Council approves fee schedule, SPOT funding, Mickinnick trail grant

Council approves fee schedule, SPOT funding, Mickinnick trail grant

Council members voted to approve an updated fee structure for the Parks and Recreation department Wednesday night that will help to fund the eventual replacement of the War Memorial Field turf.

The updated fee schedule, covered in the Bee’s March 5 article on the council meeting, includes creating separate fees for added services such as cleanup for events, differently priced fees for grass versus turf fields and special tournament fees.

The updated field rentals would also prioritize local teams over visiting, and children’s sports over adults. Additionally, some fees would be removed for local teams with visitors from outside the area paying a higher rate.

Part of the reason to restructure the fees was to ensure funding for the eventual replacement of turf on War Memorial Field, which is expected to last approximately 15 years.

To pay for the replacement, estimated to cost roughly $937,300, the city will need to put away $62,487 annually. Currently, there is $82,098 set aside for this purpose, said Jason Wiley, recreation supervisor.

The department’s move to change the fee structure is in line with many other municipalities, said city Administrator Jennifer Stapleton. The updated structure will ensure future funding without limiting access to other part amenities like playgrounds for the public.

“Where park systems and recreation systems are going, in general, is pay-to-play,” she said. “When it’s not paid by the users, it’s paid for by the property taxes.”

Councilman Andy Groat said that although no structure will be perfect, he believes the plan is well-thought-out.

“Whenever we do a fee restructuring there’s going to be some sour grapes. But it needed to happen,” he said. “I think it’s fair and equitable.”

The council also approved a request by the Selkirks-Pend Oreille Transit Authority for match funding from the city for the 2021-2022 fiscal to the tune of $67,500 — the same amount the city provided last year.

David Sims, executive director of SPOT said that SPOT has been able to bring ridership back to 90% of its pre-COVID numbers, after dropping to 40% in the midst of the pandemic.

SPOT also maintained full service in the past year while other public transit programs limited their service, he said.

SPOT has also helped deliver food for the Bonner Community Food Bank, and plans to adjust its Blue Route this summer to make a stop at the Kaniksu Health Center near Super 1 in Sandpoint.

Recently, SPOT secured funding to study how to optimize its routes, and CARES funding is being used to offset its operating costs, Sims said. Because of that the match SPOT requested is smaller than it otherwise would be.

“I’m a raving fan of SPOT, and I want to reiterate how important that service is for underserved populations,” said Councilwoman Kate McAlister. “I think it’s great that we have public transit in our little part of the world.”

Groat said that he had seen SPOT’s benefit to the community through volunteering at the food bank.

“We might be a small community, but we’re a pretty spread-out community and we need services like yours,” he said.

The council further moved to accept a grant for the $9,334 from the Idaho Panhandle Resource Advisory Committee to create infrastructure to fix drainage issues on the Mickinnick Trail.

With the acceptance of the grant, the city has agreed to provide in-kind staff support while the U.S. Forest Service provides in-kind labor.

The Mickinnick trail is a popular local destination for hiking, said Lisa Portune with the Idaho Panhandle National Forest. During the spring, a portion of the trail becomes muddy due to poor drainage. She and a crew of four other Forest Service employees will be working to fix that issue.

“Hopefully after this season it will be much improved and less of a mud fest,” she said. “People don’t like to walk through the mud, so the trail just gets wider and wider.”

Lastly, staff presentated information on the first four sections of the draft multi-modal transportation plan, which is now available on the city website. In addition,Public Works Director Amanda Wilson presented plans for planned improvements to the Great Northern Road and adjoining roadways, which are incorporated into the fifth and sixth parts of the multi-modal plan.

The transportation plan aims to provide a “pedestrian priority network,” while also allowing for multi-modal access to the waterfront and accounting for a significant amount of growth in the coming years said Mandi Roberts, project manager at Otak.

Much of that growth may be retirees, as well as people working remotely who want to live closer to nature.

“The ‘silver tsunami’ is coming,” Roberts said. “People love to live in places like Sandpoint.”

That growth is no small matter — planners are expecting a roughly 3.4% annual population growth from 2025 to 2040.

Along the Great Northern Road, several sections currently present challenges including limited lighting, poor quality pavement and a saturated base that frequently fails, Wilson said.

The roadway also serves as a dam when there’s rain, she said, which presents issues for nearby businesses.

“[It’s] causing indirectly, and I’d say directly, economic development challenges,” she said.

Some of the proposed updates include adding a dedicated turn lane and stormwater conveyance at the intersection with Woodland Drive, along with a dedicated multi-use path for cyclists and other recreators.

However, Wilson added, because some cyclists prefer to use the road, the plan also proposes a dedicated bike path.

A more advanced crossing is also being planned by the Idaho transportation department at the intersection with Mountain View Road, she said, which includes moving the intersection farther from the railroad tracks and a roughly 90-degree turn angle.

The proposal would also create a 90-degree angle and reduce blind spots at the intersection with Gooby Road.