Trinity County tourism board pauses consultant work as lodging owners remain split on TBID

The Trinity County Tourism Development Advisory Board voted to pause its paid engagement with Civitas Advisors and to continue local outreach after board members reported mixed responses from lodging business owners about a proposed Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID).

The pause, made unilaterally earlier by the board chair and approved by the advisory board, preserves remaining pre-paid consultant funds while staff and board members continue to collect weighted-owner feedback. Chair Gwen, Tourism Development Advisory Board, told the group the contractor "produced the rest of the documentation" requested by the ad hoc committee but that she had put the contract on hold to avoid spending funds while the board gathers more outreach responses.

Board members said support appears strongest among newer lodging owners while some larger, higher-weighted properties are opposed or nonresponsive. Leah Groves, advisory board member, said many lodging owners want to hear endorsements from other lodging operators before deciding. Ryan (last name not specified), another board member, told the board that "yeses are coming from, newer lodging owners" but that several of the top-weighted properties in his district were either firm no votes or had not replied.

Why it matters: the TBID would shift decisions about a portion of lodging assessments from county allocations to…