PORT ANGELES — The revival of the Port Angeles Downtown Association continued this week when the City Council agreed to release $33,170 in funds that were embargoed in July due to poor performance and unanimously awarded the once-beleaguered organization a new contract through 2016.
The new agreement approved Tuesday also reduces the organization’s scope.
The contract calls for the city to take over parking lot maintenance, formerly done by the downtown association, and for the association to receive the $33,170 in Parking and Business Improvement Area (PBIA) tax proceeds.
Promotion
The PBIA taxes, levied on businesses, pay for parking maintenance and promote public events and retail trade.
The PBIA funding consists of taxes based on the square footage of downtown businesses that are within the downtown PBIA and that pass through the city to the PADA.
Nathan West, city community and economic development director, said Thursday that now the city will pay for parking lot maintenance with the combined maximum $27,000 in proceeds from downtown parking decals and the First Street Plaza lease that provides parking for the state Department of Social and Health Services.
The PADA previously had been criticized by city officials for poorly administering those funds.
Association praised
The downtown association, which has several new board members since last summer, was roundly praised at Tuesday’s meeting.
The comments were in sharp contrast to a Nov. 18 meeting when council members criticized the PADA for failing to meet the needs of downtown businesses.
“We are really pleased you have pulled this together to make things happen,” Councilman Dan Gase said at Tuesday’s meeting.
The PADA also was criticized at the Nov. 18 meeting for not more aggressively urging businesses to participate in the state Main Street Program’s business-and-occupation (B&O) tax incentive program.
The program allows entrepreneurs to devote a percentage of their B&O taxes to the Main Street downtown improvement program administered by the PADA.
The PADA was eligible for $133,000 in B&O proceeds in 2014 and had pledges of $7,000 with six weeks remaining in the year.
Presentation
In his presentation to the council Tuesday, board President Josh Rancourt, general manager of Country Aire Natural Foods, said the pool of B&O tax-credit funds available to the PADA for 2015 was used up before the organization could begin a campaign to generate participation.
The plan to generate B&O pledges for 2016 includes donating funds to renovate the Lincoln Theater once the facility is purchased and for putting together a business recruitment, development and support program.
Rancourt said that on the plus side, the board had increased membership input and communication, developed new sources of funding, met with more than 90 percent of association members and planned events for 2015.
Reduced expenditures
He said that when PADA offices relocate to the upstairs offices of the visitor center operated by the Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce at 121 E. Railroad Ave., PADA expenditures will be reduced by 61 percent and contact with visitors will be increased.
West said in a report to the council that the PADA also is expected to “pursue a more self-sustaining approach” that should result in less financial support from the city in future years.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5060, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
