The composition of the Scottsbluff County Tourism Advisory Committee and its interactions with the County Commission were major topics of discussion at this week’s commissioners meeting.
During the discussion regarding the Scottsbluff Monument Manager’s participation on the advisory committee, Kim Johns, a member at large for the Tourism Board, criticized liaison and committee member Charlie Napper, accusing him of failing to attend monthly meetings and avoiding the advisory committee on several issues.
Mr Jones told commissioners there were inconsistencies in the process as it currently stands. “The process has worked flawlessly and it has worked as required by statute. But this is supposed to be a culmination of different tourism stakeholders and experts, so there are different perspectives that come into play.”
Napper said the original agenda item was raised following discussions about the makeup of tourism boards in other parts of the state, as well as questions from the public about grant funding decisions.
He said it would be a tricky situation if members of the Tourism Advisory Board had the power to be grant recipients.
“Right now, all board members except Kim can request financial assistance from the board. Other board members can also request financial assistance. This is not appropriate,” Napper said. “It would be better to have people on the board who cannot request financial assistance. That would be more appropriate. That’s why I think the committee should be made up of business people.”
The advisory committee would be made up of seven members, up to three of whom would have to do with lodging under state law, but there is nothing in the statute to say how the county commission should fill the remaining seats on the committee.
Scottsbluff County Fair Manager Ranna Hubbard also addressed the issue of the advisory committee’s makeup, saying she sits on the committee as a lodging representative because the fairgrounds rent out RV spaces. But Hubbard said in that respect, she could legitimately be considered a businessperson, like most of the other tourism board members.
He said the commissioners don’t always agree on grant decisions, but they follow state law on how to spend the money. Hubbard said commissioners want local events because there’s a reason people visit the county, take part in activities and use local lodging and dining options while they’re there.
As for his absence from committee meetings, Napper said he has asked the advisory committee to stagger monthly meeting times to accommodate his work schedule.
The board ultimately took no action on the subject matter originally on the agenda. The SBNM superintendent has an automatic seat on the advisory committee per board rules, but the seat has remained vacant since Dan Morford’s retirement, and it is unclear when Morford’s replacement will be selected.
