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Commissioners approve tourism grant recommendations, boost Klamath Basin Oktoberfest award to $14,000
Summary
At its April 30 finance meeting the Klamath County Board of Commissioners approved the tourism grant panel's funding recommendations and increased the award for Klamath Basin Oktoberfest to $14,000, bringing the panel's recommended total closer to the $100,000 ceiling.
Klamath County commissioners on April 30 approved the tourism grant review panel's recommendations and amended one award, increasing the Klamath Basin Oktoberfest payment to $14,000.
The grants panel reviewed applications in a cycle with a funding range between $75,000 and $100,000 and recommended awards totaling $92,009.39, Klamath County grants staff Beatty Grama told commissioners. Two applications were deemed ineligible by the panel, Grama said.
The change to Oktoberfest's award was proposed during discussion after panel recommendations were presented. Commissioners noted the panel deliberately left some funding unallocated to avoid spending just because money was available. Commissioner Nichols said committee members prioritized projects they rated highly and were reluctant to fully fund repeat proposals that, in the panel's view, showed less likelihood of becoming self-sustaining.
Grama said the panel voted in rounds and that some projects received partial awards because of scoring and the panel's desire to fund projects it considered most likely to succeed without creating repeated dependence on county support.
Commissioners discussed the remaining balance: the panel's recommendation left about $7,068 available before reaching the $100,000 cap. The board's motion approved the panel's recommendations with a single change: increasing the Klamath Basin Oktoberfest award to $14,000. The motion passed by voice vote; the chair voted "aye." (Voice vote recorded at the meeting.)
The board noted the tourism fund is distinct from the general fund and urged prudence because transient-visitor taxes (TRT) are trending down. Commissioners said the county will have funds available for the next funding cycle but that future collections should be monitored.
The grants package and the panel's written recommendations remain on file with county finance; two applications were marked ineligible in the panel report, and the panel provided scoring details that informed partial awards.
