Towns' tourism fund plans detailed

Three representatives of area organizations went mining for a slice of Grand Coulee’s lodging tax funds for 2016, and they came out winners.

Now it all depends on the city council passing its new budget, a task that will likely happen in December.

Peggy Nevsimal, executive director of the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce, attended the city council last Tuesday to ask for $13,325, for advertising and promoting the area. She got it.

George Kohout, president of the Ridge Riders Saddle Club, asked for $12,500. He got his amount.

And Bob Valen, president of the Coulee Area Park and Recreation District, asked for $7,500. He got it.

Also in the preliminary budget is $4,000 for the Coulee Corridor Consortium.

All that depends on passage of the city’s budget in December.

Earlier this month, Electric City’s preliminary budget showed lodging tax fund expenditures for 2016 proposed at: $30,000 to the chamber; $10,000 to the Ridge Riders; $5,000 to the park district; $1,000 for Coulee Pioneer Museum; and $1,000 for Coulee Corridor.

Electric City’s council will finalize its budget in December.

Coulee Dam’s preliminary budget for 2016 shows $22,000 to the chamber.

Coulee Dam gives its lodging tax money in a lump sum, with the understanding that if there are other requests, they are to be made to the chamber.

Last year, out of the Coulee Dam apportionment, the chamber sent $6,000 to the Ridge Riders, $1,000 to Okanogan County Tourism, and $2,000 to the park district.

Coulee Dam also takes some $28,000 from the fund, generated by taxing motel rooms, for costs associated with keeping up two parks it says qualify for the tourism promotion money, Douglas Park and Mason City Memorial Park.