Warren County’s tourism committee approved appropriating $664,675.36 from the occupancy-tax reserve to cover a mix of previously approved municipal funding, event awards and one-time production costs the tourism office said were not budgeted earlier.

Tourism staff said the request aggregates multiple line items in a single resolution to simplify appropriations. Heather, tourism staff, told the committee the $664,675.36 includes $318,850 already awarded to 60 municipal projects plus $100,000 to the City of Glens Falls (for which only $50,000 had been budgeted), additional event awards and a $67,071 creative-design fee to accelerate release of the county travel guide.

Heather described the math this way: "We awarded $318,850 to 60 projects plus a 100,000 to the city of Glens Falls. So we we need to... increase pull the funds from the occupancy tax reserve to fund that in the amount of $364,850." She also said a line-item difference for events was $159,238 and that the travel-guide design required $67,071 because production was moved up in the calendar year.

The committee pressed staff on the reserve and cash flow. Heather said the reserve balance shown in the report was "$785,780 cash on hand," and later noted that, "Cash on hand right now is, according to July, is negative $482,735." She added projections that August receipts would raise cash on hand and that September is expected to replenish reserves: "Projected to be received in August, cash on hand is $505,431. And then projected in September is 2,000,000 2,500,000." The tourism office said receipts normally restore the reserve by October.

Several supervisors urged caution about spending while the account dips into reserves. "Well, you know, probably should have the money before we start spending on this this morning," one supervisor said in debate. Tourism staff responded that most payments are reimbursement-based and that the reserve will be covered first when receipts arrive.

The motion to appropriate the $664,675.36 was moved by Supervisor Runyon, seconded by Supervisor Merlino, and approved by voice vote. Staff said the appropriation pays awards already approved by the committee and the Board of Supervisors but not yet budgeted in the current cash-flow snapshot.

What happens next: the appropriation will fund the listed line items in Q4; tourism staff said they will present a cash-flow projection at the start of future meetings so the committee has that information before taking spending votes.