[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6476652,"mediaKeyId","5717661-cdc58db001b2bf6033297b0c48f4f549","parentId",5717661,"title","Commissioners request legal review of proposed ordinance on federal law enforcement coordination during local emergencies","audioSeconds",347,"startMs",3207000,"endMs",3554000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5717661-cdc58db001b2bf6033297b0c48f4f549&start=3207&end=3554","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5717661-cdc58db001b2bf6033297b0c48f4f549/thumbnail_3207000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6476652/Thurston-County/Washington/Commissioners-request-legal-review-of-proposed-ordinance-on-federal-law-enforcement-coordination-during-local-emergencies","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6476652-b1165132e101fbf9bc48fb1b70a3026b/orig.mp4?Expires=1773327814&Signature=kcYgm5Fbh-u9DiOmQ6vmLLFmivFJgZ8IcU6rq~M95MwZtDZWOLZWfmiamaCnebJH3EqZtTZyjtbHX-Vi32OpknBWiNekrbPreb6vmSryvmShNhAXEw6ueKLgPHHwkxlTF5TNPrvcBbzut1dZo3CavbBU6a4VRKNxzfJSgBej9O-JobHU-CdOndEpRXgo~XIHUlREZAYqy9QwAjWgx4nY7L1RfABjCv5tuUu1dBoHTWtLWAoZXmDbMsQbokarhFdhokRmT5DYiKFbKKBVpe5iu8fUGIaYdksHh1af5QTxvw14w~vziD08dvqioIaB7G3v6zg5oyJgv6TbdC-lcd7UVA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Thurston County Washington","date","2025-09-04T15:47:16Z","article","At a Sept. 3 work session, Commissioner Wayne Fournier asked the Thurston County Board of County Commissioners to direct staff to review a draft ordinance intended to protect continuity of emergency operations by requiring federal law enforcement to identify themselves and coordinate with county incident command during county-declared emergencies.

Fournier described the request as a response to an incident in the Bear Gulch area where, he said, federal agents detained firefighters during an active wildfire response. He told the board the draft ordinance would \"protect the continuity of emergency operations, ensure due process for all workers and disaster zones, and require identification coordination by any federal law enforcement operating during county led emergencies.\"

County leaders said the legal basis cited in the draft is RCW 38.52, the Washington State Emergency Management Act, which assigns certain authorities to local emergency management during declared local emergencies. County Manager Leonard Hernandez and other staff said they would send the draft to legal for review and coordinate with local EMS and the clerk to determine the appropriate adoption process.

Board action and next steps: Commissioners unanimously directed the county manager to coordinate legal review, consult with local emergency medical services and relevant staff, and return the draft ordinance for formal consideration at a future business meeting. Staff indicated the draft would go to legal and then follow the county's standard ordinance adoption process if legal review found it appropriate.

Context and limits: Commissioners and staff stressed that the request applies to actions during county-declared emergencies and that other areas of federal activity remain outside county authority; they asked legal staff to identify the limits and any enforcement implications. The board did not adopt an ordinance at the work session; it authorized further review and coordination.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","September 3, 2025 Thurston County Board of County Commissioners","oneSentenceSummary","Commissioner Wayne Fournier presented draft ordinance language invoking RCW 38.52 authority to require identification and coordination by federal law enforcement during county-led emergencies. The board directed the county manager to have legal and EMS staff review the proposal and bring it back for consideration.","taxTitle","Thurston County, Washington","taxId",4614,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6476654,"Commissioners seek coordinated input on Experience Olympia and Beyond leadership search",441,2732000,3173000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5717661-cdc58db001b2bf6033297b0c48f4f549&start=2732&end=3173","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5717661-cdc58db001b2bf6033297b0c48f4f549/thumbnail_2732000.jpg","/articles/6476654/Thurston-County/Washington/Commissioners-seek-coordinated-input-on-Experience-Olympia-and-Beyond-leadership-search","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6476654-f3e1ac45f89e4531e236498214273765/orig.mp4?Expires=1773327814&Signature=XXZVbX6gmpxfpS5Wtu~xH8phBbUC3eLatOXuhjqUw317f5YDU1ihErAeqEB~f1FAW2sbi5hIY1pf5MN9-0z2N2558Hz~90hPHzxLrSERzvJV3QBm4qr7eVl2wz10rQZvdOzjVwKchgLVtXiOAPxkUO4elk6Y7CNz8-ZdvS8Ri-OskoaQknd09IfZoZvAb0wkImSoMbK4dp~~xkoEF1RuISQok1NT1OvLT3cAsOHKaF7Aw0048bat1Ek0zAi7wukjrlOY4UCTf5-yZLQEAgSgQQyVXrEmAvrszFScixBbcsNeFE6iTrtiitub1KglslEceAxxHIcmaSDk-fYghyBrTw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Thurston County commissioners discussed the leadership transition at Experience Olympia and Beyond, the county's visitor and convention bureau (VCB), and directed staff to arrange joint outreach with the VCB recruiter and municipal leaders.

County Manager Leonard Hernandez told the board that a recruiter for Experience Olympia and Beyond asked to meet with stakeholders and offered to include commissioners. Hernandez asked the board to identify two commissioners to join him in a meeting next Wednesday with the recruiter.

Commissioner Kelly Mejia said she preferred a pre-meeting involving the board chair and vice chair with city mayors and mayor pro tems so that jurisdictions could present a coordinated view to the recruiter. \"I would think that having our chair and vice chair meet with our mayors and mayor pro tems, and have a conversation about the VCB and the direction moving forward,\" Mejia said during the session.

Commissioner Rachel Grant asked for background information and an offline briefing because she had not been part of earlier conversations. The board agreed that Commissioner Wayne Fournier and Commissioner Kelly Mejia would join County Manager Hernandez and the chair in the recruiter meeting if schedules allow; commissioners also asked staff to try to convene a meeting with city mayors to discuss VCB priorities before or around the recruiter conversation.

Why it matters: Experience Olympia and Beyond handles destination marketing and visitor outreach that feed into lodging-tax metrics, event promotion, and regional tourism strategies. Commissioners said they want a consistent, coordinated message across jurisdictions during the VCB leadership search so the bureau can continue to promote county events and support LTAC objectives.

Next steps: Staff will schedule the recruiter meeting with the designated commissioners, attempt to convene mayors for a pre-meeting, and provide background material to commissioners who request it. The board instructed staff to keep the dialogue ongoing while the VCB searches for a new executive director.","Following a leadership transition at Experience Olympia and Beyond, Thurston County commissioners asked for coordinated outreach to the VCB recruiter and requested two commissioners join the county manager in meetings with the recruiter and with city mayors to shape priorities for a new director.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6476656,"Thurston County commissioners direct staff to increase lodging-tax pool and support FIFA fan zone",2346,151000,2497000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5717661-cdc58db001b2bf6033297b0c48f4f549&start=151&end=2497","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5717661-cdc58db001b2bf6033297b0c48f4f549/thumbnail_151000.jpg","/articles/6476656/Thurston-County/Washington/Thurston-County-commissioners-direct-staff-to-increase-lodging-tax-pool-and-support-FIFA-fan-zone","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6476656-7762b9a6088d8d027e0b528391613c02/orig.mp4?Expires=1773327814&Signature=RmbfHG~7zcROpBawPp4JX3rK~yZ-p895qdxMZKA948dMdD343EFu4r1Pa8mppqw188hsloPrVtsUaxxPZSDKbuBN45BkyVd6drjsuoTwa1iuowpJBdEZHrr3E7Dugo46Se5Oo-1yoNOD2sAXlb7wOdU0Zxer3qlJokfEbS7o6zyLlNFfZkRo26PkMNfray1qznuGI4yM~ewGI47iqlA7n1lszFwRVxKQZaXkqX-u5rTuoeAlbwltomd2Gtg2vTIGSJ4CjMtV8u1UTRn7r42e5guDRz1KPC9-yWybuqF5q~U-pRQm5nIx1LPxnKeteY6bX3ZyvWaV1KK1R2wOlHWsLA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Thurston County commissioners on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, directed staff to increase the county's lodging-tax (LTAC) distribution to $250,000 for the 2026 cycle and to allocate $84,000 of LTAC funds to help pay for a regional FIFA fan zone, for a combined total of $334,000 in county support.

The board's action came during a work session presentation from Ellen Massey, management analyst, and follow-up discussion with County Manager Leonard Hernandez and commissioners. Massey summarized the LTAC program and applicants and said the county received 23 applications in 2025 and funded 16 projects with a $150,000 distribution.

Why it matters: The lodging tax is restricted to tourism promotion, marketing and related activities; expanding the pool would put more county funds toward events and facilities that county staff and commissioners say bring visitors and out-of-area spending. Staff told commissioners that anticipated LTAC revenue for 2025 is in the $200,000–$250,000 range and that a current fund balance was roughly $369,000, giving the county flexibility to increase distributions without immediate budget shortfalls.

Most important facts: Massey told the board that the 2025 funding priorities had been county-owned projects, applications demonstrating a high ratio of paid overnight stays, and projects in unincorporated South Thurston County. Commissioners discussed adding a fourth priority for \"community impact\" to recognize large, regionally known events that may not directly show high hotel-night counts but draw visitors to the county.

Commissioners also debated equity with municipal LTACs. Commissioner Wayne Fournier asked how city LTAC revenues compared with the county; staff said city distributions are based on the lodging tax revenue each jurisdiction collects and are not automatically prorated by population. Commissioners said staff would provide additional comparative data on city LTAC receipts and clarify whether platforms such as Airbnb are remitting tax to the county.

On the FIFA fan zone, staff described a multijurisdictional proposal led by the local chamber that had been scaled back to a $300,000 regional plan. Under that plan Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater and Thurston County would contribute; Thurston County's share was estimated at about $84,000. Staff said the chamber can scale the event to the revised budget and that an associated app would allow organizers to place interactive fan-zone locations across Thurston County to encourage visitors to travel to multiple towns.

Staff recommendation and board direction: County staff recommended increasing the LTAC distribution to $250,000 and adding the $84,000 contribution for the FIFA fan zone. Commissioners indicated majority support during the work session (four commissioners signaled concurrence by a show of thumbs). The action at the work session was a direction to staff rather than a formal roll-call appropriation; staff said they would return with timeline, selection criteria and the formal application process for LTAC recipients.

Clarifying details aired at the meeting included:
- 2025 applications: 23 submitted, 16 funded with the $150,000 2025 pool (Ellen Massey).
- Staff's cited fund balance: about $369,000 available to smooth revenue variability.
- Staff's capacity estimate: the county could fund up to $450,000 in 2026 and still retain a year-end balance; $250,000 was presented as a staff recommendation and the $450,000 figure was shown only as the maximum based on current receipts.

What happens next: Staff will report back in two to three weeks with LTAC timeline and selection-process details, provide comparative data on city LTAC receipts, and proceed with planning for the FIFA fan zone if local jurisdictions confirm funding. The board indicated it wanted LTAC priorities communicated to the LTAC committee, including countywide community-impact events, fairgrounds projects, and the FIFA fan zone.

Ending note: Commissioners emphasized the county's interest in directing LTAC funds to events and facilities that advance the board's shared goal of economic and cultural asset development, while asking staff and the LTAC committee to improve metrics and documentation of \"heads and beds\" (hotel-night) impacts for applicants.","At a Sept. 3 work session, Thurston County commissioners gave staff direction to raise the county's lodging-tax distribution to $250,000 for 2026 and to allocate $84,000 toward a regional FIFA fan zone, for a combined $334,000. Staff said the county could fund up to $450,000 without depleting reserves.","actionData","errors"]

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Commissioners request legal review of proposed ordinance on federal law enforcement coordination during local emergencies

Commissioners seek coordinated input on Experience Olympia and Beyond leadership search

Thurston County commissioners direct staff to increase lodging-tax pool and support FIFA fan zone