Ferndale approves 'hold-the-line budget' for 2009

JARED PABEN - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

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FERNDALE - City officials will delay purchasing new vehicles and equipment next year, but they'll preserve money for street repaving and repairs and sidewalk installation.

Leaders also plan to proceed with three large street-improvement projects in the next two years, including the extension of Second Avenue north to Portal Way, which would provide badly needed congestion relief for Main Street.

The City Council on Monday, Dec. 1, approved a budget for next year that Mayor Gary Jensen described as a "hold-the-line budget." It's built on a 3 percent property tax increase, which will cost the owner of a property assessed at $250,000 an additional $13.50 in 2009.

The council voted 6-0 to approve the budget, with council member Keith Olson absent.

In the 2009 budget, each city department cut about 10 percent of its expenses, not counting staff costs. Departments will also forego major equipment and vehicle purchases, including $909,500 in Ferndale Public Works requests for new facilities and equipment.

The budget also cuts the City Council's budget for travel by 90 percent, saving $4,230 - a symbolic gesture meant to demonstrate leaders are tightening their belts, just like residents, Jensen said.

The budget still provides $200,000 for street repaving and repair and $100,000 for sidewalk installations. Those are both the same amount as budgeted for 2008.

Although the budget doesn't specifically set aside money for the following projects, staff intends to amend the budget to keep them proceeding:

- The extension of Second Avenue north to Portal Way, and the construction of a roundabout there. This project, like the following three, isn't fully designed and the city doesn't yet know the exact cost. It will use all city money, not any grants. City officials expect to start construction in July and end in December 2009. This project would offer an alternative route for commuters using Main Street.

- Improvements to Main Street between Third Avenue and Church Road, including adding a center turn lane and sidewalks. The state and federal governments have provided funding for this project. The city hopes to start construction in December 2009 and finish in late May 2010.

- Improvements to Church Road between Main Street and Thornton Road, including adding sidewalks. The city doesn't yet have funding for this project. It could start construction in October and finish in March 2010.

The budget doesn't include money for projects to improve Legoe Avenue and Ferndale Terrace or a potential roundabout at Washington Street and Vista Drive, projects that aren't as high on the priority list, City Administrator Greg Young said.

"We're trying to take care of the big ones first," he said.

The budget will also spend about $65,000 next year for a new staff position, a stormwater program specialist. It also will spend $100,000 to hire a development engineer, but it's expected to cost the city about the same because the city currently contracts for that work anyway, according to a budget assumptions document.

It also spends $23,000 for a new electronic reader board in front of City Hall. It's a pretty big expenditure, Jensen said, but it's in a high-traffic location and the city hopes to update it daily to communicate with residents.