KEITH READY, Courier Contributor
Monday, June 18, 2012 4:40 am

The largest marketing tool Cannon County has to attract tourism is asking for a $10,000 contribution from the County's budget during the 2012-2013 fiscal year.

Neal Appelbaum, President of the Cannon County Chamber of Commerce, handed out a comparison sheet to Budget Committee members during a meeting Thursday which showed neighboring counties and how each helps to fund their local Chamber.

The Cannon County Chamber has been getting just a $50 yearly contribution. Appelbaum said if the County utilizes the Chamber to its full potential, the Chamber can increase tax revenue by bringing in tourism and recruiting industry.

Other area counties, by comparison, fund the Chamber anywhere from $15,000 to $75,000. Counties included in the comparison were DeKalb, Smith, Fentress and Clay.

The contribution of $10,000 would be to help pay staff, fuel, a good starting advertising budget and communications. If funded correctly the Chamber will help in the Marketing, Strategic Planning, Business Development, Tourism, Grant and Industrial Board coordination.

Also Thursday, the Cannon County Rescue Squad presented its budget request. They were budgeted $3,085 in the current fiscal year which ends June 30. They have requested an increase of $7,500, to pay off a note on a rescue squad vehicle, making their total budget request $10,585.

The Cannon County Parks and Fair Board asked for a 5 percent raise in salary for the director and assistants. That took care of most of the $2,000 increase the parks are requesting from the county.

The Solid Waste Budget was reviewed. The total estimated revenue for the fiscal year ending June 30 is $503,757, with the estimated expenditures being $514,423.00. The estimated revenue for the 2012-2013 fiscal year is $497,436 while the estimated expenditures are $509,596.

The Budget line item of "Other Contracted Services" is estimated at only $300 for next fiscal year as the estimation is already at $4,020 for the 2011-2012 fiscal year.

The final budget reviewed Thursday was that of the Cannon County Election Office. The Election Commission had passed the budget moments before it was presented to the County Budget Committee.

In it the Assistant Administrator line item has been budgeted at $20,000, based on a rate of 30 hours a week. It was also noted a line item of Overtime was $1,000 but that was questioned since both Administrator of Elections and the Assistant are paid based on a salary basis.

The total request of the Election Office is $165,379, which is an increase of a little over $3,000 from the 2011-2012 budgeted amount.

The budget committee will take this week off before beginning the second round of reviews, which is making the decisions on what to cut and what to keep in the budget requests of the county departments for FY2012-2013.