It may be awhile – if ever — before the Yachats City Council forms a special committee of business owners to help determine how to spend lodging taxes collected by the city.
The idea of a committee came up in February after the council proposed increasing the city’s lodging tax by one percentage point to 10 percent. That idea was almost unanimously opposed by motel and vacation rental managers who said, coupled with the city’s 5 percent food and beverage tax, an increase could discourage tourists from visiting the city.
The business owners and council agreed to look at the idea of a special committee to examine the current and future use of lodging taxes and suggest ways to increase off-season tourism.
But a discussion of that committee floundered Wednesday during a council work session. Mayor John Moore wondered if a legal requirement to have the committee follow Oregon’s open meetings laws would hamper it.
Councilor Max Glenn said he wanted any group to focus on enhancing off-season tourism “in contrast to a watchdog group that watches how we spend visitor amenity funds.” Councilor Leslie Vaaler said she would prefer that if a committee is formed that it have more than just business owners on it.
The city currently collects more than $1 million a year via a 9 percent tax on motel and vacation rental stays. About 60 percent of that goes to general operating expenses; 40 percent is required to be spent on visitor amenities, which is broadly defined.
Moore also prodding business owners to revitalize the small Yachats Chamber of Commerce. Other council members, including the past council, have wondered aloud about the effectiveness of the Yachats Visitors Center.
Moore said he would meet with visitor center director Bev Wilson to see what she could suggest.
Councilor Jim Tooke said the Lincoln County economic development officials are looking at countywide tourism issues and offered to contact them.
In other business Wednesday, the council:
- Approved a yearly contract of $12,973 with a one-time startup fee of $12,880 to install a new financial software system by July. The Springbrook software system is used and recommended by the Cascade West Council of Governments, which is providing two-day-a-week finance help to the city. City Manager Shannon Beaucaire said the current system is excessively labor intensive and cannot produce good financial reports. The city is spending about $8,500 a year on the current system, she said.
- Heard that the public works department will open bids in May to pave West First Street and East Second Street but the work won’t be done until after Labor Day. An engineer’s estimates for both came in under budget.
- Asked for volunteers to help with the city’s annual “clean sweep” event June 20-23.
- Moved the council’s 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 17 meeting to the multipurpose room when it hopes a big turnout will help decide a direction for a proposed one-way portion of Ocean View Drive. The county and city are working on a plan to repair the road and turn the street over to Yachats.
- Reappointed Brad Webb to the city Budget Committee.