Funding woes keep future upgrades to Medical Lake municipal buildings in the dark

By CARA LORELLO

Staff Reporter

Thirty years may not sound outdated, but a survey of the spaces in Medical Lake City Hall and its adjoining public works annex building tells a different story, and officials are aware upgrades to these capital elements will be costly, however some speculate its possible to expand without putting city funds or local citizens in the red.

The city's current comprehensive plan states spaces in Medical Lake City Hall are difficult to work in with updating for new technologies being problematic, therefore prioritizing for capital projects in the city budget is vital to the short and long term operation of the city.

Discussion among council members at a Oct. 23 workshop meeting on the 2007 city budget produced no immediate plans for remodeling, though planning officials have made it clear that the city must appropriate items in its general fund for the planning of remodel, or replacements to the buildings in the future.

Ideas discussed within the last year have included adding a fire escape vault and connection wing between both the annex and municipal building, renovations to both the council and court chambers and annex—items officials estimated in the 2007 comprehensive plan would cost around $100,000 each.

City Administrator Doug Ross said its predictable the city won't pursue the option of using a levy or new bond to fund the project, nor the option of financing the $5 million needed to build an entire new structure.

“We've a nice building, but we've outgrown it,” Ross said. “The key is to do what is affordable…It's all funding dependent—but that's our life here, period.”

Putting out a levy to fund a new City Hall isn't an option because it's too cost-prohibitive. “It isn't that we can't do it, it's just not something we feel the citizens are going to support,” Ross said.

He added that even with limited grant funding available, and officials unsure of exact figures on costs for specific upgrades, the city will “try to do what it can afford.”

If money becomes available, projects will be selected based on priority as determined by council's decision. Some top priorities include building additions in the direction of Jefferson Street that would allow for the incorporation of the public works annex into the main building, and provide a main-level space to house the city courts separate from council chambers.

The city currently has an architect under contract to assist officials in planning upgrades its capital facilities, but hasn't utilized this source as of yet.

Finance director Pam McBroom said at one point the city planned to use some of the money collected from the sale of the vacated Ball and Dodd funeral home, located on Brooks Road and SR-902, to fund capital facility projects, but officials have yet to close a deal on the building.

Until that changes, the city will make changes only when there's enough money available that doesn't' involve doing a new loan or bond, she added.

“I don't see people buying off on the idea of building a new City Hall. There's so many other taxes people feel they have, and that would only add to that portion,” she said.

Cara Lorello can be reached at [email protected]