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Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
Special Meeting Minutes
April 29, 2020 – 10:00 a.m.
Jefferson County Commissioners Chambers
1820 Jefferson Street, Port Townsend, WA
Members: Diana Smeland, Shelly Leavens, Larry McKeehan, Joe Alfano and Greg Brotherton
Staff: County Administrator Philip Morley and Executive Assistant Leslie Locke
Chair Greg Brotherton called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. Members Shelly Leavens and Larry
McKeehan participated in the meeting remotely. Members Diana Smeland and Joe Alfano joined
remotely shortly after the meeting began.
Approval of Special Meeting Minutes of November 6, 2019: Member Leavens moved to approve the
Special Meeting Minutes of November 6, 2019. Member McKeehan seconded the motion. The motion
carried.
Discussion and Possible Action: 2020 Grant Funding Awards and Possible Adjustments: Chair
Brotherton stated that due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Governor’s Stay Home-Stay Safe Order,
local events have been canceled, businesses have closed and tourism has been affected. Lodging tax
funds rely on revenue from tourism. Although the 2020 grant funding has been allocated, the recipients
have been asked if all or a portion of their grant funding can be reduced or deferred until 2021. The table
below shows the 2020 funding amounts, the potential revision and the responses from the recipients.
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Special Meeting Minutes: April 29, 2020
Presentation re: Affordable Housing: Justine Gonzalez-Berg with Housing Solutions Network
discussed the need for affordable housing in Jefferson County. She said that minimum and low wage
employees work at the establishments which promote tourism. It is difficult to hire and maintain the level
of service-workers needed, if there is not affordable housing for them. In 2015, the Washington State
Legislature passed SHB 1223 which revised RCW 67.28.150 and 67.28.160 allowing lodging taxes to be
used to finance loans or grants to non-profits for affordable housing located within .5 miles of a transit
station. Discussion continued regarding affordable housing and the tourism industry.
Discussion re: 2021 Request for Proposals (RFP): Tabled for a future meeting.
Discussion re: Future Meeting Schedule: The Committee discussed possible dates for the next meeting.
The Committee concurred to schedule a Special Meeting for Wednesday, July 15, 2020 at 10:00 a.m.
Discussion and Possible Action: 2020 Grant Funding Awards and Possible Adjustments-
Continued: After discussion, Chair Brotherton stated that he will contact each funding recipient to
explain that if they want to substitute different work under the 2020 awards, they will need to submit a
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proposal which will be reviewed on July 15. If they can make changes to reduce funds needed, those
funds will be earmarked for the same project in subsequent years, but the agreements can be signed now.
If they need all the funds, agreements can be signed, but the LTAC will request another financial
evaluation this year to see if reductions are possible. Funds that are not used and subsequently returned to
the County will be earmarked for those organizations.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by:
Leslie Locke, Executive Assistant
Jefferson County Commissioners’ Office
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