PORT TOWNSEND— A bond issue to fund renovations and repairs of Mountain View Commons won handily in the initial count on ballots on Tuesday, exceeded its supporters’ expectations.
The initial count found 2,492 or 71.47 percent of voters supporting the bond with 995 votes, or 28.53 percent opposed.
The numbers matched those for another ballot measure, a replacement levy for the Port Townsend School District.
“This is two great wins for the community,” said Jeff Randall, who along with his wife, Shelly Randall, headed a campaign in favor of the bond.
“Its really reaffirming to get a strong win rather than a close win, showing that we were successful in getting the story out. The real winner is the community.”
The bond measure authorizes raising up to $3.6 million in bond sales to go toward the estimated $4.1 million needed to complete repairs at the aging Mountain View complex at 1919 Blaine St.
As a bond proposal the measure was required to draw support from at least 60 percent of the voters with the total votes collected needed to be at least 40 percent of those cast in the last election.
The Jefferson County Auditor’s Office counted 3,541 ballots out of the 7,124 mailed to district voters, for an election night turnout of 49.7 percent, which exceeded the validation number of 2,042.
The Jefferson County Auditor’s Office on Tuesday counted 9,738 ballots out of 20,135 mailed to registered voters in races throughout the county, for a total election night turnout of 48.34 percent.
Election Supervisor Betty Johnson estimated about 800 ballots from those mailed throughout the county could come in during the week, with the next count scheduled by noon Friday or — in the case of a close race — noon Thursday.
The Mountain View site is owned by the Port Townsend School District and operated by the city of Port Townsend.
The bond will fund installation of a new heating system, roof repairs, city pool maintenance and will address other structural issues.
Property owners will pay for only part of the cost of repairs, with a property tax increase of no more than 13 cents per $1,000 of valuation for 15 years.
The amount between the total cost of the project and the amount raised by the bond measure will come from grants that are already committed from the state Department of Ecology for $300,000, the state Department of Commerce for $500,000, a grant of about $180,000 administered by the Jefferson County Public Utility District and other sources to be determined, according to City Manager
David Timmons.
The full increase would first appear on the 2017 tax statement, although property owners will most likely see a 5-cents-per-$1,000-of-valuation increase in 2016.
Tenants at the former elementary school include the Port Townsend Police Department, the Port Townsend Food Bank, Jefferson County YMCA, the ReCyclery, the KPTZ 91.9 FM radio station, Working Image, the Olympic Peninsula chapter of the Red Cross and the only public pool in Jefferson County.
Interest on the 17-year life of the bond is estimated to cost $1.46 million, based on a 3 percent interest rate.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
