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Emery County travel board approves application for $80,000 events grant and adds planning ask
Summary
The Emery County Travel Board voted June 10 to apply for a state co‑op marketing grant seeking $80,000 for event marketing and a second tier—$15,000—to support a county marketing plan. Board members debated consultant costs and agreed on a smaller, flexible planning ask to ensure buy‑in.
The Emery County Travel Board voted June 10 to apply for a state co‑op marketing grant that would request $80,000 for event marketing and an additional $15,000 to develop a marketing plan.
Amanda, the travel office director, told the board the office has about $81,000 in confirmed or anticipated match commitments — radio ads, vendor contracts, EventMe, branded swag and other marketing expenses — and proposed the two‑tier application so the county could continue current event promotion while pursuing a professional planning process.
Board members debated three levels of outside help from a consultant called HUB: full execution (highest cost), a consult/assist option estimated at about $20,000, and a plan‑only deliverable (roughly $9,000–$10,000 plus a final deliverable fee). Some members warned that a multi‑year plan can be overtaken by future elected commissions; others argued a professional plan would create clarity for future decisions and help secure additional grant funding. Several trustees said they were comfortable asking for a modest planning amount that included a deliverable the county could use to explain goals to commissioners.
After discussion, a motion to apply for $80,000 for events and $15,000 for the planning tier was made, seconded and carried following a roll call. One member registered a dissenting vote during the roll call; the chair declared the motion carried.
What happens next: the travel office will finalize application materials before the state deadline at month’s end and will bring examples of the plan scope and deliverables back to the board. If the grant is awarded, the county would typically sign contracts in August and may not be able to invoice until the fall, which gives the travel board several months of meetings to refine the planning questions and community engagement approach.
The board asked staff to return with a six‑month agenda of focused marketing topics — mission and values, a SWOT analysis, community engagement, plan layout — so members and community stakeholders can weigh in before significant consultant work begins.
