Proclamation for Operation Green Light during the meeting.
Operation Green Light is a nationwide initiative led by the National Association of Counties that invites communities to illuminate buildings and homes green from Nov. 4 through Nov. 11. It is to show support and honor military veterans who are transitioning to civilian life.
“We did this last year and we are doing it again this year,” Kesling said. “We’ve lit up the courthouse several times already this year, yellow for childhood cancer, and red, white, and blue for the fourth (July 4)…This is something that I think is very important to do as a small token of gratitude to our United States Military.”
Kesling led through the Proclamation saying, “Randolph County seeks to honor individuals who have made countless sacrifices for freedom by placing themselves in harm’s way for the good of all. Randolph County appreciates the sacrifices of our United States military personnel and believes recognition should be granted.”
From Nov. 4 to Nov. 11 the Randolph County Courthouse will be lit green during the night time hours. The County Commission encourages residents and businesses across the county to do the same.
“Coming from a family of veterans, this is important to me. Two of my sons are veterans and my dad is a veteran,” Siler said. “I’ve pretty much had a family member fight in every major conflict that this country has been in since the Revolutionary War. So, it means a lot for me to show a little bit of appreciation to those who have stepped up and protected our country.”
The next Randolph County Commission meeting will be Nov. 5 at 1:30 p.m.