Red Arrow concession stand requires funding
The Abbotsford City Council weighed options to help raise money for a proposed concession stand upgrade at Red Arrow Park at their biweekly meeting on May 2.
Concession Stand
An initial rough estimate of $100,000 was bugdeted for the new facility. A donation was announced that would help cover $90,000 of that initial estimate. A consultation with an engineer led to a more accurate, $300,000 estimate for the building.
The city set aside $30,000 of excess parks money from their annual budget for the project bringing its initial fundraising total to around $120,000. That number would have covered the initial cost of the building but is less than half of what would be required for a $300,000 build.
The council then discussed options to help with raising money for the building. They decided that a public campaign was needed to help with the publicity of the project. Inserts will be distributed in a future water bill that will explain the project and what is needed.
Public Works Manager Craig Stuttgen said he heard from a contractor that had worked on a similar project in Marshfield that the project really did well once it was started.
“In Marshfield, they put in a new concession stand by the school,” Stuttgen said. “Once that project started, it took off, and everybody wanted to be a part of it whether it was donating $1,000 to have their name on a picnic table or whatever.”
Alderman Dale Rachu said the exposure might help a glaring problem with the fundraising of the project.
“I’m guessing right now, a majority of people in town don’t even know we’re doing a project,” Rachu said.
Stuttgen needed a motion to go ahead and try to find more funding for the project through exposure, donations and other sources like the tower contract discussed in a different part of the meeting.
“What I’m telling you is, we have a project on here and I don’t have funding for it but there’s places to get it from,” Stuttgen said.
The council ultimately passed a motion to have Stuttgen and Soyk work together to find funding and/ or potentially advertise to the public about the project.
Cell Tower
The council discussed the contract that was sent to the city by Everest Infrastructure Partners from Pittsburgh, Penn. The company would like to reserve the right to a lease beginning in 2030 by paying the city $20,000 per year over the next eight years. The company would then pay the city 50 percent of revenue generated by the tower or $30,000 minimum.
The tower was originally signed to a 30-year lease on Sept. 19, 2000, with the Wausau Cellular Telephone Company Limited Partnership. The contract was then purchased by Vertical Bridge LLC. and has been in that company’s possession since that purchase.
Vertical Bridge LLC has already expressed that they would not be renewing their contract at the end of the 30-year agreement in 2030.
If approved by the city’s attorney, the city council and Everest Infrastructure Partners, the city would receive a sign-on bonus as well as an annual, $20,000 payment for the reservation of the rights to the tower until the contract paying 50 percent in revenue or $30,000 begins in 2030.
The verbiage of the contract stated, “[Everest Infrastructure Partners] may terminate this Agreement upon written notice to [the City of Abbotsford]. This Agreement may not be terminated by [the City of Abbotsford].” This wording caused Alderman Jeremiah Zieset to question the value of the contract to the city.
“I wonder if they’re [saying] that this can’t be canceled unless they cancel it,” Zieset said. “That would be really good for them. It seems like there should be a set date to review terms.”
City Administrator Josh Soyk assured the council that sharing 50 percent of the tower’s revenue would ensure that both entities involved make a fair amount of money regardless of how much revenue the tower generates.
Soyk also mentioned that the current tower serves three carriers with AT& T, Verizon and T-Mobile but the new company would like to bring on additional carriers to provide other services to the area and in turn, generate more revenue for the city. Dish Network was one of the providers mentioned but it was unclear what other companies might be brought on board.
The council voted to send the contract to the city’s attorney for review and will reread the edited contract before voting whether or not to send the contract back to Everest Infrastructure Partners.
In other business:
_ The council voted to approve a proposal from the Central Fire & EMS Board to increase the organization’s spending limit to $100,000 from the original amount of $50,000.
This spending power will afford the organization the ability to purchase new vehicles without worrying about being outbid. The money required for a $100,000 bid on a vehicle is already in the Central Fire & EMS savings account and will not require any further contributions from the municipalities the organization serves.
_ The council approved signage for the new dog park but requested that a copy be made in Spanish and that the sign be displayed in large text so there is no doubt the rules will be seen.
