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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJune 6 2024 Meeting MinutesPage | 1 MINUTES Fourth Meeting - Healthier Together Task Force – Jefferson County Meeting Minutes June 6, 2024 – 6:00 p.m. Jefferson County Commissioners Chambers In-person for members – The public is not allowed – Zoom available Task Force members in attendance. District 1: Nancy Speser District 2: Celeste Schoenthaler District 2: Jim Scarantino District 3: Adele Govert District 3: Lynne Hovde At Large Member (JeffCo Aquatic Coalition rep): Cray Henry At Large Member (JeffCo Aquatic Coalition rep): Mary Rothschild Additional attendees included: Commissioner Greg Brotherton, Facilitator Diane McDade, JeffCo Aquatic Coalition President Wendy Bart, Chief Executive Officer, Olympic Peninsula YMCA 1. Commissioner Greg Brotherton called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. 2. Task Force (TF) members asked questions about how to be responsive to public input directed to TF members? • Greg answered it is best to discuss that public input at Task Force Meetings, thus acknowledging and addressing the input on the record. 3. Commissioner Brotherton led a discussion regarding sites that were not evaluated in the 2023 Opsis Healthier Together review. • Greg expressed a desire to have the TF evaluate these (3) sites against the same criteria used by the Growth Management Steering Committee in the 2023 study to select the Mountain View campus as the preferred location. 4. Recap of site discussion: • Chimacum Creek Elementary: Large enough - Has transit stops - County engineer not keen on access from Hwy 19 - Potential to share parking area with school - School district is interested - Cedar Ave is not a main street - Tight spot - Library parking is an Page | 2 advantage – E School has great parking lot - Proximity to county library and elementary school a plus. • Downtown Hadlock: Privately owned parcel - Siblings open to an offer - Assessment +30%=$500k - Masonic Hall – Flat and large - Visible to everyone shopping at QFC • Chimacum Park: County engineer likes access from Hwy 19 – Possible roundabout and pedestrian underpass to H.J. Carroll Park - Close to Chimacum High School – (15) acre site has logging revenue potential - Septic required - Timber revenue to offset cost of septic system - Room for a (5) acre drain field - Interest in reopening campground could be made more feasible with septic capacity - Near existing Tri-Area Community Center - Possible long-term bike path tie-in to Anderson Lake and Olympic Discovery bike trail - Being outside of new sewer zone an advantage – Will not use up sewer capacity for other potential tax-paying uses. 5. Review of 20-minute drive times to 4 locations: • Mountain View – 21k population • Chimacum Creek Elementary- 28k population • Chimacum Park - 29k population • Downtown Port Hadlock - 28k population 6. Presentation by Jesse Becerra, a student colleague of Commissioner Brotherton who conducted an independent view of the pool siting proposals. Jesse spoke of public sentiment against the Port Townsend pool tax and provided the following statistical data: • Mountain View visitors: 40% age 60 + PT 82% of usage >25k population within 30 minutes of Mountain View vs <30k population near Chimacum/Port Hadlock sites • District 3: 37% of property tax value, vs 33% District 1, 34% District 2. HJ Carroll site recommended. https://arcg.is/1qO1ri0 Discussion of site evaluation criteria continued and the group agreed upon the following evaluations of the (4) sites: 7. Task Force member contributed that anti-pool firebrands change their tone when they hear about Chimacum Park site. 8. Commissioner Brotherton discussed the importance of touristic appeal. He is looking at existing county lodging tax revenue which can be directed to facilities that serve visitors. Lodging tax is a viable option to help fund a Public Facilities District (PDF). Page | 3 9. Questions: Would the City of Port Townsend continue to subsidize the pool if it were placed outside the city limits? Commissioner Brotherton cast doubt that would occur. Would future population growth potentially be greater in the County rather than Port Townsend? Commissioner Brotherton doubted that there would be a larger percentage of growth in the County than in Port Townsend. 10. A discussion about bike access to the three sites ensued. None of the sites are ideal for bike access with Mountain View scoring higher than the three county sites. 11. After consideration of all criteria, Chimacum Park was the clear winner. Additional considerations and questions remain: • What does the septic system cost? • Timber value? • Site is county owned which would likely result in a $1 per year for 50-year lease to the entity operating the aquatic facility. • County is interested in revitalizing the park. • Land was donated by H.R. Carroll to the county for a pool a long time ago. 12. Discussion of revenue and funding choices 13. Commissioner Brotherton expressed opinion that property tax is more than sales tax. Metropolitan Parks District (MPD) probably will fail a vote as two votes are required and the tax vote requires a 60% approval. Public Facilities District (PFD) requires one vote with 50% approval to pass sales tax. 14. Repurposing of existing annual $500 annual lodging tax revenue could fund repayment of $6 million dollars of debt without additional taxes. 15. Need ongoing revenue source before you form a Public Facilities District (PFD). More information on funding scenarios will be discussed at a future meeting. 16. The Task Force discussed a proposed finding and recommendation about Mountain View Pool costs vs costs at county sites. This finding is based on new data provided by Opsis at the second Task Force meeting. At least $5.3 million in additional costs will be needed to manage stormwater at Mt View, based on the hardpan soil at the site. No similar costs at Port Hadlock/Chimacum. In addition, Port Townsend City utility maps have been furnished which show major utility lines that would have to be rerouted, at higher costs, at Mt View. There is required building demolition at Mountain View, not at the new sites. 17. It was agreed to finalize this information at a future meeting. The group discussed that $5-8 million to replace Mt View pool is an accurate estimate. A Task Force member recommended that MVP should explore the Myrtha Pools solution to address replacement of the pool tank. 18. Trying to operate two pools in the county, given our small population, is unlikely to be successful and could prevent either from maintaining financial stability. 19. There was a discussion about whether the Task Force agrees that a 2-tank pool is the most desirable solution. It was agreed that public comment expressed desire for (2) temperatures for different activities to occur at the same time, thus maximizing usage across various ages and user groups. 20. The Boise field trip is scheduled for July 13-14. Meetings Saturday afternoon/Sunday morning at two pools. Diane to work with Mark McCauley on logistics. 21. The next meeting is Monday, June 17, 2024. Sprung construction company and the County’s bond counsel will address the Task Force members. 22. Commissioner Brotherton adjourned the meeting at 8:03 P.M.