City Council members are going to wait at least another month before they decide where to put a future senior center and how to pay for it.
The question of how to provide seniors with a new, larger facility has divided the council: some say they’re leaning against creation of Metropolitan Park District, which would ease the tax burden on city residents, because it could take too long to put together. Other council members say it’s the best way to go.
Several council members would oppose using city reserve funds to pay for a new senior center.
Still, some council members who discussed the issue for more than 90 minutes April 7 said they want more information and might be open to a variety of funding options that have yet to be fully explored. City Manager Tim Burns said he’d update the council at its first May meeting on various financing options, including how to pay for initial studies, the advantages or disadvantages of forming a park district, a comparison of the two locations being considered for a new center, and the long-term consequences to the city’s budget.
“The economy is the overarching factor,” said Mayor Terry Ryan, who is opposed to spending any of the city’s $5 million in “rainy day” funds to build a new senior center.
Last September, the Mill Creek Senior Community Foundation asked the city to pledge $2 million to build a senior center on private property owned by the association.
An advisory group met 11 times and the council selected two of its four recommended sites as potential locations for a new senior center: McCollum Park, which the county owns, and the association’s property. Community Development Director in January said the MCCA property is the best available.
The association’s board of directors offered the foundation a 50-year renewable lease for $10 a year.
In public comments, three residents, including former mayor Pamela Pruitt, urged the council to be cautious with any spending.
“Before you take any vote to spend money, you should also tell us how you’re going to put it back, because it appears that it’s either going to have to be several cuts or a tax increase,” she said.
City leaders are looking closely at a proposal by Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon to work with Mill Creek –the word the county has used is “partnership,” – on formation of a Metropolitan Park District, with its own board of directors and taxing authority.
Several council members like the idea of establishing a park district because they see it as a good way to spread the burden of paying for the senior center over a wider area than the city.
County officials have made it clear they have no money in the budget to help Mill Creek build a new senior center, though they’d be willing to provide staff support, Burns told the council. The county also would not be likely to provide support if a senior center ends up on private, city property, he said.
If the council opts to go with a park district, it, not the county, would have to foot the bill to place a vote on the ballot and pay for any associated studies leading up to that vote.
Councilwoman Mary Kay Voss, a proponent of the MCCA option, wondered whether it matters if the senior center ends up at McCollum Park or the MCCA property.
“I still haven’t heard we couldn’t do a park district,” on MCCA property, she said, adding that lots of people use various city-owned facilities and no one’s talking about asking them to chip in with user fees or taxes.
“Why is this different?”
Councilman Mark Harmsworth introduced a motion to prohibit gifting general fund money to the senior foundation but it didn’t get enough votes to pass.
“I still feel that the MCCA (proposal) is a cleaner option,” Burns said.
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