Chapter 2.76
LODGING TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Sections:
2.76.070 Conflict of interest.
2.76.090 Committee member term limits.
2.76.010 Committee created.
A lodging tax advisory committee (LTAC) is hereby created. The LTAC shall be comprised of seven voting members, consisting of individuals nominated by the mayor and appointed by the city council from the groups identified in subsections (1)(A), (B), (C), (D), and (E) of this section. Members of the LTAC are required to be residents, owners or employees of businesses located within the city of Westport.
(1) Voting members shall be as follows:
(A) One member shall be a Westport city council member, who shall serve as the chair of the committee, nominated by the mayor and appointed by the council. The full LTAC committee shall elect a chairman pro tem.
(B) Three members shall be representatives of businesses located in the city of Westport and required to collect the special excise tax in accordance with Chapter 3.42 WMC. Terms for these two positions shall be staggered so that only one member’s term expires in each calendar year.
(C) One member shall be a representative of the charter fishing industry located in the city of Westport and involved in activities authorized to be funded by revenue received from the tax. The term of this position shall expire at the end of every even year.
(D) One member shall be a representative of the Visitor’s Information Center. This member’s term shall be staggered with the member in subsection (1)(E) of this section so that only one member’s term expires in each calendar year.
(E) One member shall be a representative at large who is involved in activities authorized to be funded by revenue received from the tax. Persons who are eligible for appointment under subsections (1)(A), (B), (C) and (D) of this section are not eligible for appointment under this subsection (1)(E).
(2) The mayor and city council shall review the membership on an annual basis and make changes as appropriate. Vacancies on the committee shall be nominated by the mayor and appointed by the city council. All the names of the volunteers applying for open LTAC positions will be forwarded to the city council with the mayor’s recommendation for consideration.
(3) The city council retains full authority to fill vacant positions and appoint members; provided, that the mayor shall nominate individuals to be considered for appointment of vacancies. Organizations with which members are associated shall have no authority to replace, substitute or otherwise appoint members.
(4) Individuals appointed to fill short or unexpired terms shall serve the remaining portion of the term of the vacant position such that the staggering of terms in accordance with this section is not interrupted. (Ord. 1569 § 1, 2014; Ord. 1543 § 1, 2013; Ord. 1454 § 1, 2009)
2.76.020 Powers and duties.
The lodging tax advisory committee’s primary function shall be to advise the city council on ways to expend the special excise tax funds received by the city. The LTAC shall have no authority to approve or disapprove the expenditure of funds received by the city. The LTAC may advise and assist the city council in developing strategies to expand tourism and the long-term stability of the lodging tax fund. All promotion requests for LTAC funding must be accompanied by a LTAC grant program request proposal. (Ord. 1569 § 1, 2014; Ord. 1454 § 1, 2009)
2.76.030 Quorum.
A quorum of the LTAC shall be a majority of the persons currently serving as voting members of the LTAC. A quorum must be present in order for a vote to be taken on a recommendation to go to the city council. (Ord. 1569 § 1, 2014; Ord. 1454 § 1, 2009)
2.76.040 Procedure.
(1) All business of the LTAC shall be guided by “Robert’s Rules of Order.”
(2) A chairman pro tempore shall be elected by the LTAC yearly at the first meeting in January. In the absence of the appointed chairman, the chairman pro tempore shall have all the authority and fulfill all the duties included in this chapter.
(3) The chair shall propose an agenda for meetings, shall preside at all meetings, and shall vote on matters being voted on by the LTAC. The chair or designee shall provide a report to the council after each LTAC meeting.
(4) The LTAC shall adopt a written policy of LTAC practices and implementation procedures for accomplishing council decisions to be approved by the city council not inconsistent with this chapter or other direction of the city council.
(5) Special meetings shall only be conducted if there is insufficient time to allow for an important advertising decision to be made at the next regularly scheduled LTAC meeting. The LTAC chair will approve and schedule any emergency meetings. Notice for all special meetings of the LTAC shall be provided in compliance with the requirements of RCW 42.30.080. (Ord. 1569 § 1, 2014; Ord. 1454 § 1, 2009)
2.76.050 Meetings.
LTAC meetings, open to the public, shall be conducted in a city owned facility. The LTAC shall set a meeting day and time to be held every month. The LTAC will appoint their own secretary to transcribe the meeting minutes. (Ord. 1569 § 1, 2014; Ord. 1474, 2010; Ord. 1454 § 1, 2009)
2.76.060 Voting.
Each voting member is entitled to one vote. All matters establishing policies, recommendations or decisions shall be decided by a majority vote of voting members present. (Ord. 1569 § 1, 2014; Ord. 1454 § 1, 2009)
2.76.070 Conflict of interest.
No member of the LTAC shall make or vote on individual or overall recommendations, nor use their position to influence the LTAC or city council, if they are directly financially benefited by the funding of any application during the current grant cycle. (Ord. 1569 § 1, 2014; Ord. 1454 § 1, 2009)
2.76.080 Expenses.
The members of the LTAC shall receive no compensation and are not eligible for reimbursement of expenses incidental to serve on the LTAC. The LTAC may request specific financial support necessary to carry out its responsibilities by a request made, in advance, to the mayor or his designee and approved by the council. (Amended during 4/15 supplement; Ord. 1569 § 1, 2014; Ord. 1454 § 1, 2009)
2.76.090 Committee member term limits.
A term of membership on the LTAC committee shall be two calendar years, commencing January 1st and ending at the expiration of December 31st in the second year. No member appointed to a position representing the businesses required to collect the tax, or appointed to a position representing individuals or entities funded by revenue received from the tax, shall be appointed to serve for more than three consecutive full terms. Any person serving three consecutive full terms shall not be appointed to a new term until a minimum of one calendar year has passed from the end of their last consecutive term. Short terms and unexpired terms shall not count toward this limitation. The term limit shall not be construed to create an entitlement to a second or third term of membership on the committee. (Ord. 1569 § 1, 2014; Ord. 1454 § 1, 2009)
2.76.100 Grounds for removal.
A member of the LTAC may be removed during their term only for sufficient cause. “Sufficient cause” means:
(1) Absence for two consecutive meetings without prior approval from the chair.
(2) Violation of the public trust or malfeasance.
The LTAC does not have the authority to remove a member for sufficient cause but may, by majority vote, forward a recommendation to the council for their consideration. A member of the LTAC may only be removed by a majority vote of the council upon finding of sufficient cause.
Once a member has been removed, the procedures of WMC 2.76.010 shall be followed to appoint a replacement to serve the remainder of the vacant position. (Ord. 1569 § 1, 2014; Ord. 1454 § 1, 2009)
2.76.110 Implementation.
(1) The current LTAC consists of seven members. Members serving on the LTAC at the time the ordinance codified in this chapter goes into effect shall continue serving as members until new members are appointed by the council. Upon making the initial appointments, the council will designate the individual they are replacing. The terms for the three remaining positions that are not being renewed as part of the ordinance codified in this chapter expire immediately upon the appointment of the last individual to fill the positions created in WMC 2.76.010.
(2) Terms served on the LTAC by any individual prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter who are subsequently appointed by the council to a new term do not count as consecutive terms served under WMC 2.76.090.
(3) The initial term for the representatives listed in WMC 2.76.010(1)(A) and (D), and one of the representatives listed in WMC 2.76.010(1)(B) and (C), shall expire at the end of the first calendar year after appointment. The initial term for the remaining representatives listed in WMC 2.76.010(1)(B) and (C), and the representative listed in WMC 2.76.010(E), shall expire at the end of the second calendar year after appointment in order to establish a staggered term arrangement. All subsequent appointments shall follow the process of WMC 2.76.010. (Ord. 1569 § 1, 2014; Ord. 1454 § 1, 2009)