Lodging Panel Deciding on Logo

Brandon Sherwood Addresses the Lodging Panel

Two dozen designs for the Prowers County Lodging Tax logo were submitted for consideration, the majority coming from the Wiley school art class. Not all lodging panel members attended the Tuesday, November 20 meeting, and a decision won’t be made until all members have had a chance to review the selections that made the final cut. The Lodging Tax Panel had offered $400 for the logo that best represents what images Prowers County brings to mind. Panel secretary, Carla Scranton, said Audrey Sneller’s art class in Wiley did some lengthy research into Prowers County history before submitting their examples. There was no date on when a final decision will be made.

The new logo will probably be used by the panel at its new headquarters beginning in December, the Rodeway Cow Palace Inn. The panel wrapped up it’s monthly meeting at the PCDI offices on South Main Street, also set to move sometime in December to new offices on the southeast corner of the main floor of the Cow Palace, and at a savings, as the monthly rent, insurance, utilities and phone line cost will all be reduced. The transition will take place over a period of several days, possibly beginning in the second week of December.

Two applications for event funding were approved by the panel; the Snow Goose Festival, entering its 11th year, received $4,672 for advertising, and will be held in February 2013. The other application was for $11,000 for the Kick Off Concert for the annual Sand and Sage Round-up. Brandon Sherwood explained that $8,000 goes to contract fees for the artist yet to be named and $3,000 will go for marketing and advertising for the summer event. The concert has been moved back to a Saturday performance, scheduled for August 3, 2013. Sherwood said the application for funding has to be made early because of lengthy negotiations in securing a quality act. Panel members authorized $690 for two new Byways signs that will be set up at the state Welcome Center in Lamar. There was a brief discussion about what will be offered in entertainment for a future Draft Horse event at the End of the Line Arena in Granada, but it was tabled pending additional information.

Panel members decided to try to tackle the never-ending problem of tax payment attribution from the state, using newly elected state representatives as their go-between with the Secretary of State’s office. Ever since its inception, the Lodging Tax Panel has been in the dark over the payments they receive from the state, based on the taxes paid by local motels. Checks, based on a 2% fee for motel room rentals are issued by the state to the panel on a quarterly basis. Motel owners pay their taxes to the state and the panel is reimbursed, but never with any indication if all motels are paying their fair share of taxes, nor with any regularity. Checks are sent to the county varying from $0.72 to $15,000 with no accounting for a calendar period. The panel is hoping that newly elected state and house representatives will be able to glean some information once they take office in 2013.

The Lodging Tax Panel will meet on Tuesday, December 18 in Suite 103 at the Rodeway Cow Palace Inn at 4pm.

By Russ Baldwin