Snoqualmie commissioners press for clearer numbers after county grant loss for community‑center pool project

Commissioners at the Sept. 9 Parks and Events Commission meeting were told staff have updated cost estimates after the city did not secure a county grant for the proposed community‑center pool and plan to bring revised figures to city council before the commission takes additional public fundraising steps. The discussion focused on funding options — scaling the project, forming a regional coalition to pursue county or state funds, or returning to voters with a bond measure — and on coordinating a city council nomination to the Snoqualmie Valley Aquatics Council.

The pool project matters because the city faces a high upfront cost and residents have voted on related bonds three previous times. Dante staff and commissioners said regional partnership is the most realistic route to obtain the kind of funding local leaders have described. “Our best chance of getting a pool in this part of the valley is if everybody in the valley works together,” Mayor Pro Tem Holloway said, and he said he plans to nominate a council member to serve on the Snoqualmie Valley Aquatics Council; that nomination is expected at the next city council meeting in about two weeks.

Dylan Gamble, the city’s capital improvement plan manager, told commissioners staff have updated scope and cost options and collected preliminary pricing but had not finalized numbers. Gamble said staff will return to council with a complete funding picture before the commission proposes specific fundraising or advocacy steps. “We have received some preliminary numbers,” Gamble said, and staff are preparing a full package so council and the commission can weigh specific choices.

Councilman Ethan Benson, the council liaison to the commission, urged caution about bonding the project without voter approval. Benson noted voters rejected a related bond measure in three past elections but said support percentages increased each time; commissioners in the meeting cited prior vote tallies that rose roughly from about 52% to about 58% in successive tries and noted a supermajority (roughly 60%) is required to pass a bond in Snoqualmie. “I would definitely be one of the no votes on that,” Benson said of a councilmanic bond enacted without another public vote, adding that going to voters remains a legitimate option but would require careful polling and messaging.

Commissioners and staff also discussed alternative fundraising ideas and the limits of small community campaigns. Several commissioners said small fundraising events (brick sales, small donations) are unlikely to generate the millions needed; staff confirmed those ideas could supplement but not replace major grant or bond funding. Commissioners asked staff to analyze why the most recent county grant application failed and to share any lessons learned before deciding whether to reapply.

Next steps described at the meeting: staff will finalize and present updated cost and scope options to city council; council is expected to consider whether to pursue coalition-based regional funding, to place a bond measure before voters, or to reduce project scope. The commission agreed it will wait for a final funding package before organizing major public fundraising efforts or formal endorsements. The commission also discussed requesting a seat or representative on the regional aquatics council to strengthen Snoqualmie’s position in coalition funding efforts.

Details that remained open at the meeting included exact project costs (staff said those figures were being finalized), whether the city would reapply for county funding, and which funding mix (local bond, regional grants, private fundraising) council might prefer. Commissioners emphasized they wanted the full, updated cost picture before stepping into public fundraising or formally endorsing a final design.