San Juan County LTAC panel recommends about $2.43 million in tourism awards; denies Makers Guild request

The San Juan County Lodging Tax Advisory Committee on a unanimous procedural vote agreed to forward proposed award amounts totaling about $2.43 million to county council, after hours of review and debate over eligibility, reporting and long-term funding policy.

Committee chair Jane opened the session by urging members to adopt a predictable approach to annual increases for "core entities," saying, "I think we need to come up with some way of deciding what kind of increases core entities are gonna get year on year going forward." Members discussed formula-based increases, averages that discard high and low scores, and options to require recusal by members who represent applicants.

Why it matters: The committee’s recommendations shape which festivals, museums and marketing projects receive lodging-tax dollars intended to drive overnight stays and visitor spending. Members repeatedly weighed cultural value against the lodging-tax standard of "heads and beds," pressing applicants for clearer evidence that proposed programs increase overnight stays.

The committee debated dozens of applications island-by-island. Notable recommendations included partial or full awards for long-running events and institutions that committee members said demonstrably draw off‑island visitors, while at least one applicant — the San Juan Islands Makers Guild (Heritage Ranch) — was recommended for no funding this year after members reported missing invoices and unclear reporting. Chair Jane framed the concern bluntly when she asked the group whether there was "consensus on no funding for this year" for that applicant; members said yes.

Members also spent a sustained portion of the meeting on the county Visitors Bureau’s request. Committee discussion split along two lines: several members argued reduced bureau budgets had correlated with lower visitation metrics in prior years and favored restoring more funds now, while others urged the bureau to change business practices and show clearer deliverables before receiving higher allocations.

Select decisions and next steps: After finalizing the spreadsheet of award amounts in a live review, a member moved that the committee forward the proposed awards to county council for approval; that motion was seconded and the committee recorded its approval by voice vote. The staff total shown during the meeting was approximately $2,432,509; the formal package will go to council with committee notes about monitoring, required deliverables and concerns about specific applicants.

What members asked of recipients: The committee emphasized improved reporting, clearer deliverables tied to off‑island marketing and measurable tracking of how awards drive overnight stays. For several seed or launch projects the committee recommended smaller initial awards but encouraged recipients to pursue complementary grant cycles or PFAP (a separate funding source) to scale larger capital work.

Quotable: Jane, the committee chair, said: "We need to come up with some way of deciding what kind of increases core entities are gonna get year on year going forward." A member who made the final motion to forward the awards told the group: "I move we move the awards, proposed award amounts to council for approval." (The motion was seconded and the committee approved sending the package.)

What’s next: The award list will be transmitted to county council for formal approval and council will receive the committee’s recommended award amounts and the staff-prepared spreadsheet. Committee members asked staff to include statements explaining why particular applicants were denied or recommended for reduced awards and to track deliverables in the coming year.

Votes at a glance: The committee voted to forward the full slate of recommended awards to county council (motion made at the meeting, forwarded by voice vote). The committee also recorded a consensus recommendation of no funding and no extension for the San Juan Islands Makers Guild pending clearer reporting and invoicing.

Community context: Committee members repeatedly raised equity and parity concerns across the islands — particularly whether to fund the same projects at the same levels on islands with very different visitor markets — and urged applicants to focus on off‑island outreach and measurable visitor impact.

Requests for follow-up: The committee asked staff to present the finalized award spreadsheet to council and to add clarifying language to award letters about required reporting, recusal practices for committee members with conflicts, and recommended templates for applicant deliverables.