By 2018, City Manager David Johnston is predicting that Maple Valley will hit its two-month reserve line if the current trends in decreased revenue stay the same. This means that the gap between the general fund and the reserves will be close to nothing.

This grim forecast has started a discussion within the City Council about how to better create a budget and what other revenue opportunities are out there. The new methodology Johnston is proposing for budget creation is referred to as “budgeting by priorities.” Johnston hopes this process, which involves heavy contributions and input from citizens, will better situate the city’s budget for years to come.

In addition to a different method of budget-planning, the city is also looking at how to increase their revenue now and for the future.

Johnston said in his 2015 proposed budget that single family residential permits, a major revenue source for the city, have decreased significantly, and he doesn’t expect them to catch back up to pre-recession levels any time soon. In 2005, more than 400 single family residential permits were issued by the city. In 2014, that number is down to a little more than 100 permits.

Now, the city must look for alternative revenue sources because of this dwindling growth. Johnston hopes they can find it in economic development, specifically, more jobs within the city.

There are a few areas within Maple Valley that can be used for commercial development, Johnston said. In total, the city has about 200 acres of land that could be ready for development in the next couple of years.

Bringing in a large employer will increase the daytime population for the city, resulting in more sales tax revenue, Johnston explained.

“We need to have local jobs created here so people can go to the store during their lunch time or on their way home from work,” Johnston said in a phone interview.

One 100-acre piece of land is a reclaimed quarry that’s being filled up with gravel. Johnston said it could be ready to develop by the end of the first quarter next year.

Another plot, on the north end of town, would be a good opportunity for a company that relies heavily on logistics, Johnston said. It’s about a half a mile away from the state Route 18 and 231st Street intersection, making it ideal for companies that rely on major highways for transportation.

In the meantime, the city is facing another deficit year. At the end of 2014, the general fund reserves is anticipated to be at about $3.9 million. Johnston’s prediction is that at the end of 2015, that number will be down to $2.6 million.

Another possible source of income could be the Lake Wilderness Golf Course and restaurant. But, only time will tell if the closing of Elk Run Golf Course in October will have any effect on increased traffic to the city’s establishment.

Operationally, the city’s golf course has been breaking even for the past two years. However, repairs and capital projects have made it go into the red as a whole.

Johnston said they probably won’t know if Elk Run’s closure will have any lasting effect on Lake Wilderness until the end of the third quarter in 2015.