athens tn annual budget fy2025 2026

Unverified text extraction. Check the original page for numbers, names, and layout.

FUND PROFILE
STAFFING PLAN
FY 2025-26 BUDGET PRIORITIES
Total Positions 1 1 1
HOTEL/MOTEL TAX FUND
Communications Coordinator (0.67%) 1 1 1
Position Title FY 2023-24 FY 2024-25 FY 2025-26
The Hotel/Motel Tax Fund is a Special Revenue Fund authorized by TCA 67-4-1402 et seq . This Fund is used to
account for the proceeds of the 4% hotel/motel tax collected from lodging facilities located within the city. The
proceeds are designated and used for the promotion of tourism and tourism development.
• Advertising expenses include $30,000 to advertise the Christmas light show event at Regional Park in
accordance with a contract with NoogaLights, LLC and $20,000 to develop a city branding strategy and
prepare regional advertisements to promote city assets and other local tourism assets such as the Eureka
Trail, sports tourism, Mayfield Dairy Tours, retirement opportunities, SE TN Trade & Conference Center,
splash pad, and downtown murals.
• Promotion expenses include $5,000 to develop city promotional items and to have a relationship with the
Tennessee Entertainment Commission to showcase city attributes that would appeal to the entertainment
industry.
• Other contract expenses include a $30,000 allocation to McMinn County Economic Development Authority
to promote regional tourism.
• Tourism event expenses include $60,000 to fund various events at the Athens Area Council for the Arts
($15,000), McMinn County Living Heritage Museum ($15,000), Main Street Athens ($15,000 ), and
Friendly City Festivals ($15,000 for MooFest, PumpkinTown, and Sounds of Summer).
• Public art expenses include $10,000 for assisting in local art installations in the downtown area such as
murals, sculptures, and other fixed art assets.
• Signage expenses include $85,000 to design and install new and replacement and consistent welcome and
wayfinding signs throughout the city.
• Tourism infrastructure expenses include $60,000 to have a professional firm prepare a feasibility study and
concept plan to have a road map to complete the SE TN Trade and Conference Center to bring in general
conferences and sports tourism and generate additional sales tax revenue and hotel/motel tax revenue.
• Fixed assets expenses include $200,000 to install artificial turf on the five infields at Regional Park. An
additional $1,300,000 is included in the Capital Improvement Fund for this project.
86