A youngster learns how to swim at the Fred Endert Municipal Pool before it was closed due to COVID-19. City staff cited the pool's sustainability as one reason to move forward with a sales tax initiative. File photo: Jessica Cejnar

Crescent City could spend between $10,000 and $20,000 for a consultant as it pursues a sales tax initiative to benefit public safety.

These are preliminary numbers Crescent City Manager Eric Wier told Councilors on Monday that he received from Arcata-based consultant Planwest Partners. That cost estimate doesn't include what the city could spend on mailers, Wier said.

“Probably the total for that ballot measure support, we’re looking probably in the $30,000-$35,000 range depending on how much information we want to send to people as going door to door is really no longer an option,” he said.

Wier was following up on the Councilor’s decision June 24 to move forward with a 1 cent sales tax initiative to help Crescent City Fire & Rescue transition to a hybrid department with paid staff and volunteers. The initiative, if successful, would be used to implement a new staffing plan at the Crescent City Police Department, pay for pothole and other repairs to city roles as well as potentially help subsidize the Fred Endert Municipal Pool.

Del Norte County is pursuing a separate 1 cent sales tax initiative that, if approved, would apply outside Crescent City limits.

On Monday, Wier said he will bring a draft ordinance before the City Council at a special meeting July 14. The ordinance will be up for discussion again at a regular Council meeting July 20 and a final time on Aug. 3, according to Wier.

If the Council adopts the ordinance on Aug. 3 it will be submitted to the Del Norte County Elections Office by the Aug. 7 deadline to be included on the November ballot.

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