Mountlake Terrace city officials will have to be careful they don’t get burned in 2004 — especially since they will be handling several hot subjects, such as plans for a new fire station and fire service consolidation.
A new fire station is already on the the city’s agenda, but according to administrative services director Jerry Trojan, city officials are still in the process of finalizing plans. This includes deciding where to build the new facility.
A master plan that includes the placement of a fire station, and eventually a new city hall, is currently being developed by OTAK architectural and engineering firm. Trojan said the goal is to determine how a fire station can fit on the property and still leave space for a new city hall in the future.
The master planning phase is scheduled to be completed by the first of the year and then design and development will begin, and construction of the fire station is slated to begin in 2004.
“The plan is to try and get it built this year,” Trojan said. “It might not be completed by year end, but we can give it a good try.”
The new fire station will be financed through councilmanic bonds in the amount of $1.5 million.
The city will also likely merge with Snohomish County Fire District 1 sometime early in 2004, city manager Connie Fessler previously announced.
A trial relationship has been in the works since March 2001, where the two have been working together without any exchange in money. However, a merge will likely result after the district’s Board of Commissioners finishes making slight changes to the plan.
“The board should be reviewing it and considering it by the end of January,” Fessler said.
If the two consolidate, the city stands to save about $1 million annually on fire/EMS service.
In addition to fire-related issues in 2004, a number of construction projects are also on the horizon for the city. One major project will be the road restructuring at 220th Street between Interstate 5 and Highway 99. According to Trojan, a large number of traffic accidents occur on this road, which is also deteriorating.
“We are trying to improve the traffic safety and flow of traffic,” Trojan said.
Economic development is also a key issue for the city in 2004, and several developments are in progress.
Shane Hope, planning and development director for the city of Mountlake Terrace, identified several projects, including casino and restaurant developments, in addition to a number of small businesses. Key growth areas in the city for 2004 are Town Center, Gateway and Melody Hill, she said.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
