PORT ANGELES — The City Council has approved a $103.3 million budget for 2009, and agreed to add its share of the costs of a special election for a metropolitan park district to save the William Shore Memorial Pool.
The City Council approved the budget on Tuesday in a 6-1 vote, with City Council member Larry Williams opposing it.
Williams said he voted against the budget because the city lacks a document that guides the City Council during times of severely reduced revenue, such as now.
“That document would serve as a template for defining essential versus discretionary services to be provided by the city,” he said on Wednesday.
“I will not support a budget . . . that is more powered by yard signs and special interests than fiscal responsibility,” he added.
No layoffs are planned, Yvonne Ziomkowski, city finance director, said.
The city will cut hours for city cashiers, a move contested by council member Cherie Kidd at the meeting.
The total cost of a special election for a parks district, with both the city and Clallam County funding it, could be up to $82,000, and the city’s share will be added to the budget as an amendment when a figure is determined.
A date for the special election, which could be held within the boundaries of the Port Angeles and Crescent school districts, is still to be determined, but Save the Pool PA has indicated that it could be as early as March.
The city intends to generate some revenue by creating a 10 percent tax on commercial parking lots, which was passed in a 6-1 vote.
City Council member Karen Rogers voted against the tax since city staff had not consulted downtown parking lot owners.
An idea to increase parking tickets from $10 to $25 was tabled after the council heard from a downtown business owner at the meeting.
J.R. Johnson, owner of the Blue Dolphin Unlimited, encouraged the City Council to consider adjusting parking times from two hours to three, and allowing increased ticket amounts for multiple offenders.
Kidd said that changing parking times to three hours would show support for downtown businesses.
“Some of us aren’t buyers. Some of us are shoppers,” she said. “If we . . . could let people know it’s three hours in our downtown, it seems far more equitable and show support for downtown business.”
In 2009, the city projects revenues to be short of expenses, and will use $6.5 million of its reserves to make up that gap, Ziomkowski said.
The budget includes reduced financial support for nonprofit organizations and city-subsidized facilities.
Budget cuts include $27,500 from funding for the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center, $22,500 from funding for the Arthur D. Feiro Marine Life Center, $62,500 of money for nonprofit organizations, and a reduction of $26,000 to the Olympic Peninsula Humane Society.
Predicting more financial hardship in the coming years, city staff have recommended that funding to those organizations be eliminated in 2010.
Public hearing
Many city residents who spoke at the public hearing on the budget criticized the city for spending funds on such projects as The Gateway — a combination parking garage, clock tower, public plaza, transit center and police substation in downtown Port Angeles — and Harbor-Works Public Development Authority, formed to acquire the Rayonier property at the end of Ennis Street, assist in its environmental cleanup and direct its redevelopment.
“I haven’t seen any signs for a $14 million bus stop,” said Greg Shield.
The funding for Harbor-Works and The Gateway comes from the city’s economic development fund. Money from that fund can’t be spent on operations and maintenance of existing facilities, Ziomkowski said.
Public pool
The public pool was initially slated to be closed on Dec. 31, as part of the city’s funding cuts, unless a firm plan was in place to fund its operations.
The city will fund the pool until March 31.
Save the Pool PA has raised $14,390 so far to fund the pool for the second quarter of the year while the question of forming a park district is decided by voters. The group estimates it needs $90,000.
Pledge forms are available at www.savethepoolpa.com.
Holly Juskevich, Save the Pool PA chairwoman, said the group’s next meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 9 at the Hamilton Elementary Gym.
The group is in need of additional volunteers to assist in determining the details of the special election.
Last year, the pool had a gap in revenue and expenses of about $320,000 a year that is made up by the city’s general fund.
Special election funding
Clallam County is proposing funding the election on a proportional basis.
The election will cost about $82,000 if the election involves the Port Angeles and Crescent school districts and an elected board of directors.
If this occurs, the city would pay $44,911 and Clallam County would pay $37,089, under the current funding proposal.
The details of the district’s boundaries, and the make up of the board, and an election date still need to be determined with Clallam County and Save the Pool PA.
If formed within the boundary of the Port Angeles School District, a taxing district could make up the revenue gap with just under 12 cents per $1,000 assessed valuation, or $24 annually on a $200,000 home.
City Council member Don Perry urged both public entities to financially support the election at 50 percent each.
Williams voiced concern over how much the district would need for maintenance of the 46-year-old facility, calling $400,000 “a wild guess.
“It could be three times that much with capital costs and everything else.”
Perry responded by saying the district may want to charge an additional half cent of property tax to build a reserves for such expenses.
In a written statement, Save the Pool PA vice chairwoman said that the group intends to keep a tax levy at a minimum.
“Thank you to all of the community members who have shown support by volunteering and pledging to fund the maintenance and operation of the pool in order for the facility to remain open from April-June of 2009.”
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
