Advisory board backs spending priority for mitigation, asks commission to use 55.6% of TRT for non‑promotional needs

The Moab Tourism Advisory Board voted unanimously Oct. 14 to approve a recommendation letter to the Grand County Commission that sets mitigation as the board’s first priority for transient room tax (TRT) non‑promotional spending and asks the commission to consider using the maximum allowable share, 55.6 percent, for mitigation and allowable expenditures.

Vice chair Wendell Williams, who drafted the board’s priority letter, told the board the intent was to make mitigation and essential public‑safety services visible in the county budget. “The Moab Tourism Advisory Board believes responsible tourism management requires dedicating adequate resources to mitigate the impacts of visitation,” Williams said while introducing the priorities.

The letter recommended that the commission allocate mitigation funding “based on financial need” among law enforcement, emergency medical services, search and rescue, solid‑waste services and road upgrades, and that the commission consider directing available TRCCA (3(a)) funds to support the Moab Office of Tourism and the Moab to Monument Valley Film Commission. The draft also recommended that $1.5 million be drawn from the TRT promotional fund balance to support the 2026 promotional budget.

Board members discussed procedural issues tied to the change in state law (House Bill 456) and the new classification of TRT receipts. Several board members said the application process for mitigation funds this year produced late submissions (including a sheriff’s office request submitted the night before) and urged the county to give clearer timelines next year so applicants can plan.

The advisory group also discussed how the newly formed mitigation entities and any recreation mitigation grant program will be run; staff told members that details remain under development and that award schedules and governance were expected to be clarified in the coming months.

Motion and vote

Board member Sharon (surname not specified in the transcript) moved to approve the recommendation letter with verbally agreed changes; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously on voice vote.

Why it matters

The board’s letter is advisory: the Grand County Commission retains final authority over how TRT and TRCCA funds are allocated. The board’s motion asks the commission to prioritize mitigation spending (public safety, solid waste, search and rescue and other essential services) and to direct 3(a) TRCCA funds toward the county’s tourism office and the film commission — recommendations intended to preserve public services and continue tourism promotion where allowed by law.

What the letter asks the commission to consider

- Use up to 55.6 percent of allowable TRT receipts on mitigation and allowable expenditures and allocate funds according to demonstrated financial need. - Direct TRCCA (3(a)) funds toward cultural institutions and tourism promotion, specifically the Moab Office of Tourism and the Moab to Monument Valley Film Commission, while noting statutory distinctions between 3(a) and 3(b)/(3)(d) categories under state code. - Draw $1.5 million from the promotional fund balance to support 2026 advertising and programs, subject to accounting clarifications now under audit.

Next steps

The board instructed staff to finalize the letter with the verbal edits made during the meeting and to submit it to the county commission. The county commission will make the determinations required by HB 456 and by the county’s budget calendar; the board’s vote is a formal recommendation, not an appropriation.