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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 05/30/2006 CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL Approval of Minutes Review of Funds Available for 2007 '''1 LODGING TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE Port Angeles, Washington May 30, 2006 Mayor Rogers called the meeting to order at 3:03 p.m. Members Present: Mayor Rogers, Pat Davis, Bob Harbick, Jack Harmon, Karen McCormick, Councilmember Munro, Dave Neupert, Steve Oliver, Renee Rux and Brian Savage. Members Absent: Bill Rinehart. Staff Present: Manager Madsen, Finance Director Ziomkowski, Clerk Upton, and Sherry Wright. Public Present: Brian Gawley, Russ Veenema, and Joseph Mallerus. Manager Madsen introduced Sherry Wright as the new Assistant to the City Manager. Motion by Pat Davis to approve the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee minutes of August 3, 2005. The motion was seconded by Dave Neupert and carried unanimously. Finance Director Ziomkowski noted that in 2006, the lodging tax revenue is at the same level as the same period in 2005. She estimated that the fund is on target to collect the 2006 budgeted amount based on the performance for the first part of the year. For 2007, she estimatedthat the budget would be approximately the same as 2006. Director Ziomkowski distributed copies of the HotellMotel Tax collection activity for the years 1999-2006. Mayor Rogers reminded the committee of the $100,000 set aside for major capital projects requests. She noted that in previous years, $100,000 was set aside annually for capital projects with the money originally earmarked for a conference center. Since the conference center plan never materialized, the committee voted in 2005 to use capital projects funding to pay off the general obligation bond for the Vem Burton Community Center. Director Ziomkowski noted that the capital projects fund is starting up again this year and will have a $100,000 balance at the end of2006. Bob Harbick said he did not recall the committee voting on continuing to allocate $100,000 annually for capital projects. He said he remembered the committee making a one-time allocation of$135,000 for capital improvements. Director Ziomkowski noted that there was a lengthy discussion in 2005 about re- establishing the $100,000 set-aside for capital projects without allocating it to a specific project. Responding to Mr. Harbick's request for clarification about whether the committee voted on that issue, Mayor Rogers said she would have staff follow-up by checking past minutes. Director Ziomkowski distributed copies of the Lodging Excise Tax Fund revenues and expenditures report and explained how the report is organized, in response to a question from Renee Rux. Consideration of Process for Addressing Funding Requests Review of Upcoming Action Items Next Meeting Adjournment: Mayor Rogers asked the members of the sub-committee to give a brief update of their progress on the issue of addressing funding requests. Russ Veenema noted that the RCWs state that capital projects must meet the following three criteria before a project can receive funding from room tax revenue: (1) the project must be tourism-related, (2) the city needs to have a 25% ownership interest in the project, and (3) the project has to have a life span of three years or more. The sub-committee suggested notifying the public of the process for requesting capital funding two or three times per year, similar to the process for special event requests. He noted that the one stumbling block for the sub-committee was the issue oflong-term commitments because the sub-committee didn't want to have money tied up in projects that may last 20 years. Director Ziomkowski noted that ofthe previous $400,000 capital projects balance, approximately $250,000 was used for the Vem Burton bond payoff, $100,000 went to the Chamber to increase the marketing program and the remaining $50,000 was transferred to the fund's reserve balance. Mr. Harbick moved that all requests for capital projects funding go to the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee for review and recommendation to the City Council. The motion was seconded by Steve Oliver. Discussion followed on the criteria the city uses to determine what constitutes a capital project. Mayor Rogers noted that the committee mayor may not adopt the same criteria the city uses, but at a minimum must follow the RCW s that outline the criteria for funding capital projects. Following clarification of the motion, a vote was taken and the motion carried unanimously. Mr. Harbick noted that the sub-committee could review Mr. Veenema's list of criteria for capital requests and submit a draft report to the full committee at the next meeting. Mr. Veenema agreed to work with city staff to fine-tune the list and e-mail to the full committee later in the week. Mr. Harbick recommended the committee go out to bid for the marketing package. This item will be added to the next agenda for discussion. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 13, at 3:00 p.m. in the Engineering Conference Room. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 3:58 p.m. ~j{AIr Wright (j - "