TRUMBULL COUNTY Tourism board approves $150K for rest of 2005

The board postponed the grand opening of the information center until June 28.
By MONICA BOND
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Trumbull County Tourism Board and Information Center will have a $150,000 budget for the rest of 2005.
Commissioner Daniel E. Polivka, Christ Michelakis and clerk Paulette A. Godfrey passed a motion approving the proposed $150,000 budget for July 1 through Dec. 31 at their meeting Friday.
"That's a conservative estimate, there may be a little more," Polivka said.
That budget includes $40,000 for advertising, $35,000 for a grant program and $20,000 for gross payroll.
The board passed a motion to share the cost of the National Travel Association trade show, Nov. 3-8 in Detroit. The Trumbull County Tourism Board will split the cost with the original Youngstown Visitors Bureau. The board will pay $1,750 for registration and a booth, and approximately $600 for travel, meals and accommodations.
"It costs less than in past years because it's the closest to us it's ever been," said Billie Jo Zimmerman, director of the Youngstown Visitors Bureau and interim director of the Trumbull County Tourism Board and Information Center.
Polivka said the 2006 trade shows are under advisory and will be considered.
Citizens' committee
Recent requests for funds will be held until the citizens' advisory committee is in place. The advisory committee will have seven to nine members who review requests for funds and make recommendations to the board.
"We've received a few letters, but we'd like to wait until August or September when we have the advisory committee in place," Polivka said.
The board also approved postponing grand opening ceremonies from June 21 to 11 a.m. June 28 at the Trumbull County Tourism and Information Center.
Polivka said they want to bring different parts of the county together and promote Trumbull County.
"People that live here have no idea what's in their own back yard," Zimmerman said.
Last month, commissioners eliminated the 24-year-old Trumbull County Convention & amp; Visitors Bureau Inc. as the designated recipient of public funds. They established the new Trumbull County Tourism Board to receive 2 percent of the county's lodging tax.