Sitka needs more tourism data- that’s one of the conclusions the tourism task force reached as it tried to develop next steps for the city’s response to a boom in cruise tourism. When the Sitka Assembly meets tonight, it will consider how to plan a new research initiative focused on collecting data on the impacts of the visitor industry, honing in on three areas: community, economy, and environment.
A memo from assembly members Chris Ystad and JJ Carlson makes several recommendations for how the city could proceed in collecting data, including community surveys, contracting with an independent research firm to collect economic data, and pursuing an environmental assessment of Sitka Sound using data collected by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. Discussion item sponsors Ystad and Carlson estimate that the cost of the community survey could range from $15,000 to $40,000 dollars, depending on the research methods, and an economic impact study could cost between $40,000 and $100,000.
In other business the assembly will divvy out grant funding to a number of local non-profits that have applied for the city’s non-profit grant program. 18 organizations asked for $176,000 dollars in total, much more than the available $45,000. The assembly will decide how to share the available money.
The Sitka Assembly meets tonight at 6 p.m. Raven News will join the meeting in progress following the conclusion of NPR’s special coverage of the presidential candidate debate at 7 p.m. Local news will air early tonight at 4:49 p.m.
