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Officials consider future of tourism bureau merger

Idea met with uncertainty

WARREN — A possible merger of the Trumbull County Tourism Bureau and the Mahoning County Convention and Visitors Bureau that might land a potential new agency under the umbrella of the Western Reserve Port Authority is being met with mixed reaction, by commissioners in both counties.

Trumbull County Commissioner Frank Fuda acknowledged that conversations have occurred about a potential merger and said he would need to analyze the issue further.

Trumbull County Commissioner Mauro Cantalamessa said he could see a merger of the two tourism agencies as beneficial if the tourism board were properly supported.

“Whenever there’s a possibility that we can better promote and highlight our area to potential visitors, we need to do that in the most efficient and effective way,” said Cantalamessa. “If indeed there is potential for this partnership with Mahoning County, we would need to make sure tourism is not being neglected and that it would actually be growing.”

But Cantalamessa’s counterpart in Mahoning County, Commissioner Carol Rimedio-Righetti, said a joint approach is a no-go.

“We are not entertaining any of that,” said Rimedio-Righetti. “When you do that, you can’t control it.”

Beth Kotwis Carmichael, executive director of the Trumbull County Tourism Bureau, said her organization is focused on completing its strategic plan right now.

“It’s not us that’s talking about us combining,” said Carmichael, who began serving as executive director of the bureau in June. “Other people are having that conversation.”

Linda Macala, executive director of the Mahoning County Convention and Visitors Bureau, declined to comment.

The Trumbull bureau has hired what Carmichael calls a “facilitator” to aid in creating focus groups that the bureau hopes will give them a sense of what role the community wants them to play in the future. Bill Geist of Wisconsin-based Zeitgeist Consulting Inc. is being paid $10,625 plus travel. Carmichael said the contract is “results-based” and calls for Geist to conduct meetings and focus groups with local stakeholders, all to become part of the organization’s strategic plan. The bureau hopes to have the plan completed by November or December.

Messages left for Geist seeking comment were not immediately returned.

Rimedio-Righetti suggested that it may be the Trumbull County Tourism Bureau’s work on a strategic plan that is causing confusion about a possible merger.

John Moliterno, executive director of the Western Reserve Port Authority, said he participated in one of the focus groups and thought they were a good approach for the bureau. He added that he would not see the port authority merging with just one of the county bureaus and not the other.

“We are regional as a port authority,” said Moliterno. “We tend to look at things that way.”

Funding to operate the Western Reserve Port Authority comes from both Trumbull and Mahoning counties. Members of the joint port authority board are appointed alternately by commissioners from both Trumbull and Mahoning counties.

Trumbull County funding comes from part of the tax assessed on hotel stays in Trumbull County. The bed tax funds are split between the port authority and the Trumbull County Tourism Board.

Commissioner Fuda said he isn’t committed either way to the idea of a merger.

“We can’t just make decisions because people want to do it,” Fuda said last week, but he declined to comment further on the idea. “I still need to analyze the issue.”

ckromer@tribtoday.com

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