SEQUIM BEEFS UP CHARITABLE SPENDING

Park deal fallout frees up funds for teen center

By EVAN McLEAN
Staff writer

The Boys & Girls Club's Carroll C. Kendall teen club narrowly escaped the city’s budget chopping block again in 2008, but only because of a missed deal on a 45-acre park.

The Sequim City Council voted to approve the 2008 budget Nov. 26 with a few revisions, one of which took away the option to purchase the Keeler family farm.

“I’m surprised to hear we were unable to purchase the land for a park,” Councilor Paul McHugh said. “I came prepared tonight to look for an extra $100,000 in between the line items to fund the teen center for another year, but it appears that may not be needed.”

Public Works director Jim Bay said a new appraisal of the Keeler land in conjunction with a tight city budget caused the deal to fall apart.

The general fund was boosted another $170,000 because the city was unable to afford the park in 2008. Councilors opted to reallocate $100,000 to the teen club, but McHugh wasn’t finished.

“This disappointing outcome for the park is freeing up some money that would be well served by being proactive with health and human service programs,” McHugh said before requesting the council increase the charitable funding from $30,000 to $50,000.

The United Way will give suggestions in January as to which community organizations should receive those dollars.

Councilors approved $113,000 in expenses to improve public land along Blake Avenue, such as funding an upgrade to a Carrie Blake Park baseball diamond, creating an Americans with Disabilities Act pathway to the James Center and constructing a public restroom to be used by band shell patrons and Master Gardeners, who plan to plant a demonstration garden at the Water Reuse Demonstration Site.

“The first diamond was improved years ago and we have had issues getting some visiting teams to play on the dangerous, unimproved diamond,” Sequim Senior Softball player Warren Hunt said. “Once we get the second one up to par, we will be able to bring in traveling tournaments; these are a big thing in Washington.”

The softball players have pledged upward of $5,000 and an insurmountable number of volunteer hours to make the improvements work. Hunt said he has area contractors ready to lend a helping hand or back hoe as well.

Other expenses include capital facilities improvements, such as Olympic Discovery Trail enhancement or securing city utility funding mechanisms.

“We have a lot of one-time expenditures in 2008,” city manager Bill Elliott said. “Which is good because we can’t maintain this level of spending without additional revenue or cutting services going into 2009.”

Elliott and his staff did find a couple of ways to increase funding, such as increasing the business and operation utility tax from 3 percent to 6 percent. The tax not only affects private utilities but the city’s own utilities as well.

“I do not like this B and O increase, it’s my belief that the charges will be passed on to the consumer,” said Councilor Bob Anundson, the only member to vote against budget approval. “Plus we are taking money away from our dedicated water and sewer funds, both of which have funding set up by a financing expert and I don’t think we should change that.”

Most other councilors disagreed, stating the water and sewer funds would be in adequate shape in coming years but the bigger concern is the level of the general fund, which is projected to be at about a half million after 2008. Elliott said the city would not pass the increased tax onto consumers but couldn’t promise the same for private utilities.

Elliott reminded councilors that the budget was a plan and that his staff will make sure the council is aware of the financial climate before approving the planned expenses.

“Remember that we will be watching our revenues through 2008 and all of these items that we have budgeted for will have to be approved when those projects come up,” Elliott said. “So we are definitely planning ahead here, while at the same time we will be monitoring our ability to meet these plans.”

The city budget will become available online at www.ci.sequim.wa.us, once staff is finished adding last-minute council revisions. Councilors also plan to review 2007 budget revisions for approval at 6 p.m., Monday, Dec. 10, in the Sequim Transit Center, 190 W. Cedar St. This year’s budget amendments cover items such as unforeseen trail improvements, realignment of funds for the traffic signal at Fifth Avenue and Hendrickson Road and utility expenses.