Short meeting for visitors council

The Carbon County Visitors Council (CCVC) met by teleconference on December 16 with all representatives present.

The agenda and minutes from the November 18 meeting was quickly approved

CCVC CEO Leslie Jefferson went over the treasurer’s report. The board approved the financials.

The board approved the 10 percent distribution from lodging taxes collected to the communities and Carbon County in the amount of $5,618.08.

The lodging tax collected for the month of November actually represents figures from October as the numbers collected run about a month behind.

As expected, funds were lower overall compared to the same time last year. The total collected was $56,180.88 versus $60,700.16 from the year before. Carbon County collected $20,582.29 this year, which was down from $23,692.97 the year before. Another large drop was experienced by the city of Rawlins. The year before the town collected $31,648.97 whereas this year, Rawlins accrued $28,437.32.

Not all towns were down from last year. Baggs was up substantially. Last year the town received $956.40 in tax and this year that figure increased to $2,038.78. Saratoga also had an increase going from collecting $3,175.26 last year to $3,861.93 for this year. Medicine Bow also saw more revenue from the tax going from $56.60 to $420.95.

Other towns were down a little, but not much.

The board agreed that, although figures were down for the month, it could have been much worse, as several regular fall events had been canceled.

The pandemic made the board realize the need to purchase laptop computers, sleeves and wireless keyboards for office staff to ensure the employees have the capability to telework in the current pandemic situation, which has caused office shutdowns and staff quarantines. The purchase was approved unanimously.

There is still a board opening for the city of Rawlins. It has been open for over two years.

Jefferson said she was working on utilizing the Cares Act Relief Funding the CCVC has received. The board approved spending Waves Web Design to create seven additional travel safe activity pages at $2,500 a piece, totaling $17,500. The board approved additional funds for costs that would cover editing, creation, implementation and management of Cares Act Relief Funding advertising and marketing efforts that totaled $13,405.

The fiscal year 2020-2021 final budget amendment was approved.

Jefferson went over the holiday hours for the office. She said the office hours will return to normal January 4.

The meeting ended in less than an hour.

The next meeting of the CCVC Board will be held at 10 a.m. on January 20, at Firewater Public House in Saratoga. The in person-meeting is tentative depending on protocols the state will have in have in place at this time.