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Commission reappoints Lodgers Tax Advisory Board members; commissioners press for clearer advertising metrics
Summary
Grant County commissioners reappointed three Lodgers Tax Advisory Board members and discussed how lodging tax advertising dollars are split by statute and whether more funding should target marquee local events.
The Grant County Board of County Commissioners voted to reappoint Becky O'Connor, John Wojovic and Michael Berridge to the Lodgers Tax Advisory Board and discussed how lodgers‑tax dollars are allocated between advertising and event support.
County staff told commissioners the application deadline produced three reappointment requests and recommended staggered terms (Becky O'Connor and Michael Berridge through Dec. 31, 2026; John Wojovic through Dec. 31, 2027). A staff presenter noted two vacancies remain for lodging and tourism representatives who must reside in the county.
A commissioner questioned whether the county—s advertising contract and spending split is delivering value for local events such as the Blues Festival, Fourth of July parade and the Tour of the Gila. “Is all that money that—s being used to advertise worth our advertisement? Or do we need to start concentrating a little bit more on the events that we have and the people that we are bringing into Grant County?” the commissioner asked.
Staff responded that lodgers tax distribution is governed by state statute (chapter cited in the meeting) and the county ordinance conforms to that requirement. The staff presenter said about $55,000–$56,000 is allocated for advertising; another portion funds events through an application process, with staff vetting and recommending awards to maximize "beds in heads." Staff committed to provide additional reporting on advertising metrics and to improve transparency to allow commissioners to review advertising impact outside the annual budget request.
Why it matters: Lodgers tax revenue is intended to promote tourism and events that bring visitors to county lodging. Commissioners— questions highlight a tension between statutory distribution rules and local priorities for event support.
What—s next: the commission approved reappointments by voice vote; staff will continue advertising and event‑fund administration and said it will produce clearer statistics on advertising impact and outreach to recruit applicants for the remaining advisory board vacancies.
Provenance: topicintro SEG 387 topicfinish SEG 608.
