Former Corbin Tourism Director speaks out on decision to resign

Former Corbin Tourism Director Portia Flowers-Gosser said it was differences in visions on tourism and failed promises over benefits that led her to step down abruptly during a tourism commission meeting last week.

In a written statment, released a week after her departure during a special called meeting of the Corbin Tourism and Convention Commmission, Flowers-Gosser for the first time addressed her decision to step down.

Portia Flowers-Gosser

“I was working to bring events to the area, groups and conferences to hotels, and motor coaches into the city,” Flowers-Gosser said in a statement released Tuesday through her attorney, Stephen Poindexter of Burkesville. “The revenue brought in could really help the city, but unfortunately the Board couldn’t see the benefits of tourism development. While local events are important for the community, they do no bring in tourism dollars that could benefit the city.”

Board Chair Alan Onkst replied Tuesday that he respectfully disagreed with the accuracy of that statement.

“While we did not disagree on some of the vision she had, we did disagree on some of the execution of it,” Onkst said.
At a recent commission meeting, Flowers-Gosser requested some vacation time from the board. The board declined the request, explaining she was not eligible for vacation time until she had been on the job for one year.

Flowers-Gosser said nothing but was visibly upset by the board’s decision not to approve the vacation.

Onkst declined to comment on the issue of benefits.

When Flowers-Gosser was hired along with Maggy Kriebel in January, she was tasked with overall supervision of the agency along with: strategic long-range planning; grant writing and seeking grants; reporting directly to the tourism commission; was to be the direct contact for the Arena manager, regional and state tourism officials along with local political leaders and representatives of the local lodging and restaurant industries; was in charge of marketing and public relations, and assisted in the annual budget process.

During her time in Corbin, Flowers-Gosser had focused on getting the word out about Corbin, establishing the Corbin Tourism Facebook page, developing a new brochure for Corbin Tourism and working to update and activate the Corbin Tourism website.
In addition, Flowers-Gosser had been making regular trips to network with tourism directors from across the state.

Following the meeting last Tuesday, after which Flowers-Gosser resigned, the tourism commission issued a joint statement thanking her for her service and wishing her, the very best.

Onkst declined to go into detail as to what led to the resignation and reiterated what was said last week.

After leaving the tourism office following her resignation, Flowers-Gosser told waiting media members to expect a statement through her attorney.

“I leave Corbin with no ill will,” Flowers-Gosser concluded in that statement. “I am thankful for many of the great people I met during my tenure. As a Certified Tourism Professional, I see the great potential and how Corbin could benefit from being groomed as a tourism destination and it makes me sad that this opportunity is being missed. I wish you nothing but the best."
Onkst said there is no personal animosity on the board’s part.