The costly fallout from recalled mayor Cy Sun’s disastrous administration in Pacific continues to affect the City.
The Pacific City Council was informed at its Oct. 28 regular meeting that more than $1.2 million in construction grants earmarked for transportation improvements in the city had been rescinded by the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC).
“I was looking over the status of various funds that had been awarded to the City over the past few years, and there was $611,967 from the Puget Sound Regional Council that had not been dispersed in a timely manner,” said City Engineer Jim Morgan.
According to PSRC spokesperson Anne Avery, the grant – $651,238 intended for trail improvements on the north side of Stewart Road – was rescinded “because of delay. You have to use the money within a certain timeline,” she added.
Avery said the PSRC also was forced to rescind another $536,457 grant for minor widening of Milwaukee Boulevard and a $37,598 grant for Interurban Trail improvements.
After discovering the money was not available to Pacific, Morgan said, he immediately called the PSRC to check the status.
“I called them trying to track down where we were at with various projects because we understood there was still money available,” Morgan said.
He was told, however, that the money had been rescinded in June because of a lack of reporting.
“You’re supposed to submit quarterly reports and invoices,” he said. “That way, they know there is activity on the project. The only contact they had was with the mayor (Sun). The information I received from the staff at PSRC was that they were instructed to not contact any City staff but the mayor.”
Avery said PSRC staff tried contacting Pacific staff and Sun by mail and email but did not receive a response.
The City operated without a public works director and City engineer for much of Sun’s tenure.
Despite the loss of grants, however, Morgan remained optimistic that the City would be able to fill funding gaps to finish the projects, although perhaps on a smaller scale.
“We’re moving forward with the design for the Milwaukee project,” he said. “There is a call for projects in the spring of 2014, and I’ll submit the designs and try to get construction funds.”
Morgan said the City will continue to pursue grants for the trail project, adding that pedestrian improvements on the north side of Stewart Road were stipulated in the original Transportation Improvement Board grant funding the construction.
“We’re looking at alternatives to reduce the length of the trail to Valentine (Road), rather than Butte, which is what the original design called for,” he said. “We’re going to formulate a plan of attack.”
