County cuts Arts Place funding (08/27/07)

Following suit with a decision made last week by Portland City Council, Jay County Commissioners decided Monday to eliminate supplemental funding for Arts Place from the 2008 budget.

Commissioner Milo Miller Jr. said when commissioners passed a motion to the funds, it stated that appropriations to help pay for Arts Place advertising were contingent upon matching funds from the city.

There has been $2,000 earmarked in the commissioners' budget for 2008, Miller said, but that amount will likely be spent elsewhere.

"Just because it's in our budget doesn't mean we have to give it to them," Miller said.

Commissioners did not specify where the money would be spent.

Commissioner Gary Theurer said that Arts Place Executive Director Eric Rogers might be able to seek funds from the innkeepers' tax, which is designed to help businesses and other entities gain money for tourism and advertising.

The 1 percent tax, which was adopted several years ago in Jay County, is imposed on any motel and hotel rooms in the county. The use of the proceeds from the tax are governed by a committee comprised of Jay County citizens. Appropriations must be approved by Jay County Council.

Rogers said Arts Place will continue looking for funds from the city of Portland and Jay County. He added that he believes it is still possible for the organization to receive money.

"It's appropriate for them to be looked upon as partners in this effort," Rogers said. "But it isn't over until it's over."

In other business, commissioners approved a request from a developer for a loan of $100,000 in Economic Development Income Tax funds for a Holiday Inn Express to be located in Portland on West Votaw Street, contingent on a favorable recommendation from a subcommittee.

The matter will next come before the Jay County Council for final approval.

But before that happens, a subcommittee comprised of members of the Jay County EDIT Advisory Committee must render a decision on the matter. Theurer said the commissioners' motion is reliant on approval from the advisory committee.

"I guess we can go with it and if we don't like what we see we can pull it out from under them," Theurer said.

Jodi Scott, interim chair of the Jay County EDIT advisory committee, told commissioners the subcommittee meets later this week and will report its findings to the full committee.[[In-content Ad]]