Committee discusses $2.5 million "same services" base budget and $200,000 pilot grant fund for Visit Montgomery

During the Sept. 28 Economic Development Committee work session, council staff and Visit Montgomery outlined funding scenarios for the county's destination marketing organization. Committee members discussed two linked options: (1) recommend a steady "same services" base budget—staff and several members referenced a $2,500,000 figure in the packet—and (2) create a small, county‑managed grants/incentive fund (examples in the packet show $100,000–$200,000) to pilot events and incentives without immediately changing county law.

Council President Fannie Gonzalez prefaced the funding discussion: "That will be same services will be $2,500,000, correct?" The presentation noted that some peer DMOs (Fairfax, Arlington) operate with much larger budgets and that Civitas (the funding‑model consultant) recommended a tourism improvement district (TID) or a voluntary district as a long‑term funding option. Several council members said they favored starting with a base budget plus a modest pilot fund and then evaluating results before altering the county code.