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TDA: Wayfinding signage under contract; commissioners raise questions about occupancy-tax compliance
Summary
The county's Tourism Development Authority approved Right Light to fabricate 13 wayfinding signs; funding was described as $50,000 TDA, $40,000 county, and $30,000 town contribution. Commissioners expressed uncertainty about occupancy-tax compliance for short-term rentals like Airbnb and VRBO.
Steve Mason, representing the county's Tourism Development Authority, told commissioners the TDA's third-quarter revenue totaled $32,129.33, down from $39,302.31 in the prior year's third quarter. Mason reviewed a multi-part wayfinding-signage project and said the TDA has signed a contract with vendor Right Light and established a 180-day installation timeline once sites are qualified by the state Department of Transportation.
"Once Right Light gets those sites... then Right Light will be able to go into fabrication and actually production," Mason said, describing 13 sites identified within the town limits and the DOT review required before installation.
Mason outlined the intended funding split: $50,000 from the TDA, $40,000 from the county and $30,000 from the town of Sparta, with an additional $50,000 included in the 2026-27 budget. He also detailed a separate $25,000 grant tied to Kraus Park to support design and the skate-park fundraising effort.
Commissioners asked about occupancy-tax collection from short-term rentals. Mason and other staff said the county does not have a reliable method to count or verify VRBO/Airbnb listings and relies on remitted tax payments, leaving uncertainty about full compliance.
The board approved a budget transfer to the TDA project elsewhere on the agenda and asked staff to continue coordination with the town and DOT site qualification processes.
