Council to trim downtown revitalization project

Blaine City Council unanimously voted during a May 16 special meeting to direct city staff to cut $500,000 from its downtown revitalization project just as contractors were ready to break ground this summer.

The cuts represent about 13 percent of the $3.8 million project, which has been years in the making and already trimmed due to previous budget concerns. City manager Mike Harmon said during the meeting that the city would look at eliminating any “nice-to-haves” such as the Martin Street and Clark Street parklets, while looking to keep improvements the city deems more necessary, such as sidewalk replacements, new trees and electrical work.

Council held the special meeting after councilmember Richard May suggested on May 12 that council consider whether it should cut, or make significant changes, to the project.

“Know that this is not an easy decision, and I don’t know if there’s a right decision,” Harmon said. “Staff has talked about this, and I could argue in support of continuing the project, and I could argue in support of canceling the project.”

Harmon told council that the project was a nexus of improvements, making it difficult to take one component away without affecting another. The project is being paid by an assortment of city funds, some of which weren’t tied to the general fund, which has dwindled with fewer Canadians visiting. Certain funding sources, like park impact fees, have to be spent on specific purposes, like parks, and have timelines when money needs to be spent. The city also received a $500,000 state grant for the project that must be used by the end of the year.

Harmon said council could save $1.1 million by not doing electrical work but warned against it because the work was needed and there would be new infrastructure on top of old utilities. 

The city hired Premium Services, Inc. in February to do construction for $3.7 million. A representative attended the special meeting.

Harmon reminded councilors at the meeting that if they canceled the project, they needed to be cognizant that the city could be subject to costs incurred by the contractor.

The project is currently planned to improve two downtown blocks and make other smaller changes. It is expected to replace sidewalks on Peace Portal Drive to improve ADA accessibility, replace downtown trees with a species that won’t buckle the sidewalk and upgrade the Martin Street and Clark Street parklets. The project will also have electrical work, including replacing the street lighting along Peace Portal Drive.

Council voted 5-0 with councilmembers Eric Davidson and Rhyan Lopez absent.

“I’m inclined for us to empower the city manager to do some prudent cutting in a way that is the least harmful, and it frees up some money so that we can ease our future budget woes a bit,” May said.

Construction is expected to start after the Fourth of July.