Sedro‑Woolley council pauses enforcement of special‑events fee after public outcry over Logger Rodeo costs

Sedro‑Woolley — The City Council did not immediately impose new fees on annual events after an extended public discussion Monday about a recently revised special‑events ordinance and the financial burden it could place on longtime community celebrations such as the Logger Rodeo.

The council opened the conversation after widespread public comment from parade organizers, business owners and residents who said the proposed enforcement of the code would add thousands of dollars to events that rely on volunteers and small budgets.

Mayor Julia Johnson and City Administrator Charlie said the city discovered it had not been enforcing the municipal code's cost‑recovery language and that staff would bring multiple options back to council for consideration. "The letter talks about an October 1 implementation of any kind of fees, so the reason why there are no fees on the application is there are no fees right now being charged," Charlie told the council.

Why it matters: The Logger Rodeo and other downtown events bring people and spending to Sedro‑Woolley businesses and rely heavily on volunteers, parade committees and the Chamber of Commerce. Organizers warned that immediate enforcement of a cost‑recovery policy without a funding plan would threaten the viability of those events.

During public comment, Dottie Chandler, president of the Logger Rodeo, said the carnival portion alone has generated $8,200 and $9,000 in gate revenue in the past two years and asked that the city consider earmarking lodging‑tax or similar funds for event safety costs. Bonnie Irish, the rodeo treasurer, said the volunteer committee has no budget to pay newly proposed fees: "We have no funds at all to be able to pay this tax," she said.

Business owner Luke Lomsdale said the Logger Rodeo weekend is one of the busiest of the year for downtown merchants and urged the council to find a solution that preserves both public safety and the event: "You can't put a price on safety," he said.

Council deliberations focused on several paths forward: directing staff to prepare a report on recent lodging‑tax (LTAC) balances and award history; asking staff to present options for short‑term funding (including strategic reserves) so events are not immediately charged; and drafting a narrower code revision to distinguish events that qualify as tourism‑driven and would be eligible for lodging tax support from smaller private gatherings that should pay direct costs.

Council members also discussed the legal and policy limits of using lodging tax funds. City Attorney Nikki explained LTAC rules require a committee recommendation before council may change awards and that lodging tax is generally restricted to activities that promote tourism ("heads in beds"). She advised the council that municipal gifting rules limit the city’s ability to subsidize privately driven events unless a clear public benefit can be shown.

Outcome and next steps: The council directed staff to: - Provide a briefing on recent lodging‑tax revenues, current LTAC awards and projected increases from a new hotel; - Return with draft code language that clarifies which events the city would treat as economic drivers eligible for lodging‑tax funding, and which events would remain subject to cost recovery; - Analyze short‑term options to cover the most affected events this year (including use of strategic fund balances) so the Logger Rodeo and other major events can proceed without immediate new charges.

Community reaction: Organizers left the meeting cautiously optimistic after multiple council members said they did not want to harm long‑standing community festivals. Brenda, a longtime parade volunteer, closed her public comment with a plea for continued support: "Small town, big parade," she said.

The council said it will return to the issue with more detailed fiscal options and proposed code edits before any enforcement date is set.