FORKS – A committee is considering the formation of a new taxing district to fund the Forks Aquatics Center.
The idea of forming a district came up at a community meeting in January but has been seriously considered by a pool study subcommittee in the last couple of weeks, Mayor Nedra Reed said.
The aquatics center has been closed since last year.
A levy to fund the maintenance and operation of the center failed to get the 60 percent supermajority of the vote needed in both the primary and general elections.
Forming a district would mean the pool would have its own taxing district, separate from the Quillayute Valley Parks and Recreation District.
The committee includes Reed and is headed by community member John Calhoun.
Such a district would have a structure similar to other districts, such as the fire district, and would be permitted a set property tax.
The advantage of this governmental structure, Reed said, is that it would allow a continuous income instead of needing levies to be passed.
A separate district would also allow a more flexible boundary area, she said.
“This could be the same area as the Quillayute Valley Parks and Recreation District or it could include West Jefferson County or Cape Flattery user groups,” Reed said.
If the concept is approved by the parks and recreation department and the city, the formation of the district could go before the voters on the November ballot.
If the district were approved, the pool could reopen at the beginning of 2008, Reed said.
Because forming a district would mean a long-term commitment, Reed said it is important to make sure the citizens have all the information.
A representative from a pool district on Bainbridge Island plans to meet with committee members to help them evaluate all the expenses associated with running a pool.
“The voters have to decide, is this an important quality of life issue – from the health and wellness side to the safety side of teaching our children how to swim – and weigh all the impacts on positive side and see what it’s worth to you on the financial side,” Reed said.
As for letting the community in on that financial side, Reed said she and the committee are committed to leaving no stone unturned.
“Will this policy be easier [than passing a levy] – I don’t know,” Reed said.
“We’ll have to see, but will it be an absolute open transparent process? Absolutely.
“The people on this committee have sworn to make that happen. What you see is what you get with this proposal.”
In order to prepare for the possible measure, the group is looking into every expense.
“We want the voters to have a complete picture on what all of the costs of running the pool would be,” Reed said.
Once a report is finished, the group will present it to the parks and recreation board members, who will decide whether or not the idea is financially feasible.
“The key to getting it on the ballot, so that the citizens can choose, is providing them with an absolutely perfect picture of what the needs are and what the cost is for long term, being open and available for questions that anyone might have and essentially go out of our way and be able to answer the kinds of questions people might have,” Reed said.
“If it is financially feasible, we would present it and say, ‘here’s a problem – here’s a solution.’
“Now can we make this work?” she said.
