Renninger questions $170,000 spend on fishing tournament

During the Tuesday, Sept. 27 county commission meeting, Commissioner Jim Renninger asked Tourism Director Kimberly Morgan why her department and tourism board is proposing to send $170,000 to a kayak bass fishing promoter to bring a tournament to the area.

The commissioner said he wanted to know why the county is paying for the event in October 2022 when the tournament is scheduled for October 2023.

“It’s not your normal bass tournament,” explained Morgan. “It is a marketing campaign that is tied to a kayak fishing bass tournament. It is a 15-month-long marketing initiative that ends with a tournament, but it requires competitors to qualify for the tournament in Clay County.”

Morgan said the campaign should result in kayak bass fishing competitors visiting the county at least once, in addition to the 2023 event.

The tournament rules require that participants qualify for the 2023 tournament by catching a fish in Clay County waters and staying overnight before the October 2023 event.

“It seems like a lot of money for marketing,” Renninger said.

“Not when it’s 15 months,” replied Morgan.

The tourism director persuaded Renninger, who made the motion to approve the expenditure. The proposal passed unanimously.