Astoria council weighs tighter rules, reporting for Promote Astoria tourism grants

Astoria City Council members on Nov. 25 discussed formalizing how community groups and city facilities apply for and report on Promote Astoria funds, the portion of the city’s transient lodging tax used for tourism promotion.

City Manager Spence told the council that roughly 46% of lodging tax revenues flow into the Promote Astoria fund and that about $1.9 million was available last year, with about $700,000 distributed to community partners. Spence recommended a single standardized application, published deadlines, measurable goals and scopes of work tied to state law (citing “ORS 3 2300”), and a review process that gives the budget committee early visibility before final budget adoption.

The proposal envisions categorizing applications (tourism promotion, tourism‑related events, facilities, strategic research, visitor support), checking each submission for compliance with state law and city code, and using a reporting/reimbursement approach that scales with grant size. Spence said some city tourism facilities — including the Riverwalk, trestles used by the trolley and the aquatic center — present ongoing capital and safety needs that may justify prioritization in budget planning.

The council then heard from several past recipients. David Reed, executive director of the Astoria/Warrenton chamber and a representative of the Lower Columbia Tourism Committee (LCTC), urged the council to “protect or prioritize funding your DMO” so the region can continue to drive lodging revenue. Jessamine West, who oversees the Astoria Arts and Movement Center, thanked the council for earlier grants and described how early small awards helped new organizations establish nonprofit status. Jennifer Crockett, executive director of the Liberty Theater, said a $15,000 award yielded an estimated 1,800% return on investment and praised newly required final‑report metrics for demonstrating impact. Regina Wilke, marketing manager and staff liaison to LCTC, reminded council that more than 4,000 local workers rely on the tourism economy and urged partnership.

Councilors focused much of the discussion on financial accountability. Councilor Brownson urged transparent, itemized back‑up for reimbursements and consistent reporting so the public can see how funds are spent. Finance Director Hillary Norton and staff described a mix of reimbursement and quarterly or semiannual reporting tied to award size, saying very small grants might remain on a simpler semiannual cycle while larger awards could require more frequent financial reporting.

On process, Spence recommended different review tracks: a subcommittee for smaller community event grants and a full budget‑committee review for larger, year‑round awards to ensure comparative fairness across the full Promote Astoria funding bucket. Councilors broadly supported the concept and directed staff to prepare application materials and reporting templates for the budget committee and future council consideration.

The council recessed briefly before moving to the next agenda item.