JSDC tables vote on Buffalo City Tourism Foundation's operations funding

• JSDC Meeting

Marlyn Bertsch of the James River Rodeo, second from left, standing, speaks at a meeting of the Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corporation Board of Directors Monday, as Felicia Sargeant, manager of the National Buffalo Museum, far left, standing, waits to speak. (Kari Lucin/The Sun)

Talk about it

The Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corp. Board of Directors voted 11-3 to recommend continuing funding of $75,000 to the Buffalo City Tourism Foundation, but tabled voting on the foundation’s operations funding.

The executive board of the JSDC had recommended denying the $75,000, used by BCTF to provide grants to nonprofit organizations, and had also recommended a plan incrementally cutting BCTF funding to nothing by 2016.

About 20 visitors, many vocal supporters for the BCTF, attended the meeting, and several spoke in favor of the foundation.

“Whatever tourism has done for just our group alone has been huge, and to me, if I’ve started a business and it proves to be successful after eight years, it’d be pretty foolish to quit,” said Marlyn Bertsch, of the James River Rodeo, which has received grant money from the BCTF.

Concerns about funding the BCTF from the JSDC’s executive committee included a desire for oversight of taxpayer dollars, considering the BCTF board is not elected but appointed; the BCTF’s large fund balance, which is being set aside for new tourism or BCTF facilities; and the possibility of BCTF dollars being used to compete with privately-owned businesses.

Regardless of what the JSDC board decides, its recommendation still has to come before the Jamestown City Council and the Stutsman County Commission before going into effect.

Sun reporter Kari Lucin can be reached at 701-952-8453

or by email at klucin@jamestownsun.com

Tags: local news, news, jsdc, bctf, tourism, foundation