What Leadership Looks Like

The Union Tourism Association (UTA) has proven that creative and energetic people can really make things happen. Under the leadership of Matthew Melendez Blegen the UTA took a mere $7.5K and accomplished so very much.

Here are just a few of their major accomplishments for 2009 and only $7.5K (private money - not our taxes).

o Union was named one of the top 20 prettiest towns in America by "Forbes Traveler Magazine" Oct 2009.

o A pumpkin catapult competition was a smashing success.

o A first-ever Visitor Map highlighting key tourism spots was published.

o The UTA web site "visitunion.com" was developed and launched - lots of info available here complete with a printer-friendly downloadable version of the Visitor Map.

That's just some of what they did with $7.5K in 2009. They have big plans for 2010 and I invite you to check out their website for more info. You may want to make plans to visit beautiful Union which is where Harmony Hill is located. And for all of you who've been following my blog you know by now that I'm really a big fan of Harmony Hill.

Let's get back to the issue of leadership.

Compare what Matthew and his team did with $7.5K privately donated funds to what Mason County is getting for our Lodging Tax dollars that are being sent to the Joint Tourism Board and the Visitor Information Centers managed by the two Chambers of Commerce. For 2010, 2009, and 2008 the county commissioners gave them $179K, $177K, and $174K, respectively. Of this for all three years $95K has been given to the Joint Tourism Board.

What are we getting for the $95K that we've been sending to the Joint Tourism Board year after year for website development and maintenance? I know where it's going - down a rat hole. One of the easiest ways to waste our tax dollars is through website and software development and we're seeing this repeated year after year with no oversight. Leadership is essential to make sure we're getting the best bang for the buck.

Could it be the heads of our Chambers of Commerce have no incentive to control the costs of the Joint Tourism Board?

Why would they when Commissioner Ring Erickson sits as a trustee of the Shelton Mason Chamber of Commerce?

Too much coziness going on with this small group of insiders for the Lodging Tax process to appear fair and objective to this citizen/taxpayer.

Thank you to Matthew and the Union Tourism Association for showing us what leadership should look like in Mason County. If we could replicate you, we would. Bravo!