Members of the Oak Harbor City Council won’t be able to simply issue the city’s chamber of commerce $80,000 checks anymore.
At least not without the say-so of a seven-member committee.
Last year, the members of the City Council voted to give the chamber $80,000 over the objection of Oak Harbor Mayor Scott Dudley.
The mayor proposed diverting those funds toward efforts to bring more special events to the city.
A change in state law means that the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee will decide what organizations get lodging tax dollars, which is supposed to be earmarked toward projects that draw out-of-town visitors to the city.
In the past, the committee was only an advisory one, but the City Council got the final say. Now, the council still must approve the recommendations, but it cannot increase the amount, nor can it award money the committee didn’t approve; it can, however, remove items from the list.
Christine Cribb, the new executive director for the Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce, said she doesn’t see the change in the process as a problem, but rather an opportunity.
It will give her a chance to show the committee and community all of the good work the chamber does, she said.
“I’m excited,” Cribb said. “Everyone seems to be extremely supportive of the chamber.”
During a recent interview, Dudley said the chamber “automatically” got the funds in the past, but that has changed.
“Going forward, they’ll have to apply for it,” he said, “and justify why they need the dollars.”
Dudley said he is supportive of the chamber, especially now that Cribb is at the helm. He said he appreciates that she reached out to the city administration.
Cribb and Dudley both said they look forward to a good working relationship.
Dudley said he’s more interested in the large reserve fund that’s been sitting in the bank for years.
The lodging tax, also known as “2 percent funds,” brings in about $180,000 a year, according to Finance Director Doug Merriman. There’s currently $600,000 in the fund, some of which was earmarked years ago for a downtown clock tower.
Merriman said the committee usually gives out the amount that came in that year.
Dudley said the large fund balance should be used to bring more visitors to the city, which is the whole point of the tax, he said.
That decision won’t be up to the mayor.
The lodging tax committee is composed of three people who represent lodging facilities, three people who represent groups that would receive the money and a member of the City Council.
The committee is expected to make its recommendations in November or December.
