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Dare County tourism board grants $1.159 million for infrastructure and interpretive projects; commissioners approve disbursement
Summary
The Dare County Tourism Board recommended and the county commissioners approved $1,159,248 in tourism impact grants for towns, nonprofits and associations to fund sidewalks, signage, historic preservation and park amenities across the county.
The Dare County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to approve $1,159,247.67 in tourism impact grants recommended by the Dare County Tourism Board, funding projects in multiple towns and nonprofit sites across the county.
Monica Thibodeaux, chair of the Dare County Tourism Board, and Lee Nettles, grant presenter, described the Tourism Impact Grant (TIG) program as a restricted fund that returns a portion of local occupancy-tax revenue to Dare County governmental entities and nonprofits for projects addressing tourism impact and visitor services. The grants approved Tuesday are paid on a reimbursement basis and follow a tiered match model: requests under $50,000 require no local match, requests between $50,000 and $125,000 require a 25% match, and requests above $125,000 expect a 50% match from applicants.
The board-approved awards and recommended amounts were:
- Avon Property Owners Association — two boardwalk replacements (after one boardwalk was deemed not fully publicly accessible): $54,000 recommended. - Chicamacomico (Friends of Chicamacomico/Chicamacomico Historical Association) — western facade replacement at the 1874 lifesaving station: $125,000 recommended. - Dare County Arts Council — partial funding requested but tourism board recommended working with council to shift some items to event grants; $4,000 recommended for portable panel displays. - Friends of Jockey’s Ridge — interpretive "points of interest" trail markers (10 signs): $50,000 recommended. - Town of Kill Devil Hills — West Martin and Swan Street sidewalks: $240,000 recommended. - Town of Kitty Hawk — two projects: portable full-matrix message board ($27,490) and lighted crosswalks on Beach Road ($40,000) recommended. - Town of Manteo — Cartwright improvements and stabilization of historic 1865 chapel ruins plus amenities and restroom replacement: $250,000 recommended. - Town of Nags Head — West Bay Meadow Drive sidewalk ($53,137) and Windjammer sidewalk ($124,087) and contribution to a living shoreline portion behind the event site ($100,000) recommended. - Town of Southern Shores — NC-12 multi-use path replacement and upgrade (asphalt to concrete): amount included in total package.
The tourism board said the total recommended package is $1,159,247.67; staff noted the cents reflected in the tally and rounded the motion to $1,159,248 when commissioners voted. Commissioners asked about match requirements for specific projects (Friends of Jockey’s Ridge qualifies for no match under the program) and about the durability and installation of items such as interpretive signs and solar message boards; applicants will be required to demonstrate expenditures for reimbursement prior to payment.
Vice Chair Steve House moved to authorize the spending from the tourism restricted account (line item 49.99) and Commissioner Rob Ross seconded; the motion carried unanimously. The grants are restricted to Dare County nonprofits and governmental entities and require reimbursement documentation and adherence to the tourism board’s guidelines.
Speakers recorded in the transcript included Monica Thibodeaux (Chair, Dare County Tourism Board), Lee Nettles (grant presenter), Commissioner Rob Ross and Vice Chair Steve House. The tourism board noted the program has invested more than $24 million since inception through tourism impact and event grants combined.
