Cliff Buchan
News EditorA November vote could decide the fate of a proposed community center in Forest Lake.
The executive committee of the Forest Lake Community Center Task Force will go before the city council at 6:30 p.m. next Monday to present its report and recommend the city move forward with plans for a $22.5 million facility.
If the council agrees, a referendum to raise $15 million will go to city voters on Nov. 2.
Mayor Ray Daninger, task force co-chair and facility proponent, said council could take action next Monday after hearing the task force report, or may lay over a decision until the regular meeting Monday, May 24.
At a task force meeting Tuesday, May 4, members of the finance committee laid out plans and reviewed history of the community center effort. After two years of planning, the matter is now ready to move forward, said Rick Ashbach, a city councilman and chair of the finance committee.
ìWe need to move forward,î Ashbach said last week.
In doing so, Ashbach said planners have scaled back plans to meet goals task force members believe are affordable and will serve the needs of Forest Lake residents of all ages.
What was once a 148,000 square foot facility costing $30 million is now a 90,000 square foot center with the $22.5 million price tag.
Finding the $22.5 million to pay for the community center and the anticipated $370,000 in annual operational costs will be the key challenge, said City Administrator Chip Robinson who serves on the finance committee.
The $15 million bond issue against city property taxpayers is one method. It will be coupled with a multitude of fund-raising options, he said, that include donations, gifts, partnerships naming rights and third-party usage fees.
ìWe will be looking at these possibilities,î Robinson said.
Joint powers agreements with area governments will not be sought. Residents from outside Forest Lake would pay higher fees than Forest Lake residents to use the facilities.
Tax impact
Because of the cost impact, Robinson said he would recommend going with a public vote and not utilize city authority to issue revenue bonds to cover project costs. The city has bonding capacity of $25 million and he said utilizing $15 million of the total would leave a valuable cushion.
Voter approval would mean $1.1 million in principal and interest payments over a 20-year bond issue, he said.
Voter approval would also mean a property tax hike of $144 a year on a home with market value of $150,000 and $480 a year for a home with $250,000 market value.
A commercial property with market value of $500,000 would see a tax hike of $1000; a commercial property with valuation of $5 million would see a property tax increase of $10,000, Robinson said.
The calculations are for the city portion only of the property tax bill. The tax costs are likely to drop as more market valuation is added to the city, but Robinson said the city can expect other general costs for support of the center.
Other funds
Robinson said the $15 million referendum would not cover all costs of the scaled-back facility. Planners believe other revenue sources must be tapped to make the project doable.
The additional $7.5 million could be secured as follows:
ï$3 million, sale of land adjacent to the community center site.
ï$2.5 million from in-kind donations and naming rights.
ï$1 million from parkland dedication fees paid to the city by housing developers.
ï$1 million from Washington County for the sale of property in the community center complex for use by the county for north area governmental services.
After much planning of its own, the county has now shifted its Forest Lake site search to the community center parcel for a new county library, a park-and-ride transit hub and possibly a county government center to serve the countyís north end.
The city would provide land for the library structure but all other county needs would require the purchase of land, Robinson said.
The administrator said such a partnership would provide cash from land sales but also provide economy in the task of providing utilities and parking to the community center site.
Site a big plus
Planners stressed again last week the 160-acre community center site is a major plus for the Forest Lake plans.
The site, south of 202nd St. and west of US-61, was acquired by Forest Lake Township in 1998 as part of the overall purchase of 550 acres from Tom and Kay Doherty. The purchase included the Forest Lake Airport parcel.
The size of the community center site provides flexibility for planning at this point in the process and allow for future expansion should it be necessary.
Task force member Laurie Kumerow said committee members have often been told the flexibility for future expansion is a luxury many existing community centers do not have.
What is inside
Under the plan as now proposed, the two-level center would consist of the following.
ïTwo multi-purpose gyms-courts with 300 bleacher seating capacity on each side and a running track. Total size: 16,640 square feet.
ïA fitness center with facilities for an aerobic studio, cardio area, strength and free weights and a kid fitness area. Total size: 10,700 square feet.
ïAquatic center with a water park, eight-lane lap pool, locker room (shared with gyms and fitness center) and upper level spectator seating: Total size: 18,405 square feet.
ïIce arena with single sheet, lockers and storage, mechanical room, spectator seating and shared lobby area. Total size: 34,300 square feet.
ïCommunity and common space areas for lobby, restrooms, community room, office and community space Total size: 9955 square feet.
ïSite costs for parking, utilities, site preparation, site improvements, landscaping and road access would cost $1.5 million
To keep costs in line, planners said other proposed needs that were scaled back included a second ice sheet, outside pool, larger community rooms, a theater auditorium for the arts and a larger fitness center.
Plans for outside fields have also been scaled back.
Six of 10 planned soccer-football fields will be constructed along with five of 10 planned softball-baseball fields for youth.
Other exterior amenities include one adult baseball field, walking trails and a picnic pavilion.
Parking for 500 vehicles will be provided.
The $22.5 million would include $18.1 million for the building, $1.5 million for site work and parking areas, and $2.8 million for total site improvements, including athletic fields and utilities.
Next steps
If the referendum is to pass, Robinson stressed the importance of a well organized campaign that can rally support from throughout the city.
ìThis community must get involved if we want it to happen,î Robinson said. ìIt is a selling process.î
Under the proposed time schedule, if the referendum goes to the voters and passes, an architect would be retained for final plans. That would allow for a ground breaking next spring with the building finished in 12-18 months.
Exterior field projects would likely be completed sooner as would some of the county facilities such as the park-and-ride transit center location.
Alan Bakke and Daninger, task force co-chairs, expressed optimism and the need to get the project on track.
ìWe need everyone to buy in,î Bakke said. ìWeíve worked to eliminate the stuff that would be nice to have, but canít afford.î
ìIím optimistic,î he added. ìPeople realize our needs and see this as a tremendous asset.î
With Washington County having funds in hand and a desire to move forward, Daninger said it was important that the city gets its project on line soon.
ìThe county is looking for a commitment,î Daninger said.
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