PORT ANGELES — The William Shore Memorial Pool will stay open until May 31, in anticipation of a special election to allow voters to consider the approval of a taxing district to fund its maintenance and operations.
The City Council voted 6-1 on Tuesday, with Councilman Larry Williams opposed, to accept donations collected by Save the Pool PA to fund a gap in revenue and expenses for the pool from April through the end of June.
The decision is a milestone in a four-month-long effort by the group to come up with a funding solution for the pool at 225 E. Fifth St.
The Port Angeles City Council, facing budget constraints, announced last September that the pool would close at the end of 2008 unless it believed that a plan could be implemented to make up the funding gap, which has been covered by the city’s general fund.
Vote next week
The council will vote next week on a resolution authorizing the funding of a special election on the formation of a metropolitan park district. The three Clallam County commissioners must approve a similar resolution.
The City Council will consider the resolution at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
“I’m ecstatic,” said Holly Juskevich, Save the Pool PA vice chairwoman, after the council decision.
But she said it is not time for the group to exhale.
“We need to know if we are going to be able to have an election.”
The City Council chose to keep the pool open until May 31 based on the $62,864.92 in donations and pledges from community members, which is enough to fund the pool for two months.
The largest amount was $20,000 from Delhur Industries Inc. The announcement of that donation brought applause from the audience.
“They assured us it is not for a tax write off, not for publicity, but for keeping the pool an essential part of our community,” Krista Winn, Save the Pool PA chairwoman, told the council.
Donations can be paid directly to the city of Port Angeles at 321 E. Fifth St..
Save the Pool PA will return to the council on about April 21 to show that it has enough to fund the pool for a third month.
Boundary, costs
Although it took no action on the proposed boundaries for the district, the City Council came to a consensus that a park district should have the same boundaries of the Port Angeles School District, have a board of directors that is made up of City Council and Clallam County commission appointments, and that the city should share about 60 percent of the election costs.
The election is estimated to cost $60,500.
Those details will be finalized in resolutions passed by the City Council and Clallam County commissioners.
‘Special interests’
Williams, who said he felt the council was “under the gun by special interests,” said he voted against the motion because the issue should have been addressed before and include other park facility funding concerns, such as Civic Field.
“I wanted to have this discussion to seamlessly flow into what needed to happen to keep everything open,” he said.
“This is not sound fiscal policy for long-term for the city as far as I’m concerned.”
He later commended Save the Pool PA for its efforts.
City Council member Karen Rogers also voiced concern over the group’s recommendations that the district fund only the pool and not other park facilities.
‘Bigger issues’
“These are the bigger issues that council unfortunately hasn’t had the discussion with,” she said.
“Let’s be smart about this. Let’s don’t limit ourselves.”
City Attorney Bill Bloor said a park district could take on funding other facilities in the future if that was determined by its board.
He said the city also can’t limit the taxing authority of the park district in a ballot measure.
Winn told the council at the meeting that the group recommends that a cap be placed on a property tax levy.
Under state law, a park district can raise 75 cents per $1,000 assessed valuation.
Approximately 12 cents per $1,000 assessed evaluation is estimated to be needed to make up a gap of revenue of about $400,000 a year.
On a $200,000 home, that would mean $24 a year.
Bloor said that the City Council and Clallam County commissioners can state in a resolution that a park district board, made up of its members, intends to only levy what is needed to cover the pool’s expenses.
The City Council chose to consider the resolution next week in order to be able to hold a special election on about May 19.
Bloor said the city would have to allow the Clallam County Boundary Review Board 105 days to approve the park district’s proposed boundaries.
With that in mind, the City Council and Clallam County commission would have to have their resolutions passed by Feb. 2.
If a park district is approved, it wouldn’t be able to receive property tax revenue until April 19, 2010.
Clallam County Administrator Jim Jones assured the council that the park district would be eligible for loans and grants from the state to fund its operations from July until that date.
Fundraisers
Save the Pool PA is holding a rescue relays fundraiser at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Teams of four can register for $100. Winn said that more than 20 have registered so far.
The group also plans a dinner and silent auction at 5 p.m. Feb. 21 at 7 Cedars Casino.
Winn said the group is receiving an autographed item from U.S. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps to auction.
“I can hardly wait to get home from school some day, and have a package waiting from me from Michael Phelps,” she told the council.
Winn said she has been in contact with Phelps’ agent but does not know what the item will be.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
