Published: March 27, 2008 09:34 am         

County budget could link tourism marketing efforts

CUMBERLAND - Hoping to end a duplication of efforts in marketing Canal Place and other county tourism attractions, the Allegany County Tourism Department is seeking a 12.5 percent funding increase for fiscal 2009, which begins July 1.

Whether the county commissioners grant the budget increase remains to be seen. The commissioners are to begin budget workshops at 1 p.m. today at the County Office Complex on Kelly Road. The sessions are open to the public.

Tourism's total proposed operations budget of $655,335 includes $375,000 in projected hotel/motel tax revenue and nearly $100,000 in promotions and grants. A total of $176,489 covers salaries for one full-time county employee and several part-timers in the visitor's center of the Western Maryland Railway Station as well as the contracted wages for the tourism department staff.

Barb Buehl, tourism director, explained that an increase from $163,076 to $183,435 from the county could help put all or part of the marketing efforts of Canal Place under the county tourism bureau. Buehl said a late-February meeting with officials from the Canal Place Preservation & Development Authority and representatives of the state tourism office, the Maryland Department of Planning and the Maryland Heritage Areas was "very positive."

"I do know that's the direction the county would like to go," Buehl said of ending the duplication of promotion efforts between the two entities.

A consensus Monday among city and county officials during a meeting at Geatz's Restaurant also suggested putting the marketing efforts for Canal Place under the county tourism department. All three county commissioners have expressed their support of the county tourism effort.

Michele Crabtee, administrative officer for Canal Place, said the authority has "always professed to want to cooperate with the proposed plan in place" in which the county tourism department oversees all marketing efforts. Any notion to the contrary, Crabtree said, is "entirely untrue."

Crabtree said one point of contention between Canal Place and local governments came about when a decision was made to hire a public affairs specialist. The incident was referred to Monday night by city and county officials as one of a handful of things that has created a gap between the three entities. Crabtree said the hire was not to maintain its own marketing effort.

"The stance taken by the county (at that time) was that in filling that position, we were doing so so we could perform our own marketing activities," Crabtree said. "But that just wasn't the case. We were filling that position because we need staff available to carry out the function" of the authority.

A grant application to the Maryland Heritage Areas could provide up to $50,000 for marketing and promotions. It also could be a sign of things to come, because the Allegany County Tourism Department would administer the funds as part of an overall promotions package.

County Commissioner Jim Stakem said Monday he'd soon recommend a county representative be a part of the board. Crabtree said Wednesday that Howard Buchanan, board chairman, suggested that idea in August at a meeting with County Administrator Vance Ishler and Commissioner Bob Hutcheson. Crabtree said the idea was never acted upon.

Despite possible misconceptions and delays in signing a lease to construct a new hotel, Crabtree said she remains confident in the future of Canal Place.

"I don't see any reason why it won't work," Crabtree said. "I think all the partners just need to sit down around the table and discuss the plan for going forward."

Contact Kevin Spradlin at kspradlin@times-news.com.