Quincy plans work for senior center

QUINCY — Quincy plans to continue improvements to the senior center and work on the pool next year.

The city held their first public hearing for the 2010 budget during their last city council meeting.

Mayor Jim Hemberry said the operational side of the budget should be similar to last year, adding the city is predicting a decline in sales tax next year.

“I reduced our expectation for sales tax to $1 million, but I predicted $1.5 million last year and we’re going to end up with $2 million,” he said. “We have no revenue shortfalls anywhere.”

The city spent roughly $330,000 for the purchase of a ladder truck for the Quincy fire station and about $2.3 million extension of sewer pipe across the West Canal of the Columbia Basin Project. Hemberry said the city plans to hold off on large construction projects in 2010.

“Capital improvements, we’re going to cut back,” he said. “We’ve got a couple projects, but nothing to the magnitude of what we’ve done for the last two years.”

 This includes adding more money to a project to build a new library. The city saved $1 million to construct the library and is applying to the state for a $1 million grant to help pay for the estimated $2.2 million project, Hemberry said.

The city plans to hunt for money to finish its reclaimed water project. The city spent a $4 million state allocation extending a pipe to carry water from the municipal wastewater facility to the Microsoft data center. The water is used for cooling.

“We’re still looking for money to extend our water reuse facility,” Hemberry said. “We’re going to try to get that extended out to Yahoo! and Intuit.”

The city plans to spend $100,000 to continue improving the Quincy Senior Center. The city spent about $131,000 last year to expand a set of restrooms, making them accessible to people with disabilities, adding air conditioning to the kitchen, pantry and director’s office and a new stove hood. Hemberry said the project this year will make the center more aesthetically pleasing.

These improvements include adding vinyl wall covering, molding and chair rails, according to a February report made to the city council by project architect Brad Brisbine.

The city also plans for $100,000 in improvements at the pool, Hemberry said. These include sand blasting, painting and repairs.