Allowing for further thought and discussion, on March 24, Sequim city councilors unanimously opted to postpone a resolution that suggested Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center officials wait to pursue a Metropolitan Parks District.
“I think this should be brought back for discussion at another meeting,” City Councilor Laura DuBois said after hearing numerous public comments opposing the city’s resolution.
Falling short by 2.5 percent of the 60 percent super majority needed to pass a six-year levy proposal in February, SARC advocates and commissioners feel time is of the essence given the center is projected to close December 2016 without a secured funding strategy.
“My feeling is if it’s (creation of an MPD) put off another year and a half it will be too late,” Bill Benedict, Clallam County Sheriff and member of the Citizens for SARC newly formed campaign committee, said.
Along with Benedict, the committee consists of many recognized individuals associated with the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, Olympic Medical Center, Sequim Association of Realtors, Port of Port Angeles and Clallam County Fire District 3.
Recognizing the immediate funding needs of SARC, the city’s resolution states city officials “will work with SARC to find short-term solutions to fund SARC through 2017.”
However, without a tangible, concrete short-term funding plan, SARC officials will continue toward proposing the creation of an MPD on the August ballot.
Both city and SARC officials seek the creation of a Metropolitan Park District, but the disagreement is when to create it and what it should include.
Now or later
City officials first discussed the creation of an MPD as early as 2010 and further more in 2011 following a survey that assessed the city’s parks and recreation needs, said Patsy Mattingley, chairman for the City of
Sequim’s Park and Recreation Board. The survey resulted in a recommendation to create an MPD, but that has yet to happen.
“SARC is more than worthy of saving,” Mattingley said, but an MPD is “a big undertaking and not meant to be used for one entity.”
Despite her support for an MPD, Mattingley agrees with the city’s resolution to wait until 2016 to propose an MPD. By waiting, city officials believe a variety of community entities could be included in the newly created district, such as the tennis and pickleball players, Boys & Girls Club, Shipley Center, Little League baseball, Sequim Garden Club and county.
“In a perfect world would a metro with a broader scope be good? Yes,” Virginia O’Neil, spokesman for the Citizens for SARC campaign committee, said.
However, a timely solution is key to SARC’s survival given the center’s depleted reserves, O’Neil explained. If city council members “really care about the parks, then get all the entities together and approach the new MPD board.” Otherwise, O’Neil said, the city’s resolution to postpone SARC’s push for an MPD is simply “political.”
“The passing of the petition in August in no way minimizes the ability of the newly elected board of commissioners to work with the county, city and other stakeholders to pursue broader objectives,” Frank Pickering, chairman of the SARC Board of Commissioners, said.
Sequim City Manager Steve Burkett acknowledged that although an MPD created in response to SARC could be expanded to include a variety of entities, he feels it would be a lot “less” likely to do so because the vision and scope of the newly elected board may be limited.
Petitions
Since late February and the SARC board’s decision to move forward with a three-prong approach toward saving the center, advocates of SARC have gathered about 2,700 signatures of the 3,500 (15 percent of Sequim School District voters) needed to secure a slot of the August ballot.
“SARC has not gone to the public since 2002 for a levy request, so its needs haven’t really been talked about for 13 years even though they probably should have, so now we’re having to re-educate,” O’Neil said.
O’Neil admits she feels “confident” moving forward with the creation of an MPD to assist SARC because despite the failure of February’s levy attempt, within the City of Sequim more than 61 percent voted in support of the levy.
“That is a sign of how the people of this community value this facility,” she said.
The majority of Sequim voters may have supported a levy, but some remain skeptical about an MPD.
Kathleen and Jim Oliver, Sequim residents organizing a community Facebook page, “The REAL cost of the SARC referendum,” both acknowledge the value of SARC and what it brings to the overall health of the community, but also feel “it’s important the voters know what they’re supporting when signing a petition,” Kathleen Oliver said.
“I think that we as voters have the responsibility to inform the community,” she said. “There is no mention of accountability tying back to the community and the money being spent and that’s scary.”
Aspects of an MPD that concern the Olivers include the inability to vote on the MPD once it’s created, the historical mismanagement of SARC and the ability for a newly created MPD board to levy up to 75 cents per $1,000 assessed property valuation.
However, if an MPD is passed, O’Neil explained a new five-member board of commissioners would be elected and it would be up to the public to decide who those people are to ensure the community is honestly represented.
“If you’re an elected public official, then it’s very easy to be unelected,” she said.
Those gathering signatures to get the referendum on the Aug. 4 primary ballot for the creation of an MPD to financially assist SARC with proposed tax levy amount of 12 cents per $1,000 assessed property valuation have until May 1 to submit the required petitions into the county auditor. If members of Citizens for SARC are able to meet this deadline, a special filing period will open for anyone wanting to run for the MPD board. Candidates also will appear on the August ballot.
Metropolitan Park District planned for primary election
• A Metropolitan Park District (MPD) is a municipal corporation intended to provide management, control, improvement, maintenance and acquisition of parks, parkways, boulevards and recreation facilities.
• Simple majority: An MPD needs 50 percent plus one vote to pass
• Creation: Petitions with signatures from 15 percent (about 3,500) of the registered voters within the Sequim School District are required in order to place a referendum for an MPD on the August ballot.
• Management: A five-member board of commissioners to serve staggered terms of office would be elected along with the MPD in August.
• Commissioner compensation: Compensation to each commissioner at a rate of up to $90 per day by may be provided if resolution is passed by the commissioners. Compensation for each commissioner can’t exceed $8,640 per year and any commissioner may waive all or any portion their compensation.
• Proposed levy amount: Twelve cents per $1,000 assessed property valuation (an MPD can tax up to 75 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation).
• Boundary: Sequim School District
For more information on chapter 35.61 RCW: metropolitan park districts, visit apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=35.61
Reach Alana Linderoth at alinderoth@sequimgazette.com.
