Park and Recreation District.
A park and recreation district (district) is a type of special purpose district that may be formed for purposes of providing leisure time activities and facilities and recreational facilities as a public service for residents of the geographical areas included within a district's boundaries.
The term "recreational facilities" means parks, playgrounds, gymnasiums, swimming pools, field houses, bathing beaches, stadiums, golf courses, automobile racetracks and drag strips, coliseums for the display of spectator sports, public campgrounds, boat ramps and launching sites, public hunting and fishing areas, arboretums, bicycle and bridle paths, senior citizen centers, community centers, and other recreational facilities.
Formation. District formation must be initiated by submitting a petition to the county that designates the potential district boundary, describes how the district will benefit the public welfare, and is signed by at least 15 percent of the registered voters within the proposed district's boundary. After a hearing on a petition before the board of county commissioners, and the board's designation of the name and district boundary, the matter must be presented to the voters for approval, together with any funding obligations.
Powers. A district has such powers as are necessary to carry out its purpose, including but not limited to: acquiring real property; making contracts; borrowing money; establishing charges, fees, rates, and the like for the use of its facilities; and acquiring, constructing, maintaining, repairing, and operating recreational facilities. A district may also issue general obligation bonds for capital purposes and impose a regular property tax levy.
Public Libraries.
State law defines a library as a free public library supported in whole or in part with money derived from taxation. A public library may be established by a county, city, or town, or may be created through the establishment of a library district, including rural county library districts, intercounty rural library districts, rural partial-county library districts, and island library districts. A library must be free for the inhabitants of the governmental unit where it is located, subject to reasonable rules and regulations. Governmental units are a county, city, town, or library district.
The formation of a library may be instigated by a governmental unit's legislative authority or a taxpayer petition, and libraries are governed by a board of appointed trustees. Trustees must adopt rules and regulations for the government of the library, employ a librarian, annually submit a budget to the applicable legislative body, lease or purchase land for library buildings, and purchase books and supplies.
Different funding options are available for libraries, including that specified library districts may issue general obligations bonds as allowed by statute and the legislative body of a governmental unit may appropriate money for the support of a library. All funds for a library, whether derived from taxation or otherwise, shall be in the custody of the treasurer of the applicable governmental unit, and the board of trustees shall have the exclusive control of expenditures for library purposes.
The definition of "recreational facilities," for purposes of forming a park and recreation district, is modified to include community centers which could include public libraries within less than 50 percent of the usable space. A public library that is a part of a recreational facility must operate in accordance with Washington's library laws.
The amended bill requires a public library that is a part of a recreational facility under Washington's park and recreation district laws to operate in accordance with Washington's public library laws.
(In support) This is a clarity bill for a library to exist in a community center, since current law is not clear on whether a library may or may not be included in a community center. There is a small community in our state that has requested this clarity because there is some doubt for this small city that has been doing this for some years. Libraries are becoming a part of recreation for our communities, and are changing into community centers with crafts for kids, youth activities, senior days, and even date nights. They are evolving into de facto community centers within their communities.
Libraries are usually financially supported by a jurisdiction's general fund, and are also usually at the front of the line when there are budget cuts. The proposed language in this bill would allow for efficient use of common space for libraries as part of community centers. A voter-approved process is still required, including a statement of what funds would be used for. The City of Castle Rock in particular has had to make tough decisions and only been able to fund its library through an annual excise levy requiring a 60 percent voter approval. Voters aren't always sure about whether they're getting a new tax or affirming an existing tax. They're also weary of voting on things like this, but there isn't an alternative mechanism available other than a library district, and there are limits on the formation of a library district.
(Opposed) None.
Senator Jeff Wilson, prime sponsor; and David Vorse, City of Castle Rock.