Voters can expect to see the Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center back on their ballots in August.
“This board is 100 percent behind making certain SARC continues, but the method is what needs to be discussed,” Frank Pickering, SARC Board of Commissioners chairman, said.
Recovering from the recent failure of a levy proposal for 12 cents per $1,000 of assessed property valuation, or about $26.04 per year for the average $217,000 home – Pickering said the commissioners “have to get this settled in the August election.”
To pass in the February special election, the 27-year-old facility needed a super majority (60 percent), but fell short with 57.5 percent of the 12,626 votes cast.
“I think we shocked a bunch of people with how many yes votes we got,” Pickering said. “The public will is out there.”
Although SARC officials have agreed to get another funding proposal before the public by the primary election, the board has yet to decide whether to opt again for a levy or attempt to create metropolitan parks district.
To help inform the commissioners and public about the two options, Craig Miller, attorney for SARC, presented to an audience of more than 100 individuals Feb. 18.
The maintenance and operation levy available to SARC, if passed, would expire every six years and thus require the support of the super majority each expiration.
In comparison only 50 percent of the voters are needed to approve a metropolitan parks district. Once approved, it doesn’t expire and the new board created to manage the district would have the ability to levy up to 75 cents per $1,000 assessed property valuation.
“The pitfall (with a metropolitan parks district) is basically getting it passed and creating a brand new and possibly unlimited taxing district,” Miller said.
However, Miller noted, a metropolitan parks district recently was approved in Seattle and similarly, the William Shore Pool in Port Angeles was founded around a metropolitan parks district.
Although the board governing the Port Angeles metropolitan parks district has the same legal freedom to levy up to 75 cents per $1,000 assessed valuation, William Shore Pool Executive Director Steven Burke, told the Gazette that the pool’s levy rate is about 16 cents now.
A metropolitan parks district is the best option for SARC’s long-term sustainability, he said.
To get a proposal for a metropolitan parks district on August ballots, SARC officials have two options: a petition with signatures from at least 15 percent of the registered voters or a resolution of the Sequim City Council and Clallam County Board of Commissioners.
If a metropolitan parks district is approved, a five-person board would be created to govern the new taxing district. The new board would consist of all voter-elected members or under an interlocal agreement among the Sequim City Council, Clallam County Board of Commissioners and SARC Board of Commissioners, it would require one county, one city and three elected members, Miller explained.
“If a metropolitan parks district is passed in August, it would be possible to levy a tax in 2016,” Miller said. “The board of the new entity gets to set the new levy amount.”
Following the approval of a metropolitan parks district, SARC and all its assets would be transferred to the new entity and there would be little need for the SARC Board of Commissioners.
Additionally, any organization beyond SARC interested in funding from the metropolitan parks district would have to be approved by the board, Miller said.
“The fact that a metro requires only a 50 percent vote and does not have to revoted on every six years makes it a very attractive and attainable longterm solution for SARC’s annual financial shortfall problem,” Gill Goodman, SARC commissioner said.
However, SARC commissioner Jan Richardson is leery of a metropolitan parks district because once created, the public has given up its right to vote on SARC and whether it remains within the community, he said.
“Even the commissioners have disagreements,” Pickering said. “But this board is committed and bottom line is something must happen in August.”
If SARC officials are unable to ensure additional funding for the community facility, its doors will be closed Dec. 31, 2016, Pickering said.
