County commission approves $44,500 for tourism

The 2017 budget for the Jackson County Tourism Council was recently approved by the Jackson County Commissioners. The $44,450 budget includes funds for a billboard and administrative services through the Holton/Jackson County Chamber of Commerce.

Anna Wilhelm of the tourism council presented the proposed budget to the commissioners last week for approval. Funds for the budget come solely from the county’s bed tax.

At the end of 2014, the commissioners agreed to raise the county’s bed tax from three to five percent.

Since April 1, 1997, an ongoing bed tax has been collected in the county from all hotels, motels and “tourist courts” with more than two bedrooms. The tax is administered and collected by the Kansas Department of Revenue.

This year, more than $50,000 has been collected through the bed tax.

Wilhelm said that for less than $1,000, the tourism council is able to advertise tourism in the county on a billboard north of Holton near mile marker 191 on the west side. The billboard is visible to motorists traveling south on U.S. Highway 75.

Due to a tree line, Wilhelm said that the billboard cannot be used commercially, and noted that the woman who owns the billboard will not charge the tourism council to use the space.

The billboard was previously used by the Holton Main Street organization.

Funds will be needed, however, to cover the cost of designing and installing the billboard. The council also must pay a fee to the Kansas Department of Transportation.

The tourism budget also includes $1,450 to advertise tourism events on the Chamber’s digital sign located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 75 and Kansas Highway 16. Wilhelm said that, at that price, the council will be able to have three ad “slides” per month.

A total of $10,000 from the budget will go to the Chamber office for administrative purposes.

“If we were paying a full-time administrator, we wouldn’t have any money,” Wilhelm said.

A total of $15,000 in grants are expected to be administered through the tourism council for festivals and other events throughout the county in 2017.

In addition, the tourism council plans to continue to give $500 to each of the four lodging establishments in the county to use towards advertising.

Wilhelm and the commissioners noted that recent construction in Jackson County and surrounding counties has helped area hotels generate revenue while crewmembers have needed a place to stay until their projects were finished.

Other funding planned in 2017 will be used to print brochures that would promote the county. New brochures for Banner Creek Reservoir were printed with tourism funds last year and $2,000 has been earmarked in 2017 just in case additional brochures need to be printed, Wilhelm said. 

Wilhelm said she plans to continue to meet with the commissioners next year and on a regular basis to update them on the tourism council and their efforts to promote the county.