title
AN ORDINANCE authorizing the executive to enter into an interlocal agreement between King County and Auburn School District No. 408 for transfer of the Auburn Pool to the school district; and declaring an emergency.
body
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Findings:
A. King County is facing a multi-year fiscal crisis that is forcing major cuts in all non-mandated government services funded by the current expense fund and as a result does not have a sufficient, stable source of revenue to continue to operate and maintain the Auburn Pool in Auburn.
B. Due to its fiscal crisis, King County desires to divest itself of ownership, management, and financial responsibility for pools, parks, open space, recreational facilities and programs inside and near city boundaries.
C. The county has explored many options for keeping the Auburn Pool open, has contacted the city of Auburn, Auburn School District No. 408 (school district) and others to obtain assistance with keeping the pool open, and has determined, given the unwillingness of the city of Auburn to assume ownership, that the best available option for keeping the pool open is to transfer it to the school district. Given its limited resources, the school district will initially operate the pool for student use, and has agreed to work with the county and others to open the pool to broader use by the general public as soon as practicable, subject to securing additional funding for these purposes. This transfer will ensure that the pool is maintained in good operating condition and will avoid permanently closing the pool or mothballing the pool.
D. King County and the school district have agreed to terms of an interlocal agreement for the transfer of the Auburn Pool to the school district.
E. To avoid any service disruption at the pool, the county and the school district strongly desire to complete the transfer by the end of the year. To do so, this ordinance must be adopted on an emergency basis.
F. The recitals in the agreement set forth relevant facts supporting and explaining the terms of the transfer.
G. The equipment and supplies being conveyed along with the pool are integral to the continued operation and maintenance of the pool and are surplus to the county's needs.
H. King County and the school district have agreed that the transfer will take place within thirty days following execution of the interlocal agreement by both parties.
I. Transfer of the Auburn Pool under the terms and conditions of the attached agreement will serve an important county purpose by ensuring that the pool will remain open and in a fully operable condition, will be available to school district users, and will be available to all county residents as soon as practicable, subject to obtaining additional funding.
SECTION 2. The King County executive is hereby authorized to enter into an interlocal agreement, substantially in the form of the attached agreement, with the Auburn School District relating to the transfer of the Auburn Pool.
SECTION 3. For the reasons set forth in section 1 of this ordinance, the county council finds as a fact and declares that an emergency exists and that this ordinance is necessary for the immediate preservation of public peace, health or safety or for the support of county government and its existing public institutions.
ad requirements
area paper 10 and not more than 25 days prior
news release/display format
Hearing: December 16, 2002
Newspaper: Seattle Times
Publishing: Thursday, December 5, 02
3