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Council ties on LTAC funding recommendation; mayor breaks tie to split $50,000 equally
Summary
After debate, council decided to recommend $25,000 each to Downtown Woodland Revitalization and the Woodland Visitor Center for lodging-tax funds; the motion passed on a tie-breaking mayoral vote.
The Woodland City Council voted Oct. 20 to send a recommendation to the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) that would allocate $25,000 each to Downtown Woodland Revitalization (DWR) and the Woodland Visitor Center.
The motion — described by staff as a council recommendation to LTAC — prompted a lengthy discussion about which organization would provide better “heads and beds” results (lodging stays) relative to the requested funding. Some council members argued the visitor center’s traditional activities do not clearly convert to local lodging and preferred a split that rewarded active marketing or production of overnight stays. Others, including members who supported the visitor center, warned that cutting funding could jeopardize that center’s ability to operate.
Council debate included remarks from Keith Bridal, identified in the meeting as Woodland Chamber executive director, who described upcoming chamber events and promoted cooperation among tourism organizations; Danica (Downtown Woodland Revitalization) urged the council to invest in DWR’s new marketing capacity and said her group had assembled a team to increase local promotion. Donna Butler, a citizen commenter, urged the council to approve the equal split and “let’s see what they do with it.” A resident who said WinterFest and Movies in the Park had generated room rentals described two private families who had rented lodging because of local events.
The council’s motion to recommend $25,000 to each organization produced a tie among voting members; the mayor exercised the tie-breaking vote in favor of the $25,000/$25,000 split, as city rules provide. The council then sent that dollar recommendation to LTAC; panel members will consider council input at an LTAC meeting scheduled the week after the council meeting.
Ending: Staff said LTAC will deliberate and make a formal award; the council’s recommendation will be one input among LTAC’s statutory considerations when making final allocations.
