By Kiera Morgan
Over the years, the Newport city council has distributed all but $26,000 of a million dollar fund that was established for the creation of an event center for the city of Newport. When this did not materialize, these funds were allocated to assist various organizations in creating tourism facilities within the City of Newport. At this point, all that remains is $26,000 of the original million dollars. In December, the council approved an administrative process to authorize the City Manager Spencer Nebel to solicit proposals for the funds from those organizations who had previously received funding in the past.
Applications were received from the Oregon Coast Council for the Arts, the Lincoln County Historical Society, and the Sea Lion Dock Foundation. Spencer told the council that it was decided to distribute the funds equally between the three. The city council approved the distribution of the remaining $26,000 in Tourism Facility Grant funds with the Lincoln County Historical Society receiving $8,666, and the Oregon Coast Council for the Arts, and Sea Lion Dock Foundation, each receiving $8,667.
This was awarded conditioned upon each of organizations executing a Tourism Facilities Grant agreement. the OCCA would be using the funds to continue their campaign to improve the Performing Arts Center. The Historical Society would be utilizing the funds for continuing their improvements to the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center and the Sea Lion Dock Foundation would use the funds to work on building a public overlook platform over the sea lion docks.
oregoncoastdailynews 
