Published: Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Snohomish may help with aquatic center utility bills
SNOHOMISH -- The city may step up to get the stalled Aquatic Center construction moving again.
On Tuesday night, the Snohomish City Council is expected to decide if the city should pay the pool's sewer and water costs as a way to reduce its operational costs.
The meeting is scheduled for 7 tonight, at the George Gilbertson Boardroom, 1601 Ave. D. Although weather conditions call for heavy snow Tuesday.
If the council approves the agreement between the city and the Snohomish School District, the projected $92,200 in utility rates for 2013 would be paid by the city's general fund. The amount would later increase for the next 30 years.
Having a pool within city limits is a good thing, but 30 years is a long time for a commitment, councilman Tom Hamilton said.
Actual costs are unknown at this point, but Hamilton wants a way to set a limit of how much the city would pay.
"Ratepayers would make a commitment for a yet-to-be determined amount," Hamilton said. "That's not the most prudent thing to do."
The Snohomish School District suspended work on the 50,000-square-foot pool complex last April after a study showed the pool would cost $450,000 a year more than it would bring in. The district has the necessary funds to build the center, which was a key component of the $268 million bond approved by voters on 2008. Construction plans have stalled since construction was scheduled to begin in summer 2011. The much anticipated pool was supposed to replace the Hal Moe Memorial pool that closed about five years ago because of structural and safety issues.
Currently, the district is considering moving the pool to another spot on the property at the Maple Avenue Campus, on 601 Glen Ave., hoping the redesign will reduce costs.
If it doesn't, the district would look for other sites to build the $22 million aquatic center. This could mean moving it outside city limits.
The city would then lose the projected revenue from construction, fees and ticket sales tax. According to city documents, the general fund would receive an estimated $189,000 on construction sales tax revenue and $13,700 on ongoing sales tax revenue.
Alejandro Dominguez: 425-339-3422; adominguez@heraldnet.com.
On Tuesday night, the Snohomish City Council is expected to decide if the city should pay the pool's sewer and water costs as a way to reduce its operational costs.
The meeting is scheduled for 7 tonight, at the George Gilbertson Boardroom, 1601 Ave. D. Although weather conditions call for heavy snow Tuesday.
If the council approves the agreement between the city and the Snohomish School District, the projected $92,200 in utility rates for 2013 would be paid by the city's general fund. The amount would later increase for the next 30 years.
Having a pool within city limits is a good thing, but 30 years is a long time for a commitment, councilman Tom Hamilton said.
Actual costs are unknown at this point, but Hamilton wants a way to set a limit of how much the city would pay.
"Ratepayers would make a commitment for a yet-to-be determined amount," Hamilton said. "That's not the most prudent thing to do."
The Snohomish School District suspended work on the 50,000-square-foot pool complex last April after a study showed the pool would cost $450,000 a year more than it would bring in. The district has the necessary funds to build the center, which was a key component of the $268 million bond approved by voters on 2008. Construction plans have stalled since construction was scheduled to begin in summer 2011. The much anticipated pool was supposed to replace the Hal Moe Memorial pool that closed about five years ago because of structural and safety issues.
Currently, the district is considering moving the pool to another spot on the property at the Maple Avenue Campus, on 601 Glen Ave., hoping the redesign will reduce costs.
If it doesn't, the district would look for other sites to build the $22 million aquatic center. This could mean moving it outside city limits.
The city would then lose the projected revenue from construction, fees and ticket sales tax. According to city documents, the general fund would receive an estimated $189,000 on construction sales tax revenue and $13,700 on ongoing sales tax revenue.
Alejandro Dominguez: 425-339-3422; adominguez@heraldnet.com.
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