Room Tax Commission Special

Minutes Agenda City Website ↗

The Room Tax Commission voted to commit up to $125,000 over as many as five years toward renovating the Neshotah Beach concession stand, with strings attached. The funding is partly conditional on whether Parks & Rec lands a state grant and on adding an enclosed picnic shelter to the project.

Commission approved a multi-year commitment: $25,000 per year for 3 years, plus up to 2 more years at $25,000 if a state capital grant doesn’t come through—potentially $125,000 total for the Neshotah Beach concession stand renovation.

The commission tied the full $125,000 to a specific project scope: enclosing the covered picnic shelter must be included as part of the overall project.

Tourism Director Joe Metzen said the 2026 tourism budget will be updated to reflect this commitment and shared with the Explore Two Rivers Board at its Nov. 11, 2025 meeting—meaning this decision will ripple into next year’s tourism spending plan.

No public comments or communications recorded for this meeting.

REVIEW GRANT PROPOSAL AND FUNDING COMMITMENT (Action Item)
Passed 5-0
The commission voted unanimously to commit $25,000 per year for three years to support the Neshotah Beach concession stand renovation, with up to two additional years of $25,000 if Parks & Rec does not receive a state capital improvement grant. That puts as much as $125,000 of room-tax money on the line, and the commission also made the full amount contingent on adding an enclosed picnic shelter to the project scope. This is a big, multi-year bet that tourism dollars should help pay for a beach facility upgrade—worth watching because it narrows future room-tax flexibility if other needs pop up.
Roll call vote 5 yes
Curt Andrews yes
Mark Bittner yes
Rick Carey yes
Kyle Kordell yes
Bill LeClair yes