Tourism
Requests for tax grants exceed funds by $1M
Georgetown County is expected to receive about $1.6 million in accommodations tax funds this year.
Twenty-two entities have applied to the county for a share of that money. Those requests total $2.59 million.
How to make up the difference was one of the many questions that was raised at a meeting of the county’s Accommodations Tax Advisory Committe last week.
Ebony Hughes, who was the acting chairman of the committee in the absence of chairperson Lauren Joseph, reminded the applicants of the shortfall on several occasions. Also missing from the meeting was committee vice chairman Drew Street.
After listening to eight requests totaling $387,144 for highway median maintenance and other ongoing beautification projects, Hughes questioned whether the organizations are communicating with each other.
“We really need to kind of start being proactive and thinking about ways that we can work together with the different organizations, although separate, so we can kind of make sure that funds are distributed so it’s most impactful,” she said.
The requests were: Litchfield Beaches Property Owners Association, $99,408 for beach support; county’s Parks and Recreation Department, $88,956 for trash removal at beach accesses and the bike path; Mainstreet Pawleys Beautification Committee, $42,000 for Highway 17 median maintenance; Litchfield Beautification Foundation, $38,000, for highway landscape maintenance; Pawleys Island Highway Beautification Program, $37,000, for median maintenance; Murrells Inlet 2020, $36,000 for Bypass 17 maintenance; Garden City Beach Community Association, $31,200, for median maintenance; and Brookgreen Gardens, $14,580, for median maintenance.
The Litchfield foundation also asked for $30,000 for safety equipment.
“We’re having some issues in maintaining the aesthetic appearance of Highway 17 in the lower Waccamaw Neck because it’s becoming increasingly dangerous, literally to work out there,” said Ken Dewell, the foundation president. “Both highway maintenance workers and motorists alike are increasingly at risk.”
Dewell said the equipment – including a programmable electronic sign, safety cones and strobe lights – would be shared among all the beautification entities that maintain the median along Highway 17.
Vida Miller of Mainstreet Pawleys told the committee that traffic control is 45 percent of the nonprofit’s budget.
Frustrated by the committee not fully funding requests from Murrells Inlet-Garden City Fire District in the past, Brad Bemis, one of the department’s captains, questioned why the Chamber of Commerce gets money beyond what it is legally entitled to.
The Chamber had the largest request of the meeting: $766,481 for destination marketing.
Mark Stevens, the county’s tourism director, told committee members that Georgetown County collects the sixth most a-tax funds in the state.
The chamber also requested $130,200 for tourism research.
Beth Stedman, CEO of the chamber, told the committee that people are constantly asking how many visitors are coming to the county.
“Short of putting a gate at the entrances to the county and having a clicker system installed, it’s very challenging to come up with that number,” she said. “We are looking at how we can better answer the questions that are presented to us as well as looking at making data-driven decisions about our marketing so that we can get the most bang for our buck.”
The Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office and Murrells Inlet-Garden City Fire both asked for money to help protect residents and visitors.
The sheriff’s office request of $355,379 would support the department’s beach patrol.
“We do more than just hand out Band-Aids,” Capt. Chuck Weaver said.
“We certainly see them up and down the beach,” committee member Billy Nichols said. “We appreciate what you all do.”
The fire district requested $167,781 to support the Murrells Inlet Marine Safety Initiative.
Battalion Chief Brennan Moore told the committee the department would like to expand the hours that firefighters spend on the beach during peak tourist season.
For the first time, the department asked for $44,669 for medical coverage during the bike weeks in May and October.
Bemis said the money would pay to staff the department’s “special events” trailer with two EMTs and two paramedics, which would cut down on ambulances having to respond to minor injuries.
The Kaminski House Museum asked for $113,898 to install artificial turf.
Executive director Streater Mitchum said the museum’s lawn is under “very heavy use” and requires constant upkeep.
“It’s hard to keep the grass growing when you have all these events,” she added. “Synthetic turf would help us ensure that our lawn is successful and visually appealing rain or shine.”
The museum also wants $16,300 for marketing.
Two other city museums asked for money to repair their buildings: the Rice Museum, $195,650; and the Harbor Historical Association, $75,000 for the S.C. Maritime Museum.
Other requests: the Georgetown Business Association, $70,300 for the Food, Beer and Wine Festival, Art and Wine Walk, Music in the Park and the holiday skating rink; Winyah Auditorium, $40,000 for a concert series; Varna International, $30,000 for its Muzika! Festival; Georgetown Arts and Culture Commission, $28,000 for flags on Front Street; Friendship Place, $21,900 for the Historic Georgetown Bridge2Bridge Run; Murrells Inlet 2020, $21,150 for its annual oyster roast and Race for the Inlet; Winyah Bay Musical Arts, $19,100 for two chamber music concerts; Garden City Beach Community Association, $7,000 for street lighting; Swamp Fox Players, $4,800 for radio advertising; and the Village Group, $4,000 for the Tour de Plantersville.
By law, accommodations tax revenue, which the state collects as a 2 percent tax on short-term rentals, must be used for tourism-related activities.
The committee will meet again on Nov. 7 to decide on recommendations for funding. The meeting is at 9:30 a.m. in County Council chambers.
County Council will have the final say.
