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Cherokee County TDA unanimously approves museum grant, event funding and marketing contracts
Summary
At its Oct. 13 meeting in Murphy, the Cherokee County Tourism Development Authority unanimously approved a $37,430 museum renovation grant, $15,000 for an America 250th drone show, a $2,800 Visit Smokies ad, wayside interpretive panels, and authorization up to $30,000 for an Our State contract.
The Cherokee County Tourism Development Authority on Oct. 13 unanimously approved a package of grants and marketing contracts intended to support local tourism, including funding for a museum renovation, an America 250th drone show in Murphy, advertising in a regional guide and an annual Our State partnership.
Chair Sandra Daley called the meeting to order at the Murphy Visitor Center, and the board moved through routine business before addressing new funding requests. The board approved the meeting agenda and the Sept. 8 meeting minutes without objection.
On substantive items, Sherry McGreggory moved to award $37,430 in community grant funding to the Cherokee County Historical Museum renovation project; Joan Posey Neumann seconded and the motion passed unanimously. The board also approved a motion from Cal Stiles, seconded by Steve Dickey, to acquire two four-sided wayside interpretive panels for Murphy and two for Andrews; that motion passed unanimously.
The board approved $15,000 in funding for an America 250th special drone show presented by Chad Simons on behalf of the Town of Murphy. Steve Dickey moved the funding and Cal Stiles seconded; the motion carried unanimously. Separately, the minutes record a motion to approve $2,800 for a Visit Smokies travel guide advertisement and listing for Cherokee County; the record shows the second as Steve Dickey but does not specify who made the motion. That motion was approved unanimously.
In a final recorded action, Cal Stiles moved to authorize up to $30,000 for Cherokee County's yearly contract partnership with Our State magazine; Steve Dickey seconded and the authorization passed unanimously.
The minutes list others present including Trevis Hicks, Silas Shields, Ralph Robinson and Chad Simons, and identify Casey Kerr in the attendance list as "director Casey Kerr." The closing signature line reads "Clerk to the Board Casey kerr Date: 11/10/25 Approved: ShoDalg," an internal inconsistency the minutes do not resolve. The record does not include verbatim debate, public comment, or any recorded dissent on the funding items; every listed motion was adopted by unanimous vote.
The board did not attach related contracts or detailed program budgets in the minutes; next procedural steps and implementation timelines were not specified in the record. The clerk's signature and approval notation appear on the minutes dated Nov. 10, 2025.
