Whidbey-Camano tourism board chair urges Island County to finalize restructuring amid expiring contracts

Councilman Stuckey, speaking as chair of the Whidbey-Camano Island Tourism Board, asked the Island County commissioners on Oct. 14 to finalize restructuring documents the board had aimed to complete by Sept. 1. He said board members and contractors have left and that several short-term contracts are set to expire on Jan. 1, raising questions about whether requests for qualifications (RFQs) or contract extensions will be needed.

"We're really imploring if we can get that done soon," Stuckey said, urging the county and town signatories, including Coupeville, Langley and Oak Harbor, to sign the documents and approve the new executive board. He said the board had targeted a September timeline and that the delay has left duties reassigned and vacancies unfilled.

Chair of the Board of Island County Commissioners responded that the matter could be discussed during a commissioners' call and that staff could be assigned to help complete the work. Commissioner Jill Johnson said tourism restructuring is not among her top priorities this term but acknowledged the economic importance to those who rely on tourism and accepted the need to "figure out some staff" support so the work can move forward.

The tourism board chair specifically named contractors and noted the need to decide whether to run new RFQs or extend existing contracts; the transcript mentioned contractors called "Datify" and "PBS" (as stated by the speaker). Stuckey said the board has lost members and contractors and would like the intergovernmental signatures completed either to target the prior September date or, if not, to aim for Jan. 1.

Next steps discussed in the meeting were procedural: commissioners agreed to raise the item on an internal call and to look for staff assistance to complete job descriptions and contract steps. No formal motion, vote or county commitment of funding was made at the Oct. 14 regular session.