PORT ANGELES — The board of directors of the Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce has endorsed creation of a metropolitan park district to fund the William Shore Memorial Pool.
An all-mail election on this issue is under way, with ballots due by May 19.
Voters who live within the Port Angeles School District boundaries, which is the area defined for the proposed district, will decide whether to be taxed to fund the maintenance and operations of the pool.
If the measure passes, the district will levy an estimated 15 cents per $1,000 assessed valuation.
The levy would cost the owner of a $200,000 home — the median price of a home within the school district — about $30 a year.
City officials will close the pool, which has been funded by donations since April 1, on June 15 if the proposal is rejected.
In a resolution, the chamber board said:
“The pool has many ways in which it helps a community, and the board believes it is important for it to remain open.
“Clearly the age of the pool is causing maintenance costs to increase, and it has become impossible for the city of Port Angeles to handle all these costs on its own.
“This park district formation will allow the entire community to help cover the costs of operations to keep this important part of our community in existence.
“The board of directors encourages you to review the facts regarding the election — and when you do, they believe you will also be in favor of the William Shore Memorial Pool Park District becoming the operating and managing entity of the pool.”
