The Greenbrier County Commission awarded $386,525 in arts and recreation grants this month. The money for the grants, which are given annually, comes from hotel/motel tax revenue.
A committee whose membership comes from various areas of the county meets each year to examine the funding requests to ascertain if they meet the parameters set forth in state code for the expenditure of bed tax funds and then weigh the projects against the money available.
Greenbrier Valley Theatre and Carnegie Hall, both arts hubs located in Lewisburg, received $40,000 each, while the county's six libraries will split $85,000 according to a formula devised by the library commission, said county commission President Betty Crookshanks.
Despite a positive recommendation by the arts and recreation committee, the commission tabled Ronceverte's request for $100,000 to build a new municipal swimming pool.
Commissioners are in the midst of a discussion centered on renovating and operating a public pool in a building behind the New River Community and Technical College in Lewisburg. If approved, the project would presumably be funded with hotel/motel taxes.
Swimming pool projects that did receive funding in this round of grants included $7,000 for repairs and equipment at the pool at the Greenbrier County Youth Camp and $13,000 (out of $19,000 requested) for chemicals, propane, maintenance, repairs, utilities and supplies at the Rainelle town pool.
The commission also approved a $5,000 grant to the Greenbrier Historical Society, which had requested $10,000 to restore several items in the collection exhibited at North House Museum.
According to Tammy Shifflett, the society's executive director, among the items slated for restoration are a couple of quilts, a wax doll, an extensive collection of Edward Beyer lithographs and a sewing table dating to the 1840s.
"The money we receive from donations is used to defray operating expenses and pay down our debt," Shifflett explained. "This grant allows us to do restoration work we otherwise couldn't afford."
Shifflett was also successful in obtaining a grant for a completely different type of program - Western Greenbrier Youth Wrestling, a league open to children in kindergarten through 12th grade. The $5,200 grant will be used to purchase a portable wrestling mat that can be used for meets at both Greenbrier West High School and Western Greenbrier Middle School.
In addition to the Ronceverte pool funding, the largest requests came from:
- The city of White Sulphur Springs, which asked for $90,210 to create a park and children's play area ($10,000 was awarded);
- White Sulphur Civic Center, which asked for $42,200 for various renovation expenses ($13,300 was awarded for a roof and a heater);
- American Heritage Music Hall, which asked for $41,046.60 to buy vinyl tile and a new sound system ($5,000 was awarded);
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