HomeMy WebLinkAbout021924 email - _Task Force_ and PFDALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Dear Commissioners Dean, Eisenhour, and Brotherton,
I have concerns regarding the Healthier Together Center Steering Committee's decision to solicit the formation of a "task force" as the next stage of guidance for the decisions regarding
a proposed new aquatic center and for, more importantly, what will potentially be the formation of a PFD. I personally do not see the value of having a new task force that is being
derived by the steering committee and seemingly strongly suggested for the BOCC to comply with its formation.
So far, the steering committee through association with its members has spent in excess of a trackable $721k, and likely closer to $800k to $900k if you consider all of the ancillary
and overhead related expenses. It is my opinion that this has been a complete misuse of taxpayers' money. The steering committee has produced very little if anything tangibly viable
towards providing a community-based pool/ aquatic center development strategy. What I have reviewed and assessed is a number of reports that are significantly misleading and flawed,
and a tremendous amount of wasted municipal human resources. This entire process thus far has been mismanaged and misguided.
A private group of concerned citizens in the form of the All County Citizens Alliance (ACCA), which I am a member of, has essentially already performed the assumed/ presumed work the
proposed task force would likely be asked to perform. We have reviewed, analyzed, and developed conclusions regarding all of the solicited documentation (especially related to costs),
we have explored and found alternative pool facility building sites, and we have explored and found viable alternative affordable construction methods for a pool facility. All of this
work and analysis was performed pro bono, without the use of any taxpayer's money. This is how a concerned citizenry should be involved, especially when being confronted with municipal
ideas that are distinctly flawed. How much more would the proposed "task force" formation cost the taxpayers?
The entire aquatic center discussion is nothing more than a proverbial Trojan Horse for the intention of developing a new county-wide taxing district in the form of a PFD. In the circles
that I travel in, which is wide and diverse, to a person, everyone feels that we are being taxed to death. My property taxes alone have increased over 34% in the last 4 years, and I
know that the supposed $10 to $40 per year per person increase in sales taxes imposed by the proposed PFD will be a significant burden to many, especially for those living in the lower
income rural county areas.
My suggestion to you is to disregard the request for the formation of a "task force" as suggested by the steering committee. Instead, I would push to have the JAC, which operates as
a 501(c)3, establish a real campaign to raise private funds to either refurbish/ renovate the existing Mountain View Pool facility as per elements of the WTI and CG Engineering reports
suggest, or, pursue a broad campaign to raise private funds to build a new, more inclusive and popularly located functionable pool facility in the Port Hadlock area, and on very low-rate
long-term leased ground provided by the Chimacum School District. There is even reason to consider that a hybrid of both options could be pursued that would renovate the existing pool,
without the expansion/ extension, for around $3.3 million, again, with private funding. This would then buy time for an incorporated strategy and broader private funding campaign to
build a new pool facility in Port Hadlock.
We have a wonderful local example of how a private funding strategy can work with real success in the form of the Port Townsend Aero Museum Program with their campus of facilities built
on Port of Port Townsend owned/ taxpayer owned property. This concept could also potentially reduce the overall project cost of building a new pool facility in Port Hadlock by as much
as 30% to 50% by removing the public-money State of Washington and federally mandated prevailing wages/ Davis-Bacon wages that would have to be enforced.
In conclusion, there is no valid reason to form a "task force". Aslo, there should be no new taxes proposed, no new taxing districts formed, i.e. no PFD, in the pursuit of either refurbishing/
remodeling the existing pool, or in order to build a new pool facility anywhere in Jefferson County. Private funding only should be considered for these endeavors. Existing public monies/
taxes should only be used for higher priority, significantly more essential facilities and infrastructure maintenance and improvements, as well as essential programs. A new sales tax
increase will particularly impact/ hurt the most financially vulnerable in our community. The vast majority of taxpayers in our community just cannot afford yet another new tax.
Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of my concerns!
Mark L Grant
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