Pocahontas Commissioners Set 2025 Hotel Occupancy Tax Distributions
At the January 21st Pocahontas County Commission meeting, the commissioners took up the issue of setting the distributions of the Hotel Occupancy Tax Revenues, known to many of us as the Hotel/Motel Tax. Prior to actually determining what organizations will receive portions of the tax revenue, representatives of three of the organizations who receive these funds made presentations to the commissioners.
- Ruthana Beezley, Tim Wade, and Bob Sheets made the presentation on behalf of the Historic Landmarks Commission. Beezley talked about some of the projects Landmarks did in 2024, including painting at the old Huntersville School; window work at the Opera House; a widows walk at the Pearl S. Buck House; porch repairs at the Pocahontas County Museum, and Archeology at Fort Warwick. Bob Sheets expanded on the Fort Warwick work, stating that in addition to the actual archeology. They have had PCHS and other high school students come out and work with the archeologists and learn how that is done.
- Cynthia Gurreri of the Arts Council delivered their financial report and said that Peggy Owens received an award from West Virginia Arts and Culture for her mosaic art. Gurriri also said the Arts Council did face painting at Durbin Days, and works with the CVB at the visitor’s Center in Durbin, among many other projects. She showed the commissioners photos of some of the original artwork from their artists.
- Lauren Bennett of Parks and Recreation presented their financial report, and she also mentioned the new bathrooms with flush toilets that they had built at Whitney Park, and they have hired a new Program Director. Bennett said that this year they will be opening their new park in Hillsboro, and will be repairing the big covered pavilion at Stillwell Park, which after 30 years is in need of repairs.
Following these presentations, the commissioners discussed, then approved the distributions of the tax revenues starting in February. They kept the same distributions as last year with one exception, which was to lower the amount of money going to the Pocahontas County Ambulance from $275.000 to $225.000.
This year’s distribution will be:
- As mandated by WV Statute, 50% of the Hotel Occupancy Tax revenues go to the County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.
Of the remaining 50%, fixed cash amounts go to the following:
- PMH -$75,000; County Emergency Medical Services -$75,000; County Fire Board -$120,000; County Bricks and Mortars Fund (for courthouse maintenance and repairs) -$20,000; and Pocahontas County Ambulance -$225,000.
- The following organizations then receive the following percentage of the remaining revenues: 2.5% to Preserving Pocahontas, with a cap of $21,000; 3.5% to the Arts Council, with a cap of $28,000; 6% to Historic Landmarks Commission, with a cap of $50,000; 22% to Dramas, Fairs and Festivals, with a cap of $175,000; 31% to Parks and Recreation, with a cap of $250,000; 30% to Libraries and Visitor Information Centers, with a cap of $255,000; and 5% plus any excess above the other caps to the commission’s “Hotel Occupancy Fund.”
Commission President John Rebinski said that no caps were reached last year. He also clarified that the commission’s Hotel Occupancy Fund is used to make donations to other worthy causes that come up during the year, such as the money donated to Marlinton and Durbin this year to be used as local matching funds for their Mon Forest Town grant applications.
In Part two of this story, we will discuss the other actions taken at this meeting.