Grays Harbor County has approved a revised contract for Greater Grays Harbor Inc. In the revised contract, a contentious list of “deliverables” has been replaced.

In April, the commissioners approved a contract with Greater Grays Harbor that included a list of “deliverables.” The contract would have seen the county allocating $88,000 to the economic group to cover a portion of the salary of Greater Grays Harbor CEO Dru Garson.

In 2016, the county contributed only $6,000 to GGHI. With the additional funding for 2017, the initial contract included a list of activities and reports that would have been mandatory, like cold calls and presentations to the county.

Following the approval of the initial contract, Aberdeen Mayor Erik Larson criticized county Commissioner Wes Cormier, who had drafted the deliverables.

While there’s no mention of cold calling in the new contract, there are still requirements imposed by the new contract. In addition to specific reporting requirements, the county is requesting the development of a countywide economic development strategy.

“We took out specific reporting requirements and made it match the state contract we already have,” Commissioner Randy Ross said. “They’ll be reporting on that and then they’ll also be coming in and giving us periodic updates throughout the year.”

The contract was approved with a 2-1 vote seeing Commissioner Wes Cormier as the dissenting vote. Cormier said he preferred the deliverables.

“I personally liked some of the deliverables I proposed,” Cormier said. “When we’re giving away $88,000 we need something in return as a result.”

Ross noted that there still was ample requirements for reporting to keep the county commissioners informed of progress.

“I’ve had several conversations with Dru (Garson) and his (chairperson) and we’ve talked about the need to keep the county informed about what’s happening,” Ross said. “One of the requirements that is in there is to develop a countywide economic strategy and report back to the county… by doing that, we’ll be more able to determine what they’re doing and if they’re making success.”

Cormier called the contract “status quo.”

The additional funding will be reviewed annually by the commissioners.

In allocating additional funding to GGHI, Commissioner Vickie Raines said the organization would be expected to make do with the funding it has received.

“They need to use the money that they’re relieved from in salaries to be placed in the visitors center or whatever needs they may have,” Raines said. “Dru (Garson) asked me if we were going to provide additional funding to help with the visitors information center and I said, ‘No, we just relieved you of $88,000 in your budget — if you need part of that for the visitors center … then you can use it for that project, if you so choose.’”

Garson on Monday said he hadn’t yet been notified that the commissioners had approved the contract, but he said it will be beneficial.

“I have not had a chance to check in. I talked with commissioner Ross and we discussed about some ways to report and be accountable for the funds,” Garson said. “We were able to work out an agreement that was beneficial for all of us.”

The revision to the contract does not change how much the county is contributing.

“They had approved it before, but this is just more or less approving how we report back to the county on our activities and progress and how we keep them involved and up to date,” Garson said.