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Tourism commission presents aggressive budget, new $10,000 line for Saunders Springs
Summary
Fort Knox-area tourism officials told the Radcliff council the commission is spending down COVID-era reserves, will cut next year’s budget from roughly $523,000 to about $320,000–$330,000, and added a $10,000 non‑committed line to help Saunders Springs trail and signage improvements.
The Fort Knox tourism commission presented its annual budget to the Radcliff City Council during a work session, saying the current year’s plan is "pretty aggressive" as the agency spends down reserves accumulated during the COVID period and from grant awards.
"This year's budget, as you see, is pretty aggressive," said Mr. Baron, the tourism commission's secretary and treasurer, adding that the commission expects next year’s budget to fall to "about 320 to 330,000 rather than the 523." He told council the commission has been reducing high-dollar items and will return to a lower funding baseline once reserves are spent.
Baron and executive director Kelly Baron outlined several one-time and recurring line items. The commission transferred $50,000 to the city this year in place of a canceled sod-farm event; staff said that level will likely be reduced to about $15,000 in the coming year. The presentation also introduced a new $10,000, non‑committed line the commission is earmarking for Saunders Springs trail and signage improvements on city‑owned property.
"We're giving you $10,000 for your use at Saunders Springs," Baron said, describing the allocation as flexible funding the city can use for trail improvements and signage.
Commission staff described an advertising plan similar to prior years, targeting out‑of‑market outlets including Atlanta Hartsfield airport and Indianapolis, and reported tourism metrics they said support continued promotion: Baron said the patent museum alone draws "a little over 50,000 a year" and other venues in the top five list receive thousands of visitors annually.
Council members asked practical questions about partner contributions and how reduced museum hours affect visitation. The commission said changes to operating hours at the Patton Museum have been posted and the commission will continue outreach and advertising despite schedule changes.
The tourism presentation was informational; council did not vote on the budget at the work session. Staff indicated the item will return to a regular meeting for formal consideration next week.
