MOUNT VERNON — Expect to see, read and hear more about Mount Vernon in the coming months.
The Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce — in partnership with the hospital, college, school district, business community, county, Economic Development Association of Skagit County and city — are launching a Community Marketing Campaign.
The campaign is modeled after one credited with turning around Renton’s image and drawing businesses to that city about a decade ago and will be handled by the same marketing firm, Seattle-based Hamilton/Saunderson.
If approved by the City Council today, the city would be the first financial contributor to commit to the project, said Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Kristen Whitener, and the largest backer, with a $30,000 commitment for the first year and $45,000 for the second.
The total budget will be nearly $170,000 — should all the partners pay their expected shares — for September 2008-10. The money is to go toward a new Web site, TV program, radio, magazine and newspaper ads and other marketing projects.
The two-year budget projects contributions of $35,000 from the business community, $25,000 from Skagit Valley Hospital, $25,000 from the Mount Vernon School District, $7,000 from Skagit Valley College and $2,500 from the chamber.
Whitener said the shares were based on what each entity could afford and on the relative benefits each will receive from the marketing campaign, with the city expected to gain the most.
The Economic Development Association of Skagit County, or EDASC, and the county have been active in the leadership group behind the campaign, but are not included in the budget.
In other council business today:
The council could almost double wastewater connection fees to $5,360. The current cost of connecting to city sewers, $2,700 per residence, has not been changed since it was set in 1990. The council is also considering sewer rate increases of 6 percent next year, another 6 percent rate in 2010, 4.5 percent in 2011 and 2 percent each in 2012 and 2013.
The connection fee and rate increases before the council were developed by city staff and a consultant and with input from the development community and the city’s only industrial wastewater customer — Draper Valley.
Public hearings are scheduled for both the sewer connection fee and rate increases prior to the council votes.
A public hearing and council vote on the Capital Improvement Plan for 2009-14 is also scheduled. The draft plan calls for almost $1.7 more in capital costs than the current plan did for 2008. New projects added for 2009 include more than $100,000 in improvements to Hillcrest Park and Lodge, an $800,000 ladder truck for the Fire Department, surface water and wastewater projects and a $3 million realignment of the intersection of 1st and Division streets.
City staff will ask the council to approve a $40,000 contract with CIC Valuation Group Inc. to appraise eight properties near the intersection of Riverside Drive and College Way. The city has already purchased 12 properties needed for work at the intersection but will have to go through condemnation proceedings through the court system for the final eight, according to a staff memo to the council and mayor.
The appraisals will be used for those proceedings.
A resolution recognizing the accomplishments of the Mount Vernon Babe Ruth Bulldogs baseball team, who won the Northern Washington State Championship and Pacific Northwest Regional Tournament, and qualified for the 14-year-old Babe Ruth World Series to be held in Quincy, Mass., later this month, will also go before the council.
Elliott Wilson can be reached at 360-416-2147 or at ewilson @skagitvalleyherald.com.
