The Sandpoint City Council voted Dec. 3 to award a professional services contract to Welch Comer Engineers for downtown revitalization Phase 3 design work, a decision staff said will let public engagement and design advance quickly toward expected construction by next year.

Eric Bush, City Forester and the project's staff lead, told the council the contract covers full design from Church Street to Lake Street and 30% conceptual work south of Lake toward Superior, including intersection improvements, streetscape and utility undergrounding, water-main reconstruction and stormwater treatment for the 1st Avenue corridor. Bush presented the contract breakdown in the council packet: $627,800 for Church to Lake and $113,900 for the 30% design south of Lake.

"If council chooses to award this contract tonight, we begin public input right away," Bush said during the presentation. Welch Comer's vice president, Matt Gillis, said the firm was "genuinely excited about this project" and ready to begin community outreach.

Councilors pressed staff on when public input would occur. Councilor Trevor Schreiber and others asked that meaningful opportunities precede late-stage design presentations. Gillis and staff agreed to move more public involvement earlier in the schedule, including a basis-of-design report and technical advisory group meetings before the 90% design milestone.

Councilman Schreiber moved to postpone approval and direct staff to amend the contract to remove the east side of 1st Avenue and add stormwater work at Farmlands Landing. That motion, seconded by Councilman Joel Espiro, failed in a roll-call vote (3 yes, 4 no).

The council then voted to approve the resolution awarding the contract to Welch Comer (City Agreement A263170-2). Councilor Rick Howarth, Council President Deb Ruhl, Councilor **** and Mayor Jeremy Grimm voted in favor; Councilors Joe Spiro, Trevor Schreiber and Pam Duquette voted no. After the approval, staff said Welch Comer would begin scheduling advisory-group meetings and public outreach.

Funding staff identified includes urban renewal funds, the city's water fund for water-main replacement, potential TAP and CDBG grants and other matching sources. Staff highlighted a timing constraint: SURA (the downtown urban renewal funding window) sunsets in 2029, which staff said makes advancing design now important for grant and match eligibility.

What's next: staff and Welch Comer will finalize a public involvement plan, convene the technical advisory group and present a basis-of-design report for council review as the design advances.