🪧 Notes from the Chair
Some of you may be wondering what the Gardiner Resort Area District (GRAD) Board does with the 5% of receipts earmarked for operational expenses.
The largest portion supports our Administrative Manager, Barb Bush, who handles day-to-day tasks. Since Board members are volunteers, we rely on Barb to ensure that remittances are filed, grant contracts are signed and paid, and that the District stays organized and on track.
Other operating expenses include:
- Legal services for drafting annual grant contracts
- Consultation with the District attorney for delinquent accounts
- State-mandated external audits
We’ve also found value in joining the Montana Resort Tax Association (MRTA), which brings together communities across the state that have adopted a resort tax. The MRTA meets twice yearly to share ideas and practices. Dues are based on a sliding scale tied to each district’s collections.
This spring, I had the pleasure of speaking at MRTA’s Annual Meeting in Red Lodge, on how the resort tax helps reduce property taxes directly or indirectly. In the fall, we’ll gather again at the League of Cities and Towns Annual Meeting in Billings.
Have questions about the 5% or MRTA? Just hit reply—we’re happy to help!
— Richard Parks​
Chair, GRAD Board
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