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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOW 2003-10-13 Item 4D - Resolution - Number of Members on Lodging Tax Advisory BoardCAS Number: 03-129 Agenda Item Title: I Original Sponsor: I Timeline: Sponsor's Summary: Recommendations: Sponsor: Committee: Administration: Cost Impact (if !mown): I Fund Source (if!mown): Meeting Date 10/13/03 10/13/03 10/13/03 COUNCIL AGENDA SYNOPSIS Meeting Date 10/13/03 03 la1 Prepared by ARD MSS I Meeting Date I 10/13/03 Initials 1 Mayor's review 1 Council review 1 1 R2 -13 1 F5I J 1 1 1, I 1 I I 1 I I Original Agenda Date: 10/13/03 Approve as requested Finance Safety Committee agreed to move forward at October 6, 2003 meeting. Same as sponsor N/A N/A 0 *5 .4." Action tifir Attachments I Proposed resolution to increase the number of members Minutes from the May 22, 2003 Lodging Tax Advisory Committee meeting. Minutes from the October 6, 2003 Finance Safety Committee meeting ITEM NO. Resolution increasing the number of members on the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee from 7 to 9. Council Admin. X Approve at October 20, 2003 Regular Meeting Lodging Tax Committee recommended increasing the number of members from 7 to 9. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, INCREASING THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE LODGING TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE FROM SEVEN TO NINE MEMBERS AND AMENDING RESOLUTION NO. 1381. WHEREAS, Resolution No. 1381, passed by the Tukwila City Council on September 22, 1997, authorized the City to create a Lodging Tax Advisory Committee with seven members; and WHEREAS, the City deems that an increase to a nine member committee is in the best interest of promoting the tourism function; NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The membership of the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee shall be appointed by the City Council, and shall consist of the following nine members: one member shall be an elected official of the City who shall serve as chair; four members shall be representatives of businesses required to collect the tax; and four members shall be persons involved in activities authorized to be funded by revenue received from the tax. The City Council will review the membership on an annual basis and make changes as appropriate. Vacancies on the committee shall be filled by the City Council. Section 2. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon passage. PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, at a Regular Meeting thereof this day of 2003. ATTEST /AUTHENTICATED: Jane E. Cantu, CMC, City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM BY: Office of the City Attorney LODGING TAX ADVISORY COMMI REE. DOC Pam Carter, Council President Filed with the City Clerk: Passed by the City Council: Resolution Number: City of Tukwila Lodging Tax Advisory Board MINUTES Attendance: Pam Carter, Tina Tufts, Bill Hayes, Dwight McLean, Donna Rios, Michael Miller, Alan Doerschel, Steve Mullet, Kari Gallaway, Lisa Pacini, Rhonda Berry Absent: Katherine Kertzman, Louis Haslett 1. Budget Informational Update Overall budget is on track. Thursday, May 22, 2003 12:00 p.m. 1:30 p.m. Location: DoubleTree Guest Suites, Pinnacle Boardroom 2. Outcomes Report— Informational Update Kari presented the outcome reports with Board discussion regarding the Outcomes Report, Web Reservation Stats„ Revenues, Website Stats and 1 -800 phone calls. 800# phone calls are increasing could be helpful that SSVS has the only 800# in the area. It was pointed out that revenue is up slightly from same time last year and that Tukwila is holding its own with other comparable cities. 3. 2003 Joint Projects Informational Update (Staff) a. Website Reservation Staff Training Completed b. Maintaining Website ongoing. Staff requested photos, press releases, and updates from all members. Discussion ensued regarding community events. The mayor would like all community events listed. The Council President suggested a Community Bulletin Board that SSVS could link to, which would allow the city as well as the schools and the community center to access and update it. c. On -line Reservations Ongoing d. On -line Promotions and Special Offers Meeting with Comfort Suites /Family Fun Center, Rainforest Cafe Museum of Flight scheduled for June 4 This will be the trial package. e. Printed Coupon Book SSVS is looking to hire part -time sales to help sell the concept to the area businesses. Coupon Book will be distributed to people who make hotel reservations on- line and convention attendees. f. Restaurant Book– a book is being developed for SeaTac hotels and will include all SeaTac Tukwila restaurants. g. Website Photography ongoing search for new and high resolution photos. SSVS is talking to two freelance photographers. h. Press Room Ongoing i. Advertising Campaign is in full swing. Sunset and VIA continue to be a good draw. SSVS is exploring on -line advertising as well. j. Networking SSVS staff continue to attend meetings with Seattle CVB, Tacoma CVB, WA State Group Travel Assoc., WSHLA and Puget Sound Attractions Council k. Special Events discussed Memorial Day event at Museum of Flight and Fourth of July at Ft. Dent as well as Tukwila Days. L Marketing Foster Golf Links announced that SSVS will do the marketing of the golf course and that Katherine was attending a conference specifically for this purpose. m. Starfire Soccer Stadium SSVS staff to meet with the new marketing director this week. 4. Proposed Board Expansion— Recommended for Approval Alan proposed expanding the board from seven members to nine members one hotelier and one attraction /restaurant representative —was proposed. Board approved. Alan Doerschel will follow -up with Mayor and Council President on next steps. 5. WSHLA— Recommended for Denial Lisa explained that WSHLA was disappointed with its customer service from its on -line hotel reservation company. WSHLA approached SSVS about handling their on -line hotel reservations. After much discussion between the two entities, it was determined that SSVS would recommend to the Joint LTAB that this opportunity should not be pursued. It is cost prohibitive and outside SSVS' scope and mission. 6. Port of Seattle— Informational Update Lisa explained Seattle CVB distributes members' information in the kiosk. Those members pay for distribution. The Port is considering enhancing visitor information services at Sea -Tac airport and will be requesting proposals from qualified providers. At this point SSVS is leaning towards recommending to the Joint Advisory Committees that we not pursue the RFP for the following reasons: majority of tourists who land at the airport already have hotel and car reservations made, the location of the kiosk is not highly visible, staffing would need to be increased and become a seven day a week venture, on -line reservations would have to be immediate and that is costly. Also, SSVS does not have an interest in competing with Seattle CVB. 7. Convention and Visitors Bureau— Item was stricken from the agenda. 8. Announcements Recommended for Approval Dwight proposed SSVS place `Funded by hotel /motel tax from SeaTac Tukwila" where possible on all advertising materials, provided space is adequate. 9. Next Meetings Joint Lodging Tax Advisory Board Meeting—June 11th, 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Seattle Marriott, 3201 S. 176'" St. SeaTac Finance and Safety Committee October 6, 2003 Present: Joe Duffle, Chair; Jim Haggerton, Richard Simpson Alan Doerschel, Rhonda Berry, Lucy Lauterbach 1. Refinancing 1994 Bond Issue In 1994 the City issued bonds for building a new community center and fire station. The committee considered a new bond to replace those older bonds at a lesser rate that will save the City money. This was not done with the other recent bond to avoid a limit for the bonding. A chart showed savings of about $26,000 each year until the bonds mature in 2014. This will be handled in the same manner as the recent bond, with the final interest numbers being added on the night of the Council meeting the bond is on the agenda.. Recommend bond to COW. 2. Cancellation of Accounts Receivable Each year the City gives up on collecting some revenues owed it because neither the city nor the collection agency is able to get the funds. The largest bill is owed by Loews Theater, which went bankrupt. Another large fee was from David L. Wilson, who damaged city property (sewer facility) and is not able to pay the cost. Alan said the $18,974 amount is about what is has always been. Recommend issue to COW. 3. Write Off of Warrants. Checks and Gift Certificates Just as the City is owed some monies it cannot collect, so do some people not cash city certificates or small checks. The largest credit balances come from the court, and golf course certificates are also often unused. After understanding how that happens, the committee recommended the resolution. Recommend resolution to COW. 4. Witness Fee Increase Because the current level of funding witnesses is $200 every two week period, it is often not enough, and court personnel have to come to Finance for more funding. By raising the amount to $500, it should allow the court to pay witness vouchers as they get them. Alan will need to do a budget amendment. Recommend increase in revolvinu fund to COW. 5. 2003 Budget Amendment Alan went through the items in the budget amendment. They have all but one been to Council before. On the revenue side, a grant for Foster playground came in, and in the spring some summer help was hired to help clean the parks. There was a large payoff of unused vacation/sick leave for John McFarland who was a PERS 1 employee. Extra funds for ACC and for the DC lobby firm of Michelle Guigere who was re -hired after the first of the year added costs. Funds were added to demolish the burned house on Poverty Hill (the money will be put as a lien against the house). We got money from six cities for V -Net, as we are the financial city for that fund now. The proceeds and expenditures from the bond recently passed are included, as are costs for the new bond being considered now. Recommend ordinance to COW. 6. Lodging Tax Advisory Board Two new members are being added to the LTAB, bringing the number on the Board to 9. Alan said the new members should be good additions: one is from the Doubletree and one from Starfire, so a contributor and beneficiary balance one another. An ordinance will be needed to make the formal change. Recommend issue to COW. Committee chair approval