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Thurston County commissioners to meet with Experience Olympia & Beyond board to strengthen tourism partnership
Summary
County leaders agreed to schedule a meeting with Experience Olympia & Beyond board members and county representatives to improve coordination on marketing, funding and priorities while the visitor organization recruits a new executive director.
Thurston County commissioners agreed April 9, 2025, to schedule a small meeting with representatives from Experience Olympia & Beyond (EOB) to discuss partnership, marketing priorities and funding channels while EOB recruits a new executive director. County Manager Leonard Hernandez said the meeting would help the county and EOB "engage better" and recommended limiting county attendance to two commissioners to avoid a quorum.
"Their desire and our desire to have a closer working relationship with Experience Olympia and Beyond," County Manager Leonard Hernandez said, adding that county staff and EOB board members had suggested a small meeting to improve coordination. Hernandez said the group would discuss "how we fund and how the money comes through, what our priorities from the county side, etcetera."
Several commissioners volunteered to participate. Commissioner Wayne Fournier said, "I'd like to participate in that discussion." Commissioner Rachel Grant and Commissioner Carolina Mejia also expressed interest in attending and in receiving briefings on other regional economic and visitor-development boards. The board discussed that one or two commissioners attending would allow the county to provide input without creating a quorum for the full board.
Chair Ty Mentzer said staff would work on scheduling the meeting and expected a report back to the full board, either with staff or EOB board members, to discuss ways to strengthen collaboration. The county manager and commissioners mentioned using the brief meeting to shape expectations before the new EOB executive director is hired.
