HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016.09.19 LTAC MinutesLODGING TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE
September 19, 2016
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER:
The meeting was called to order at 4:00 pm, by Matt Watkins, in conference room #1 at Pasco City
Hall.
ROLL CALL:
Board Members Present: Matt Watkins (Council); Allison White (Sleep Inn); Colin Hastings
(Chamber); Monica Hammerberg (Hampton Inn); and Hector Cruz (Visit Tri -Cities).
Also Present: Stan Strebel, Deputy City Manager.
BUSINESS:
Matt Watkins presented the August 13, 2015 minutes of the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee.
Motion was made by Monica Hammerberg and seconded by Colin Hastings, to approve the August
13, 2015 minutes as submitted. Motion passed unanimously.
Stan briefly reminded the Committee of the purpose and function of the Lodging Tax Advisory
Committee (LTAC), referencing Resolution No. 2314. He also reviewed the reporting of 2015
lodging tax spending and visitor activity reporting per the JLARC Online Reporting system. Stan
also reviewed: historical allocation of lodging tax receipts; current contractual commitments; and
2017 tax allocation requests.
Colin noted that the Pasco Chamber had made some changes to the timing, content and marketing
of the Ag show which resulted in a 20% increase in attendance. The request for an additional
$10,000 in 2017 reflects the extra costs associated with the event.
Monica asked if DPDA had been able to track lodging stays associated with their events. Stan and
Matt noted that given the problems in the organization with the Executive Director during the past
year, and the newness of the new Executive Director, this has not been addressed. However, 2016
is the first year that DPDA has received lodging tax funding. Use of the funding must be reported
by March of 2017. Stan will work with Luke Hallowell, the new DPDA Executive Director to try
to identify ways to track lodging impacts of DPDA events.
Committee discussed the requests for use of the 2017 Lodging Tax receipts, estimated to total
$524,000. All requests are similar to those approved for 2016, except for the increase in the Pasco
Chamber request, as addressed by Colin, earlier. Motion was made by Monica Hammerberg and
seconded by Colin Hastings to recommend the 2017 allocation estimate, as outlined below. Motion
carried unanimously.
TRAC, 50% of actual operating costs ............... $255,000 (est)
• VCB Promotion Services (50% of 2%) .............. $125,695 (est)
Pasco Chamber Ag Show .................................... $20,000
Baseball Stadium Debt ........................................ $118,305 (will vary to fit amount available)
• DPDA Event Marketing ......................................... $5,000
TOTAL .............................. $524,000
It was noted that the debt service obligation on the stadium will decrease to $103,000 in 2018 and
close out in 2019 with $24,000. This will provide for possible new areas of expenditure, including
improvements at the stadium itself.
ADJOURNMENT:
Committee meeting adjourned at 4:20 pm.
Respectfully submitted.
Stan Strebel, Deputy City Manager
LTAC Minutes 9/19/16
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