athens tn annual budget fy2026 2027

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FUND PROFILE
STAFFING PLAN
Position Title FY 2024-25 FY 2025-26 FY 2026-27
Communications Coordinator (0.67%) 1 1 1
Total Positions 1 1 1
HOTEL/MOTEL TAX FUND
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.
FY 2026-27 BUDGET PRIORITIES
• Member dues and registration fees include $1,000 for membership dues to the Tennessee Hospitality and Tourism
Association and registration fees for tourism related conferences.
• Advertising expenses include $20,000 to prepare regional advertisements to promote city tourism amenities 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).
• Signage expenses include $85,000 to design and install new, replacement, and consistent welcome and wayfinding
signs throughout the city.
• Tourism infrastructure expenses include $30,000 to fabricate and install various themed objects at Mayfield Park
and $130,000 to install dugout covers for four of the five fields and install shade covers for fields 4 and 5 at
Regional Park from tournament survey results for tourism development for a total cost of $160,000.
• Beautification expenses include $25,000 to install landscaping materials on the I-75 exit 49 interchange and/or
Decatur Pike or Congress Parkway corridors to make the main entrance into the city more attractive and inviting.
• Fourth of July expenses include $80,000 for the fireworks/drone show, stage rental, arcade, and regional
promotion. Another $20,000 is included in the Parks & Recreation (Programming Division) budget.
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