Field's funding tops 'state' program

SANDPOINT — Restoration of War Memorial Field was the main topic for Sandpoint, and the city of Dover is implementing a strategic plan.

The items were the main topic of discussion at Thursday’s “State of the Cities” program at the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce meeting.

Sandpoint mayor Carrie Logan was not in attendance, but Aaron Qualls, planning and economic development director and Kim Woodruff, parks and recreation director, talked in her place.

The Sandpoint discussion, led by Qualls, focused on the restoration project of War Memorial Barlow Stadium. A 1 percent sales tax for five years is proposed on the upcoming Nov. 3 ballot. The city needs about $2.72 million to fix the stadium. The capacity will rise from 900 to 1,500, and team lockers will be relocated under the bleachers.

The tax would add up to $1 for every $100 spent for certain items, including groceries. Exempt items include lodging, motor fuels, utilities, heating materials, prescriptions and assortment of medical devices, out of state shipments, funeral services, food stamp purchases and commercial, freight and out of state aircraft.

The tax is a five-year investment, and the stadium would be good for at least 50 years. Woodruff said the tax would help visitors and the community contribute to the project. Construction would start immediately after the tax passes, which has to have 60 percent approval to pass. All 100 percent of the tax would go toward the stadium project, he said.

The stadium has reached the end of its life cycle, Woodruff said. The underlying support systems need to be replaced, the roof also needs replaced, and the stadium is not in compliance with several aspects of the International Building Code, Woodruff said. Some of the electrical in the press box is exposed, metal deterioration is difficult to prevent from the age of the bleachers, which also need replaced.

"The underneath is the part that gives me the heebie-jeebies," Woodruff said.

The funds would be used to complete the Memorial Field project, designed by Sewell and Associates. The drainage and field surface would be replaced, and the War Memorial Field Infrastructure would be repaired or replaced. Qualls said if funds remain, they would improve the parks infrastructure, such as the City Beach parking lot and Travers Park parking lot.

The community raised about $55,685 for temporary fixes to occupancy in 2006, and the lights were replaced as a "phase 1" repair in 2011. The city paid $106,022, Friends of Memorial Field paid for $85,921, and the Lake Pend Oreille School District paid $80,000 for the light project.

Several options have been tried to raise the funds, Woodruff said, including a brick campaign where they sold the bricks that came down, they have received some sponsorships and donations, fundraising by the FOFM with a current balance of $68,000, and they voted on a sales tax increase in 2012, which was denied by about 233 votes.

If the tax does not pass, then the stadium may be reduced to metal bleachers that are uncovered, Woodruff said. He said only the people that live in Sandpoint will vote on the sales tax increase. Woodruff said there is no collaboration on funding with Ponderay and Dover because the city owns the stadium.

"It's a city of Sandpoint owned asset," Woodruff said. "We're at the stop sign. We are either taking a right or a left."

The stadium was built in 1947-48, named after Coach Cotton Barlow. The Booster Club raised and matched state funds for the field, bleachers, and war memorial. The stadium hosts more than 30,000 people a year, during school sporting events, graduations, the Festival at Sandpoint and other events.

Dover mayor Annie Shaha discussed three projects Dover has been working on, including the SPOT transit system, the Highway 2/200 corridor project and the strategic plan for the city.

She said the city held public workshops about a strategic plan for the Selkirk Pend Oreille Transit (SPOT) system, and through that five goals were made. The goals for SPOT include improving ridership, access and convenience, partnerships, stability and sustainability and environmental stewardship. Shaha said the city of Dover works closely with the surrounding cities on the public transportation.  

The Dover City Council worked on getting grants for SPOT, and with fundraising and matching donations, the transit became a reality.

"It is a growing and well used public service," Shaha said.

She said adding more routes and partnerships is a goal they hope to have implemented by 2016. Shaha said the SPOT system has been environmentally friendly, cutting more than 66,000 gallons of fossil fuels and about half a million miles were reduced from the ridership.

The Highway 2/200 corridor project spans from Dover through Sandpoint and Ponderay and ends in Kootenai. Shaha said each city has struggled with getting grants to cover their portions of work, so the cities are starting to work together on getting funding as a group. The goal is to make the road safe for travel for all forms of transportation, including SPOT, bicycles, and automobiles.

"We are stronger together," Shaha said.  

The comprehensive plan for Dover is being updated and an agreement has been made with Smart Growth, an urban planning and transportation group, to take on the project. Shaha said the plan should be done within a year and will cost about $10,000.

"It's going to be quite an adventure," Shaha said.

Ponderay mayor Carol Kunzman did not discuss the state of Ponderay, but instead talked about what it is like to be mayor. She said she was asked to talk about being a mayor after she was in the office for about 18 hours and was unsure what to say. She now feels that eight years experience makes her more educated on the topic.  

She said she is not running for reelection, as the job has changed for her personally recently. She learned how to be a mayor from the "school of hard knocks," and had help along the way from former mayors and other city leaders. She said she has changed over the last two terms as mayor of Ponderay, which was a deciding factor in her choice to not run for a third term.

"I've always thought I had the best job in the world and that hasn't changed," Kunzeman said. "I am not the same person I was eight years ago, and neither are you."

She offered advice to the community for the new mayor elected. She said support, help and mentor young mayors.

"They have shoes to fill that most people couldn't attempt," Kunzeman said. She spent five years on the city council and has spent eight years as mayor.