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MINUTES
Jefferson County Tourism Coordinating Council
Regular Meeting — April 7, 2026
Jefferson County Courthouse—Chambers
1820 Jefferson Street, Port Townsend, WA (Hybrid)
CALL TO ORDER: Chair Heather Dudley-Nollette called the meeting to order at the appointed time.
Members Diana Smeland, Caitlin Friedman, Steve Shively, Amy Neil, and Kelly Olsen participated in
the meeting.
PUBLIC COMMENT: Chair Dudley-Nollette opened the floor for public comments, and no comments
were received.
OLD BUSINESS:
Approve Past Meeting Minutes—March 3,2026: Tabled for a future meeting.
Continued Discussion and Potential Action re: Creation of an LTAC-funded, staffed,Jefferson
County Designated Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) in 2027: The TCC discussed
options to reactivate the Tourism Coordinating Council as the DMO, or run an RFP to find an
organization with the existing bandwidth to manage County marketing responsibilities to better support
tourism efforts across unincorporated Jefferson County. A central priority is the creation of a
comprehensive information database to track local events,participating groups, and volunteer data for
better organizational clarity. Discussions also highlighted the need for a"Jefferson County presence"
that works alongside regional partners like the Olympic Peninsula Tourism Commission(OPTC). If
TCC is reactivated as the DMO, the TCC would likely serve in an advisory role, analyzing marketing
results and ensuring the County is well-represented at the regional level. Ultimately, the goal is to
establish a coordinated marketing message led by a dedicated staff person or agency to streamline
countywide tourism efforts.
NEW BUSINESS:
Discussion and Potential Action re: DMO Request for Proposal (RFP) drafting: The TCC
continued discussion of the future of the TCC, with a consensus that the body should stay active to
oversee marketing budgets and the hiring of a dedicated marketing organization. Members noted that the
TCC is better suited than LTAC for day-to-day management and the appraisal of how tourism funds are
spent. To move forward, the group suggested revisiting TCC bylaws to strengthen membership and
improve collaboration with partners like the City of Port Townsend. While LTAC funds require a
government or non-profit fiscal sponsor,they can be utilized to hire for-profit marketing agencies to
execute the county's vision. Next steps involve drafting a formal RFP and preparing a marketing budget
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TCC Regular Meeting April 7, 2026
with specific qualifications for a Jefferson County marketing organization. A presentation to the BOCC
is scheduled for late April to gain approval and potentially align these efforts for the 2027 fiscal year.
MEMBER ROUNDTABLE:
West End Update: Member Neil
o Great March numbers
o New menus for the restaurant
o The Easter Egg hunt went well.
Member Neil excused herself from the remainder of the meeting at 3:29
Sharing tourism-related updates via a new online form:
o After discussion, the consensus of the council was to try the online form to provide
information.
Olympic Peninsula Visitor's Bureau/Olumpic Peninsula Tourism Commission Update: Member
Massey
o Attending the Seattle Trade Show representing Olympic Peninsula
o Next month will attend International Travel Trade Show
o Received good feedback from the Tourism Summit
o Working on Farm Tours for Spring and Fall
Olympic Culinary Loop: Member Shively's online report was reviewed during discussion.
Quilcene/Coyle: Member Friedman
o Gray Coast Guildhall: Launching a new series of movie nights.
o Coyle Community Center: Beginning a new concert series.
o Quilcene Lantern: Starting their event series
o Blessing of the Fleet on April 25, 2026.
o Quilcene Historical Museum: Hosting an open house at the Worthington House April 25,
2026.
Olympic Culinary Loop: Member Shively
o Referred to report provided read by Chair Dudley-Nollette.
Members Massey and Shively excused themselves from the remainder of the meeting at 3:49 p.m.
Port Ludlow Resort Update: Member Smeland
April Events
o Second Tuesday of the Month: Community Wine Tastings.
o April 16th: Rocky Pond Winemaker Dinner.
o April 30th: Truffle Dinner with River.
o Ongoing/TBD: Port Ludlow Village Players performance of the play Pets and Their
Humans.
May Events
o May 2nd: Marine Swap at the Marina
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TCC Regular Meeting April 7, 2026
o May 3rd: Michael Harrison musical performance, hosted by the Port Ludlow Performing
Arts group.
o May 10th: Mother's Day dinners and special events at the Inn.
Jefferson Transit Authority Update: Member Olsen
o May 3, 2026: Sunday service celebration party at Haynes place
NEW BUSINESS—CONTINUED:
• Discussion re: OPTC Tourism Summit reflections: Not discussed.
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS: Not discussed.
CLOSING REMARKS: Not discussed.
NOTICE OF ADJOURNMENT: Chair Dudley-Nollette adjourned the meeting at 3:54 p.m. until the
next regular meeting or special meeting as properly noticed.
Respectfully submitte•
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•TCC Clerk Date
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