|
Rogers was hired a year ago to do the 35-hour-per-week position
after the former director Thressia Usherwood retired.
Rogers' bundle of energy, enthusiasm and resourcefulness not only
boosted tourism activity but also compensated for big budget cuts
that fell on the office this past year. She still managed to expand
and bring new freshness to established tourism events such as the
Railsplitter. She generated more state and national exposure for
Logan County.
More specifically her focus has been multidimensional, calling
attention to our historical buildings and highlights, as well as
major sites throughout the county, increasing awareness of our link
to Abraham Lincoln and getting in on the ground floor of a new state
and national project, the National
Scenic Byways Route 66 project.
This year's new focus is on developing business tourism. Rogers
has established connections with local resources to service
businesses and other entities that would like to host their
conventions or conferences here. Along these lines Lincoln is in the
bidding against one other location, Quincy, to host a regional dog
show in 2007 and a national dog show in 2008.
[to top of second column in this article]
 |
 At the Logan County Board meeting in May, board chairman Bob
McCue credited Rogers with keeping the office going with less
funding by sharing resources and skills of her husband, Tim's, CITV5
business. McCue said her media contacts also helped promote tourism
at little or no extra costs. She's done a great job, he said.
Rogers' letter of resignation was dated June 29, to be effective
on July 13. She is currently on a week of vacation that extends to
that time and has not been available for comment.
Tourism is at an all-time importance in Logan County. With many
irons in the fire, the tourism board is looking for a replacement to
start immediately. (See the
position description in the classifieds.)
[Jan
Youngquist]
 |
