McCune discusses future economic development

October 10, 2012

At the Citizen’s Advisory Board Meeting held on Tuesday, Vicki McCune, Community Development Director for the City of Guymon and Director of PREDCI, presented information about the possibilities and hot topics that are being discussed for the benefit of the community.
One of those topics is Guymon’s need for more hotels and motels to house different businesses and contractors who hire workers not from this area. A lot of these contracting businesses have to remain in the area for long periods of time, often lasting up to multiple years of staying in the Panhandle for work.
McCune stated that Guymon hotels/motels remain at 95%-98% occupancy at all times, making it difficult for all of the workers from different organizations find a suitable living location.
“The different contractors here in town for various projects all have trouble finding places at any given time,” said McCune.
She went on to say that the apartments have a six-nine month waiting list for people to be able to obtain, so that, along with limited space, also poses a conflict for the contractors who would prefer to house workers there for the long term projects.
“We are definitely in need for more hotels, and those are in the works,” said McCune. “I can’t give you the names, but I can tell you there are a couple different projects in the works for hotels/motels.”
McCune went on to discuss the bed tax was implemented by the city in 1995 that is dedicated to tourism and economic development and how a possible increase in this tax could be used to help create more funding for projects to be developed in the City of Guymon.
“We use a lot of those to help people put on different events and things that would bring people to town or keep them in town so they don’t go somewhere else for their entertainment and those kinds of things,” said McCune when discussing the bed tax.
Guymon has the lowest bed tax in the state, and if it were raised, more money could go toward more of the funding for other projects that are being discussed for the city, and projects and changes for the future that residents are desiring for the community.
McCune stressed the importance of making sure the community realizes that bed taxes are not paid by the community members, but by the people who stay in the hotels/motels and pay that tax in addition to the sales tax.
McCune also spoke on the beautification project that is in the works for Main St. and the modifications and progress that are being made in the planning.
It is a busy time for the ever-growing City of Guymon, and many improvements, enhancements, and projects will soon be making their way to the area, bringing with them more business for the area, and a positive impact on the economic development of the city.