Driving through Mill Creek along the Bothell-Everett Highway you’ll see a lot of shopping centers, a grocery store, a library, several restaurants and one park; the only sports park in a city that’s home to thousands of families with small, rambunctious children.
“We’re not serving our residents well in that capacity,” Mill Creek Mayor Terry Ryan said of the city’s park holdings. “It’s an area that we really need to improve on — providing more play fields and recreation areas for the people living here.”
The city has options on two properties bordering the Mill Creek Sports Park that are set to expire in March. And, while city council members are all on board to buy the land totaling a little more than $5 million, deliberations are ongoing as to how the city will finance those purchases. The city will likely bond all or some of the sale price, depending on how deep council members want to cut into the city’s cash holdings. As of 2007, the council could obligate the city for as much as $10 million without approval from voters.
Some council members are in favor of taking out a larger loan while interest rates are low and putting a chunk of that money towards other capital projects.
“It’s cheap money,” Councilman Mike Todd said at a meeting on Jan. 16. “It might make sense to look at some of the other projects we have in the works. It’s not likely that interest rates are going to get any lower, but I don’t think we should take on debt just because we can.”
Other projects include proposed improvements to the Seattle-Hill Road corridor, which have been under review by council since late November.
Without consensus, though, on a solution to noise and safety concerns along the roadway, some council members say it’s premature to discuss financing options on a project that hasn’t even been defined.
The deadline on the city’s options for the park land, however, is fast approaching.
“That’s where the council should be focused right now,” Ryan said. “No one can argue the need for additional city parks. As far as Seattle Hill Road is concerned, staff hasn’t even given us a recommendation yet that we can consider funding.”
Members of the Seattle Hill Road Citizens Advisory Committee disagree.
They say the council is stalling on a number of roadway improvements proposed by the advisory group and the city’s own consultants.
Several council members, including Todd and Ryan, have fired back saying it is unclear which — if any — of the proposals will clearly resolve safety concerns and reduce traffic noise for residents along the corridor.
“We need to come up with something that makes sense, that our staff is confident will work,” Ryan said. “The citizens group and the consultants came up with a list of projects totalling something like $9 million. Is it wise to spend that kind of money on something that hasn’t even come before us as a recommendation?”
Ryan said the council’s hands are full already reaching consensus on a financing package for the park land.
Among the questions looming ahead: How will the city pay for development of the properties once purchased?
“I say we use the bonds to buy the land and use grants to pay for development,” Ryan said. “Whatever the case, it is my full intention to make sure we have adequate park land for our citizens.”
Ryan said he’s working with lawmakers to open up more avenues for cities to acquire grants and similar funding sources to pay for parks.
Some costs may be covered through donations from community members and businesses.
The city recently entered a partnership with the Kirkland-based Northwest Parks Foundation to assist in fundraising efforts. The organization collects donations on behalf of several area cities that don’t have the resources to establish private, non-profit foundations.
“It enables us to go after big donations from corporations like Lowes, that only give to tax exempt organizations,” Todd said. “I think it’s going to make a big difference fundraising … we really do need to make sure as we grow we have places set aside where we can provide people opportunities to recreate.”
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