SIDNEY – The Sidney Lodging Tax Committee discussed 2023 funding requests and allocated funds to organizations at a meeting on Oct. 3.

The total lodging tax funding available for 2023 was projected to be $321,389, but $418,068 in funding requests had been received.

The requests from organizations and the funds the committee decided to allocate were as follows:

• City of Sidney Schultz’s Battery Park Structure Grouping; asked for $40,000, received $10,000. The committee expressed concern about the lack of private donations for this project. They said that the $10,000 along with other encumbered funding should complete two sculptures in the grouping.

• City of Sidney Trash Receptacles; asked for $10,068, received $0. City Manager Andrew Bowsher said that Sidney Alive has funds available for this project and suggested that no lodging tax funds should be allocated toward it.

• City of Sidney Waterpark; asked for $3,000, received $3,000;

• Compassionate Care of Shelby County, Inc.; asked for $25,000, received $20,000;

• Gateway Arts Council; asked for $13,000, received $10,000;

• Great Miami Riverway; asked for $10,000, received $10,000;

• Raise the Roof for the Arts; asked for $5,000, received $5,000;

• Senior Center of Sidney-Shelby County; asked for $38,000, received $38,000;

• Shelby County Historical Society; asked for $5,000, received $15,000. The historical society also asked for additional funds for special projects including America 250, Civil War Living History weekend, the 75th anniversary of Tawawa Park, and the Wagner Manufacturing Company water tower restoration with varying dollar amounts, but because the purpose of these requests was to encumber smaller dollar amounts over a number of years for future events, the committee decided to give the historical society an additional $10,000 to allocate to the event with the greatest need. Committee members expressed concern about the water tower project because the application only discussed moving the structure; restoration efforts remain unknown until the structure is assessed.

• Sidney Alive; asked for $75,000, received $75,000;

• Paddles, Pedals and Pints (Sidney Alive special project); asked for $12,500, received $12,500;

• Music Festival (Sidney Alive and Raise the Roof for the Arts); asked for $25,000, received $25,000;

• Sidney Civic Band Association; asked for $3,000, received $3,000;

• Sidney-Shelby County Chamber of Commerce; asked for $6,000, received $6,000;

• Sidney-Shelby Economic Partnership (SSEP); asked for $80,000, received $78,000;

• Sidney-Shelby County Workforce Partnership; asked for $12,500, received $10,000. Finance Officer Renee DuLaney said that this organization has applied for $12,500 in the past, but later reduced the request to $10,000. The committee decided to keep 2023 funding for the organization consistent with the amount that was allocated in 2022.

As stated in the Lodging Tax Distribution Policy, for an organization to qualify for lodging tax grant money, the organization must do at least one of the following:

• Encourage economic development in Sidney;

• Contribute to the cultural well-being of the community;

• Seek to improve the quality of life for Sidney residents;

• Encourage patronage of Sidney hotels, restaurants and other businesses.

These allocations will be reviewed by the city council when the 2023 budget is discussed.