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Toss a few questions at baseball discussion

Forum is expected to follow county's signing of nonbinding letter

By Stephanie Rice
Published: July 24, 2011, 12:00am

Public meeting

? Who: Clark County Commissioners.

? What: Forum for public questions about bringing a Class A baseball team to Vancouver.

? When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.

? Where: Sixth-floor hearing room, Clark County Public Services Center, 1300 Franklin, Vancouver.

? Information: http://www.co.clark.wa.us.

Clark County commissioners are expected to sign a nonbinding letter of intent Tuesday morning with Short Season LLC during the consent agenda portion of their meeting.

People who have questions about the proposal to bring a Class A baseball team to Vancouver can attend a public forum at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the sixth-floor hearing room at the Clark County Public Services Center, 1300 Franklin.

Public meeting

? Who: Clark County Commissioners.

? What: Forum for public questions about bringing a Class A baseball team to Vancouver.

? When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.

? Where: Sixth-floor hearing room, Clark County Public Services Center, 1300 Franklin, Vancouver.

? Information:http://www.co.clark.wa.us.

A July 13 work session on a proposed letter of intent with Short Season LLC, the owners of the Yakima Bears, was frustrating for audience members who showed up with questions.

Typically, commissioner work sessions, while always open to the public, are not attended by the public; there’s no scheduled period for public testimony at work sessions like in a public hearing during a regular commissioners’ meeting.

But few topics of late have generated as much interest as the baseball proposal, which includes a 5 percent countywide entertainment admissions tax that could be levied on movie tickets, the county fair and other events. Revenues would go toward paying off debt for a privately financed stadium at Clark College. Since the stadium would be privately financed, no general fund money, which supports basic county services, would back the stadium’s financing.

Commissioners will have to have a public hearing before they vote on the tax.

Bridget Schwarz, president of the Fairgrounds Neighborhood Association, said a half-dozen neighborhood associations are sponsoring Tuesday evening’s forum, which will have a moderator and include officials from the city, county, Clark College and Short Season LLC.

The moderator will take questions about financing, location, uses, ownership, operation and management, she said.

“Our purpose is to give citizens facts about an issue that enables them to make an informed decision,” she wrote in a news release. “This public forum is intended to meet that need.”

The nonbinding letter of intent that commissioners are expected to sign Tuesday morning outlines what contractual agreements the county and team need to make to see a stadium open at Clark College in June 2012.

The letter of intent sets out the steps toward opening the $23 million stadium, which would also be available for community, youth sports and other events when the Bears are not playing one of their 38 summer games.

The stadium would have an estimated 4,000 seats and accommodate up to 6,000 people.

According to the letter, Short Season LLC will have to secure a ground lease for the Clark College location from the state.

The team would privately finance, build and operate the stadium. If tax admission revenues fell short, the difference would be paid by the team’s owners.

Also according to the letter, the owners would charge the college and other groups for renting the facility although the team and college could agree to set aside community-use days that are free or at a very reduced rate.

The Vancouver City Council will likely have to vote to support the tax because investors will want a guarantee that the city won’t turn around and enact its own tax, taking revenues from the stadium.

The city council will have a workshop Monday on the proposal.

The city will also be the lead agency for the environmental review and land-use permits.

The Arnada Neighborhood Association, which includes residents who live on the other side of Interstate 5 from the stadium site, hosted a forum last month on the baseball proposal.

Stephanie Rice: 360-735-4508 or stephanie.rice@columbian.com.

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