SNOHOMISH COUNTY COUNCIL
ADMINISTRATIVE SESSION
MONDAY, JUNE 9, 2014
AGENDA
10:30 a.m.
Today, all five County Council members were in
attendance.
One of the motions under consideration (and relative to the plans for Wellington Hills Park):
“Motion
14-236, authorizing approval of Amendment #3 to the contract
for consultant services with Bruce Dees and Associates, LLC., landscape
architects for additional services in the development of Wellington Hills
County Park (ECAF 2202)”
Go HERE to read the full agenda list.
FYI:
Bruce Dees and Associates is the landscape architecture,
recreation facilities design company hired by Snohomish County’s Department of
Parks to design the tournament level sports complex planned (but not yet approved) for Wellington
Hills Park.
That reference to "additional services" in Motion
14-236 ??
To date, approximately one
million dollars has already been paid to Bruce Dees and Associates. That money
was for design work on the Dept. of Parks sports complex plan, aka, "The Master Plan".
Today’s motion was about additional money for Bruce Dees and Associates.
------------
Public comments were heard at the beginning of the Admin Session.
Here’s what I said to the County Council:
“Hindsight is a wonderful and valuable tool … if, that is,
it’s actually used in a decision-making process.
You’re now considering providing more money for Bruce
Dees and Associates … for what is essentially vaporware.
Regarding that business of hindsight … in October of
2012 a Snohomish County Council member said with some regret … that after the
County’s expenditure of over one million dollars for the failed bio-fuel venture … the County would be more cautious and
wouldn’t invest in something unless there’s a solid business plan in place.
So, I ask, regarding Wellington Hills Park … is there a
legitimate business plan in place?
And, if there is such a plan, where is it?
Fiscal
responsibility? … What will be the total cost for a sports
complex in Wellington Hills Park? … If you proceed down this extravagant path
for an over-built park, … my guesstimate for this low-priority and
non-essential enterprise is a total investment of somewhere around an
outrageous 27 million dollars.
You’ve already spent approximately one million dollars
on Bruce Dees and Associates – and now you’re considering even more for them …
and the Council hasn’t even voted upon whether to proceed or not with
the totally inappropriate Wellington Hills Park plan.
Finally, how many County parks rely on volunteers for
their upkeep?
For example, volunteers are necessary for the
maintenance of Lord Hill Park and volunteers will be necessary for the care and
preservation of Hooven Bog.
I wonder if those volunteers could use a few crumbs of
the money being spent on Bruce Dees and Associates?”
Background
To read about the failed Biofuel Venture – GO HERE.
For more about Lord Hill Park volunteers – GO HERE.
