Grover Tourism Development Authority (TDA)




THE IDEA: The Grover Tourism Development Authority (TDA) was lobbied for by inn owners Martin and Stormy Mongiello to be passed in the legislature creating a new OCCUPANCY tax in Grover for guests staying at a lodging establishment. The idea being that, since Kings Mountain, Shelby and Boiling Springs had Occupancy Taxe already, then Grover could also. It was established by an act of the North Carolina legislature in 2011 through the caring help of Senator Debbie Clary. It's new establishment and board were appointed in 2012 by the town commissioners with a Chairman of Martin CJ Mongiello and two other members of John David (JD) Ledford and Linda Brackett. On January 31, Bill Willis joined the board as Treasurer while the by-laws of the TDA were established. This is an unofficial site of the Grover, TDA - as a meeting mirror site only and is NOT representing the Grover TDA in any legal matters. For official information please contact the TDA, check the newspapers, read the minutes at City Hall or attend official meetings. See our Facebook page for updated weekly activities with posts and interactivity. If you have a good idea or need money for a tourism-related event in Grover, please contact us!
HISTORY: The first meeting was held at 6 pm, January 31, 2013, at The Inn of the Patriots. If you cannot find the information you are looking for we may very well be able to quickly email it to you. Please call Marti Mongiello at 704-937-2940 or the Town Hall.
Meetings are at 6 pm on the last Tuesday of every quarter. In the formative year of 2013, aggressive meetings were held almost every month, until by-laws were finalized and voted into effect in January of 2014 making them 6 pm the last Tuesday of every quarter (March, June, September, and December) @ Town Hall - with a backup default of Carolina Crossing Restaurant. In the years moving forward, the TDA will only meet quarterly.
In 2019, the TDA board members consulted with the LGC, the State of NC Department of Commerce and Treasurer about reduced taxation fees coming in to a small trickle. It was decided to put the TDA on "ice" and cease collecting a dollar or two in taxes each month until AirB&B sales increased reasonably or a large proposed hotel opened up. The last meeting, for the time being, was in June of 2019.
BACKGROUND: After a considerable period of consultation with the NC Secretary of State, NC Treasurer and NC LGC and Kara Millonzi the TDA was able to discern during 2013 exact retention of funds, distribution, who can and cannot serve on the board and banking/bonding guidelines. The Mayor stepped off of the TDA board and became the Treasurer (as the Town Finance Officer) replacing Bill Willis in such previously ordered position, Willis thence became a regular seated member - by new appointment from the Grover Town Council in December of 2013.
TDA Agendas

The Grover TDA Agendas - Initially DRAFT agendas may be showcased to the public until they are accepted and presented into official status at the meeting held every last Tuesday of the month at the Grover Town Hall. Here are the archived TDA Agendas (in Adobe .pdf Reader format) for each month. Archives are only completed twice annually but agendas or minutes can be emailed to any requestor as well as viewed at Town Hall. Please see:
Agendas for 2013: Initially as this new TDA started, it planned meetings for each month and had such from January through August until reorganization and by-laws were finally signed in January of 2014. From September to December The NC LGC, Secretary of State and NC Treasurer were employed with Kara Millonzi to accurately interpret the specific legislature passed ACT; how the Grover TDA would receive payments, spend monies, retain bank accounts, a Finance Officer/Treasurer and legal bonding. The Grover TDA received differing opinions from state entities and held numerous conference calls; the NC Treasurer assisted with a formal MEMORANDUM 2014-08 to help several municipalities more clearly. Gatherings for discussion were held in July, August, September, October but no legal meetings were conducted as new board members were appointed by the Grover Town Commissioners following new town elections in November and a waiting period in December. The legally required audit was performed and paid for (for the first six months at $725.00) by Darrell Keller CPA of Kings Mountain, NC and submitted to the state of NC. No funds were distributed for any tourism related items in the year of 2013 and no funds were spent. An initial $750.00 loan from the town to open a bank account was repaid by the TDA to the people of Grover. These were the major milestones of the first year of operation, although there are numerous other initiatives delineated throughout the agendas and minutes. These are all of the agendas ever submitted in the entire year of 2013. You can hover over any PDF to reveal which month it is for and look at the bottom left corner of your screen, while hovering.

TDA Minutes

The Grover TDA Minutes - Initially DRAFT minutes may be showcased to the public until they are accepted and presented into official status at the meeting held every last Tuesday of the quarter at the Grover Town Hall. Here are the archived TDA minutes for each month. Archives are only completed twice annually but agendas or minutes can be emailed to any requestor as well as viewed at Town Hall. Minutes from the previous meeting are presented at the NEXT meeting for approval. We do always invite you to come to our meetings with your good ideas and financial needs!
Minutes for 2013: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun Special Budget Meeting held and Jun regular meeting, Jul, Aug, Sep meeting postponed due to meeting with NC state, Oct meeting postponed awaiting new board members to be assigned - planning discussions held, Nov meeting postponed awaiting new board members to be assigned, Dec postponed due to ice and storm damage in town. We continue to look for a citizen to purchase and ride a large wheeled bike for events featured left).





The Grover Pumpkin Festival, Annual Easter Egg Roll, Fall Festival and Christmas weekends have been some of the biggest tourism-related events hosted, over the years! Adding to that, the town decided to host family movie nights on a JUMBO-TRON starting in 2018 in the town green.

- March 2019
- June 2019 - meeting and a public hearing held on June 25, 2019, as was scheduled and advertised to discuss putting the TDA on ice in accordance with the recommendation of the state. As local revenues diminished in 2019 - it did not make sense to waste all of the tourism money on paying the bond and audit fees running the fund down to zero. The TDA could be reconstituted if AirB&B fees pick up or a new hotel is built within the confines of the town limits. The TDA will pay for one final audit and wrap up operations until the town Commissioners decide to reconstitute it.
Grover TDA Financial items, budgets and more

- 750 Repayment to Grover.
- Budget agenda meeting June 2013.
- Budget 2012/2013.
- Budget 2013/2014.
- Grover TDA treasurers record in September 2013.
- DLK audit letter 2013.
- DLK audit contract 2013.
- Budget 2014/2015 with the balance of 2013 - March 2014.
- Budget 2015/2016.
- Budget 2014/2015 with amendments final ready to be audited.
- Legal guidance for TDAs in NC.
- DLK audit contract 2014.
- The balance sheet as of 29 Sep 2015 from JD Ledford.
- Budget 2015/2016 posting for the upcoming public meeting.
- Budget 2015/2016 passed at the public meeting.
- The financial report turned in by JD Ledford at the 30 Jun 2015 meeting.
- Grover TDA engagement letter 2015 for continued audits. While many of these various items are shared here for constituents and citizens - the full and complete repository is held on file by the state of NC. The auditing CPA firm uploads contracts and final audits via a secure server to the state. Their prices for audits are controlled by law to avoid gouging or inflated costs charged.
- Budget 2016/2017 for the public hearing at the public meeting.
- Contract to audit accounts Grover NC 2016.
- All Grover TDA statements Apr 2015 - May 2016.
- All Grover TDA statements Jan 2014 - Mar 2015.
- Audit payment of October 12, 2017, with DLK CPA PA firm.
- Grover TDA treasurer's records of 12 May 2017.
- Budget 2017/2018 approved and voted.
- Budget 2016/2017 approved and voted.
- Grover TDA bond for 2016 and forward.
- Budget 2016/2017 amended due to a price increase.
- Grover TDA treasurer's records of 10 October 2017.
- Budget 2017/2018 approved in the open hearing.
- Budget 2018/2019 approved in the open hearing.
- Grover TDA treasurer's records of 26 March 2018.
- TDA Audit completed by the DLK CPA PA Firm of June 30, 2018. While many of these various items are shared here for constituents and citizens - the full and complete repository is held on file by the state of NC. The auditing CPA firm uploads contracts and final audits via a secure server to the state. Their prices for audits are controlled by law to avoid gouging or inflated costs charged.
- Audit Fraud & Risk Questionaire turned in to CPA Auditor of DLK CPA PA firm. All Commissioners of the TDA receive an annual Fraud and Risk Questionaire that the CPA Audit Firm requests be filled out and privately turned in to the Auditor. Here is what one looks like (legal permission granted by Martin CJ Mongiello, MBA, MA, MCFE to post online in full public view).
- Grover TDA treasurer's records of 26 March 2019.
- Grover TDA treasurer's records of 25 June 2019.



TDA By-Laws and NC Statutes of assistance

- Legal Guidance for TDAs in NC 2014
- G.S. 160a-351
- G.S. 160a-81
- G.S. 160A-81.1
- G.S. 160A-353
- G.S. 160A-456
- G.S. 160A-439
- G.S. 160a-488
- G.S. 160a-498
- G.S. 160a-458.3
- NC state law enacting Grover TDA
- NC General Statutes - Chapter 160a
- Chapter 143 Article 33c
- Grover Tourism Development Authority by Laws voted on 29 Jan 2014 by the board
- Grover TDA Funding Application
- Grover Tourism Development Authority by Laws 2015 signed and in color
TDA Initiatives, Drawings and Designs

- Grover TDA Funding Application
- Carolina crossing restaurant mural
- Grover Welcome Sign
- Internet Center Mural
- Keeter park and gardens
- Keeter park left wall
- Keeter park right wall
- NC 2013 Visitor Profile
- State Fire Marshal reminds families to stay vigilant about fire safety and prevention
- Fire Hydrant Program
- Hydrants become art canvas
- Hydrants become art in Granite Quarry

Whistleblowers Policy and Reporting
Statement of Policy
The Grover TDA requires all to observe high standards of business and personal ethics in the conduct of their duties and responsibilities. It is the policy of The Grover TDA that members shall be encouraged to report verbally or in writing to their supervisor, department head, or any other appropriate authority, evidence of activity by an employee constituting:
- A violation of State or Federal law, rule or regulation
- Fraud
- Theft
- Malfeasance or misfeasance of State, Federal or Local resources
- Substantial and specific danger to the public health and safety: or
- Gross mismanagement, gross waste of monies, or gross abuse of authority.
Further, it is the policy of The Grover TDA that employees should be free of intimidation or harassment when reporting to public bodies about matters of public concern, including offering testimony to or testifying before appropriate legislative panels. This policy is intended to encourage and enable employees and others to raise serious concerns within the organization prior to seeking resolution outside the organization.
General Protection from Retaliation
The Grover TDA prohibits and will not tolerate any form of reprisal, retaliation or otherwise discriminate against an employee regarding the employee’s compensation, terms, conditions, location, or privileges of employment because the employee who, in good faith, has made or intends to make a report that there has been a violation of federal, state, or local law, regulation, or board policy due to a practice, policy, act or omission of the board of commissioners, of an employee, or of an entity/person with whom the county has a business relationship.
No employee exercising supervisory authority shall discharge, threaten, or otherwise discriminate against anyone regarding their compensation, terms, conditions, location or privileges of employment because they, in good faith, or a person acting on behalf of them, reports or is about to report, verbally or in writing, any violation of federal, state, or local law, regulation or board policy.
No person exercising supervisory authority shall discharge, threaten, or otherwise discriminate against an employee regarding the employee’s compensation, terms, conditions, location or privileges of employment because the employee has refused to carry out a directive which in fact constitutes a violation of federal, state, or local law, regulation or board policy, or poses a substantial and specific danger to the public health and safety. This policy supports all protections offered by North Carolina Statute G.S. 126-84-88.
Reporting Violations
The Grover TDA supports an open door policy and suggests that anyone share their questions, concerns, suggestions, or complaints with someone who can address them properly. In most cases, an immediate supervisor is in the best position to address an area of concern. However, if you are not comfortable speaking with your supervisor or you are not satisfied with your supervisor’s response, the town and county maintains an Employee Suggestion Box policy for anonymous submittals located at the front door of the town office (LABELLED NIGHT DEPOSIT) as a means for submitting anonymous written reports.
Formal complaints should be made in writing and filed with the TDA Chairperson. Once the complaint is filed, they with the Finance Director, will conduct a prompt and thorough investigation of the complaint.
All reports are held in strict confidence, and are taken seriously. If necessary, the Town or County Manager may specify reasonable steps to protect the complaining employee from retaliation.