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Mill Creek council allocates $360,000 in RPB funds for Veterans Monument and Library Park improvements
Summary
Council approved a resolution to allocate RPB (ARPA‑derived) funds toward Veterans Monument and Library Park improvements, endorsing staff and advisory‑board recommendations for playground, site furnishings, lighting and irrigation enhancements amid discussion over the number of benches and wetland constraints. (Vote 6-0)
The Mill Creek City Council on March 10 approved a resolution allocating RPB funds to advance enhancements at Veterans Monument and Library Park, including playground improvements, site furnishings and upgrades to irrigation and lighting.
City Engineer Dan Carmody and Senior Project Engineer Mariam Soltani outlined project background, noting a combination of state and county grant dollars for construction and $363,913 of grant funds that remain uncommitted. Soltani presented several playground options and line‑item estimated costs: a full new central play tower and expanded footprint (roughly $240,000 including contingency), an option that adds a swing set (~$174,000), an equipment‑retention option (~$166,000), and a footprint‑only expansion (~$74,000). She also summarized enhancement costs such as benches ($44,000–$50,000), flagpoles (~$42,000), lighting ($63,000–$66,000), a drinking fountain (approx. $78,000), landscaping ($68,000–$70,000) and irrigation replacement ($42,000–$46,000).
Soltani said Park and Recreation and Arts & Beautification boards had ranked site furnishings and landscaping and recommended a playground option; city staff agreed with the parks board recommendation and suggested allocating funds for site furnishings, lighting and irrigation. Multiple council members said they supported following advisory‑board recommendations but raised concerns about the number of new benches planned, the potential loss of funding for other projects and wetland mitigation for the south lawn area near the monument.
Council member Cavallari moved to adopt a resolution allocating $360,000 of RPB funds to the Veterans Monument/Library Park rehabilitation project with the items described in staff recommendations; the motion passed 6-0 after discussion. Staff said they will follow up with the parks board on the precise number of benches to be installed and ensure the total does not exceed the authorized amount.
Next steps: staff will complete 100% design in April, bid in May and begin construction in June under an aggressive schedule; there will be opportunities for donor reimbursements for named benches and ongoing conversations about mitigation and maintenance.
