TDA chair says director vacancy ongoing; board urged to address bounced lodging checks

Trevor Whitson, chairman of the Wilkes County Tourism Development Authority, and Becky Martinez of Insightful Financials presented the TDA’s quarterly financial update and said the authority is operating without a director after the former director “has taken a different position,” Mr. Whitson said. He said the TDA has posted a job description and aims to interview candidates so a new director could start by July 1.

Chairman Hardin C. Kennedy, III raised a separate concern the TDA board discussed at its meeting: several checks from the same lodging payer have bounced, “which in turn costs the TDA additional fees,” Kennedy said. Commissioner Shirley Randleman argued the county should pursue stronger remedies when checks are knowingly passed, stating: “If it's criminal, because if those people are passing bad checks, that's criminal, it does not cost to take out a criminal summons.”

Mr. Whitson said the TDA has discussed hiring a private company that would pursue collections, and that enforcement beyond the TDA’s capacity would fall to the Tax Department. Becky Martinez said some lodging tax payments come through Airbnb and similar platforms while “all of the local ones are paying directly through checks from the lodging owners,” creating practical collection challenges for the TDA. The board thanked the presenters for the update and noted legal and administrative options would be explored.

The record shows no formal board action was taken at the meeting to change collection authority; the matter was raised for future consideration by the commissioners.