Quincy Council tables $2,800 sign proposal

QUINCY — The Quincy City Council tabled a motion recently that was aimed at purchasing new face panels for the existing sign on the city’s new activity center.

City Recreation Director Russ Harrington brought the motion to replace the sign panels to the Council at the last regular meeting. He proposed the project with a cost of just more than $2,800.

The activity center still has sign panels in place for Studio 90, the last occupant of the building at 105 Second Ave. SE. Harrington said the activity center still gets visits from people who are looking for a workout location or chiropractic services.

Members of the city council raised concerns with the fact that Harrington had presented only one quote for the sign project, from Graybeal Signs, Inc. of Wenatchee.

Harrington said he tried for months to get a quote from the company that originally did the sign work but was unable. He said Graybeal was the only other company he knew of in the area that did the “big, lighted signs.”

Council member Gina Saldaña said the nearly $3,000 bill seemed like a large sum to earmark for the project before doing “some shopping around.” She, along with other council members, would like to see multiple quotes for the project.

Saldaña questioned how long the city plans to occupy the old Studio 90 building as an activity center, and whether it's wise to invest in new sign panels at the facility.

Earlier this year when the city purchased the building, Harrington said the activity center was a sort of interim facility until the city has the property and means to construct a full recreation center. The activity center is named as such, Harrington said, because it is designated for many classes, events and activities, but it is not open all hours of the day for general recreation use.

The city purchased the activity center building for $420,000. At the time of the purchase, Harrington said that, if things go as planned and a recreation center is eventually constructed in Quincy, the city recreation department may still want to use the activity center as a type of annex. However, he said those decisions will have to be made at that time.

Saldaña said she did not feel comfortable investing the $2,843 on a sign if the activity center was temporary in the scope of the long-term recreation center plan.

Council member Scott Lybbert favors the idea of updating the sign and using the lighted sign, rather than a sign on the side of the building, as some of his fellow council members proposed. He wanted to see more options before moving forward.

“I would like to see at least three (quotes),” Lybbert said.

The Council withdrew the motion and is expected to address it at a later date.