CONVENTION BUREAU Board makes plans despite lack of funding

The board will hear a proposal to merge with a local film commission.
By STEPHEN SIFF
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- The money has stopped flowing to the Trumbull County Convention and Visitors Bureau, but the organization moved forward with its promotion plans.
At a monthly meeting Wednesday, bureau board members discussed a new logo, committee assignments and meetings for a 2006 Civil War encampment, despite worries the bureau could go out of business when the money in its bank account runs out next year.
The bureau has about $103,000 in its account, and no more has been pledged by Trumbull County commissioners.
Earlier this year, after months of bickering between the two boards, commissioners voted to divert the tax on hotel rooms that had supported the bureau to other causes.
Commissioners also solicited proposals from other companies or organizations willing to take over the bureau's work.
Commissioners also have so far ignored a request to send the bureau an estimated $163,000 collected from the bed tax before laws for using the money were changed. The bureau sent a registered letter asking for the money two weeks ago.
"It is in the wastebasket," board member James Nuzzi said he was told.
Will submit budget
The board plans to prepare a $250,000 budget for 2005 it will submit to commissioners for funding, board member Paul Petrich said.
Without assured funding, the board has been reluctant to fill many grant requests, said board member Fran Wilson.
"If we are sitting on all this money and not doing anything; we are wasting our time," she said. "We are not promoting anything, guys."
Board president Richard Alberini said the bureau is promoting the county by keeping staff members busy going to trade shows and talking to event organizers.
The board approved a $3,000 grant to bring a fishing tournament to Mosquito Lake in 2005.
The board did not act on requests for money from Mesopotamia Fall Heritage Day or Warren Philharmonic. Several other requests are also pending.
Next month, the board will hear a proposal from Richard Ouzoumian, film commissioner of the Western Reserve Film Commission, to merge the two organizations.
The year-old film commission is devoted to persuading production companies to film in this area.
"The way to move the film commission forward is to become part of an organization that has 20 years of history," Ouzoumian said.