Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Events And Grants topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission hears 2026 fishing events plan, postcard mailer and late grants; county share of events estimated at $41,313
Summary
Staff presented the proposed January–June 2026 fishing events schedule and a proposed postcard mailer to 10,000 Rhea County homes; the total event package was reported at $82,627 (county half $41,313); commissioners agreed to place the mailer and related grants on future agendas.
Rhea County staff presented the proposed 2026 fishing-events schedule and associated outreach costs to the county commission, reporting the overall event package at $82,627 and the county’s share at $41,313.
Staff explained one tournament organizer pulled their event after indicating they could not bring enough boats, and that organizers approved through CWRA will remain part of the schedule. The staff presentation noted that tournament scheduling concentrates in the cooler months and that May–August are typically the hottest months for fisheries, which affects catch-and-release practices. The staff presentation referenced coordination with TWRA district manager Mike Jolley and said local law enforcement and Homeland Security had been consulted for weigh-in logistics when high attendance requires added support.
Staff also showed a sample postcard used in 2025 and proposed a similar mailer for 2026 to be mailed to 10,000 homes in Rhea County; the mailing/postage total was shown as $5,400, with Main Street Dayton agreeing to split the cost so the county’s portion would be $2,700. Staff said the postcard mailer would be paid from the hotel/motel tax. Commissioners had no substantive objections and directed staff to place the fishing events and mailer on a future agenda for formal action.
Separately, the chair announced two late grant items to be added to the agenda for consideration: an archive grant (ID 3635) described as non-matching, and a "3 star" grant for $150,000 that is likewise non-matching. Those grants were scheduled to be placed on a forthcoming agenda for formal commission consideration.
No formal vote tallies were recorded in the workshop discussion; commissioners generally directed staff to proceed with agenda placement and to provide contract documentation and timelines as needed.
