During its regular meeting on June 16, the Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) unanimously approved an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the Town of Pagosa Springs regarding the Pagosa Springs Area Tourism Board.
Earlier that day during a BoCC work session, County Attorney Cathleen Giovannini explained that there were some “issues” brought to light late last fall when a resident filed a notice of claim against the county.
“And it really brought to light some concerns” with the agreement, Giovannini said.
She explained that the changes made to the agreement were to make it “very clear” that the county’s current 2 percent lodging tax rate must be used on advertising and marketing efforts.
“We just wanted to tighten up that agreement,” she added.
According to the IGA included with the June 16 BoCC meeting agenda, in 1987 the BoCC adopted a resolution “which established a panel to administer tourism funds derived from a Lodging Tax.”
The IGA also explains that a 1988 Archuleta County ballot measure imposed a 2 percent “tax on hotel, motel, guest ranch, campground, and all other similar accommodations for the purpose of obtaining monies in order to promote and otherwise market and attract tourism to the County of Archuleta.”
During the work session, Giovannini noted that the town has been “very gracious” in working with the county to iron out the IGA, adding that the county had some “non-negotiables” that the town agreed to.
She explained that part of the changes to the IGA included making it “very clear” that the county’s funds are segregated from the town’s funds that are generated from its 4.9 percent lodging tax rate.
Giovannini noted that the town’s funds can be used for things other than advertising and marketing.
According to the IGA, funds distributed from the tourism board shall be restricted to projects specifically identified as tourism-related, including, but not limited to: tourism department staffing, visitor center operations, promotion, advertising and visitor education of the destination, parks or venues (additions, enhancements, upgrades), trails, event-specific (festivals, pickleball, ice skating, Nordic skiing, etc.), signage, holiday lighting, infrastructure (including river access), support of workforce housing, support of child care or early childhood education, and support of first responders.
The IGA also states, “However, County Funds distributed from the Tourism Board shall be restricted to advertising and marketing activities, as set forth in C.R.S. § 30-11-107.5.”
Giovannini also spoke about the potential ballot question coming up this fall to raise the county’s lodging tax rate, explaining, “that’s an expansion of that tax” that would be able to be put toward other uses separate from funds generated from the 2 percent rate the community voted in “years ago.”
The IGA also outlines who shall be appointed to the tourism advisory board, with that including one county commissioner, one town council member, one lodging association member, one Chamber of Commerce member, one board of Realtors member, one short-term rental representative, one hospitality/recreation representative and two at-large members from the general public.
Term lengths for board members are for three years, and no member may serve more than two consecutive full terms, according to the IGA.
The IGA also defines the role of the tourism advisory board.
“The Tourism Board is a citizen’s advisory Board to the Pagosa Springs Town Council and the Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners. The purpose of the Tourism Board is to make specific recommendations to be presented by the Executive Director of Tourism relative to expenditures of both the Town and County Lodging Tax. The focus of the Board will be the promotion and management of the destination. The Parties agree that the role of the Tourism Board and its members is policy focused/advisory and not operational in nature. Policy direction includes advising staff on the annual budget, event funding, and annual marketing plan,” the IGA states.
During the meeting, Commissioner John Ranson moved to approve the IGA with the town, which was seconded and unanimously approved by the BoCC.
clayton@pagosasun.com
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