Snoqualmie LTAC recommends three $7,500 grants, rejects one incomplete application

Council member Johnson convened the Snoqualmie Lodging Tax Advisory Committee at 5:02 p.m. on March 10, 2026, to review four applications for lodging‑tax funding for 2026. Using a newly adopted scoring rubric, the committee recommended awards for three projects at $7,500 each and rejected a fourth application that members described as incomplete.

The committee began by adopting a procedure: each application would receive a motion, member discussion guided by a five‑category rubric (eligibility, project location, value assessment, marketing plan and partners), individual scoring, and then a vote. Nicole, a staff member, told the committee the rubric would make score sheets public and that "these applications were for $7,500 each," clarifying the award amount under consideration.

The committee first reviewed the Snoqualmie Valley Regional Chamber’s World Cup Marketing application. Because the coordinator, Kelly Coughlin, is a committee member and the applicant, Coughlin recused herself from scoring and voting. The remaining members scored the application across all rubric categories, totaling 29 points; staff confirmed that met the criteria. Richard Anderson moved to recommend the application to council; Lori Hay seconded. The motion carried with three affirmative votes (members present and voting) and Coughlin abstaining due to recusal.

Next, the committee considered the Historic Downtown Snoqualmie Merchant Association’s Snoqualmie Days event (coordinator Dory Ross). Members discussed logistics and confirmed the event date (August 22). The application received a total score of 35 on the rubric and the committee voted to recommend the $7,500 award to council.

The Northwest Railway Museum’s Snoqualmie Valley Wine Train application followed. One member stated they would not participate in this item; the application scored 29 points and the committee voted to recommend $7,500 to council.

The final application — another submission from the Historic Downtown Snoqualmie Merchant Association, Discover Downtown Snoqualmie (year‑round) — drew concern from multiple members about completeness and feasibility. Committee members said the application lacked a clear plan or sufficient detail; one member argued the group should be offered help to rework the proposal. After discussion and scoring that reflected those concerns, the motion to recommend the application failed with four nays and no ayes.

After the votes, staff noted the motions for two prior approvals had not explicitly stated the award amounts. The committee amended those motions to record the $7,500 funding amounts; Coughlin abstained from the amendment on the Chamber item because of her recusal. With no further business, the committee adjourned.

Why it matters: The LTAC awards aim to fund visitor‑serving projects that boost Snoqualmie’s downtown economy and visitor experience. Committee members said the new rubric creates a public, auditable record of how applications were evaluated and helps identify applications that need more development before funding.

Quotes: "We were trying to be ethical about this," said Richard Anderson while urging the committee to consider applicants’ circumstances when scoring. Nicole (staff) said, "these applications were for $7,500 each," noting the requested award amount the committee was recommending to council.

What’s next: The committee will forward the three recommended $7,500 awards to the city council for final approval; staff noted contracts and timing could compress the season for recipients because council action is expected in April.