Robbinsville – The Robbinsville Travel and Tourism Authority unanimously approved some funds for a local group, as part of a match to an Appalachian Regional Commission Grant.
Graham County Revitalization Economic Action Team (GREAT) Executive Director Michelle Shiplet asked the board for $500 as part of a match for a $15,000 Appalachian Regional Commission grant to be put toward a tourism marketing plan for the county. The $3,750 match is slated to include $2,250 from the Graham County Travel and Tourism Board, and $500 each from the tourism authorities of Robbinsville, the Town of Lake Santeetlah and the Town of Fontana Dam.
The Appalachian Regional Commission Funds are left over from a 2018 grant due to COVID-19.
“We have ended rip with some slush fund money that ARC is allowing us to repurpose,” Shiplet said. “What we have voted to do at the GREAT organization is to put $15,000 toward doing a grant marketing plan for Graham County, especially for tourism-related stuff.”
The funds have to be spent by the end of August.
Tourism Board member Teresa Garland urged caution over the meticulousness required when dealing with the Appalachian Regional Commission – but said that once the plan was created, it would be likely that the commission would remain involved in.
“Usually the first step in any process they have is making the plan,” Garland said. “Until you get the plan made, they don’t really give you what you’re going to be spending.”
Shiplet – who has worked with the commission through other GREAT projects over the years – said that work with the commission can have great yields, but that it was important to do exactly what was asked.
“I think it’s a good use,” Shiplet said. “It’s certainly better than sending the money back to them and letting it go somewhere else. I’d rather use it for something here.”
She emphasized that the marketing plan was not the same thing as GREAT’s strategic tourism plan, but was a part of the strategic tourism plan.
Additionally, the board voted to table REVVED UP’s $10,000 request toward murals and a music festival for another week. The board first tabled the request at its March 30 meeting, following a presentation from REVVED UP founder John Colwell.