Commission discusses statewide recreation/tourism trends study, boating advisory appointments and public comment
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Summary
Commissioners considered a proposed statewide recreation and tourism trends study to aggregate localized data (estimated $150k–$250k), staff notified the commission of recommended Boating Advisory Council appointments, and a public commenter urged support for the North Wash boat ramp.
Commissioners discussed a proposed statewide trends study to update the 2020 Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism snapshot and to provide a recurring trends dataset to guide grants, planning and economic analysis.
Division staff said the study could be scoped as an aggregate effort to capture both recreation and tourism measures and help the division, local partners and tourism offices break down visitation, economic impact and safety trends. Staff estimated a potential cost range of $150,000–$250,000 depending on depth and whether the work is conducted by an academic institution or a commercial vendor.
Separately, staff provided a required notification that the Division has selected recommended candidates for a reconstituted Boating Advisory Council and read a slate of prospective members and user-representation categories (boat safety and education, sailing, anglers, dealers, personal watercraft, outfitting, paddlecraft, watersports, motorboat users).
Public comment: Brett Stewart, a member of the public, praised the North Wash boat ramp restoration idea, highlighted a nearby Poison Springs OHV trail system and an attractive campground, and urged the commission to support the project.
Next steps: staff said the commission would receive scope and budget detail on the trends study and will consider Boating Advisory Council appointments in the usual appointment process; the North Wash request will appear for funding consideration at the Nov. 19 meeting.