Brad Mellema, director of the Grand Island/Hall County Convention and Visitors Bureau, gives a report to Hall County Commissioners Nov. 19 about distribution of Visitor Improvement Fund money, (Carol Bryant, Central Nebraska Today)
GRAND ISLAND – Brad Mellema, director of the Grand Island/Hall County Convention and Visitors Bureau, gave a presentation Nov. 19 to the Hall County Board of Commissioners about distribution of money in the Visitor Improvement Fund.
The fund is derived from a 2 percent occupancy tax on Hall County hotels. The purpose of the Visitor Improvement Fund grant is to “provide funding that creates new or improves existing visitor attractions and/or facilities within Hall County,” according to a handout that Mellema gave to Commissioners.
Mellema gave a summary of distribution of the fund’s dollars. The total transfer needed from the Hall County account for 2025 is $337,970.
The largest request that has been approved was awarding $218,068 to EPIC Discovery Center. For 2025 requests, the largest one awarded was for $100,000 to the Grand Island Livestock Complex Authority, which markets the livestock facilities on the Fonner Park campus. Money was needed to purchase panels for livestock shows.
Other funds awarded for 2025 were: Husker Harvest Days, $75,000; State Fair 1868 Foundation for Aksarben Stock Show, $50,000; Liederkranz for stage and sound system, $15,000; Hall County Historical Society, $7,500; Alda, $5,626 for trail project; EPIC for a second request, $75,000.
Commissioners voted 7-0 to approve the distributions.
In other business, the Commissioners received a $500 check from Chris Holton with Disc Gauntlet for a recent disc golf tournament at Hall County Park. The Commissioners heard a report from Bob McFarland with Hall County Rural Transit. Additional cameras are going to be installed in transit vehicles. The cost is $16,273 with a 90 percent match.
The Commissioners voted 7-0 to award an asphalt bid to Gary Smith Construction for Project C40. A job description for an assistant public works director was reviewed. Commissioners voted 6-1 to approve it, with Commissioner Gary Quandt voting against the motion.
Commissioners heard a presentation from Andy Marsh, co-chair of this year’s Heartland United Way Fund Drive, and Karen Rathke, United Way president. Marsh said that two incentives are being offered this year. The first is a chance to win a 2024 Cadillac donated by the Tom Dinsdale car dealership. To be eligible for the drawing for the car, someone must donate $312. The second incentive program is the Builders Club, where donors give $500 or more annually. A $60,000 matching program has been set up for new Builders Club members or for Builders Club members who increase their gifts. Rathke said that Christmas Cheer is now under the United Way umbrella.
Commissioner Pam Lancaster said that the county has received a request for painting a mural on the old Health Department/YWCA building that the county uses for storage. The mural committee wanted a commitment from the county concerning having the building there for a number of years to display the mural, but commissioners decided they could not make a commitment concerning how many years the building might stand before it is torn down.
The Board approved a bid for $28,500 from Shada Construction to build a park shelter replacement at Hall County Park. Commissioners voted 6-0 to award a number of gravel bids for various projects. Commissioners voted 7-0 to select Diamond Engineering to construct a box culvert for $219,937 on Abbott Road.
