LEWISBURG (WVDN) – The second regular monthly meeting for the Greenbrier County Commission took place on Tuesday, Sept.27, with commissioners Lowell Rose, Tammy Tincher and Michael F. McClung all present.
They dispatched the usual business of estate closings, arts and rec transfers, budget revisions and bill paying.
Kara Dense of the Greenbrier County Convention and Visitors Bureau (GCCVB) presented their annual report highlighting how the GCCVB has been coming out from under the COVID-19 downturn in the local economy. The outlook is stronger and with vision for the upcoming year, Dense said.
Also, Dense reported, since the passing of Senate Bill #488, an oversight bill relating to distributing hotel occupancy tax to convention and visitor bureaus, the state has learned about waste and duplications of efforts statewide by the 75 CVBs that disproportionately represent 55 counties. A statewide moratorium on creation of new CVBs was put into effect and continues, Dense said.
The GCCVB here in Lewisburg is dutifully keeping pace and must renew their accreditation every three years, she said.
An example of the GCCVB’s effective coordination of area organizations is where they joined with the Greenbrier Valley Economic Development organization and the Greenbrier County Airport Authority to bring Contour Airlines service connecting Greenbrier, as well as Beckley and Parkersburg, airports to the hub at Charlotte, N.C.
Another business move by the CVB is their investment of $50,000 in Epsilon to track interest in Greenbrier Valley and information about spending in Greenbrier as well as where the visitors have come from in order to better spend marketing dollars, to reach the people who might respond and travel to visit this area, Dense reported.
Epsilon was able to track $878,000 in traveler spending in Greenbrier County as a result of the CVB’s $50,000 direct spend, leading to a 17:1 return on investment.
Public transportation for these visitors from the airport out into the surrounding community is still quite stunted following the COVID-19 shutdowns. only one car rental company has survived, the GCCVB is actively pursuing solutions to this roadblock in 2023.
After the GCCVB presentation, the county commission signed a proclamation of Oct. 2-8 as National 4-H Week with the theme “Opportunity for All.”
The commission then voted to adopt the Region 4 Hazard Mitigation update, which is updated every five years and required by FEMA if federal money is to be involved in mitigation of natural disasters.
They also voted to hire Caleb Lee Helmick for the deputy sheriff position and Pamala J. Ervin for a county clerk position.
Meadow River Trail issues were tabled until next month’s meeting.
The commission also reminded citizens that early voting in the November election will be at two polling places, the Greenbrier County Courthouse and the Rupert Community Center, from Oct. 26 – Nov. 5.
