Bed tax money will help pay for 450th

City Manager John Regan invited Tourist Development Council director Glenn Hastings and director of the Visitor & Convention Bureau, Richard Goldman, to attend Monday afternoon’s 450th workshop.

Regan referred to Hastings and Goldman “as our largest government partner” as it was announced that the Tourist Development Council might set aside over $1 million to support the city’s 450th commemoration.

According to Hastings, a total of $600,000 of bed tax money has been allocated to marketing.

Separate from the traditional grant process, it is possible that another $450,000 could be directed toward “special event grants”, Hastings said. The reason Hastings can’t commit “final approval” to the $450,000 in funding is because he is still waiting for the St. Johns Cultural Council to make their program recommendations concerning Arts, Cultural & Heritage grants.

Another $50,000, administered under tourist development guidelines, could be awarded for sports and recreation.

In view of the recent budget hearing for fiscal 2012, some attending were surprised to learn that, in the face of more than twenty city employee layoffs, Regan announced that a new staffer comes to work later this month to develop “an aggressive list of events with the community”.

That being the case, speculation continues as to the role that will be played by Heritage Director Dana Ste. Claire; who Regan now says will handle program development for the 450th Anniversary.

Photo credits: © 2011 Historic City News staff photographer