Wyoming County Commissioner Judy Mead (above) announces the winners of this year’s Room Tax grants, which represent a nearly $20,000 increase over funds allotted for 2017 projects.
Photos and Story by Rick Hiduk
The Wyoming County Cultural Center (top) proved to be the biggest winner when Room Tax grant disbursements were announced on Dec. 26. The Room Tax Committee awarded the nonprofit organization $15,473 for projects ranging from enhancement of the popular Historic Tunkhannock Walking Tour and promoting its seasonal film festivals to beginning a new project that will highlight the county’s trails and public parks.
Other entities receiving significant amounts of funding through the Room Tax program this year include the Tunkhannock Business & Professional Association (TBPA) and Wyoming County Community Fair at $12,500 each; the Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce (WyCCC) and Tunkhannock Public Library at $5,000 each, and Keystone College at $4,500.
“I think that it’s a good resource to help nonprofits promote their activities,” Commissioner Tom Henry said of the room tax program. The funds result from a five percent tax levied lodging at hotels and bed & breakfasts within the county. Those receiving the money are required to use the funds primarily for promotion outside the county to draw people in.
Commissioner Judy Mead, who announced this year’s winners at the commissioners’ regular public meeting described the program as “perpetuating.” The organizations getting the money have a proven track record of putting on events that appeal to both county residents and travelers looking for something new to do. Examples include the county fair, activities at Laceyville’s Oldest House and the Cultural Center’s annual River Day.
The $65,473 total represents a significant increase in funds, after funding dipped from $71,947 in 2015 to $46,200 in 2016. Mead noted that the room tax was bumped up in 2016 from three to five percent, which helped to offset a decrease in room stays during a lull in the natural gas business. Now that gas workers are returning to the area, Mead is hopeful that more and larger grants can be distributed next year.
Jean Ruhf, executive director of the Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau, which manages the grant program, agrees. Applications totaled $123,965 in 2017, and it was impossible to allocate what every organization requested. Nonetheless, several new projects and enhancements of others really caught the attention of committee members this year.
Among them, Ruhf noted, are Phase III of the Historic Tunkhannock Walking Tour Project, which involves adding audio descriptions of 40 homes and residents to a phone app that was developed as Phase II; the development of a brochure and a public presentation highlighting trails and parks in the county; and a giant leap forward for the library’s Books & Brew Festival.
Cultural Center director Erica Rogler cited the map and interpretive panel erected next to the Cultural Center by the Endless Mountains Heritage Region as the inspiration for the trails and parks project. But something more was needed.
“Other than that sign, we don’t have a collective resource where folks who live in and visit the region can access information about all of the beautiful green spaces in Wyoming County, like Iroquois and Seneca trails and the Howland Preserve,” said Rogler, who is hopeful that the project can be completed by late Spring to be available for recreationists.
What started at the Tunkhannock Public Library as a bit of a novelty and experimental fundraiser will grow significantly this year when the Books & Brew Festival moves to Lazy Brook Park. Slated for Saturday, May 12, the event will feature at least 14 breweries. Modeled after the successful Rotary Wine Festival, there will also be food that goes particularly well with beer and live music. In addition to advertising, room tax funds will be used for a shuttle bus to and from local hotels to provide some safe transportation for patrons.
The Wyoming County Room Tax Committee also set aside $6,000 for the production of a video geared to attract businesses and tourists by promoting the county’s natural beauty, cultural resources, and quality of life. Ruhf related that she will be meeting soon with leaders of the TBPA, WyCCC and other business associations to define the scope of the project.