MOSES LAKE - Taking over upkeep of flower pots in downtown Moses Lake could be more difficult than it seems, according to city officials.

The planters were bought by the Moses Lake Business Association in 2007 and have since been maintained and expanded on by the organization with assistance from Moses Lake High School FFA students.

Marianne Kirwan, executive director of the MLBA, recently asked the Moses Lake City Council to consider taking over the project, saying the organization has spent nearly $75,000 in group money and donations since it's inception and is ready to move on to other endeavors.

Council members also heard a corresponding request from the MLBA for a roughly $25,000 donation from the city's Neighborhood Self-Help Fund, an annual pool of about $40,000 the city council can, under certain guidelines, allocate to local groups for project assistance.

Before moving forward on either request, council opted to have City Manager Joe Gavinski check with the state auditor's office to see if donating the self-help funds could violate state regulations and possibly result in a black mark on a future city audit.

Gavinski told council members last week the auditor's office "wasn't very supportive of the idea" of donating to the flower pots project, based primarily on the lack of a contract between the city and the MLBA.

"To pay them what they wished with regards to the self-help program doesn't seem like a good idea, simply because it looks like it's troublesome," he said.

Donation aside, Councilwoman Karen Liebrecht asked if the city might still be interested in assuming the project and asked Gavinski to elaborate on the feasibility of purchasing the pots from the MLBA.

"If you were inclined to purchase the pots you're subject to bid laws," Gavinski replied; explaining amounts between $7,500 and $15,000 require quotes and amounts more than $15,000 require the city to solicit bids.

Since the pots are used, Gavinski explained the city could choose to purchase them under "special market conditions," but this would require them to assess the value of used flower pots, which would likely result in very little compensation to the MLBA.

Gavinski noted any takeover of the flower pots would first require an analysis of the project's impact on the Parks and Recreation Department, including additional labor and upkeep costs.

"If the city assumes the project you need to talk to (Parks and Recreation Director Spencer Grigg) about how to fit it in," Gavinski said.

The council will likely examine further what potential role the city will take in the project, if any, during a future meeting.

Kirwan was unavailable for comment prior to press time Wednesday on what the MLBA plans to do if the city decides not to take over the project.