Members of the Seaside Tourism Advisory Committee spent substantial time reviewing and revising the committee’s draft bylaws, focusing on membership size, representation requirements, appointment and removal processes, term limits and the committee’s role relative to city council and city staff.

The committee discussed changing the panel from five to seven members to ensure representation across lodging, retail, restaurants and other tourism-related businesses and to preserve continuity when members rotate off. Members suggested specifying that lodging, retail and restaurant representatives should be Seaside-based to clarify eligibility. They also recommended language clarifying that a majority vote of city council would be required to remove a committee member, rather than allowing removal “as deemed sufficient” without an explicit vote.

The panel reviewed the appointment process: applicants will apply via the city website and city council will appoint members, consistent with other city committees. Members asked that staff clarify whether meetings could be held in person and by Zoom and whether the committee could cancel meetings for lack of business; committee language was adjusted to make cancellation the prerogative of the chair, vice chair or staff.

On term limits, members discussed whether to require a one-year hiatus after completing consecutive terms. Some members said term limits risked losing experienced volunteers, while others said opening expired seats would allow new applicants to apply and would avoid an automatic reappointment.

The largest point of debate was the committee’s role in policy direction. The draft language initially said the committee would "implement city council directives related to tourism." Committee members expressed concern about reading the bylaw as passive direction-taking. Members argued the committee should be able to develop and recommend marketing strategy and priorities to the tourism director and to the city council, not only carry out council directives. Staff agreed to rework the language to emphasize the committee’s role in advising and recommending citywide marketing plans, supporting the tourism director’s implementation of approved programs, and forwarding recommendations to city council.

Committee members agreed to finalize the revised document and forward it to the city council for approval; staff will prepare a cleaned-up draft for a council workshop. Several members requested the draft explicitly state how vacancies are handled and what vote threshold on council would be required for removals.