Accommodation Disbursement

Yet another meeting to decide how to disburse the Accommodations taxes that have been collected. I must admit that this group has some unique candidates and some of the same folks from the last meeting are back but for different reasons. Olde Towne Preservation Association needs money to market the Living History Park for one year. They are requesting $8000 which is double last years’ amount. The Living History Park does bring in folks from more than 50 miles out and some of these tourist and performers do stay within North Augusta’s city limits while they are here. The Battle of Aiken is requesting $7500 for advertising and claims 77.8% of those attending are tourist from further than 50 miles. The $7500 request is three times last year’s budget. Wings and Wetlands a totally new event/venue is requesting a mere $1500 for marketing and advertising and since it is new they have no way of projecting tourist information. Environment and nature are big draws these days. The City of Wagener is back, this time wanting $1259.52 to promote its Hometown Holiday Celebration. No tourists seem to attend so I would assume the Hometown should foot that bill. Aiken’s Makin, although they were three days late in presenting their paperwork, insisted they be heard because they need $10,500 for marketing. No decision here, they were late and if it was all that important to them they should have been on time. The DuPont Planetarium located on the campus of USC Aiken, is requesting $8120 touting they had 13,989 visitors last year and need more money to market. Where were the visitors from? Maybe the campus, maybe their families. And something about anything with the name DuPont on it asking for money just does not fit. The Chittlin Strut folks are back. This time they are requesting money for brochures to place in the visitor’s centers and other strategic locations. How do they justify this? Yes, they are a big draw. Yes, they have visitors from all over the country, but even with all those people who attend their entire profit from last year’s strut was a mere $1000. There is a reason for that. The Strut people set up booths, they sell those fried delicacies in order to profit and right down the street their churches are giving them away to anyone who ask. There should be a meeting of the minds. Finally, The Jacksonville Commission is requesting $1232.94 to fund advertising for the Sweet Potato Festival. This event, they say, draws 9500 visitors each year, 200 of those are tourist from more than 50 miles out and one of the prerequisites is the majority of attendees must be from further out than 50 miles. Where have I been for the last 12 years? I did not even know there was a sweet potato festival much less a Jacksonville. Hum, maybe they do need the money.
A few weeks ago I wrote about NADPS descending on one of the residences in my neighborhood which seemed to result in one person being detained. I also sort of defended the neighbor in question. This past weekend he packed all his belongings in a U-Haul and moved. One can suppose he was going to move anyway or one can suppose he thought he ought to move now that his place is under scrutiny; one can suppose many things. There are not too many of the neighbors who stay for a long period of time. Of those that do they go about their daily routine having little to do with those that don’t. As for me, I just am in awe of some of them. I wonder how they afford what they have but never leave the house to work. New wardrobes, new cars, must be nice.