Dillard to Partner with Forward Rabun

This article originally appeared in the June 18, 2020 edition of The Clayton Tribune and is reposted with permission from publisher Wayne Knuckles.

By Megan Broome
Staff Writer

DILLARD— The city of Dillard voted to distribute their hotel/motel tax between the Dillard Tourism Development Authority and Forward Rabun at their city council meeting on Tuesday.

Forward Rabun is an umbrella organization that consists of the Development Authority of Rabun County (DARC), the Rabun County Chamber of Commerce and Welcome Center and a tourism entity.

“It’s great. I’m really excited,” said Rick Story, director of development, in response to the vote.

Story explained that half of hotel/motel tax collections will go to the Dillard tourism entity, while the other half will go to Forward Rabun.

Story described it as a “100 percent partnership and 50 percent match on the money.”

Dillard joins the city of Sky Valley in funding Forward Rabun, with Sky Valley having voted to send 100 percent of hotel/motel funds to the umbrella organization.

Story said that he is visiting each city to talk to respective council members about Forward Rabun and give them more information about it. He said that each city
will be able to decide whether they want to use hotel/motel taxes to fund Forward Rabun.

At the Development Authority of Rabun County meeting Monday, board members discussed the city of Dillard and how to help them obtain a long-term lease with the Farmers Market.

This is the space across from Dillard Methodist Church on Highway 441.

The property is owned by the Department of Agriculture and Story said that he worked to put city officials in contact with the department to obtain a lease on the property.

In other DARC business, board members discussed a revolving loan that will help fund local businesses.

Story said that a grant was given from the Department of Commerce to Rabun County and then the county passed it on to the DARC to create a loan.

The DARC needs a new recipient of the loan because it has to be utilized or it is at risk of being taken away.

This revolving loan fund can be reused for different businesses and is designed for companies that might not meet criteria to receive a traditional bank loan.

Board members also discussed job creation and noted that more people are moving from urban areas to more rural areas to work and live.