Minutes 10/23/1997 - Laserfiche WebLink

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1997 and the SVEDP. Mr. Filth replied that this was the case at this time, but that when their efforts improved there would be a hand-off process from the State to the SVEDP to the PHDC in the future. Councilmember Teague then asked what the two bodies could do to help further, to which Mr. Frith replied that they should be an example of cooperation and be positive in their actions. He stated that the City and County were /'~,already doing this, but needed to do more to demonstrate cooperation, stating that we must be perceived as a functional region to achieve success. He also stated that we needed to become. good at recycling our land and industrial sites. The next item on the Agenda was a briefing on Tourism efforts by Mr. Larry Aydlett, Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Aydlett reviewed a recent report on a tourism proposal put forth by the Chamber, and stated the reason why the Chamber had become more capable of supporting such an effort. He emphasized the need to establish a stronger, more official travel and tourism effort in the area with a program, a plan, a director, and the need for more support from other groups and individuals. Mr. Aydlett stated that the Chamber is ready to construct office space to house this operation, indicating that expansion planning for the Chamber of Commerce building has provided for more than a doubling of the current space, with the acquisition of additional land. In addition, Mr. Aydlett stated that his office could assist in providing clerical/administrative support to such an effort, and closed by stating that the Chamber organization would build the facility to house the effort if the two governments would support the operations. Councilmember Teague asked if he was only asking for operating funds, to which Mr. Aydlett replied in the affirmative. Councilmember Haskell asked about the estimated operating budget for the proposed function, and was told by Mr. Aydlett that it should be $75,000-$100,000. Mr~ Aydlett then handed out a report showing operations costs in other such tourism offices in Virginia. Supervisor Burnette pointed out that there was good reason to consider support from outside the Martinsville/Henry County area, citing Patrick County as a possible partner. Mr. Aydlett agreed, stating that there were already strong ties between the Chambers of Commerce in the area. Vice-Mayor Crabtree noted that this effort has real potential, and that he had noted