By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The city accepted its first application today for appointment to the Tourism Task Force the Assembly created with adoption of a resolution at Tuesday’s regular meeting.
Forms are posted on the city webpage cityofsitka.com under Current News. In-person applications also are being accepted at the city clerk’s office on the third floor of city hall.
The Assembly will make appointments to the nine-member committee in these categories: Sitka Tribe of Alaska, Sustainability Commission, Port and Harbors Commission, downtown business corridor, tours and attractions, business in general, Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal, and community at large (two seats).
STA, the Sustainability Commission, and the Port and Harbors Commission will submit the names of those whom they wish the Assembly to appoint as their representatives on the task force.
The task force will have ex-officio (non-voting) members from Visit Sitka, city staff and the Assembly, and the meetings will be open to the public.
The Sustainability Commission has set noon March 19 as the deadline for applications to be submitted to represent the commission on the task force. Port and Harbors will receive applications through April 5. The city will accept applications for all other positions on the task force through April 19, and the Assembly is scheduled to appoint task force members on April 25.
The resolution passed on Tuesday says,
“... the Task Force shall have five main directives to explore and make recommendations on:
1. Levels of tourism in Sitka
2. Annual review cycle of CBS operations and tourism funding
3. Assisting in the development of a Tourism Management Best Practices (TMBP) program
4. Land use regulations and waterfront development policies
5. Regional strategies to advance Sitka’s interests regarding cruise tourism.”
A final directive in the resolution states that the task force will make final recommendations to the Assembly by April 30, 2024, and, based on its recommendations, the Assembly “may pursue the establishment of a permanent Tourism Commission to advise the Assembly on tourism-related issues.”
Chris Ystad, a co-sponsor of the task force resolution, said he doesn’t think it will be hard to attract members to the panel. He said he knows one person who already has applied for a seat, and a few people have asked him about serving in the Port and Harbors designated seat.
“I think there’s just a lot of public interest in where our tourism is, and where it’s heading,” Ystad said. “I think a lot of people want a voice in where tourism is heading.”
He said his main interest in establishing the task force was driven by the growth in cruise ship visitors: 380,000 last summer and as many as 540,000 expected this year.
He said he and other Assembly members receive regular emails about the need for long-term planning in this sector.
Also, he said, the task force will relieve stress on the Planning Commission, “so they can focus on land development, something the Assembly is pushing for now. That’s going to keep them busy.”
