Franklin will be the site of a “Nikwasi-Cherokee Cultural and Heritage Corridor Pilgrimage” when the national Trail of Tears Conference comes to town in September.
The annual Trail of Tears Conference is being held in Cherokee Sept. 20-22, and on Sept. 21, participants will take a field trip to Franklin where they will hear guest speakers, eat lunch, visit the Nikwasi Mound and Cowee Mound. Representatives from federal and state agencies and five tribes are expected to attend.
The Tourism Development Authority approved a $3,500 allocation to the North Carolina Trail of Tears Association to assist with the portion of the conference that will take place in Macon County. The funds will be used to help pay for rentals such as tents, tables and chairs for the event.
“Everything that we spend is going to stay in Macon County,” said Anita Finger-Smith, a resident of Cherokee who serves with the state and national Trail of Tears organizations and is helping plan the conference. It is estimated more than 200 people will participate in the field trip from Cherokee to Franklin.
Finger-Smith said this will be an opportunity to showcase the Cherokee history in Macon County, particularly as it pertains to the Trail of Tears. The long-range goal is to present studies detailing the local history to the National Park Service, who could then petition Congress to have Macon County designated as part of the Trail of Tears Historic Trail. “That would put this corridor on the map.” she said.
The Trail of Tears National Historic Trail spans nine states and is managed by the National Park Service.
“The amount of exposure might not come tomorrow, but ultimately it’s going to grow,” Finger-Smith said.
At the June meeting, the TDA approved $2,000 for the Nikwasi Initiative for signage and printed materials that will be distributed during the field trip.
Budget Report
In May, $16,649.89 was collected in lodging tax, compared to $4,265.21 in May 2020 during the pandemic. The May 2021 collections are the highest for that month over the last 10 years, exceeding May 2019’s record of $14,666.32. The final numbers for the fiscal year which ended June 30 will be presented during the August meeting.
During the July meeting, the TDA board approved the proposed budget for the 2021-2022 fiscal year. The TDA is funded by the town’s 3% lodging tax. The town had originally projected revenue of $140,000, and that was increased to $165,000 after the TDA requested a transfer of $25,000 from the TDA fund balance. The fund balance stood at $152,668.61 as of June 30. (The TDA fund balance is separate from the town’s general fund balance.)
On the expense side, the budget includes $109,200 in advertising and marketing, $47,800 to help support local festivals and events, $3,000 for the annual audit and $5,000 in undesignated funds. According to legislation governing the TDA funds, of the 3% collected, 2% must be spent on travel and tourism promotions and the other 1% can be used for tourism-related expenditures.
In other business, the board approved the re-appointment of Matt Holland to the board for a two-year term. The TDA board is currently seeking an additional member. TDA members must either be involved with a business that collections lodging tax or a tourist-related business involved with the collection of state sales tax. Anyone interested in serving, can contact Town Clerk Travis Tallent at 828-524-2516, ext. 312 or email ttallent@franklinnc.com.
The Tourism Development Authority meets the second Monday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the Town Hall board room.