After Visitor’s Bureau’s Dismantle, Leg. Looks to Create Tourism Dept.
The mantra at the Putnam County Visitor’s Bureau has been “Where the country begins,” but it appears the tourism non-profit has reached its end.
During a personnel committee meeting last week, it was revealed the Putnam County Visitor’s Bureau ceased operations after an apparent schism between the outside agency and county leadership. As a result, lawmakers decided to create a tourism department within county government.
It appeared tension between the county and visitor’s bureau has been simmering for months.
Bumgarner said the county executive’s office and some legislators were concerned with the operations of bureau and when they reached out to the bureau to offer assistance, did not get a positive reaction from tourism board members. At a bureau board meeting, Bumgarner and a couple of lawmakers attended to convey their concerns about the lack of presence in the county by the bureau.
During that meeting, Bumgarner said the tourism board and staff indicated to county officials they did not intend to make any changes and were content with the performance of the director, Bruce Conklin.
The relationship between the county and the bureau continued to deteriorate, Bumgarner said, including the bureau’s board refusal to sign a contract with the county that would’ve given county officials more oversight over tourism agency.
No contract was ever signed between the two sides for 2019.
The county began exploring other possible options for a tourism branch of the county, including looking for another agency to take over or having tourism be an in-house department, Bumgarner said, which led to the apparent final straw for the visitor’s bureau.
Bumgarner said she was notified by a New York State official that the visitor’s bureau sent back funds to the state to the tune of $68,000 and the visitor’s bureau is now closed. (The office space on the third floor of the county office building was cleared out) With the possibility of the county losing that money, the visitor’s bureau agreed to re-issue the funds to the county instead.
Bumgarner said with the visitor’s bureau closed, the county needs to decide what the next step would be; either find another agency to take control or hire tourism personnel that would work within county government.
Bumgarner suggested the county create its own department and act quickly on it so Putnam doesn’t lose out on the tourism funds given from the state. A charter change would be advisable, Bumgarner said.
“The person that we get needs to hit the ground running,” Bumgarner said.
Most county legislators voiced support to hire someone that would be under the purview of the county executive’s office and legislature.
Legislator and personnel committee chairwoman Ginny Nacerino said the county has struggled for several years to reach its tourism potential and the former director, Conklin, was not amenable to giving the legislature updates on the work of the bureau. Legislator Paul Jonke said the visitor’s bureau were not transparent and refused to be accountable to lawmakers.
“I think we should have an employee that works for us, much like the department heads here tonight,” Jonke said.
Tourism is critical to economic development in the county, lawmakers and residents agreed.
“Putnam has a lot to offer and I think we missed the boat on that the last couple of years,” Legislature Chairman Joe Castellano said.
