Pulaski County CDC defers tourism strategy until comprehensive plan moves forward

Pulaski County advisors said the county's long-awaited comprehensive plan update will shape the tourism strategic plan and related budgeting after commissioners learned the comprehensive plan has not been updated since 2009.

An organizer told the committee that the county has issued RFPs for a comprehensive plan and that proposals are expected back in February. Because the tourism strategic plan work started in 2024 was largely dependent on the broader comprehensive plan, members said they prefer to let the consultant-led comprehensive process inform tourism recommendations and public engagement.

Members discussed practical options for public input: holding joint sessions that bring together 15 to 20 members of related commissions to hear consultant presentations so each commission doesn't have to repeat the same material, and running focused engagement meetings on tourism topics to capture residents' views. The organizer suggested that, once a consultant is hired and the comprehensive process is under way, the CDC and partner commissions (including the TAC and redevelopment commission) should be included in a sequence of public meetings across the county.

The commission also considered timing and staffing: one member noted the tourism coordinator position (Patrick Taylor) could be given expanded responsibility for outreach and for representing tourism at events and in marketing efforts. Members emphasized the need for clear public-engagement opportunities and asked the chair to coordinate meetings once consultant proposals and the planning timeline are confirmed.

No binding decisions were made at the meeting because a quorum was not present; officer vacancies and next steps on staffing and consultant presentations were deferred to a meeting with a proper quorum.