Public asked to help with pool concepts

DAYTON–Would you pay $100 a year to have a swimming pool in Dayton?

That’s what community-involved citizens who are promoting formation of a taxing district to fund a swimming pool and other recreation facilities in Dayton and Columbia County estimate the tax burden would be for a $400,000 home here.

To present information, the Friends of the Pool and Community Advisory Group will hold a work-session meeting for a new Dayton Aquatic Center at the Dayton Elementary School multi-purpose room this Wednesday, September 28 at 6-7:30 p.m.

Earlier this year, the Friends of the Pool conducted a survey asking the community if it desired a swimming pool and which options it would support to finance such a facility. Out of that was a result that claimed Columbia County residents want a pool facility of some sort and indicated supporting it through tax revenue. The next step is for the community to come together and decide what type of facility would most benefit the community.

To bring a pool back to our rural community, how do we get there?

Pool supporters are suggesting formation of a Columbia County Joint Metropolitan Park District.

A Focus group, including representatives of city and county government, youth sports leaders, hospital district, and community members, determined that the creation of a Metropolitan Park District would provide the management and control for the creation, operation and maintenance of a new swimming pool.

Through the support of the Columbia County Commissioners and the Dayton City Council, both local governing bodies completed resolutions to place a proposition on the November, 2022, General Election ballot, to ask the voters of the unincorporated areas of Columbia County and the City of Dayton, excluding the City of Starbuck, whether to create the Columbia County Joint Metropolitan Park District. The Town of Starbuck may be annexed into the Park District at a later time at the choosing of the voters of the Town of Starbuck.

If approved by the voters of Columbia County and the City of Dayton, the Columbia County Joint Metropolitan Park District would be an unfunded district.

The Park District would be governed by five at-large elected Board of Commissioners.

Also on the November, 2022, ballot will be five Board of Commissioner races. Each of the five positions are designated as a district on the ballot. Each voter may vote for one candidate in each of the districts. The candidate receiving the most votes in each district will be elected as a commissioner. The length of term to be served by each Commissioner is determined by the number of votes each Commissioner receives.

Should the proposition to create the Park District fail, the elected Commissioners will be null and void.

If implemented, the Columbia County Joint Metropolitan Park District Board of Commissioners would have the authority to seek sustainable funding for the creation, operation and maintenance of a swimming pool through an assessed special annual levy of 25¢ cents to no more than 75¢ per $1,000 assessed valuation. At 25¢ and the assessed valuation of $400,000, the annual tax liability would be $100.

The Columbia County Joint Metropolitan Park District would not be eligible to run a special levy until 2024.

The agenda the group will work from Wednesday night is as follows:

6 p.m. – Welcome, Introductions and overview by Dianne McKinley, co-chair, Fiends of the Pool and Community Advisory Group

6:10 p.m. – YMCA Support by Karen Hedine, CEO, and Erica Miller, Director of Aquatics, Walla Walla

6:25 p.m. – Attendees break into working groups of 6-8, facilitated by Lisa Naylor, co-chair, Friends of the Pool and volunteer facilitators. Topic – “What do YOU want in a new pool?” A PowerPoint slide show will present possible pool features.

7:10 p.m. – Group presentations on new pool features by group speakers

7:20 p.m. – Attendees VOTE for preferred pool features with blue dots.

7:25 p.m. – Tally the dots and facilitators record the final “pool wish list”

7:30 p.m. – Meeting adjourned.

The meeting is available online for those unable to attend in person. Go to https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8365180581pwd=dHFlaFo5TE5VQ3hwaGZrNkREOX

The meeting ID: 836 5180 5816 Password: 943917