MONROE — Potential.
That’s what Jeff Sax saw in the city when he applied for the economic development manager position. He believed the city could use its location at Highway 522 and U.S. 2 to attract people willing to spend money.
He wants to change the perception that Monroe is only about a smokestack, a prison and traffic.
“We want Monroe to be a destination rather than a stop,” Sax said.
For that, the city has created Sax’s position and is working on a new campaign aimed to brand Monroe as an adventurous destination for outdoorsy people. Sax, a former Snohomish County councilman, started Sept. 1 at the job that pays $73,536 a year.
As a way to greet visitors, Sax plans to spend about $20,000 from the hotel-motel tax fund to make signs with the city’s new logo and display them at the city limits, including both sides of U.S. 2.
This is only a start. Sax hopes to create partnerships with businesses to use public facilities. An example of this kind of partnership is the hoped-for opening of a wakeboarding park on Lake Tye.
Sax also hopes to create trails for cyclists, bring back a basketball tournament downtown and open an RV park in Sky River Park.
“The idea is to bring people to Monroe for something that’s fun and have the city open for them,” he said.
There are challenges.
The crummy economy forced the city to cut staff, and more layoffs are possible next year.
The cuts could be from the Parks and Recreation department. And that could hamper plans to promote the lake, the Sky River Park and create new trails, Sax said.
There’s also the perception that traffic-enforcement cameras and the coming of a Walmart will make fewer people want to visit Monroe.
Sax believes the debate on the cameras will pass, and that the Walmart will help the city in the short- to medium term.
“Walmart would generate the sales tax and property tax that is not being generated right now,” Sax said.
More businesses could also open at the North Kelsey territory with the coming of the Walmart store. Also, that part of the city has been designed to handle an increase in traffic, he said.
The big-box store would be used by people from neighboring towns. The city’s aim is to attract people from far-away places such as Seattle, who aren’t interested in the Walmart. Instead, they’d shop at a local businesses or eat at local restaurants, Sax said.
Monroe won’t be alone in its quest to attract more visitors. Sultan and Snohomish are working with the city to create a plan to attract more business to the Sky Valley area.
The three cities are trying to create an Innovation Partnership Zone, an economic development effort which brings entities together to create marketable products and create jobs.
Monroe, Sultan and Snohomish are currently working on an application to be designated one of those zones by the Washington state Department of Commerce next year.
With the partnership, Monroe’s efforts could also benefit Snohomish, said the city’s economic development manager, Debbie Emge.
“More focus in the area as a whole is beneficial to us,” she said.
The biggest challenge is getting organized, Sultan city administrator Deborah Knight said.
“With the downturn in the economy, we are forced to broaden our horizons to work together,” Knight said.
Alejandro Dominguez: 425-339-3422; adominguez@heraldnet.com.
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