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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Lodging Tax Advisory Committee - 05/07/2020 (2) Page 1 of 4 Approved Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Lodging Tax Advisory Committee-Special Meeting Minutes May 7, 2020 Date: May 7, 2020 Time: 4:10 p.m. Place: THIS IS A REMOTE MEETING Attending: Bill Boyce, Chair John Casey, Gaila Gutierrez, Tim Higgins, Andrew Hutchison, David Kwok, Erin McCallum Agenda: 1. Call to Order 4:10 p.m. 2. Roll Call Attendee Name Title Status Arrived Bill Boyce Chair Remote John Casey Remote Gaila Gutierrez Remote Tim Higgins Remote Andrew Hutchison Remote David Kwok Remote Erin McCallum Remote Bryan Powell Remote Zenovia Harris Absent 3. Changes to the Agenda 4. Approval of the Minutes - March 5, 2020 1. Approval of Minutes dated March 5, 2020 MOTION: Move to approve the Minutes dated March 5, 2020 RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS] MOVER: Erin McCallum SECONDER: Tim Higgins AYES: Boyce, Casey, Gutierrez, Higgins, Hutchison, Kwok, McCallum, Powell 5. Budget Update - Shane Sorenson Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Lodging Tax Advisory Committee-Special Meeting Minutes May 7, 2020 Kent, Washington Page 2 of 4 Lodging Tax revenue forecast is not good given the Stay Home Stay Healthy Order. Finance department has researched local projections and provides the following scenarios (with source cited): Low Impact: 36.9% decline in 2020 per CBRE Research Group (loss of $105K in revenues) Medium Impact: 50.6% decline in 2020 per STR and Tourism Economics Group (loss of $146K in revenues) High Impact: 60% decline in 202 per Baird Equity Research Group (loss of $175K in revenues) January 2020 - +5% over January 2019 February 2020 - -38% over February 2019 Data on Lodging Tax revenue is 2 months behind. Committee members request that they be kept updated with the monthly comparisons as the year progresses. 6. Administrative Allocation from Lodging Tax Revenues to 2020 Economic and Community Development Budget - Authorize MOTION: Authorize the transfer of 6% of lodging tax revenues annually to the budget of the Economic Development division of the Economic and Community Development Department in consideration of its costs associated with supporting the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, amend the budget and authorize expenditure of the funds. RESULT: TABLED [0 TO 0] Next: 5/21/2020 4:00 PM MOVER: Bill Boyce, Chair SECONDER: John Casey ABSTAIN: Boyce, Casey, Gutierrez, Higgins, Hutchison, Kwok, McCallum, Powell 7. Re-allocation of Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Funds for Business Recovery Efforts - Authorize MOTION: Authorize the Mayor to reallocate $50,000 from funds previously awarded for outside consulting to the Economic Development team to support new business recovery initiatives, in light of the economic crisis brought about by Covid-19, subject to final terms and conditions acceptable to the Economic and Community Development Director and City Attorney. Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Lodging Tax Advisory Committee-Special Meeting Minutes May 7, 2020 Kent, Washington Page 3 of 4 RESULT: RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL [6 TO 2] Next: 5/12/2020 4:00 PM MOVER: Erin McCallum SECONDER: Gaila Gutierrez, Executive Director AYES: Boyce, Casey, Gutierrez, Higgins, McCallum, Powell NAYS: Hutchison, Kwok 8. Cancellation of Award Cycle(s) Chair Boyce proposes to cancel all grant awards for the remainder of the calendar year. MOTION: Recommend to Council the cancellation of sponsorship awards from Lodging Tax Funds for the Spring 2020 cycle, in light of anticipated reduced revenues due to Covid-19 and the many restrictions on public events in the near term. RESULT: ADOPTED AS AMENDED [UNANIMOUS] MOVER: David Kwok SECONDER: Erin McCallum AYES: Boyce, Casey, Gutierrez, Higgins, Hutchison, Kwok, McCallum, Powell 9. Reduce Jay Ray Award for Tourism Marketing Committee members express that new scope needs to emphasize general tourism Committee wants to see and approve of the new scope MOTION: Recommend to Council to Reduce the Lodging Tax funds previously awarded by an amount of $45,000.00. RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS] MOVER: John Casey SECONDER: Gaila Gutierrez, Executive Director AYES: Boyce, Casey, Gutierrez, Higgins, Hutchison, Kwok, McCallum, Powell 10. Reduce Seattle Thunderbirds Marketing Assistance Grant Award the Thunderbirds $45,000, city retains $21,780 - memo drafter misunderstood the change to the grant award. MOTION: Recommend to Council the reduction of the previously awarded $66,780 grant to $21,780. RESULT: ADOPTED AS AMENDED [UNANIMOUS] MOVER: Erin McCallum SECONDER: John Casey AYES: Boyce, Casey, Gutierrez, Higgins, Hutchison, Kwok, McCallum, Powell 11. Reduce Grant Award to Kent Chamber of Commerce Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Lodging Tax Advisory Committee-Special Meeting Minutes May 7, 2020 Kent, Washington Page 4 of 4 Memo should read that the grant will be reduced to $19,000, meaning that the city will retain $6,000 of the original grant award. MOTION: Recommend to Council the reduction of the previously awarded $25,000 grant to $18,750. RESULT: ADOPTED AS AMENDED [UNANIMOUS] MOVER: Bryan Powell SECONDER: John Casey AYES: Boyce, Casey, Gutierrez, Higgins, Hutchison, Kwok, McCallum, Powell 12. Adjournment 6:00 p.m. Committee Secretary