FORKS — Costs are up. Revenue is down.
Like most cities across the state, Forks faces tough economic challenges.
“But when you look at the challenges we have faced as a community, we know we can do it,” Forks Mayor Nedra Reed said in her State of the City address on Wednesday.
“We just have to tighten our belts.”
In a wide-ranging speech at the Forks Chamber of Commerce luncheon at JT Sweet Stuffs in downtown Forks, the eight-year mayor conveyed a strong sense of optimism as she talked about the economy, the Twilight phenomenon, city government and infrastructure.
“The state of the city, like everybody else, is cautiously optimistic,” Reed said.
“We’re significantly concerned, and essentially what we’re trying to do is to try to keep a positive attitude about what’s going on. The economy, of course, is going to greatly affect all of us.”
The Forks City Council, which Reed chairs, passed a “bare bones” $5.694 million budget last month for 2009.
It includes a hiring freeze in the police department, but no layoffs or hiring freezes in other departments.
“Our revenue is down, yes, that’s true, but we have something in the city of Forks that not too many other cities are blessed with,” Reed said.
“That is we have an incredible staff, we have a wonderful community and we have people who not only just live here, but they live here because they’re invested.”
The West End city of about 3,200 has been helped by the Twilight series of books by Stephenie Meyer, which recently became a blockbuster movie.
Twilight fallout
SDLqTwilight is an absolute, incredible phenomenon,” Reed said.
“I get calls from Europe, and we get calls from people from everywhere saying ‘How do we find out more?'”
Even through the movie was not filmed in Forks, Reed said the fallout has been a good thing for the city.
The Forks Visitors Center has been packed with Twilight fans on the weekends, Reed said, even in the middle of winter.
•âÇThe 119-acre Bogachiel State Park is one of 13 the state has identified for possible closure.
Reed has been a strong backer of the park, and she reiterated her stance on Wednesday.
“You can rest assured that we are going to do everything within our means to assure that that facility stays open for the community,” Reed said.
“We just need to make sure that we keep that resource.”
Established in 1931, the thickly forested park sits on the banks of the Bogachiel River about 6 miles south of the city.
•SEnSForks is repairing a building at the Quillayute Airport that burned in a November 2007 fire.
With replacement-cost insurance in today’s dollars, the city was able to replace the building for about $425,000, Reed said.
The building, which has power, plumbing, sewer, new windows, insulation and siding, “will be a marketable asset to the city,” Reed said.
•SEnSA $1.5 million paving project for Bogachiel Way has been delayed because of property acquisition issues. The city is trying to resolve that issue and have the project ready to start by the middle of February.
Construction is scheduled for this summer.
•SEnSThe Forks Police Department is running on bare minimums.
A beginning patrol officer in Forks makes $3,306 per month, compared with $4,542 in Port Angeles, $4,153 in Sequim and $4,061 in Clallam County, Reed said.
Reed praised the coordination between Forks and Clallam County Sheriff’s Department and its sergeant, Brian King.
“Our working relationship with Clallam County is the best that it has been in my seven years as your mayor,” Reed said.
“We communicate well. It had been a struggle for a long time. . . . Brian is a very personable, highly professional young officer.”
•SEnSThe mayor addressed the 5.8 percent pay raise city employees received. Negotiations started at 12 percent last spring, Reed said.
“I was looking for four,” Reed said.
“I understand that are economy is bad, but we were a long time getting to 5.8.”
•SEnSReed said Forks has been fortunate to receive grants over the years, but warned that such grants are likely to freeze amid the state budget crisis.
The city has requested a grant to secure funding to replace the West End Outreach Clubhouse.
West End Outreach is a community service organization sponsored by Forks Community Hospital.
“We’ve been working for the last month of so to find an engineering firm to take a look at “shovel ready” infrastructure projects,” Reed said.
•SEnSArtie Anderson, who has served on the Forks City council for 17 years, has announced he will plans to retire.
The council elects its own new members. Reed would cast a vote in a tie. She encouraged applicants.
“We have a great council,” Reed said. “We actually get along. Can you believe that?”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
