The Mt. Hood Cultural Center and Museum turned in the top request for
proposal from the county and landed the contract for tourism information
services in the Mount Hood Corridor.

The museum, located in Government Camp, received the $25,000 award over
three other applicants. The Mt. Hood Adventure Park in Government Camp,
Wy’east Book Shoppe and Gallery in Welches, and Sandy Chamber of
Commerce finished 2-3-4, respectively, in the RFP review.

“I’m pleased, especially that they approved the amount we asked for,” said

Lloyd Musser, curator of the museum. “After all, that’s the nitty gritty.”
Musser was informed of the award by fax from Tom Averett, buyer in the
purchasing department for Clackamas County Tourism Development and
Cultural Affairs (the funding agent). But he was not told he was the only
winner, as many thought there would be funding for more than one
respondent.

“It surprises me that we were the only ones funded,” Musser said. “The score
sheet doesn’t show we were so far ahead of the other three. But I’m not going
to argue.”

Danielle Cowan, formerly Clackamas County’s legislative affairs director, took
over as tourism director of CCTCA in May following the resignation of Linda
Bell. Cowan was the decision maker after the submission of the six-person
RFP review committee.

“It wasn’t a hard decision,” Cowan said. “They (the museum) were ranked No.
1 by all six reviewers.”

Cowan and the CCTCA will now enter into the contract with the museum for
fiscal year 2010-11, with the option of renewing the contract for the following
fiscal year.

“Given that the Mt. Hood Cultural Center and Museum scored significantly
higher than the other applicants and are prepared to provide quality visitor
information services, I intend to enter into a contract (with the museum),”
Cowan wrote in an e-mail to the respondents. “I deeply appreciate the efforts
made by the other respondents (to the RFP). I also want to thank the
participants on the RFP review panel who gave so generously of their time to
consider these RFPs and for making their recommendation for these important
services.”

As of now, the county’s plan is to take the tourism information services to the
Zigzag Ranger Station by 2012 after structural expansion is completed at the
site.

The loss was especially hard for Sandra Palmer, manager of the book store
and the already functioning Wy’east Visitor Center for Mount Hood.
“Of course I’m disappointed,” Palmer said. “Evidently what I provided them
(in the RFP) wasn’t as strong as the others. I’m also concerned for the
community. The intent of the RFP was for visitor services up to the ranger
station. Having only one location in Government Camp doesn’t do that. With
that only option, I don’t believe that’s a good solution.”

Losing the funding opportunity deals another blow to Palmer who has been
trying to get funding for the visitor information services she has been
providing the past two years – funding she insists was promised to her by the
county.

Palmer’s money woes with the county began in 2008 when she was urged by
community members to provide visitor information services at her store. She
sought the support of CCTCA as well as the board of directors of the Villages
at Mt. Hood. The board quickly affirmed its support – confirmed by Villages
Chairman Doug Saldivar – and, according to Palmer, Jeannine Brashears of
CCTCA gave her blessing on behalf of county tourism.

“Jeannine was clear that funding would likely not be available until 2009,”
Palmer said.

But Palmer began providing the services immediately and when she contacted
Brashears in the spring of 2009 to inquire about the timing for the funding
disbursement, Brashears responded by saying she hoped Linda (Bell) hadn’t
forgot, Palmer said.

Bell informed Palmer in September 2009 she had decided not to fund Wy’east,
citing four reasons: (1) her desire to maintain current advertising levels; (2)
her desire to keep current funding in place for the county tourism Web site;
(3) surveys showed that walk-in visitor centers are less and less important;
and (4) county lodging tax revenues had decreased.

In the past two years, Wy’east has continued to absorb costs, for such things
as signage, furniture modifications, computer work station for visitor access,
brochure displays and additional payroll hours for employees.

“I can’t continue to provide services,” Palmer said. “It’s financially unfeasible.
These services cost money. I’m not looking forward to turning people away,
but I have no choice.”