Corbin Tourism Commission adds $10,000 to Christmas decoration budget
Sep. 29—CORBIN — The Corbin Tourism Commission approved increasing its Christmas decoration budget by $10,000 during a special-called meeting Wednesday.
Earlier this month during the commission's regularly scheduled monthly meeting, board members heard from Daniel Mackey, sales manager with Celebration Lighting in preparing for the 2021 Christmas Decoration Program. The two sides have worked together in the past in decorating Sanders Park, the old railroad depot, the welcome sign at exit 25, the welcome sign entering downtown Corbin from Master Street, and 125 light poles.
Because of that working relationship, Corbin Tourism Director Maggy Monhollen said she knew about how much renewing those same decorating plans would cost, and as a result, budgeted $15,000 for Christmas decorations in this fiscal year's tourism budget. In 2019, the tourism commission spent $14,935 on Christmas decorations. It did not put up any decorations last year.
On Thursday, Monhollen said this year's renewals would cost $15,135 if the commission chose to include a sign that reads "Merry Christmas" at the welcome sign entering downtown via Master Street, which Mackey highlighted during his presentation to the commission earlier this month. If the commission chose not to include the sign, the price would be the same as last year's.
Another point of interest raised by Mackey during his presentation was the opportunity to include large Christmas-themed objects folks can pose beside or behind for photo opportunities. Discussions included placing the photo ops near the ice-skating rink and Christmas village that will be located on the lot across from Sanders Park during the holiday season. And while no decision was made by the commission earlier this month, board members did ask Monhollen to meet with Mackey and discuss price points on the various photo ops.
On Wednesday, Monhollen and the commission looked at the various options available as photo opportunities. Of those options is a wreath large enough for a folks to stand behind and have their picture taken, which was quoted at $4,800. There are also three lighted reindeer that could be used as a photo op priced at $2,000 and require a three-year commitment. The commission also discussed a lighted sleigh big enough for folks to sit in and have their picture taken. Monhollen said she hadn't been given a price on the sleigh, but said she would see if it's available and at what price after commissioners had shown an interest in it.
During the commission's previous meeting, Monhollen was also asked to find out if would be possible and how much it would cost to decorate the opposite end of downtown Corbin, located at the split of South Main Street, just before 11th Street. On Wednesday, Monhollen said decorating that section in uniform with the opposite side of downtown, minus the tree lighting decorations, would cost an additional $1,400.
The commission was in agreement that it should include both entrances into downtown Corbin in this year's decoration program. And because it wanted to include a photo op, but was unsure of the pricing and availability of everything, the commission voted to amend the line item for Christmas decorations in its budget to $25,000. With the commission's blessing, the extra $10,000 is to act as flexibility for Monhollen in procuring all of the decorations.
In other tourism business:
-The commission approved sponsor request from Kentucky Bass Nation, which will be hosting a state-qualifier bass fishing tournament on Laurel Lake in March 2022. Event organizers expect around 250 people to participate in the tournament. The commission chose to sponsor the event for $1,000.
-The commission rescheduled its October's board meeting for October 19 at 5:15 p.m. The commission was scheduled to meet October 12, but the City of Corbin is hosting this year's SOAR Summit during that week.
