POULSBO — The stage was set for a fierce competition: the annual rumble for lodging tax dollars. “You have your choice, to accept or reject each of the (requests) that have been recommended for funding,” Councilman Gary Nystul told the Poulsbo City Council at its Oct. 8 meeting.
The Poulsbo City Council approved a series of recommendations that will distribute considerable grants to local events and organizations. Each year, the city is granted a portion of taxes charged at hotels and inns within the city limits; the money returned to the city is to be used for tourism promotion. Each year, there is heavy competition from local organizations eager for a share of those tax dollars.
Organizations can be granted lodging tax funds for causes that increase tourism and in turn, bring in money to local businesses.
A total of $95,000 were up for grabs this round, to be dispersed in 2015.
The city’s Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, referred to as LTAC, makes the recommendations to the council. LTAC met on Sept. 9 to review applications for the funds. LTAC made recommendations that were then reviewed by the city’s Community Services Committee on Sept. 10. On Oct. 8, the City Council was presented with those grant recommendations.
Recommendations from LTAC added $15,000 — to be taken from the city’s reserves — to the $95,000 total, bringing the 2015 grants total to $110,000. The council approved all recommendations, seven in total, but struck down two. The council sent two items back to LTAC; items it initially denied.
LTAC denied a $15,000 grant for the North Kitsap Soccer Club and an $18,665.95 grant for the Poulsbo Sons of Norway. The decision was largely based on state regulations that prevent certain kinds of grants from lodging tax dollars.
The soccer club sought funding for a Viking Cup tournament. The event has not been held locally since 2008, but the organization wants to revive it in July 2015. LTAC granted the club no money, but the Community Services Committee suggested $2,000.
“The soccer club had a large portion that is not eligible by state law,” said Councilwoman Linda Berry-Maraist, who sits on the Community Services Committee. “We can’t fund things like referees, but they want to bring Viking Cup back. That puts heads in beds in our community. We wanted to say we still have some money on the table.”
The Sons of Norway applied for $18,665.95 in lodging tax revenues for the addition of a marketing center in the lobby of its downtown building. The funds would also pay for revitalizing the lobby to be a more welcoming Norwegian-themed room. LTAC granted the organization nothing. The Community Services Committee asked the council to grant $2,000.
“The Sons of Norway had capital projects that don’t meet the RCWs,” Berry-Maraist said. “We might want to support the Sons of Norway with some marketing. It is a beautiful organization right downtown, and it is an important project.”
The extra $4,000 for the two organizations would be drawn from the city’s reserves. The two requests will now go back to LTAC for consideration.
Lodging tax applicants
— Visit Kitsap Peninsula: Requested $21,000. Received $15,000 for tourism-related attractions and marketing support.
— Poulsbo Marketing Coalition: Requested $70,000. Received $60,000 for a strategic marketing plan to attract target tourism audiences to stay overnight in Poulsbo.
— Historic Downtown Association: Requested $26,500. Received $18,000 for collaborative marketing essential to encourage the “Little Norway” brand.
— City of Poulsbo: Requested $4,500. Received $2,000 for a Poulsbo trail guide.
— City of Poulsbo: Requested $2,200. Received $2,000 for Anderson Parkway restroom maintenance. —
City of Poulsbo: Requested $2,200. Received $2,000 for Viking Fest and 3rd of July, to fund overtime for public works employees during the events.
— City of Poulsbo: Requested $11,550. Received $11,000 for Viking Fest and 3rd of July, to fund overtime for police during the events.
Sent back to LTAC for reconsideration
— North Kitsap Soccer Club: Requested $15,000. Denied funding for Viking Cup soccer tournament. Community Services Committee recommends $2,000.
— Poulsbo Sons of Norway: Requested $18,665.95. Denied funding for a marketing center/Norwegian room in its lobby. Community Services Committee recommends $2,000 for marketing materials.
