HomeMy WebLinkAbout111623 email Encourage a No Vote on Pool ProposalALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Dear Commissioners,
My name is Alex Morgan and I live in Port Ludlow. Normally, I’m a strong supporter of public projects (schools, roads, public health, police, fire, etc), but I’m writing to share my
opposition to the Mountain View pool proposal, and I want to encourage you to vote no on the plan when it comes up for consideration.
My perspective is that this expensive project does not serve the best interests of the entire county and will exacerbate the affordability challenges we face on the Olympic Peninsula.
As property values continue to rise, projects like this one add unnecessary costs to our tax bills. This burdens long-time residents who have seen the value of their properties skyrocket,
as well as newer tenants who can barely afford the rising monthly rents that are on the market. Additionally, we have more important tax considerations to put forward and support, such
as the upcoming Chimacum school levy. I would encourage you to consider that there are more important priorities on upcoming ballots, and that this proposal should at the very least
be tabled until we can see the impact of increased costs due to school, road, and fire protection costs shake out in the coming years.
Beyond cost, with time this project can consider different locations. While the pro-pool advocacy group claims that Port Townsend is the only location fit for a pool, the Port Hadlock
sewer project should open up new opportunities in a more central location in the future. If this is to be a truly equitable project for the benefit of the entire county, then it should
be built in a location where more people can conveniently access it. The pro-pool group’s board appears to be entirely composed of Port Townsend residents. I believe if Port Townsend
would like a pool, then the City of Port Townsend should fund the pool. They can easily charge non-residents for pool use as they have in the past.
Another significant issue is staffing. Everyone should consider the staffing challenges at the current pool and interrogate the feasibly of even opening a new pool facility with more
features. If the current pool cannot be reliably staffed, then how is anyone going to staff a new facility that will likely need increased staff capacity? It would be a shame to build
a pool and not be able to staff it.
Frankly, this project is a luxury that Jefferson County cannot afford, serves a small group in one corner of the county, and we don’t need. Please do your due diligence and vote no on
this proposal. While I can understand it may be appealing to kick the question to an election, I believe the fiscally responsible position is to put this issue to rest. I hope we can
count on your leadership.
Sincerely,
Alex Morgan