Local business owners urge commissioners not to eliminate Pender County tourism funding

Multiple business owners and tourism board members spoke at the Pender County Board of Commissioners meeting on May 5 to oppose a proposed reduction in tourism staffing or marketing funding.

Emeline Kozak, a Pender County resident and tourism board member who also runs a downtown business, said she was speaking on behalf of her husband and business partner, and that the county’s tourism department helps direct visitors to local businesses. She said her husband, Kevin, and she own Burgaw Brewing and that “our business employs 35 people. Last year, we paid around $115,000 in sales and use tax. Around $35,000 of that came back to Pender County,” adding that those returns multiply when other businesses benefit from visitor spending.

Michelle Hilliard, owner of Brown Dog Coffee Company and a member of the Burgaw Area Chamber of Commerce, said tourism marketing draws customers from nearby counties and supports young people’s first job opportunities in the county. John Westbrook, a downtown business owner and member of the Downtown Burgaw Association, stressed that parking and other public‑realm investments support retail and hospitality businesses; he urged the board to “spend some of” parking revenue on parking improvements.

Speakers said Pender County competes with neighboring coastal counties that have larger tourism budgets and that eliminating the county’s tourism department or drastically cutting its advertising budget would make it harder for local small businesses to attract visitors. No formal vote on the tourism department funding was recorded at the May 5 meeting; the remarks were offered during the public comment period to ask the board to reconsider proposed cuts.