Visit Taylorsville seeks $30,000 from county as court weighs pay raise for employees

The Spencer County/Taylorsville Tourism Commission asked the Fiscal Court on April 15 to contribute $30,000 for the 2024–25 fiscal year to fund a full‑time tourism director intended to increase transient room tax collections and pursue grants.

In a forwarded email presented to the court, Andrianna Marshall, chair of Visit Taylorsville, said the commission had $55,321.46 in its account as of March 27, 2024, and average annual expenses run about $20,000. Marshall wrote the commission anticipated 2024–25 expenses could rise to $25,000–$30,000 because of audit costs, promotional needs and a state fair booth. The commission estimated roughly $15,000 in transient room tax revenue was not being collected because rentals were not routinely audited.

Judge Executive Scott Travis told magistrates he had not discussed the request with the city and did not recommend committing $30,000, but said the request would be considered during the county’s budget process. No funding decision was made at the April 15 meeting.

Supporters at the commission argued that a director’s focused work on auditing rentals and writing grants could make the position self‑sustaining within a year by increasing room tax receipts. Court members raised questions about tradeoffs with other budget priorities, including a proposed $0.50‑per‑hour raise for county staff discussed the same evening.

Next steps: the tourism request will be considered as part of the broader budget process; the court did not appropriate funds at the meeting.

(Reporting based on the April 15, 2024 Spencer County Fiscal Court meeting minutes and the forwarded tourism request email.)