The north side of an upgraded Guy Cole Convention Center in Carrie Blake Park is pictured in this drawing from the city of Sequim. Some projects may be put on hold because of budget constraints. — City of Sequim ()

The north side of an upgraded Guy Cole Convention Center in Carrie Blake Park is pictured in this drawing from the city of Sequim. Some projects may be put on hold because of budget constraints. — City of Sequim ()

Sequim looks at prioritizing projects in revitalizing Guy Cole center

SEQUIM — With a fraction of anticipated funds available to revitalize the Guy Cole Mini-Convention Center in Carrie Blake Park, Sequim City Council members are looking to prioritize projects.

Initially, city staff estimated the center’s revitalization price as between $800,000 and $1.2 million.

The staff requested $750,000 from the state in grants but received $450,000 from the 2015-17 state capital budget through the Department of Commerce Direct Grant Program.

An administrative fee lowered the grant to $436,000 for the city to allocate to the project.

Council members Monday voted 6-1, with Councilman John Miller voting against, to work with the state Department of Enterprise Services to conduct a free energy audit of the convention center.

Joe Irvin, assistant to the city manager/parks manager, said the free audit could help prioritize improvements in the building.

“I think it’ll have some helpful information,” he said.

Cost-saving options

The audit might identify energy cost-saving opportunities for the city such as installing a dropped ceiling in the main gathering space, replacing the HVAC system, replacing windows and upgrading kitchen appliances and bathroom fixtures.

However, Irvin said, several other non-energy-related projects are needed in the center such as installing new flooring, new paint and window treatments, a new roof, building additions and storage, and building a south-facing exterior patio.

“When we look at the menu of what we need to do, some of these items would fall off [due to funding],” Irvin said.

He added that there might be other issues discovered, such as not enough power being run into the building for a possible HVAC system.

The Guy Cole Mini-Convention Center was built in 1982 by members of the Sequim Lions Club and named after a former member. They donated it to the city that year.

The City Council endorsed a floor and elevation plan of the center in November 2014 following an effort to widen its usefulness and attractiveness to locals and visitors that started a few years prior.

North Olympic Peninsula Skills Center students started work in the fall of 2014 building a wall and kitchen space in the east wing, saving the city some on construction costs.

On Monday, Irvin directed council members to a conceptual drawing of the revitalized center, saying, “Without continued investment or additional resources, it’s highly unlikely we’re going to get this building on the screen right now.”

Audit strings

One contingency of the free audit is that if the city does go forward with projects that are energy-related, then it would pay an administrative fee to the Department of Enterprise Services based on a fluctuating scale of the project’s cost.

As an example, an energy-related project between $100,000 and $200,000 would cost a fee of $13,800.

The city would be obligated to have the department contract any energy-related projects through Dec. 31, 2019, the contract states.

Council members Ted Miller and Genaveve Starr expressed concerns over the partnership.

Starr said there might be an ethical objection to accepting the free services and thus committing the city to more work by the Department of Enterprise Services.

Ted Miller said his highest priority is reopening the center and that energy issues are secondary or tertiary.

“If we don’t have enough money to do the full scope, then we need to back off a little bit and come up with something that is doable and that the people of the city will be able to use,” he said.

“If there’s one or two or three things we have to give up to have it open, then so be it,” he said.

“It’s far better to have it open with some utility than half-completed for a couple of years and unusable by anyone.”

Ted Miller also said he’s concerned the city might be steered in a more expensive, not-cost-effective way.

As another possible cost savings, Councilwoman Candace Pratt encouraged recruiting volunteers to help with elements of the project in the breakout rooms on the east side of the convention center.

Irvin said he has not actively recruited volunteers for the project since students finished their tenure on the building.

________

Matthew Nash is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach him at mnash@sequimgazette.com.

More in News

Special Olympian Deni Isett, center, holds a ceremonial torch with Clallam County Sheriff Brian King, right, accompanied by Lt. Jim Thompson of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribal Police on a leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run on the Olympic Discovery Trail at Port Angeles City Pier. Tuesday’s segment of the run, conducted mostly by area law enforcement agencies, was organized to support Special Olympics Washington and was to culminate with a community celebration at 7 Cedars Casino in Blyn. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Carrying the torch

Special Olympian Deni Isett, center, holds a ceremonial torch with Clallam County… Continue reading

Hopefuls for Olympic Medical Center board debate

Talk focuses on funds, partnership

An encapsulated engineered coupler used to repair a January leak. The leak occurred along a similar welded joint near to the current leak. (City of Port Townsend)
Port Townsend considers emergency repair for pipeline

Temporary fix needs longer-term solution, officials say

Traffic to be stopped for new bridge girders

Work crews for the state Department of Transportation will unload… Continue reading

The Peninsula Crisis Response Team responded with two armored vehicles on Tuesday when a 37-year-old Sequim man barricaded himself in a residence in the 200 block of Village Lane in Sequim. (Clallam County Sheriff’s Office)
Man barricaded with rifle arrested

Suspect had fired shots in direction of deputies, sheriff says

An interior view of the 12-passenger, all-electric hydrofoil ferry before it made a demonstration run on Port Townsend Bay on Saturday. Standing in the aisle is David Tyler, the co-founder and managing director of Artemis Technologies, the designer and builder of the carbon fiber boat. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Demonstration provides glimpse of potential for ferry service

Battery-powered hydrofoil could open water travel

Electronic edition of newspaper set for Thursday holiday

Peninsula Daily News will have an electronic edition only… Continue reading

Juliet Shidler, 6, tries on a flower-adorned headband she made with her mother, Rachel Shidler of Port Angeles, during Saturday’s Summertide celebration in Webster’s Woods sculpture park at the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center. The event, which marks the beginning of the summer season, featured food, music, crafts and other activities for youths and adults. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Summertide festival

Juliet Shidler, 6, tries on a flower-adorned headband she made with her… Continue reading

Law enforcement agencies to participate in Torch Run

Clallam County law enforcement agencies will participate in the… Continue reading

Crews contain wildland fire near Fisher Cove Road

Crews from Clallam County Fire District 2 quickly contained… Continue reading

Crescent School senior Audrey Gales, right, looks at the homemade regalia worn by fellow senior Hayden Horn on Saturday. Gales had a handmade Native American cap ready for her graduation. Seventeen Crescent students graduated during traditional ceremonies in the school gym. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Crescent graduation

Crescent School senior Audrey Gales, right, looks at the homemade regalia worn… Continue reading

Pertussis cases see 25-fold increase statewide in 2024

The state Department of Health reported an increase in pertussis… Continue reading