Betsy, All you have to do is read the prop 1 information that was summited to Okanagan county. They are available at link below, obtained through a county public document request that I did.
https://pasayten.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f ... d006d7ef75
You will clearly see that the plan as was submitted to the county calls for that Indoor 2 heated pool/hot tube with added amenities such as a climbing wall. Sarah Schrock was very open with the public as to what the Methow Aquatics Center was going to be when she was FOP board president. She posted that same language on the FOP website as was submitted to the County. That transparent language has now disappeared from the FOP website replaced by a different political narrative.
I received no Communications in my public document request that would suggest the FOP goal of a 20 million Aquatic Center has changed. Sarah is no longer is in charge of the FOP and the political FOP messaging has changed to what you were told.
If the public document requested interlocal agreement draft stands, it may be true that up to 5 elected officials will serve on the MPD MAD board. However those people are elected as Town Council and county commissioners, not directly elected by the voters as Metropolitan Park District board commissioners. Two of the 5 can be appointed as at large board members which could be town council members, hence 4 MPD board Commissioners could be all Town Council Members
Electing Metropolitan Park District Commissioners is one MPD structure allowable by law that the FOP did not choose as the MPD governing structure. They chose five appointed board members.
Up to 2 each Winthrop and Twisp Town Council Members can serve as MPD board commissioners, however those positions are appointed by the Town councils themselves. The fifth position is our district county commissioner who at the moment is Andy Hoover.
As you can see, the towns of Twisp and Winthrop have the most votes with 4 board members and only four votes are needed to make MPD MAD decisions. 70% of the population in our school district lies outside of those two townships. Any representation that Andy Hoover might have on behalf of non Town members is diluted. He also represents the citizens of those two towns.
As far as alternatives to Levy rate, yes the other two recreational Districts options provide for more voter control with 6-year voting on Levy rates. That has the effect of holding board members accountable to voters. The FOP did not choose those two voter accountable Recreation District types.
The FOP chose the Metropolitan Park District structure which is a permanent Levy, with no voter control on that permanent regular Levy .As it stands now based on almost 3 billion dollars of our school district assessed value, at the maximum Levy rate imposed of 75 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, that levy amounts to almost 2 million per year. They can also issue General obligation non voter bond debt in the amount of almost 7 million. They can also borrow money other ways.
They really don't need outside funding as they will have enough money available to start building the $20 million Mega Aquatic Center. By their own study it runs at a $500,000 deficit per year that the taxpayers will pay.
At Metropolitan Park District can also come back to the voters to ask to raise an excess levy rate on top of the regular levy. That money can be leveraged to borrow more money and used to pay off and service the interest of other voter approved bond debt up to 55 million dollars again based upon our school District assessed values.
And we all give what we can to this community whether volunteering time and money to a pool, or a recycle center, or an ice rink or public land advocacy etc. Giving what you can is the spirit of the Methow.
Imposing a regressive tax on others who can't afford it constitutes "taking", an ethic I hope never takes hold in this Valley.
This is a forever tax that our children's Children will be burdened with.
As always, best to look at both sides of an issue and read the facts.
Betsy's letter
"A first step
Dear Editor:
I’ve been supporting the pool proposal quietly. Supporting because a public pool is invaluable to every community. I know the volunteers working diligently on the pool, and I trust them. I’ve been quiet because I haven’t had command of important facts about Proposition 1. I recently sat down with a board member to understand their proposal. This is what I learned.
It starts with the Wagner Memorial Pool. Currently, the annual operation and frequent repair of the Wagner Pool is paid by property taxpayers in the Town of Twisp and donors to Friends of the Pool. If the Methow Aquatic District passes, everyone in the school district will share in the upkeep of the Wagner Pool. I think this is more fair. A board of elected and appointed members will be responsible for establishing the level of funding needed from us. Our voices will be heard if they get it wrong."
Absolutely no design is being proposed at this time. All of us will get the opportunity to participate in the decision about what pool to build.
Organizers propose a perpetual line item in our property taxes out of a desire for secure, sustainable funding. An alternative is a levy request every six years.
Creation of the district opens doors for significant public and private funding relieving a lot of my property tax concerns. Valid questions exist about whether the nuts and bolts of the proposal are right for all of us and whether this is the right time. As with most good things accomplished here, a small group of dedicated, good-hearted rookies have rolled up their sleeves to solve a difficult problem. We do it all the time. My hope is that creation of the district can be the baby step that keeps the Wagner Pool open and sets the stage for all of us to figure out what happens in the years to come. Whether Proposition 1 passes this time or not, what happens next is up to us. Please stay involved."
Betsy Cushman
Winthrop"