The Yakima City Council has the freedom to spend surplus on art or other projects in Yakima when it meets tomorrow at city hall says City Manager Tony O'Rourke. He says the $43 million bill for the underpass work was paid for through a combination Federal,  State and city dollars including money from Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railroad. O'Rourke says "There is a surplus largely related to the railroads contribution and so the council has several options." O'Rourke says that $640,000 doesn't have to be spent on art since it's city and railroad money so he's recommending the city spend $250,000 on an elevated sidewalk under the Lincoln underpass. He says the remaining balance of $400,000 could be spent on the Bins of Light art project. Or the city could use it to pay off the city outstanding debt service or it could be used for work on North First Street.
The 1% requirement for art would have applied if the city had any federal money left from the project but O'Rourke says all the federal money has been spent on the underpass projects. The City meets at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall on Tuesday.

 

More From News Talk KIT