Town funds nonprofits tourist promotion

The La Conner Town Council has granted $112,805 to nine area nonprofits to promote bringing tourists into the Skagit Valley. The La Conner Chamber of Commerce received the bulk of the funding, $83,000, 73.6%, to fund its operations.

La Conner Live Concerts will get $9,000, 8% of the total, to manage the summer Sunday concert series in Gilkey Square, The Museum of Northwest Art, at $7,500 and the Lincoln Theatre, at $5,000, receive the next largest grants. Read the table for all funds granted.

The Town of La Conner is tapping $60,456, 35% of the $173,261 of the total pool, for cleaning the bathrooms on Morris and First Streets, landscaping, new security cameras and maintenance on the Maple Hall cameras and advertising.

The Town started 2022 with $224,180 in this fund. Its 2022 collection projection is $150,450, though through September over $135,000 has been taken in. If trends hold, this year’s total may top $190,000. Staff have provided a conservative 2023 projected total of $133,190 from this tax.

Council members made the unanimous distribution decision at its Sept. 27 meeting.