Explore Two Rivers’ board reset its meeting schedule, got a sobering room-tax revenue update for 2025, and moved ahead with plans for a May 7 tourism celebration event. The group also approved buying 200 “I LOVE TR” yard signs using room tax dollars.
No public comments or communications recorded for this meeting.
The board changed its regular meeting time to the second Thursday of the month at 9:00 a.m. because of scheduling conflicts, and said future invites will include a virtual option through the end of 2026. For residents, this matters because access is often shaped by meeting times and whether remote attendance is actually supported consistently.
The board heard that 2025 room tax revenue finished nearly 11% below the growth target, blamed on geopolitical impacts and event cancellations, and noted the expected NFL Draft boost didn’t happen. Even with an unbudgeted $20,000 expense, the general reserve ended at $70,000; the report also flagged a cash-flow mismatch where the biggest expense months don’t line up with the biggest revenue months. This is the kind of structural issue that can force rushed cuts or last-minute spending decisions if it isn’t planned for.
The board continued planning the National Travel and Tourism Celebration set for May 7 at Sepia Chapel, including naming Ryan Short (Civic Brand) as keynote and scheduling three community workshops on becoming a “community brand ambassador.” They also discussed food vendors, an invitation-only attendee list, and selected a Community Advocacy Awards recipient to be announced at the event. The invitation-only approach is worth watching: if public dollars are supporting the organization, residents should be able to see who gets access and what the event is meant to accomplish.
The board got an update on brand ambassador work with Civic Brand and a “Made in Two Rivers” brand partners program being developed. It approved purchasing 200 “I LOVE TR” yard signs for distribution at the May 7 event, and noted other items (stickers, mugs, buttons) are already in hand for sale, all paid for with room tax revenue. With revenue under target, the board’s choice to keep buying promotional materials raises the basic question residents should keep asking: what’s the measurable return on these purchases in overnight stays and room tax collections?