HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020/02/26 MASON COUNTY LODGING TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Meeting Minutes
Commissioners' Chambers
411 North 5t" Street, Shelton, WA 98584
Wednesday, February 26, 2020 9 : 00 a . m .
Members in Attendance : Chair Sharon Trask, Nathan Welch , Patti Tupper for Duane Wilson , Heidi
McCutcheon and Jake Geist for Shaun Tucker. Also in attendance was Rachel Hansen . Stephanie Rowland
was absent.
Chair Trask called the meeting to order at 9 : 05 a . m .
Approval of Minutes
Heidi/Nate moved and seconded to approve the November 6, 2019 meeting minutes as corrected
showing Shaun Tucker was in attendance. Motion carried.
2019 4th Quarter Reports
Heidi McCutcheon presented the 2019 4th quarter report for the Shelton Mason County Chamber Visitor
Information Center . Top post was for the Guinness Book of World Records for Most Christmas Trees lit .
Heidi brought in a map from the Hoodsport VIC that was displayed in summer 2019 where visitors could
post pins from their location . They will display another map in 2020 .
The LTAC members reviewed the North Mason Chamber of Commerce 4th quarter report that was mailed
in .
Rachel Hansen , NEO, presented the 4th quarter report for the Tourism Development and Festival Support
contract. Social media traffic has increased . The top post was for Christmastown information . NEO has
a partnership with Scenic Washington which has proved to be very successful . Rachel provided a 2019
lodging tax report from the Department of Revenue and Mason County's tax collected in 2019 increased
18 % over 2018 .
Rachel talked about participation with the Olympic Peninsula Tourism Commission ( OPTC) . Mason
County has been paying $ 3K annually to be a part of this group; she was billed $ 5K for 2020 . Rachel 's
concern is they focus on events in their area and she inquired about what additional services Mason
County will receive for the increased fee . There was a discussion of the waterfall map that is printed by
the Olympic Peninsula Tourism Commission and there is a separate website for the waterfalls . The
reprinting of the waterfall map and updating the web page is $ 17, 050 and Mason County's share is
$ 4, 260 in addition to the $ 5, 000 annual OPTC fee . Rachel asked LTAC if we should create a separate
Mason County waterfall map and website or pay the $ 4, 260 . The waterfall map is a collaborative effort of
Grays Harbor, Clallam and Jefferson Counties . There was a discussion of whether to continue with this
waterfall map . Rachel has negotiated the annual fee for OPTC down to $4, 000 . To create our own
waterfall map and website, Rachel estimated the cost would be $ 4, 000 to $ 6, 000 and Rachel believes it
would be a better product . The final decision was to continue a membership with the OPTC at the
$ 4, 000 and not pay to be part of their waterfall map but create our own waterfall map that includes the
entire area .
Rachel also applied for a Port of Seattle tourism grant which ranked high however because NEO is not a
non - profit DMO she was not awarded this year and will apply again next year and ask Mason County to
sponsor the grant request . The funding would pass through to NEO which Rachel intends to use to pay
for travel show fees .
Rachel will be attending travel shows in Vancouver and Dallas .
LTAC February 26 , 2020 meeting minutes
NEO has published their 121h issue of Tracing the Fjord magazine in which lodging tax pays for a center
section that has a map and lodging information .
Rachel shared a topographical map that she will provide to the concierge partners . She is working on the
concierge handbook and is hopeful to have something available in March .
There was no public comment .
The next meeting will be in April for 1st quarter reports .
The meeting adjourned at 10 : 40 a . m .
LODGING TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MASON COUNTY, WASHINGTON
ATTEST .
LTAC CI rk Chair