HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-05-08-minutes--towns-to-teanaway-recreation-corridor-2017-05-08 MINUTES 1
COMMISSIONERS' MINUTES
KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
COMMISSIONER’S AUDITORIUM
SPECIAL MEETING
MONDAY 3:00 P.M. MAY 8, 2017
Board members present: Chairman Paul Jewell; Vice-Chairman Laura
Osiadacz and Commissioner Obie O’Brien.
Others: Julie Kjorsvik, Clerk of the Board; Craig Mabie, Kittitas
County Parks & Recreation District Commissioner and approximately 12
members of the public.
SPECIAL MEETING TOWNS TO TEANAWAY CORRIDOR COMMISSIONERS
At 3:00 p.m. Chairman Jewell opened a Special Meeting to hear a
presentation on the Towns to Teanaway Corridor project.
Craig Mabie provided an overview of the Towns to Teanaway Corridor
project. He said there are multiple stakeholders who are interested
in developing an award-winning trail master plan and design for a
recreational corridor connecting Ronald, Roslyn, Cle Elum and South
Cle Elum to the Teanaway Community Forest. He said the project ties
to the Kittitas County Tourism Infrastructure Plan and the Kittitas
County Recreation & Open Space Plan as well as other local and
regional plans. A request for proposals for the development of a
plan and design was released on March 17, 2017 and there were six
responses received ranging from $48,000.00 to $163,000.00. They
anticipate beginning work on June 1st. He reviewed other funding
that’s been committed by entities and are requesting funding from
Kittitas County in the amount of $10,000.00.
Darcy Batura, Community Coordinator for The Nature Conservancy, said
they have held 3 public meetings with an average of 25 people coming
to each one including various agencies, elected officials, media,
and will be identifying additional stakeholders.
Pat Simpson, Director of Community Associations for Suncadia, said
she works with both residential and commercial property owners. She
said she had never met anyone opposed to the project. The number one
thing that people seem to be interested in is trails as they are for
everyone’s use.
The timeline of the project was reviewed. Chairman Jewell felt
hiring a consultant was a good foundation and would be beneficial
for the project. He thought the funding could possibly be applied
for from the Lodging Tax Fund for Tourism-Related, Small Scale
Municipality-Owned Capital Projects and Operations however they
would need to file a grant application. The grant applications will
2017-05-08 MINUTES 2
be available in the next couple of weeks and can request up to
$50,000.00. He said General Lodging Tax funds could be another
possibility, but those applications are not available until the
fall. Chairman Jewell said he was not comfortable funding it from
the County’s General Fund. He’d also like to have the same level of
funding commitment from the Cities of Roslyn and Cle Elum.
The Board expressed support of the project and felt it would be a
benefit to Kittitas County. The County may not be able to get back
to the group until July as of the grant application timeline. They
are not trying to hold the project up but just want to make sure
they are able to use the right funds.
Meeting adjourned at 3:45 p.m.
KITTITAS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
CLERK OF THE BOARD KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Julie Kjorsvik Paul Jewell, Chairman