Getting the Aquatics District facts out to folks

[pasayten]

Cards will be here the 27th... Will hand some out to folks that want to pass them out...

[PAL]

Fifty bucks not bad. Go for it.

[pasayten]

Thinking of making some business cards to hand out...
$50 for 500 of them...

Comments? Suggestions?

[pasayten]

I added a Newsletter section to the webpage... I have 2 newsletters completed. They are in PDF format for easy sharing on facebook, email, and texts. Feel free to download and share these newsletters to all your contacts in the Valley.

https://chewack.com/nopooltaxes/newsletters/

[pasayten]

I added a new section to the webpage... The more I read about Proposition 1, the more angry I get...

Questions I have for the FOTP organization…

Regarding the Board/Commissioners decision makers…
Potential revenues for the Proposition 1 District are … City Parcels 70,000… Non City Parcels $1,120,000
Question: Why are you using the 5 member “appointed Board” model?
Non City parcels would only be represented by one appointed county commissioner? Only 1 out of 5 votes for even though they contribute 94% of the revenue? Winthrop and Twisp would have 4 votes and control of the Board? Extremely unfair and definitely taxation without representation.

FOTP states “Revenue potential may drive the scope of services. In the example above, a larger district may potentially provide more than adequate revenue. In such an example, there may be pressure to expand the “scope” of the district that doesn’t just include the pool replacement.”
Question: Replacement? I thought revenues were only for operation/maint? Could the Aquatics District levy funds to be used to help construct the pool or other aspects other than the stated operations/maint of the original Complex? It appears so as the FOTP site says this about Proposition 1: “If approved, this proposition would create a district under chapter 35.61 RCW, to be known as the Methow Aquatics District, to provide ongoing funding to develop, construct, operate, and maintain the Methow Aquatics Center and related existing and future facilities.” Note develop and construct… Not just operations/maint!!!

Metropolitan Park Districts
 Purchase, acquire & condemn lands;
 Issue and sell warrants, short-term obligations, or general obligation bonds;
 Issue revenue bonds;
 Petition for the creation of local improvement districts;
 Employ counsel, park police officers, secretary of the Board, and employees;
 Establish civil service for employees;
 Regulate, manage, improve, acquire, maintain, and open parks, parkways, boulevards, avenues, aviation landings, and playgrounds;
 Sell, exchange, or otherwise dispose of surplus property;
 Annex territory;
 Authorize, conduct and manage: entertainment ventures; purchase/sale of foodstuffs/merchandise; recreation or business beneficial for the public or produces revenue for park purposes.
Question: Which of these powers will the Methow Aquatics District actually have?

Why didn’t you chose one of the other two district types that have a 6 year levy cycle? They have more than sufficient potential tax revenues for your stated operations/maint of the complex.
Question: Are you afraid if the Board and pool doesn’t cut it with the community priorities or expectations that it might be voted down in a future cycle?
Or do you need to also help fund the construction with the MPD format debt funding? Were your petition signature seekers clear on this point and other powers of an MPD? I doubt it.
With a MPD permanent taxing authority and appointed Board, you will have NO accountability to the taxpayers who are footing the bill.
It would be prudent and informative for the FOTP to answer these questions for us taxpayers that will be footing the bill. I will gladly post their responses here.

[PAL]

Great! My husband turned in a regular letter. Mine is waiting to be turned in.

[pasayten]

Informed that My Turn letter is scheduled for next week. Great news!

[PAL]

You have bravely said it, shame on them.

[Fun CH]

Pearl, That's an excellent letter thanks for posting it.

I experienced that burn out that the first responder describes when I worked with at risk and abused children when I was fresh out of college. I didn't last long, it was just too painful to witness it and not have the resources to do much about it.

I hope everyone who is considering voting yes to establishing a non elected tax district that will create a mega 3 pool indoor luxury Spa complex reads that letter.

We simply have greater needs here.

Maybe Bellevue or Vashon Island can use the Friends of the pool plans.

Shame on them for wanting to take from the poor to fund their luxury desires.

[PAL]

It's hard to know what Twisp may have planned for that budget item. I noticed it was 6th on the list of priorities which is last place. And the date was 2027. So it must be something the Council and mayor deals with each year-The Capital Facilities plan. It behooves the residents of Twisp to try to attend Council meetings, especially now, with new developments being proposed. It is time consuming however.
And once in a while, we who live way out from civilization ocassionally attend as well, as Twisp is our go to town.
And there are people in the office that might be able to answer that question. It could be the Planning Dept. They are very helpful. I just haven't taken the time to inquire about it.
And then there is this letter to the editor. I don't have the issue date when this was submittted.

Let’s find solutions
Dear Editor:
I am writing to provide light on a situation that may not be appreciated by valley residents, with hope to facilitate discussion and action. The Methow Valley is described as awesome, beautiful, eclectic, a little slice of Heaven! It is our version of Garrison Keillor’s mythical Lake Wobegon where everything and everybody is above average.
However, for first-responders (EMS, fire and police) there is another side to this mythology, where poverty and mental health collide. These individuals have fallen though the safety gaps, in isolation with no resources to provide assistance; their calls to 911 often a late attempt to obtain help. Most never see it, but it is an all-too-common experience for first responders.
These individuals often exist in deplorable circumstances, where words inadequately describe their living conditions. As first-responders the desperateness of the situation happens at their front door: assaulted by the smells of human and animal urine and feces, rotting garbage and spoiled food. We may encounter garbage and human waste, infestations of flies and fleas and find our patient lying in bed soiled in excrement. Care is always provided, and may entail transport to the hospital, but too often we are unable to address the root cause of the problem and the cycle of 911 calls becomes a common occurrence.
The inability to resolve the patient’s problems can lead to first-responder exhaustion syndrome. As a community we are fortunate to have excellent social and health care resources, but gaps remain. The community has historically stepped up to challenges, whether it’s protecting our environment, establishing affordable housing, or providing social services. I call upon this community to take action! Things to consider: establish a community task force to fully understand the problem, identify and implement solutions; local journalists should initiate a comprehensive inquiry to educate the community; and, create adult care facilities that provide a safe and caring environment for vulnerable neighbors. We have a history of addressing challenging problems, so my hope is that we will collectively find solutions for our needy neighbors.
Charles Timchalk
Winthrop

[Fun CH]

RCO is recreation and conservation office.
I didn't see that expense hidden in the budget in the Town minutes. It could be in the budget list in the Feasibility study.
Haven't had time to look at it closely.

I guess I'm a bit confused. So the city of Twisp has 7.5 million budgeted for a new pool? Is that dependent upon the MPD being formed? Or do they actually have the funds to replace the Wagner pool without the formation of a MPD?

It is interesting that those folks who are trying to pass this MPD choose the most expensive mega luxury 2 pool and a spa option.

As was pointed out in my friends analysis, for the requested tax money, they could build a pool and Twisp and Winthrop and still be $400,000 over the current proposed Aquatic Center operating budget.

I also wonder if this gets voted in, if people will be more reluctant to vote Yes on future levies for essential services.

Its so wrong. Our community has so many more vital needs then a mega indoor pool complex that benefits very few people.

[PAL]

RCO is recreation and conservation office.
I didn't see that expense hidden in the budget in the Town minutes. It could be in the budget list in the Feasibility study.
Haven't had time to look at it closely.

[Fun CH]

I will try to find in the Town of Twisp minutes that have the Capital Expenditure Budget. In it, it lists $180,000 for the design.
Found it under the Capital facilities pool plan in the April 25 Town minutes, page 22. The RCO would probably be paying for the pool design.
Also lists construction of new aquatics center for $7,500,000 funding by RCO/local. This was the draft. Final is in another batch of minutes later than April.

what does RCO stand for?

Also, last time a MPD was rejected by the voters 78% to 22%, there was included in the MPD proposal that minimum of $10,000 would be paid to each of 4 members of the board of park commissioners. Has anyone seen any language to this effect this time or is that expense being hidden in the budget?

Apparently elected city or county officials or not eligible to receive compensation for serving so that leaves two paid Park Commissioners?


"Only separately elected metropolitan park commissioners are eligible to receive compensation, adopted by resolution, for each day or portion of a day devoted to the business of the district; city or county elected officials serving in an ex officio capacity may not receive additional compensation as MPD commissioners.
The maximum daily and annual compensation amounts and procedures are established by RCW 35.61.150 and are adjusted by the state Office of Financial Management every five years based on inflation. (See WSR 18-11-088, effective 2018; the next increase will occur January 1, 2024.)
Any commissioner may file a written waiver to waive all or any portion of their compensation payable under this section as to any month or months during their term of office."

https://mrsc.org/explore-topics/parks-a ... issolution

[pasayten]

https://www.newsbreak.com/@pasayten-172 ... mp_1725429

[PAL]

Thanks Ray. You rock1

[pasayten]

I am submitting this...

My Turn Letter

Methow Aquatics District? - Envision the taxes…

I bought property here in the Valley in 1996 and built a house in 2006 to retire and live full time. I also served on the Board of the Okanogan County Electric Cooperative for several years. My goal has always been to strive for residents of the Valley to be aware of all information concerning infrastructure and to be treated fair economically, whether it was electrical rates and now future taxes.

Whether we really need an over $20 million dollar Pool Complex is debatable. I will not address that here. I am here to address the formation of an Aquatics District under Proposition 1.

Friends of the Pool had listed four alternatives in their feasibility study to select a funding mechanism for their Pool Complex costing more than $20 million dollars. They chose a Metropolitan Park District format called the Aquatics District. After further study, I determined this format for a District to be the most toxic to local property owners and renters. It will be especially hard on limited income folks and senior citizens on social security.

A Metropolitan Park District may under Washington Law 35.61 RCW:
• Tax your property at up to $0.75 per $1000 of assessed value… $300 per year for a $400K house, $525 for a $700K house. $750 for a $1mil house. Every year. Rents will also raise accordingly.
• Purchase, acquire and condemn lands within or without the boundaries of park district. (FOTP say they are excluding eminent domain for their Aquatics District)
• Issue and sell warrants, short- term obligations, or general obligation bonds
• Issue revenue bonds
• Petition for the creation of local improvement districts
• Employ counsel, provide for park police officers, secretary of the board, and all necessary employees. Establish civil service for employees.
• Regulate, manage and control, improve, acquire, extend and maintain, open and lay out, parks, parkways, boulevards, avenues, aviation landings and playgrounds, within or without the park district
• Annex territory.

FOTP does not even have a final design nor a final cost for the future pool, but they will want us to vote on the formation of this very powerful and permanent Aquatics District. Proposition 1 will be on the November ballot if they get enough signatures by August 1, and is specifically for the formation of the Methow Aquatics District.

More importantly, they want us to vote to create a permanent taxation district that will have several mechanisms for taxing us. We, the voters, will have no further say about it other than to pay our property tax statement. This is also the organizational structure that will allow FOTP to raise the largest amount of money with the least amount of public input.

FOTP says the District would be governed by a five member Board appointed by the Okanogan County Commission and the Twisp and Winthrop Town Councils as provided by interlocal agreement approved by the three jurisdictions. Note that this is not an elected Board.

In summary, I ask that you thoroughly study and learn about Proposition 1 and the Methow Aquatics District. A FOREVER and an UNELECTED BOARD taxing authority is not what I want to have to suffer under living here. If it is on the ballot, I will be voting a strong NO.

For more information, I have a website at http://nopooltaxes.com structured with the laws and commentary on Proposition 1 and the Aquatics District.

Ray Peterson
Winthrop

[PAL]

Excellent. And talking with renters is good, because if they are saying they would vote for it, they indeed are not thinking about rent increases.

I will try to find in the Town of Twisp minutes that have the Capital Expenditure Budget. In it, it lists $180,000 for the design.
Found it under the Capital facilities pool plan in the April 25 Town minutes, page 22. The RCO would probably be paying for the pool design.
Also lists construction of new aquatics center for $7,500,000 funding by RCO/local. This was the draft. Final is in another batch of minutes later than April.

[pasayten]

Poster placed in Winthrop post office window…

Poster to print out...

nopooltaxes.pdf

(230.73 KiB) Downloaded 580 times

[Fun CH]

Personally, I don't care if they build the Aquatic Center.

I am against property owners paying for any part of it and definitely against establishing a Metropolitan Park District.

That's a good distinction between a privately funded pool and a taxpayer funded mega indoor luxury 2 pool and spa inside a mega building with huge sliding doors to give it an outdoor feel building.

Perhaps the FOP needs to scale back its desires.

Also notice that one of the main advocates for this project is the design architect who has the most to gain monetarily. Or is it stated somewhere that he's donating his services for the benefit of the community? I haven't seen that language. If the architect is being paid, than this new taxing district is the ultimate boondoggle.

The rich taking from the poor.

[realoldtimer]

Ray has done really good work -- website and Facebook page. Besides getting folks online to visit and read the facts, all those opposed to this Prop need to help get folks advised.

I got the newspaper 'looking into it' -- that's a start. I know many seniors whi are not online do read the News. And I've been chatting with renters I know after one said they'd vote for it because they don't own property. They hopefully changed their mind after I asked how much more rent can they afford to pay monthly.

Posting some hard copies around might help ---

Personally, I don't care if they build the Aquatic Center.

I am against property owners paying for any part of it and definitely against establishing a Metropolitan Park District.