At least seven organizations asked for money Tuesday to make the county’s highways and beaches safer and more attractive — and to promote the new brand “Hammock Coast’’ for Georgetown County.
During the meeting, $250,000 was requested by the County Tourism Management Commission to build this year’s marketing campaign for the county, which includes the Hammock Coast promotion.
“The money requested by the Management Commission will support the marketing campaign as a whole,’’ said tourism coordinator Sally Hogan. “And part of that is the branding.”
The county’s marketing campaign includes electronic newsletters to at least 100,000 people who have expressed interest in visiting Georgetown County, Hogan said,
Other efforts will be made to use digital and print media to attract visitors to Georgetown County, she said.
“The money will be used for increased interactive and web-based marketing,’’ according to information from the County Chamber of Commerce. “An additional facet will be a photo shoot to support new brand creative which is part of the overall plan.”
Money available
The Georgetown County Accomodations tax committee has about $437,000 available to distribute to local groups who beautify the county’s corridors, protect local beaches and do tourism promotion, said John Porter, an employee with Georgetown County finance department.
About $506,256 has been requested by different groups in the county, he said.
The requests heard Tuesday morning ranged from money needed to keep street lights burning in parts of Garden City Beach to having beach patrol officers on duty on local beaches.
Garden City Beach Community Association requested $5,300 for the street light program.
The lights help the area remain safer, especially during the tourism season, according to Marlin Evans, treasurer for the group.
“If Garden City was dark, it wouldn't attract tourists,’’ Evans said. “We feel like it is important for safety reasons to have street lights.”
Another request, for $23,100, is needed to maintain trees and shrubs in the medians in the Georgetown County section of Garden City Beach, according Gairy Nichols, project director with the Community Association.
“It is now important that we maintain this landscaped entrance to enhance the beauty of Garden City Beach,’’ said information provided by the group.
“The Community Association would like to maintain the landscaped entrance to enhance the beauty of Garden City Beach.”
Other groups that asked for A-tax money to keep the highways spruced up, or to give visitors a better sense of safety, were the Litchfield Beach Corridor Beautification Committee, the Litchfield Beach Property Owners Association and the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office.
To maintain some medians and right of ways on U.S. 17, the Litchfield Corridor Beautification Committee asked for $45,000.
The Beautification Committee requested $45,000 to do mowing and trash pick up in an extended area from Martin Luther King Drive to 200 yards south of the Brookgreen Gardens gate area, according to information provided by the group.
The Litchfield Beach Property Owners Association asked for $49,541 for a beach support project.
The money will provide for garbage removal from the beach, mowing and weeding for entrances to Litchfield Beach and North Litchfield Beach and other work to make the area cleaner and brighter.
The request from the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office was for $95,325.16 to continue having two beach patrol officers in Georgetown County.
“The Sheriff’s Beach Patrol has increased the visibility and abilities of public safety along our coastline,’’ according to information from the Sheriff’s Office.
“Our increase presence has enhanced the vacation experience for our visitors and enabled our residents to enjoy the quality of life that they have become accustomed to.”
County Finance Director John Porter said Georgetown County Council must approve any money given in A-Tax funding.
The A-Tax committee will meet again April 1 to go over the requests, Porter said.
The recommendations from the group will go to County Council on April 13, he said.
By Kelly M. Fuller
Kfuller@gtowntimes.com