PORT TOWNSEND — A handful of tourism-centered organizations have voluntarily agreed to reduce the amount of grant funding received by a hotel/motel lodging tax to prepare for significant shortfalls in 2021.
The Board of Jefferson County Commissioners approved in their consent agenda Monday the reduction in funding for tourism-oriented organizations such as the Jefferson County Historical Society, the Forks Chamber of Commerce, the Jefferson County Parks & Recreation division and the Quilcene Historical Museum.
The funds reduced this year are earmarked to possibly be redistributed back to the organizations in 2021, as the organizations and county prepare for an even larger reduction in lodging tax funds due to decreases in tourism and festivals as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, officials said.
The Forks Chamber of Commerce was initially granted $49,470 in for 2020, but a reduction of $4,470 was about equal to the money the chamber saved due to not staffing its office at the beginning of the pandemic, said Lissy Andros, Forks Chamber executive director. Instead, the chamber will receive $45,000.
“We want to be as frugal as possible this year, so we have something to work with next year,” Andros said. “Basically, because we were closed, we weren’t spending any money on staffing.”
The Jefferson County Historical Society was initially granted $72,500 to staff and operate the Olympic Peninsula Gateway Visitor Center, and that fund has been reduced to by $10,465 to $62,035, board documents said.
The historical society relies on the grant funding to cover staff funding and advertising. However, the society covered some of the costs due to a Paycheck Protection Program loan, said Shelley Leavens, executive director.
“The unknown of 2021 and that fund is, it’s unfortunate that we don’t have any historical data to look at, there’s no knowing how the loss of a summer tourism … how that will affect the fund,” Leavens said. “I don’t think anyone knows.”
The Jefferson County Parks & Recreation division was initially granted $44,159 but volunteered a refund to the county of $9,023 and will keep $35,136 to continue operation of county campgrounds, board documents said.
The Quilcene Historical Museum was initially granted $44,430 but volunteered to a reduction of $11,215 and will use the remaining $33,215 to promote tourism in the county, board documents said.
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Jefferson County reporter Zach Jablonski can be reached by email at zjablonski@peninsuladailynews.com or by phone at 360-385-2335, ext. 5.
