Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Visitor Center topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Chamber representative asks Columbus for short-term support to keep visitor center open
Summary
The Chamber of Commerce asked the city and county to help keep the local visitor center open while the chamber reorganizes; the chamber said it will seek a $15,000 statewide grant, plans minimal renovations and aims to monetize the space to avoid future subsidies.
A representative of the Chamber of Commerce asked Columbus officials to provide short-term support so the town’s visitor center can remain open while the chamber shifts staff and funding priorities.
Joel, speaking for the chamber, told the mayor and council that the chamber has operated without a dedicated administrator for six months and has concluded it no longer needs a separate office for chamber business. He said the visitor center, however, remains “an asset to the communities that it serves” and asked the city and county to help keep it operating while the chamber reorganizes. “We would like to ask for the city and the county’s support to keep the visitor center open,” Joel said.
The chamber said it has submitted a proposal and plans to apply for a $15,000 award from a statewide Yellowstone County grant program; Joel said the grant award decision is expected soon. He told the council the chamber’s board intends to redirect funds that previously paid a chamber admin position back into community programs and that the chamber would manage the visitor center but keep its staffing separate from chamber-administration duties.
Joel said the visitor center’s lease expires in February and that the chamber has arranged month-to-month occupancy with the landlord while a longer-term plan is developed. He described modest renovation plans to shift the visible office area to a back room, add retail and display fixtures for merchandising, and allocate some space for interactive exhibits the local museum could use. Joel added the goal was to monetize the space over time so the city and county would not need to provide ongoing funding.
Council members asked clarifying questions about who would carry out renovations, how the Yellowstone grant fits with county funding, and whether the museum might take responsibility if the chamber withdraws. Joel said he has submitted the proposal to the county for consideration as well and will seek a split of responsibilities if possible.
The presentation concluded without a decision; council members did not vote on funding during the meeting. The council’s next steps were not specified on the record.
