Council OKs Grant Application for Senior Center Upgrades

The Enumclaw City Council approved a resolution Wednesday for city staff to pursue a community development block grant seeking about $98,000 for needed upgrades and repairs to the .

According to senior center manager Jobyna Nickum who has been working on the grant application, there had already been existing electrical problems with the building; it currently has one entrance that borders on being completely ADA compliant; and in the last year more problems have development with plumbing and drainage in the kitchen and restrooms.

"We currently have some code issues with regards to electrical," she said.

And with the population growing older, it would behoove the city to ensure the building is completely wheelchair accessible for people with disabilities, Nickum said.

The grant would address these two issues as well as plumbing and drainage at a cost that comes under $100,000 -- more like $98,000 and some change, she said.

This is federal money, said city administrator Mike Thomas. The city has benefitted from such a grant in 2007; there is no match required but it is a competitive process, and Enumclaw would be competing with a southern sub region for the dollars. The application process begins June and and runs through the end of the year.

The building is relatively aged and the city has been in it since 1984, Thomas said. If the grant were approved and repairs made, "we won't see a large change in the building but certainly it'd be more functional than it is now," he said.

At Mayor Liz Reynold's inquiry, Nickum offered that if the grant were approved and the dollars put in for repairs, the city would need to stay in the building for a minimum of five years. If there is a reason the senior center vacates the building within five years it would have to repay the funds. The five year timeline is specific to grant requests under $100,000.

Councilmen Sean Krebs, Jim Hogan and Mike Ennis were excused but all four members who did attend Wednesday approved the resolution.

"I've been in the building and it could use any improvements that we can throw at it," Councilman Kevin Mahelona said.

Councilman Darrel Dickson said he was pleased the city was addressing safety and health issues at the center.

The application is almost complete, said Nickum, and it would be turned in next week along with the city council's approval by resolution.

The grant is headed to King County and the county is then responsible for managing the grant process, Thomas said. The results should be known by November, he said, and the dollars will be award to King County in January 2013.

"This project, if it comes to fruition, would be a mid-year 2013 project" in Enumclaw, Thomas said.