The issue is clear. Do we control the ambiance of our small portion of this valley or do we leave its fate to developers, ambitious politicians and those with interest disconnected with Fall City? This is an opportunity to take ownership of an important element of our community. Maintaining our local parks and open spaces in which we can walk, play, and connect with the beauty of our valley defines the quality of life we have chosen by living here. The parks would be managed by an elected board of commissioners, which means local control of such a valuable community resource. Many residents in the Fall City community believe that King County should transfer Fall City Community Park to the Park District. Yes, we’ll have to pay. The dedicated citizens’ group leading this campaign to retain our parks has recommended a modest budget of $109,000 a year to provide a part-time parks manager, grounds keeper, utilities and the necessary insurance to keep our parks serving us. For the owner of a $300,000 home that’s less than $30 a year. If the District is created, tax levy rates would not apply until 2010. This one’s easy. Vote YES Fall City Parks.

STATEMENT PREPARED BY: Jack Kelley, Perry Wilkins, Terri Divers

No Statement Submitted.

Ordinance 16282

AN ORDINANCE establishing February 3, 2009, as the date for an election on the question of the formation of a metropolitan park district encompassing portions of the King County fire protection district No. 27 and various neighborhoods adjacent to the fire protection district, and requesting in addition that the manager of elections place on the February 3, 2009 ballot the proposed district's ballot measures to create the Fall City metropolitan park district and elect a five-member board of commissioners.

    STATEMENT OF FACTS:
    1.  RCW 35.61.010 provides that "(a) metropolitan park district may be created for the management, control, improvement, maintenance, and acquisition of parks, parkways, boulevards, and recreational facilities."
    2.  King County residents in the area of fire protection district No. 27 circulated a petition seeking to form a metropolitan park district to area residents in accordance with chapter 35.61.020 RCW.
    3.  On April 21, 2008, the elections division certified the sufficiency of the petition to the metropolitan King County council.
    BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
    SECTION 1.  The name of the proposed park and recreation district shall be Fall City metropolitan park district.
    SECTION 2.  An election shall be held on February 3, 2009, in accordance with chapter 35.61 RCW within the territory of the proposed metropolitan park district, for the purpose of submitting the question of formation of a metropolitan park district to the qualified electors within the proposed district described in section 4 of this ordinance.
    SECTION 3.  The King County manager of the elections division is hereby requested to assume jurisdiction to call and conduct an election and submit to the registered voters within the subject area the proposition as set forth in section 3 of this ordinance.  The clerk of the council is hereby authorized and directed to transmit the proposition to the manager of the elections division in substantially the following form, with such additions, deletions or modifications in the ballot title as may be required for the proposition listed below by the King County prosecutor:
    PROPOSITION 1:
    [   ]    For the formation of a metropolitan park district to be governed by a five-member board of commissioners.
    [   ]    Against the formation of a metropolitan park district.
    SECTION 4.  The boundaries of the proposed metropolitan park district are set forth in Attachment A to this ordinance.
    SECTION 5.  The manager of the elections division, is hereby authorized and requested to prepare and distribute a local voters' pamphlet, in accordance with K.C.C. 1.10.010, for the election called for in this ordinance, the cost of the pamphlet to be included as part of the cost of the election.
    SECTION 6.  The manager of the elections division is requested to include a ballot measure that shall elect five park commissioners of the district, as set forth in RCW 35.61.050, and to set, announce and hold a special filing period for those position.

Ordinance 16282 was introduced on 9/29/2008 and passed as amended by the Metropolitan King County Council  on 10/20/2008, by the following vote:

Yes: 8 - Ms. Patterson, Mr. Dunn, Mr. Constantine, Ms. Lambert, Mr. von Reichbauer, Mr. Ferguson, Mr. Gossett and Mr. Phillips
No: 0
Excused: 1 - Ms. Hague

KING COUNTY COUNCIL
KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON

Simple majority (RCW 35.61.040)