01/01/2026
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FOLLOW UP: Franklin County officials say the decision not to renew funding for the Rend Lake Area Tourism Council does not signal a retreat from tourism investment, but rather a shift toward greater oversight and long-term planning for the future of tourism across the Rend Lake region.
Earlier this week, RLATC announced it was ceasing operations after the Franklin County Board declined to renew its funding agreement, a move that eliminated the organization’s access to local hotel and motel tax revenue, commonly known as bed tax funding.
The council cited the loss of those funds as the reason it could no longer meet state grant compliance requirements and would begin winding down operations.
However, Franklin County Finance Commissioner Brad Wilson said the board’s decision stemmed from concerns over transparency, structure, and the way public tourism dollars were being spent.
RLATC originally operated under a formal intergovernmental agreement with the county, which allowed the organization to receive bed tax revenue and required regular financial reporting to the county board. That agreement expired and was never renewed.
During that time, Wilson said the tourism council reorganized as a private nonprofit without the county’s knowledge, which ended the county’s access to financial reports and oversight. “When that agreement ended and the organization became private, we stopped receiving financial updates. That raised concerns,” he said.
Those concerns intensified after the board learned how much of the tourism funding was being used for salaries.
Wilson said that while longtime tourism director Rick Linton and his wife previously received minimal compensation, the structure changed after new leadership was brought in. The executive director position was paying approximately $62,000 annually, while an assistant director position paid around $36,000, totaling nearly $100,000 in salaries.
“When you’re paying about $100,000 in salaries and only bringing in about $109,000 in bed tax revenue, almost all of your tourism money is going to payroll,” Wilson said. “That just didn’t make sense to the board.”
Wilson said both the county and RLATC ultimately agreed not to continue the partnership, and the executive director resigned shortly afterward.
In its announcement, RLATC stated it supported the county’s decision and immediately complied. While RLATC’s shutdown has raised concerns among some residents and business owners, Wilson emphasized that the county board is not abandoning tourism.
The county plans to reestablish a tourism board under a renewed agreement. Wilson said the board will address the issue during upcoming meetings, including appointing new members, filling vacancies, and selecting leadership to keep the county in good standing.
Wilson also pushed back against claims circulating online that the county board does not care about tourism. “That’s just not true,” he said. “We want more tourism. We want more people coming to Franklin County.”
Wilson pointed to events like national youth shooting tournaments, and said future tourism efforts should better capitalize on Rend Lake’s strengths. One specific goal Wilson highlighted is the return of Fourth of July fireworks at the lake, which once drew hundreds of boats and large crowds.
“There was a time when Rend Lake was packed on the Fourth of July,” Wilson said. “Now, there’s nothing going on, and people are going elsewhere. That’s something we need to change.”
With ongoing renovations at the Rend Lake Resort, increasing short-term rental options like Airbnbs and VRBOs, Wilson said Franklin County is well-positioned for growth as long as the right structure is in place. More details about the future tourism board and upcoming initiatives will be discussed during early 2026 county board meetings.
— by Reporter Aaron Price
