By Kevin Hanson-The Courier-Herald

A laundry list of ambitious projects - most in the planning stages for years - are expected to come to fruition during 2008.

Those in charge of keeping Enumclaw city government humming are keeping tabs on expansion of the municipal wastewater treatment plant, the building of a Welcome Center and decisions surrounding the Expo Center property. In addition, city staff will deal with the ongoing process of “branding” Enumclaw with a new identity.

Millions of dollars will be spent, countless hours of staff time will be invested and, in certain situations, the public will be invited to offer opinions. In the end, projects hammered out during the coming 12 months will have a long-lasting impact on the community.

Wastewater treatment plant

Carrying a $26 million price tag, this is the largest project in Enumclaw history.

Crews broke ground in late September and anticipate completing the first phase of the project in late 2008. The work being done now - visible to motorists traveling state Route 410 at the city's southern edge - will result in a modern addition to the existing treatment plant. When the new portion is up and running, it will meet the demands of the state Department of Ecology and allow the city to resume growing.

Once the new section is complete, workers will tackle the existing portion of the plant, making upgrades that will bring it into compliance. That work will extend into 2009.

The story behind the expansion project begins more than a decade ago, when Ecology determined that outflow from the city plant - which is dumped into the White River - was failing to meet contemporary standards. That resulted in a moratorium on platting and annexation, a policy that continues today.

Years passed as the city wrangled with various state and federal agencies, attempting to determine the best course of action. During that time, the city worked at securing low-interest loans from the state while also ramping up rates paid by its customers.

During 2008, it's anticipated the city will lift the ongoing moratorium. When that occurs, city officials believe, developers will be knocking on the door.

Welcome Center

In the talking stage for years, there were significant developments during the past few months and, now, construction appears on the horizon.

Tentative designs have been passed around and engineers are now finalizing plans. City Administrator Mark Bauer said it's too early to pick a groundbreaking date, but acknowledges construction is expected to begin in the first part of 2008. The build-out will go into the following year, he said, with occupancy expected in the spring of 2009.

The Welcome Center has long been pursued as a logical stopping-off point for visitors on their way to Mount Rainier. Progress has been slow, primarily due to the ongoing hunt for governmental grant money, but most of the necessary $4 million has been secured. The city's share of the total cost will be about $350,000, Bauer said, noting that the money isn't sitting in an account. When the time comes, the funds will have to be borrowed, he said, either from an in-house account or on the open market.

The Welcome Center will be built on city-owned land between the Enumclaw Expo Center fieldhouse (Pete's Pool) and the entrance to the golf course. It will house the Enumclaw Area Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service. The three tenants will pay monthly rent to the city.

A second phase of the project - now unplanned and unfunded - will see development of a transit center on the grounds. The idea is to provide amenities for a shuttle service that would transport visitors to Mount Rainier National Park. That ties to a stated goal of the Park Service to see fewer vehicles motoring into the mountains.

Expo Center

The city has owned the former King County Fairgrounds for a year now, and plans continue being made as to how the land and facilities might best be used.

A consultant was brought on board to survey the community, look at competing venues and develop a strategy that would play to the strengths of the facility. Parks and Recreation Director Larry Fetter, whose department is charged with managing the site, makes it clear that the Expo Center has to pay its way; there's no intention of having the city subsidize the venture.

It's understood that the city's stated goal of adopting an equine theme will be incorporated; the question is, to what degree. Not all of the facility has to be used for equestrian purposes, Fetter said, explaining that the consultant's job will be to develop a formula easy on the budget. Already, the city has leased one of the center's buildings to a gymnastics operation.

Mayor John Wise has long stated his desire to see a portion of the Expo Center grounds dedicated to retail use, with merchants providing services for the crowds that come for equestrian, or other, events.

Kevin Hanson can be reached at khanson@courierherald.com.