by Charlie McKee
The Silver City Town Council convened a special meeting on Thursday afternoon, June 20, to award the Town's portion of the fiscal year 2012 Silver City Lodgers' Tax to those entities found deserving of the grants.
Mayor James Marshall explained to the large audience that individual competitive proposals, standing on their own merits and in response to the Town's RFP #12/13-2P- Community Promotions, were considered in awarding the grants. He noted that the intent of the grants is not to support any entity in itself, but to support how it markets and promotes the Town of Silver City, thereby resulting in increased tourism to the Town and bringing "value and return on investment for the Lodgers' Tax." Marshall also pointed out that the total amount of the Lodgers' Tax to be allocated this year is less than that of last year's allocation: $200,000 this year versus $225,000 last year.
The Mayor and Council awarded the grants after first querying individual applicants regarding their respective proposals and subsequently adjourning the meeting to Executive Session to consider the grants. Upon reconvening after Executive Session, they then voted to approve the grants per RFP #12/13-2P. The Silver City Arts and Cultural District was by far the biggest winner, being awarded 50 percent of the total funds: $100,000.
In descending order of amount received, the recipients of the awards were as follows:
* Silver City Arts and Cultural District - $100,000
* Mimbres Region Arts Council - $30,000
* Tour of the Gila - $30,000
* Silver City MainStreet - $10,000
* Silver City/Grant County Chamber of Commerce - $10,000
* San Vicente Artists - $3,000
* Rolling Stones Gem and Mineral Society - $2,500
* Silver City Gallery Association - $2,500
* Copper Country Cruizers - $1,500
* Silver City Fiber Arts Festival - $1,500
* Ft. Bayard Historical Society - $1,200
* Gila Conservation Coalition - $1,000
* Grant County Chicano Music Project - $500
* Southwest Festival of the Written Word - $250
* Silver City Farmers' Market - $0
* Social Work Caucus - $0
The Mayor thanked the Lodgers' Tax Advisory Board for their significant efforts and contribution to the process in reviewing each proposal in detail and recommending grant amounts to the Council. The members of the Board are: Sandra Hicks, Chair; Mitch Hellman, Vice Chair; Nancy Johnson; Michelle Carrillo; and Kathryn Gorthy.
The meeting was then adjourned.