Vision 2020 asks city for support

Staff time, assistance, $25,000 among part of request

Vision 2020, the group handling the remodeling and revitalization efforts in downtown Moses Lake has asked city council for additional support in their endeavors.

City manager Joe Gavinski said that the group had asked for support, staff time, as well as $25,000, mostly intended on the design and development of a number of Vision 2020 projects, including the main street concept, the signature element and the railroad right-of-way, among others.

Gavinski expressed his optimism over the future of Vision 2020 and the projects the group supports. "Some things have happened, some things are happening and some things are going to happen," he said.

He refuted the view of spending money on aesthetic projects as an inappropriate use of city funds, which he said are in short supply. "It's not inappropriate to spend that money," he said. "It's the timing that is the issue, maybe the time is not now."

P.J. De Benedetti, outgoing chairman of Vision 2020, said the decision depended on what the city would like to do, and on what can they provide out of the two percent from a hotel-motel tax, which can only be used for tourism-related purposes.

He added that the group would wait to see which of the purposes and goals that Vision 2020 has for the money the city is legally allowed to use, such as the signature element and the development of main street.

"We may make a case that the railroad right-of-way (issue) is tourism related," De Benedetti said, "given what we would do with the right-of-way once the railroad is gone."

De Benedetti said he could appreciate the city's reluctance to spend money. "It's their money, and they are already pressed to continue doing what they are doing. Sometimes you just have to be patient."

He added that it must be a tough situation for the city to have people ask for money, when there is barely enough money to tend to existing projects.

Still, De Benedetti said the city leaders have been very supportive of Vision 2020. As far as the citizenry itself, De Benedetti said that there has been a level of interest, but that once the residents see a more tangible result, that interest will rise.

Gavinski said that Vision 2020 had encountered a road that was tougher than they might have expected, but that it was due to the circumstances surrounding the group.

"The (local) economy has gotten worse, there are less city dollars available, which translates into less private dollars as well," he said

Gavinski said that the very projects of Vision 2020 might have an awakening effect on the city. The group's support of retail and housing developments, he noted, might help the area get itself "out of the doldrums."

De Benedetti said he was optimistic the city council will honor Vision 2020's request for funds. "I heard no opposition from council," he said.

If the request is not approved, both Gavinski and De Benedetti said that is not the end of the road.

"It's not pivotal that this be approved," De Benedetti said. Gavinski agreed, saying that perhaps, "there are other monies out there, private and public grants that could be used for the projects."

Among them, the city manager mentioned the possibility of gleaning funds destined for artistic, architectural and historic displays. Most of these grants, he said, are participatory, requiring perhaps the inclusion of matching funds by part of the recipient.

"I still see things in the horizon for Vision 2020," Gavinski said.