Editor's note: The author did not attend this meeting, but talked to two of the speakers afterward.

By Mary Alice Murphy

At the Thursday, March 5, 2015 Silver City-Grant County Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon, three speakers gave presentations.

Bonnie Zelinko of Workforce Connection explained that she had lined up a speaker from the state office, but the speaker could not attend, so Zelinko stepped in and gave an overview of the program's on-the-job training and customized training programs. For more information on the trainings available at the Workforce Connection office in Silver City, visit the office at 410 W. Broadway or call 575-538-3737, ext. 1003, which will take you to Susan Montoya. The state website https://www.jobs.state.nm.us/vosnet/Default.aspx also has opportunities for online training.

Zelinko also gave a short history of the state's job training programs. The first was the Job Training Partnership Act of 1982. She explained that about every 15 or 16 years, the programs change. In 1998, the Workforce Investment Act was passed, and Workforce Connection was in charge of it. The provider for the training has changed to HELP- New Mexico, which was awarded a $1,274,000 contract from the Southwest Area Workforce Development Board to provide Workforce Investment Act Adult and Dislocated Services for the Southwest Region. This Region encompasses Dona Ana, Luna, Socorro, Grant, Hidalgo, Sierra and Catron Counties in the Southwestern portion of New Mexico. The Regional Office personnel in Las Cruces will provide the services in combination with the Department of Workforce Solutions and in concert with the Youth Program in the Workforce Connection offices and the satellite offices in the region.

As of July 1, the Workforce Innovations Opportunity Act will come into force, and change the rules once again. Zelinko suggested the chamber have her back to speak at that time.

Becky O'Connor, co-owner with her husband Michael of Casitas de Gila, is chairwoman of the Grant County Lodger's Tax Advisory Board. Three of the other board members also attended the luncheon. They are John Rohovec of Bear Mountain Lodge, Teresa Dahl-Bredine of Little Toad Creek Inn and Tavern, and Scott Terry, SC-GC Chamber of Commerce president. The board has one vacancy.

O'Connor explained what lodger's tax is. "It is a tax on lodging for stays of less than 30 days in lodgings with three or more units," she said. "The collection and use of lodger's tax is governed by the Lodger's Tax Act and further governed by county ordinance. It is capped at 5 percent. The owner/operator of the lodging collects and remits the tax monthly. The five members of the advisory board, appointed by the county commissioners, are two members from the lodging sector, two from tourism and one at large."

She said, in Grant County, the commissioners give the board an amount of money and "we spend it directly. Last fiscal year, the amount collected was $68,000, and the commissioners gave us $50,000. We determine where to place the ads. We have radio spots in Tucson, El Paso, Las Cruces and Albuquerque, and we place ads in print in New Mexico Magazine, Where to Retire, Travel 50 and Beyond, the El Paso Visitor's Guide and in the American Birding Association magazine and on its website. We are also happy to have placed new billboards on I-10 and I-25."

"We work closely with the Silver City Arts and Cultural District and George Julian Dworin, so we don't duplicate efforts," O'Connor continued. "We also pool our resources to reach a broader audience."

She said the purpose of her presentation was to show how important tourism is to Grant County. With the last fiscal year providing lodger's tax receipts of $68,000 to Grant County and $270,000 to Silver City, "that equates to the $7 million in lodging it takes to generate that much. Lodging also provides almost one-half million dollars in gross receipts taxes. Lodger's tax money stays in Grant County. It is very important to the economy of the area."

The third speaker was Mayor Michael Morones on the reasons the town needs to raise its gross receipts tax by