Geary County officials have given notice that they plan to withdraw from the Consolidated Chamber of Commerce Master Agreement.
The notice was issued to City officials and Chamber staff at the end of June.
Dennis Beson, Chamber of Commerce CEO, said that it was disappointing.
“There’s just communication that has to happen and I think it was a surprise to a lot of people; but we’re partners and we’re going to talk it through and keep communicating to figure it all out,” said Beson.
County Commissioners cited transient guest tax revenues as one reason for the withdrawal – citing that the numbers were trending down, in months where they expected them to be higher.
“I don’t think that everybody has all the facts in front of them,” said Beson. “I think that there’s various reports that can be done that are taken by the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau industry; and it’d be nice to see comparatively what other cities in other parts of Kansas are experiencing.”
Notably, County Commissioner Keith Ascher said that there needs to be a better job of focusing on the marketing and promotion of tourism, conventions and the outdoors.
Beson said that there are other factors that need to be considered. “We did have a lot of contractors staying in town for quite a while as they were doing construction on Fort Riley, and that construction for the moment has kind of ended.”
County officials said that they are “strapped for money” because transient guest tax numbers are down and Geary County contributions to the Chamber of Commerce to participate in the consolidation are steadily increasing.
In 2016 the County similarly expressed interest in withdrawing from the master agreement. Former commissioners Florence Whitebread and Larry Hicks were in favor of a withdrawal; Ben Bennett supported maintaining a consolidated Chamber.
If the County goes through with the withdrawal this year it would not be effective until December 1st.
The consolidated Chamber consists of four divisions: the Membership Enhancement Division, the Military Affairs Council, the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and the Economic Development Commission.