Board Signs Off On ‘New Tourism’ With Facility

Members of the Cadiz-Trigg County Parks and Recreation Board shared their reasons for refusing to ink an agreement with the local tourism commission during Wednesday’s meeting. The lack of a signature specifying how the board would spend restaurant tax monies kicked-off a controversy late last year that cost three members of the Cadiz-Trigg County Tourism Commission their seats.

Parks and Recreation Chairman Brian Ahart says language in the now-scuttled agreement placed restrictions on how they could spend the money, something they didn’t want. He adds the concept of what constitutes tourism is so broad the Kentucky Attorney General doesn’t define it.

Tourism voted last year to give 25 percent of restaurant tax monies to Parks and Recreation to fund projects, among them a multipurpose facility at the county complex. However, some members of Tourism were concerned the money was being used for day-to-day operations rather than its intended purpose — attracting tourists.

A provision in the agreement permitting Tourism to review payments on an annual basis caused concern among Parks and Recreation. Scotty Hampton, who is a member of the board and a county magistrate, says that caused uncertainty.

In response to the lack of a signature, Tourism voted to temporarily halt funding until the proposed agreement was signed only to restore it two weeks later following a backlash. The terms of three jointly-appointed members of Tourism expired and were not reappointed by the Cadiz City Council and Trigg Fiscal Court. All three were in support of the agreement.

Ahart says the facility — to be used for baseball, softball, soccer, shows, reunions and other events — will draw people and money to the community. Ahart cited sports tournaments and according to Hampton, pitching clinics for area teams have also been discussed as a possibility.

Mike Wright, who like Hampton is on both Parks and Recreation and Fiscal Court, says it was his feeling that votes already held by various governmental entities constituted an agreement. Wright adds City Attorney Allen O. Wilson told them another agreement would be redundant and unnecessary.

Wright says it’s his take the facility will add to tourism but in a different way.