Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
DAVENPORT — Voters who reside within the boundaries of Lincoln County Parks and Recreation District No. 3 are being asked to renew a maintenance and operations levy to fund the Davenport Water Park for the next six years.
The $135,000 levy will also be used to fund operations of Davenport Memorial Hall, 511 Park St., over the same time period.
Voters will have an opportunity to weigh in on the measure in the Nov. 5 general election.
Parks and Recreation District officials said the levy is a replacement levy; the current levy expires at the end of this year.
The current levy costs property owners 22 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation.
The levy on the ballot includes a 5 cent increase, so voters are being asked to support a levy rate of 27 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation.
The owner of a $300,000 property would pay approximately $66 annually, if the levy is approved.
If approved by voters, the funds will be split with the water Park receiving about 78% of the funds and Memorial Hall the remaining 22%.
“In the past six year, the Memorial Hall has seen a significant increase in the cost to insure the building,” a statement from district officials said, noting insurance costs have more than doubled.”While we have experienced an increase in the use of the Memorial Hall, the hall still falls short of being self-supporting.”
Officials said the scenario is also playing out at the water park, 652 Sixth St.
In addition to the cost of insurance, the ever-increasing minimum wage mandated by the state is increasing pool costs.
“The water park does not benefit from the income for providing swimming lessons, most of which is returned to the lifeguards providing the lessons,” the statement said.
“The six-year levy will provide the needed funds to maintain the Davenport Memorial Hall and ensure the legacy of Clare VanBuren that every child has the opportunity to learn how to swim,” the statement said.
Roger Harnack is the owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. Having grown up Benton City, Roger is an award-winning journalist, photographer, editor and publisher. He's one of only two editorial/commentary writers from Washington state to ever receive the international Golden Quill. Roger is dedicated to the preservation of local media, and the voice it retains for Eastern Washington.
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