by ALANA LINDEROTH
Sequim Gazette
Shifting funding strategies from a levy, the Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center Board of Commissioners approved to propose the creation of a metropolitan parks district at the primary election in August.
In a 4-1 vote during a special meeting Feb. 26, the resolution to seek a metro parks district presented by Frank Pickering, chairman of the SARC board, passed despite Commissioner Jan Richardson’s opposition.
“I personally believe a metro is flawed,” Richardson wrote in a personal statement provided at the meeting.
Unlike a maintenance and operations levy that expires every six years, once voters approve a metro parks district it’s forever and thus eliminates the public’s right to vote on the existence of SARC, Richardson explained.
“But it’s the direction we’re going now and I promised the people I would protect their back, so I’ll do my best to keep the levy amount low,” he said.
Additionally, unlike a levy, which requires a super majority to pass (60 percent), the approval of a metro parks district only requires 50 percent of the votes. If approved, an elected board of commissioners will be created to manage the new taxing district and will have the ability to levy up to 75 cents per $1,000 assessed property valuation.
In order to secure a proposal for a metro parks district on the August ballot, SARC officials could either file petitions with 15 percent (about 3,500 signatures) of registered voters signatures within the Sequim School District boundary to the Clallam County Auditor or via a resolution of the Sequim City Council and Clallam County Board of Commissioners.
SARC officials opted to attempt to get a metro parks district proposal by way of voter signatures.
“This is the first step in a long process,” SARC Executive Director Scott Deschenes said following the meeting.
A ‘road map’ for SARC
“There was a lot of pressure within SARC to go the petition route with an elected board,” Pickering said. “The resolution tries to set up a road map for the continuation of SARC.”
If the creation of a metro parks district with an elected board proposing a tax levy of 12 cents or less per $1,000 assessed property valuation fails in the primary election, the resolution seeks officials with the City of Sequim and Clallam County jointly propose a metro parks district at the general election in November.
Lastly, if the SARC board’s proposal for a metro parks district fails in August and negotiations with city and county officials to jointly propose a metro parks district cannot be reached before November, SARC officials commit to resubmit a levy at the general election identical to the levy proposed that failed in February’s special election with 57.5 percent of the 12,626 votes cast.
“Again, this is a road map so if we have a problem, we still know where we’re going,” Pickering said.
Support for long-term solution
Although SARC officials are first attempting to get a metro parks district proposal on the primary election ballot via a petition, the commissioners seek to “immediately” start talking with city and county officials about a metro parks district and interlocal agreements required between the interested parties, Pickering said.
“The city would like to be part of SARC’s solution,” Sequim Mayor Candace Pratt told the audience during the special meeting. “We are encouraged by a metro and think it might be good for the whole community, but we need to allow time for all stakeholders to put together a plan.”
Pratt and City Manager Steve Burkett spoke in favor of a metro parks district, but both suggested SARC commissioners take more time to create the new taxing district – however, neither had a short-term solution at hand.
“I don’t have a short-term solution, but I am offering a process for a stable long-term solution,” Pratt said.
City officials suggested the City of Sequim, Clallam County, SARC, Sequim School District, Shipley Center, Port of Port Angeles, Boys & Girls Clubs and others all be included in a metro parks district.
“I would suggest we aim higher to operate more than just a pool,” Burkett said. “We could have something that everyone could support.”
Both Sequim High School’s boys and girls swimming teams use SARC for training and competitions.
Sequim High School Athletic Director Dave Ditlefsen said if the center closes, the school’s options are either to bus athletes to use the William Shore Memorial Pool in Port Angeles or eliminate both programs.
“There is no doubt we need a facility like this in Sequim,” Burkett said. “Obviously, we can’t let this go away or be closed. There are no easy answers to the short-term financial needs, but I think opportunity funds may be worth pursuing.”
Facility’s immediate financial needs
Given the facility’s immediate financial needs, such as the design and implementation of an air handler for the pool estimated to cost up to $400,000, the SARC board expressed concern with waiting to create a metro parks district via multiple interlocal agreements.
Without a long-term, but also a fairly immediate financial boost, SARC is expected to close Dec. 31, 2016.
“If we lose the air handler in the summer, the Department of Health will allow us to keep the doors open,” Pickering said. “But if we lose it December or January, we’ll have to shut down for six months because it takes that long to build, install and tune a new air handler. It’s not cheap and you cannot operate a pool without one.”
“I understand your difficulty,” Clallam County Commissioner Jim McEntire told the SARC commissioners at the meeting, and he assured them whatever their decision for a short-term solution, he would be at their “service.”
Agreeing with city officials, McEntire also stated his opinion that SARC is important for the community and eastern end of the county.
“I want to be clear that I’m not making any promises here tonight, but there may be a legal way to help with immediate capital costs,” McEntire said. “Let’s see if we can find a solution and maybe look into the Opportunity Fund.”
While SARC commissioners continue a dialog with both city and county officials about possible partnerships, between now until August, SARC supporters already are busy gathering voter signatures, Judy Rhodes, petition team captain, said.
Petitions and instructions are available at Pane d’ Amore and SARC supporters will be reaching out to variety of local organizations seeking signatures, as well as participating in social events like the upcoming First Friday Art Walk.
“I need to develop a series of people to collect signatures from all over the district,” Rhodes said. “I’m hoping to get people to take charge of their neighborhoods.”
However, Rhodes is feeling optimistic with many residents already eager to both sign and take a petition to begin collecting signatures.
“SARC represents the heart of Sequim,” longtime SARC member Pamela Godsey, said. “We can’t let our heart quit beating.”
For more information on the petition effort and/or process, e-mail Rhodes at sarcpetition@hotmail.com.
Michael Dashiell contributed to this report.
Reach Alana Linderoth at alinderoth@sequimgazette.com.
