The Mountlake Terrace City Council discussed new plans for the location of city hall at the Coffee with the City earlier today. The meeting began at 6 p.m. and was held at the MLT Pavilion, hosted by the City Council members along with the City Hall Advisory Committee.
The new city hall building would be built near the MLT library and police station along 58th Ave. The current building is set up by I-5, along 220th St. It was built there after the old city hall building had an asbestos problem, with the ceilings and walls being filled with it, City Council member Laura Sonmore said. But with rent being so high, it’s near impossible to cover the costs.
The construction of a new building would require a raise in local taxes to cover the costs, Sonmore explained. The first time the City Council raised the idea was in 2010, where they lost the majority by about 3 percent. The building had a budget of $25 million and library and police station improvements along with funding for various meeting rooms that would be built within city hall. Again in 2012, the Council reconveyed the idea, with the same budget but less amenities. The tax passed with a “simple” majority, about 53 percent, as City Hall Advisory Chairperson Linda Rogers explained, but not a “super” that was necessary to pass. The next time it was brought up in 2013, it got a simple majority again but still fell short of the supermajority.
The new plan would have a $16.5 million budget that includes about $1.8 million for a remodel of the police station. Sonmore said she wants to keep the cost of the new building along with local taxes as low as possible.
Sonmore said she believes the bill will pass this year, but the constituents could vote either way.
The council has two different options for the layout of the new building. Either they will have city hall up against the street with a “free area” between the building and the police station or with the new building near the police station and the library with the free area by the street.
The council encourages constituents and voters to take the survey available on the City of MLT website and to send the council members emails of their own ideas.
The next Coffee with the City is scheduled for May 17 at the MLT Recreation Pavillion.
