SEQUIM — The City Council has thrown its support behind the Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center board’s request for $386,100 in Clallam County Opportunity Funds to replace an aging ventilation unit.
All council members present Monday voted to endorse the request. Mayor Candace Pratt was absent because of illness.
The recreation center, which includes exercise equipment and the city’s only public pool, has filed an application with the Clallam County Economic Development Council for the funding.
Once the Opportunity Fund advisory board makes a recommendation, the panel of three county commissioners will consider whether to fund the request fully or partially.
No date for consideration has been set.
The heating, ventilation and air conditioning system — which circulates fresh air into the indoor pool room known as a natatorium — was installed 18 years ago and is on its last legs, according to Frank Pickering, board president of the center at 610 N. Fifth Ave. known by the acronym SARC.
Over a dozen SARC supporters took turns Monday asking the council to endorse the request.
SARC supporters also encouraged the City Council to table a proposal to urge the center, which is faced with dwindling reserves, to work with the city to find funding through 2017 and allow the city to place a “broad-based” metropolitan park district measure on the 2016 ballot instead of proceeding with attempts to place a measure on the Aug. 4 ballot.
The council is scheduled to consider the resolution April 27.
A citizens group is conducting a petition drive to put a metropolitan park district measure on the August ballot.
As of Tuesday, volunteers had collected at least 3,800 signatures on the petition that will go to the county auditor for verification by May 1.
If at least 3,247 registered voters — 15 percent of the 21,647 in the SARC district — are valid, then the measure will be on the Aug. 4 ballot.
Currently, SARC is scheduled to run out of money by Dec. 31, 2016.
“The SARC board wants to make it completely clear that this grant in no way changes the immediate need for a metropolitan park district,” said Sherry Nagel, SARC board vice chairwoman.
“The opportunity fund grant does not change this fact. It does not impact the requirement for long-term stable funding, which is the purpose of the August metropolitan district vote.”
In other business, the council also approved a revised budget for the Civic Center Plaza for the amount of $466,982 and continued discussion about approving amendments to fees and charges for city rental properties to its April 27 meeting.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-681-2390, ext. 5052, cmcdaniel@peninsuladailynews.com.
