PORT ANGELES — Get the campaign signs ready.
The City Council voiced support Tuesday for bringing two separate ballot measures before voters next year to provide $4 million to renovate Civic Field and up to $6 million to fund redevelopment of the downtown waterfront.
No action was taken that night, but staff told the seven-member council that it will bring proposals to the council next month for holding elections, likely in August, on both issues.
The council embraced the Civic Field renovation plan as introduced at the meeting by Steve Zenovic, who represented the 12-member Civic Field steering committee.
“I want to write a check for the campaign,” said City Councilwoman Cherie Kidd. “This is great.”
Both projects would be funded through special property tax levies.
The council has already decided not to increase its regular property tax levy for the second year in a row.
Port Angeles residents will stop paying a property tax for the Port Angeles Senior Center next year, making the time right for new projects, the City Council believes.
But any new taxes, the council has told staff, should be structured to not exceed the city’s current tax burden.
The $4 million for Civic Field would fund a new boiler, lights and the big-ticket item: a new artificial-turf field.
Zenovic told the council that artificial turf would resolve the field’s notorious drainage problem and allow it to hold playoff games.
It would also make the field usable year round.
“We want to make it a first-class facility,” he said.
The work, Zenovic said, could be done as early as summer 2013.
City staff have said the field could lose night games in the next few years if the lights are not replaced.
Zenovic pointed to about three dozen people at the meeting, saying they were there in support of renovating the field.
The new turf would cost $3 million to install. It would last for between 10 and 12 years and cost about $1 million to replace.
Zenovic told the council that increased use of the facility could pay for the field replacement, adding that more tournaments and games would bring more money into the community.
“If we plan well, that $1 million we need to spend in 10 years we’ll have in the bank when the time comes,” he said.
Dan Estes, city event coordinator, also told the council that an artificial field could be a boon for the city.
“This would definitely help with the worry of rain-outs,” he said.
City Councilman Pat Downie agreed.
“This is a nuts-and-bolts business proposition that has real merit in terms of economic development,” he said.
The cost of the election would be about $5,000 to $7,000.
Zenovic has said he believes voters would support renovating Civic Field and pointed to the successful 2009 election that established a new property tax to save the William Shore Memorial Pool as a reason for him to be optimistic.
Yvonne Ziomkowski, city finance director, said having two measures on the ballot would likely not increase the cost.
The council had considered placing both issues on one ballot measure, but members noted Tuesday that may make it a harder sell.
The city plans to spend about $3 million next year to build an esplanade west of the ferry terminal, which also includes streetscape improvements on the west end of Railroad Avenue.
But it lacks funds for the rest of the project, which would cost up to $17 million to fully implement.
A few people during public comment criticized the project for being too costly during a sluggish economy.
“It’s a good improvement to this community, but to do this project at this time, in these economic times, is it something we need to do right now?” Richard Hixton asked.
Mike Edwards spoke in favor of the project.
“This is an opportunity that doesn’t come along that often to really invest in Port Angeles’ future,” he said. “It will be an asset that pays us back for years and years to come.”
The Civic Field steering committee was formed in January to come up with a solution for paying for improvements to the field.
Zenovic said last week that grants and sponsorships wouldn’t be enough.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
