Craig Daily Press

Craig — Possible changes to the Moffat County Tourism Association’s event funding guidelines could allow for more money to single events.

In 2007, events were limited to $500 each. For 2008, that is likely to change, MCTA board president Tammie Thompson-Booker said.

The board tabled a final decision until its March meeting.

While specific limits for the new year have not been discussed — indeed, there may be no set limits — other rules governing funding approval are likely to remain.

The biggest requirement for MCTA funds comes from the lodging tax law itself. All funds given by MCTA may be used only for advertising.

Thompson-Booker thinks that is a good policy.

“I want to make sure that when people come to us for funding, it’s for advertising,” she said. “We want as many people at your event as possible, and the only way to have that is by advertising in as broad a scope as possible.”

Actual funding dollars for each applying event would be determined on a case-by-case basis, Thompson-Booker added. She also recommended people seek bargains from local advertisers to see if applicants can spend more of their funding outside the area.

Other requirements include deference to off-season events in the spring and winter, and new events.

Board member Cindy Lo­­oper pointed out original guidelines for MCTA stipulated no event would be funded for more than two years.

Although the board does not plan to go back to that, board members do want to make sure MCTA’s limited budget is used to better the area, and a good way to accomplish that is giving seed money to up-and-coming activities.

Event funds will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Christina Currie, Craig Chamber of Commerce executive director, told the board after its meeting she did not agree with the policy to favor new events.

“Some events are just really good events,” she said. “Some events will never (make enough money to be self-sufficient), they’re put on because they’re fun and they draw lots of people.”

Unfortunately, the lodging tax fund is not large enough to accommodate all the wishes for all events, Thompson-Booker said.

“It’s not an awful lot of money, but we need to focus on the things we don’t have,” she said.

MCTA passed its revised budget that day, which included lowering the fund total a second time this budget cycle, from about $167,000 to $155,000.

Its budget allocates $10,000 for event funding, $3,000 of which were given to the Winter Festival to support all three events there, the Western Ride-in and Antique Snowmobile Show, X-treme Mountain Sport snowmobile races and the Festival activities.

“If we find midway through the year that we need more and there’s funds there (in other line items), we may put more money in” event funding, Thompson-Booker said. “It may be too small, we’ll see who comes to us for funding.”

The largest budget items currently are $36,000 for staffing, $30,000 for tourism projects and development and $24,000 for the Moffat County Visitor Center.

The board elected to keep funds for staffing because it may hire someone for part-time or full-time later in the year.

To follow-up on initiatives to draw people in from outside the area, the board needs a staff person, board members said.