The Kosciusko County Convention & Visitors Bureau voted during its meeting to reopen and amend its budgets, approving a $100,000 supplemental appropriation for the current fiscal year and increasing several proposed 2026 line items.

Why it matters: The bureau’s grant budget funds local event publicity and nonprofit operations that drive overnight stays and local spending. Board members said raising appropriations now will let the bureau respond to late‑season grant requests and investments that can immediately benefit the county’s hotels and restaurants.

Key board actions:
- The board voted to request an additional appropriation of $100,000 to the 2025 budget. The motion carried on a voice vote.
- The board reopened and amended the 2026 draft budget. Changes adopted included raising the CCAC operational allocation from $168,000 to $200,000 and increasing the grants line to $300,000. Board members agreed these changes aim to better support the CCAC’s facility and operational needs while keeping a reserve balance in the bureau’s fund.

Discussion and rationale: Board members discussed year‑to‑date receipts, fund balances and how increases would affect the bureau’s reserve. Finance presenters noted a June 30 cash balance and walked members through prior encumbrances and how those roll into available appropriations. Several members said the CCAC (a nonprofit community athletic complex) has experienced deferred maintenance and increasing operational demand and that a larger, predictable annual allocation could reduce repeated, ad‑hoc reimbursement requests.

Implementation and next steps: The $100,000 supplemental appropriation will be processed through the normal county appropriation channels (advertisement and county council approval). Staff said they will prepare the formal appropriation paperwork and that updated budget figures will be reflected in the bureau’s July meeting materials. The amended 2026 allocations were recorded by staff for the next steps in the county budget process.

What the record shows: During the meeting the treasurer and staff reviewed receipts and explained that, after actions taken that day, the bureau would still maintain a reserve balance. Staff reiterated that grant awards remain reimbursement‑based and that recipients must submit receipts to receive funds.