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KENANSVILLE — Duplin County is charting a new course for how it manages tourism, following a recent decision by the Board of Commissioners to dissolve the Duplin County Tourism Development Authority (TDA) and reduce the county’s Room Occupancy Tax rate.
During the special-called meeting, held on June 30, County Manager Bryan Miller presented the change as part of a broader effort to streamline county services and create a more unified management structure. The move brings tourism directly under county oversight — similar to how the Health and Human Services departments already function.
“There have been several discussions in the past about the reorganization of tourism, specifically to bring tourism under the wing of the county,” said Miller. He explained that it would be similar to how Human Services and Health Departments operate.
Miller also pointed out that the TDA had never been properly established in its original form. He described a series of past efforts by the board to clarify the structure, including referring to the body as an Advisory Board rather than a true authority and inconsistencies in how TDA employees were designated as county employees. By dissolving the current entity, Miller said the county can now “hit the reset button” and, if needed, reestablish a tourism body in the future — this time with the proper framework in place.
Timing played a crucial role. Part of the impetus for the change stemmed from a review. Miller said the administration discovered that the county had a narrow window, as outlined in General Statute 153A-155, to pass a resolution in the current fiscal year to adjust the Room Occupancy Tax rate. Missing the deadline would have delayed any action for another year.
“We’re still working through the process. We do have a long-term plan, but it’s developing as we find out more and more what was being done,” Miller told Duplin Journal during an interview on Tuesday.
The two staff members previously employed by the TDA — a director and a deputy director — are no longer with the county as a result of the dissolution.
Miller emphasized that local input remains a vital part of the transition, adding that they met with the folks who are impacted by the change. “We’re hearing what people have to say — the people that are potentially impacted. And we’re taking their thoughts and recommendations seriously, and we’re going to move forward,” said Miller.
“The tourism positions will be absorbed,” said Miller. “Those duties will be reassigned to other people that are in-house now.”
Carrie Shields, the Assistant County Manager, will continue to oversee tourism from the county’s perspective, a role she has already been fulfilling.
“As you know, the tourism and tourism employees were employees of the TDA. Now that the TDA has been dissolved, I would imagine Carrie will continue to oversee tourism from an administrative standpoint,” Miller told Duplin Journal.
Miller also indicated that the funds previously allocated to the TDA would remain dedicated to tourism.
“Every penny of that, of the occupancy tax collections, by state statute, have to remain with tourism,” he explained.
Interestingly, despite lowering the Room Occupancy Tax rate, which previously funded tourism initiatives, the county may actually come out ahead financially.
“The gross loss would be about $58,000,” said Miller, “but because of the reduction in salaries, it’ll actually be a positive, I don’t know, $100,000 swing for the county in funds that are allocated for tourism.”
