TAHOE CITY, Calif. — Seven local community members with housing and transportation-related experience have been named to North Lake Tahoe’s new transient occupancy tax committee.

The committee will focus on supporting workforce housing, transportation and infrastructure programs and projects in Eastern Placer County. Over $4 million in TOT funds that previously funded the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association will be available on an annual basis to fund projects and programs in the region.

“The formation of the TOT Committee is important because it gives community members on the committee the ability to make funding recommendations to the Placer County Board of Supervisors on projects and programs that support housing and transportation challenges in North Lake Tahoe,” said Tony Karwowski, NLTRA president and CEO in a press release. “Now that the committee has been named, in the coming months they will establish their meeting schedule and begin the important work they are charged with.”

TOT committee members include Sara Monson, Truckee North Tahoe Transportation Management Association, Teresa Crimmens, Sierra Community House, Tara Zuardo, Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation / Mountain Housing Council, Samir Tuma, Tahoe City Lodge, Dave Wilderotter, Tahoe Dave’s, Linda Meckel, WSP, and Sarah Coolidge, Coolidge Consulting.

“During the committee selection process, we realized it would be beneficial to have a more diverse representation of community opinions and perspectives involved in the conversations around housing and transportation solutions. Now that the TOT committee has been appointed, we intend to go out to a TBID membership vote to expand the total number of voting members from seven to 13,” continued Karwowski.

In the meantime, six “temporary advisory” members have been named in a non-voting capacity. If the TBID membership votes to increase the size of the TOT Committee, they will become full-voting members. Temporary advisory members include: Pat Fraser, Palisades Tahoe, Scott Zumwalt, Bridgetender and West Shore Market, Alyssa Bettinger, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Alyssa Reilly, North Tahoe Business Association, Kim Boyd, Tahoe City Public Utility District, and Kane Schaller, Dickson Realty/KJM Team,

Two Placer County appointed advisory seats have also been filled by county staff members Stephanie Holloway (transportation planning) and Shawna Purvines (workforce housing).

To expand the committee, according to its bylaws, the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association must implement a full membership vote. If once conducted, the results of the vote are in favor, the committee will be expanded to 13 voting seats, filled by the appointed temporary advisory members.

For more information about the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association, visit http://www.nltra.org.