PORT ANGELES — Why don’t more shoppers buy locally?
And if they don’t shop in Port Angeles, where do they go?
What kinds of businesses are more likely to succeed in Port Angeles?
How could current businesses expand?
These are question that a proposed retail-needs study would be expected to answer.
The City Council at a Tuesday work session discussed the possibility of conducting a retail analysis of the city and a 15-mile driving radius outside the city limit.
Buxton consultant
City Manager Kent Myers said he would return to a future City Council meeting with more information on a consultant firm, Buxton, which has had preliminary conversations with city personnel.
Myers discussed the scope of the possible study.
“There is a lot of leakage outside the city and outside of Clallam County,” Myers said.
“Also, the number of closures in the last year or two have created more opportunities to shop outside of the community.”
Myers said that once contracted, Buxton could have an analysis ready in a matter of months.
Preliminary discussions with Buxton estimated the price at around $35,000, Myers said.
The final price would have to be negotiated if the council decides to move forward with the project.
He said the council had the choice of putting the project out to bid but that he had consulted with City Attorney Bill Bloor, who said it didn’t have to go through the bid process if the council was satisfied with Buxton.
City Council members asked that Myers find out what kind of usable information other cities have gained and how easily implemented the ideas were.
Also at the meeting, Finance Director Yvonne Zimkowski told the council that the city ended 2010 with a surplus of $640,000 over what was budgeted.
Myers also presented ways to fund the Lauridsen Boulevard bridge widening and the Waterfront Transportation Improvement Plan.
$4.7 million bridge
The Lauridsen Boulevard bridge widening is projected to cost about $4.7 million.
Myers suggested that $3.7 million be paid with grant funding while $1 million come from city funds.
About $250,000 would come from general fund reserves, and $750,000 would come out of the reserves of the real estate excise tax fund reserves.
If broken down that way, the reserves for the real estate excise tax fund would be depleted through 2013, he said.
The Waterfront and Transportation Improvement Plan is projected to cost about $1.25 million.
About $500,000 would come out of economic development reserves from the $7 million settlement for the Tse-whit-zen site.
About $300,000 would come out of general fund reserves, $150,000 out of electric utility rural economic development fund reserves and $300,000 out of the streets project reserves.
Because both projects were approved after the 2011 budget, neither was included in the budget, so funding had to be found for them, Myers said.
The council did not make a decision but heard the suggestions and will make formal decisions at later meetings.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.
