Lodgers tax board receives $216,500 in funding requests

Staff report

Recommendations on how to use $74,000 of Clovis lodgers’ tax funds were made during a Lodgers’ Tax Advisory Board meeting Tuesday at City Hall.

The first Lodgers’ Tax Advisory Board meeting of the 2014-2015 fiscal year, hopefuls made their case for funds during a four-hour meeting with requests totaling $216,500, said Clovis Legislative and Community Development Director Claire Burroughes.

All recommendations must receive final approval from the Clovis city commission.

Lodger’s tax funds are used to promote Clovis events that attract people from outside the city.

The largest petition was for the LJ Jenkins Invitational Bullriding event, set to take place Oct. 31-Nov. 1.

The request was for $25,000; the board recommended $11,000 for the event.

Other requests and recommendations included:

• A Rotary District Convention, set to take place April 30-May 3, 2015. Amount requested was $5,000; amount recommended, $3,500.

• Desert Cruzers 18th annual Run to Hillcrest, presented by the Desert Cruzers Car Club. Jerry Bailey, president of the car club, said the event will run in conjunction with the Clovis Music Festival, Sept. 5-6. More than 200 cars are expected at the event. Amount requested was $9,000; amount recommended, $6,000.

There were several requests made by the Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce.

These included:

• Funds for the 2015 community profile and membership directory, which is printed annually, sent by request throughout the U.S. and distributed at various local events.

Amount requested: $6,000; amount recommended: $3,500.

• A $3,000 request for additional funding for the Chamber’s website; none was recommended.

• Clovis High School’s class of 1964’s 50th class reunion, set to take place Oct. 2-4. The amount requested, $1,000, was recommended in full.

• The New Mexico State Harley Davidson HOG Rally, scheduled Sept. 4-6. Amount requested was $5,000; amount recommended, $4,000.

• It was recommended that $3,000 — the amount requested — be allotted to the Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce for promotional items/goodie bags, which include items such as peanut patties, pens and pins.

• A $3,000 request was made for the Rock & Roll Museum; $2,000 was recommended.

• A $5,000 request was made for the 2014 Plateau Wireless and Clovis High School Holiday Basketball Tournament set to take place Dec. 29-31 at the CHS gym. The tournament, which will involve eight girls’ teams and eight boys’ teams, received a recommendation for $4,000.

• Randy Rhue presented on behalf of the Lions Club Gun Show, set to take place Oct. 10 and 11. Rhue said the event averages between 1,200-1,500 patrons. Amount requested for the show: $3,000; amount recommended: $2,500.

• The Clovis Softball Association requested $9,000 for the promotion of 11 tournaments during the 2014 softball season, $1,500 for a Women’s State Tournament and $1,000 for a girls and boys softball tournament. The board recommended $7,500 for all softball tournament promotion.

• Bikers Against Bullying, an event sponsored by the American Legion Post 25, is a motorcycle-enthusiast event scheduled Aug. 23-24. Amount requested: $5,000; amount recommended, $3,000.

• The Clovis Youth Soccer Association’s fall kickoff, set for Sept. 27-28, received a recommendation of $2,000; the request was for $4,000.

• The 2014-2015 Cultural Art Series, sponsored by Clovis Community College and The Citizens Bank of Clovis, received a recommendation for $5,000; the request was for $7,500.

• Bob Landry and Eric Vigil of Ned Houk Motorsports presented on behalf of the High Plains Motor Speedway and Clovis MX Track. Vigil noted the facility is 20 years old and some of the equipment has become dilapidated. The request was for $73,500; $5,000 was recommended.

• A request for the Ranch Cowgirls Rodeo Association in the amount of $20,000 received a $2,500 recommendation.

• The board recommended $6,000 for City of Clovis Parks promotion.

The original request was for $12,000.