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	Nov. 20, 2002 King County advances transfer agreements for parks and pools Transfers will generate more than $1 million in savings King County Executive Ron Sims today announced several key transfers of parks and pools to other agencies. This is part of King County’s plans to refocus its role as a regional service provider by limiting its operation of parks and pools within city jurisdictions. Sims said the agreements to transfer or lease seven parks and two pools will allow King County to avoid mothballing these facilities at the end of the year. “In the face of an unprecedented budget crisis, we have taken all reasonable steps to ensure the public can continue to enjoy parks assets for years to come,” said Sims. “Cities throughout King County worked with us to keep their parks, pools and community centers open.” Turning over the nine facilities to cities could save King County taxpayers as much as $1 million. In addition to Juanita Beach Park and Beaver Lake Park transfers announced earlier, total savings on transfers announced to date would be almost $1.3 million. Juanita Beach Park will be transferred in December under an agreement reached with the City of Kirkland in July. The Executive reached agreement in October with the City of Sammamish to transfer Beaver Lake Park. That agreement is pending action by the King County Council. Among the parks transfer agreements expected to be proposed to the King County Council this week are: Luther Burbank Park to the City of Mercer Island; Eastgate and Manor Hill parks to the City of Bellevue; Jenkins Creek Park to the City of Covington; Lake Burien Memorial School Site to the City of Burien; and, Des Moines Creek Park and Sunset Playfield to the City of SeaTac. Pool agreements include: the transfer of South Central Pool to the City of Tukwila and a short-term operating agreement whereby the City of Enumclaw pays King County to operate the Enumclaw Pool until the city has a chance to go to voters for a levy lid lift in February. If the measure passes, the Enumclaw Pool will transfer. Once transmitted to the King County Council, proposed ordinances authorizing the agreements will move to the Natural Resources, Open Space and Parks Committee for a Dec. 5 hearing before consideration by the full Council on Dec. 9. Sims said another batch of transfers would be forwarded to the King County Council next week. The parks legislation must be transmitted to the King County Council this month in order for the transfers to be effective by the end of the year. King County had informed cities that, short of a successful transfer or 2003 funding agreement, the facilities would be mothballed on January 1, 2003. King County began discussing transferring facilities with cities in May 2002, after the County determined that its parks budget had to be dramatically reduced to help close a projected $52 million shortfall in its 2003 Current Expense budget. Sims said such transfer agreements are a major component of his parks transition plan. That plan is based on the recommendations of a citizens' task force, which calls for a redefined Parks Division role, focusing on regional services and resource and ecological lands. “Our goal all along has been to re-focus King County resources toward assets that are more consistent with our role as a regional service provider,” said Sims. “We operated parks and pools within city boundaries for many years because we had the resources, but with our current budget challenges, we simply cannot afford to protect those facilities where there is another responsible government or agency that can.” Sims cautioned, however, that “even with the momentum of these money-saving community partnerships and our new entrepreneurial ventures, we still face a major funding crisis due to an antiquated tax system, annexations and incorporations, and initiatives like I-747.” The Parks Transition Plan is available for review online. For more information, call the Parks Division, at 206-296-4232. King County transfer of parks, pools and community centers Nov. 20, 2002 Facts: 7 parks. 2 pools. These transfers will allow King County to save $1,084,837 annually. The transfers of Juanita Beach Park and Beaver Lake Park will save an additional $204,007. Total annual savings generated by transfers announced to date is $1,288,844. All transfers are effective January 2, 2003, with the exception of the Enumclaw Pool where the city will pay King County to operate the pool through the first quarter so the city has time to go to the voters for a levy lid lift. All cities have either approved the agreements or indicated they will approve them in advance of King County Council action. Park-by-Park Summary: Bellevue Eastgate and Manor Hill Parks — SE Newport Way and 145th Ave. SE, Eastgate Park is a 25-acre park within the city’s potential annexation area, with a ballfield, football/soccer field, tennis courts and picnic areas. Manor Hill Park, a traffic circle, is within the city’s boundaries. The transfer of Manor Hill Park will not have a financial impact on King County. The financial impact of the Eastgate Park transfer will be annual savings of $35,959 in maintenance and operations and a loss of $446 in fees for net savings of $35,513 annually. Burien Lake Burien School Memorial Park — 14660 18th Ave. SW, A 4.5-acre local, in-city park with a play area, tennis courts and a walking track. This transfer will not have a financial impact on King County because the City of Burien currently maintains and operates the park. Covington Jenkins Creek Park — SE 267th Pl. and 180th Ave. SE, A 20.3-acre, largely undeveloped local park partially in the City of Covington and partially in Unincorporated King County, within the City of Covington’s Potential Annexation Area. The financial impact of this transfer on King County will be annual savings of $31,309 in maintenance and operations. Enumclaw Enumclaw Pool — 420 Semanski St. S., The ordinance allows the City of Enumclaw to pay King County to operate the pool during the first quarter of 2003 until the city has a chance to put before voters in Feb. a ballot measure to increase property taxes through a levy lid lift that would generate revenue to run the pool. If the ballot measure is successful, King County will transfer title of the pool to the city in March 2003. The financial impact of this transfer on King County will be annual savings of $537,493 in maintenance and operations and a loss of $191,115 in fees for net savings of $346,378. Mercer Island Luther Burbank — 2040 84th Ave. SE, A 77-acre local, in-city park with boat moorage, fishing pier, swimming beach, an off-leash dog park, tennis courts, walking trails, play areas, picnic areas and an outdoor amphitheater. The financial impact of this transfer on King County will be annual savings of $190,859 in maintenance and operations costs and a loss of $6,125 in fees for net savings of $184,734. SeaTac Des Moines Creek Park — 20th Ave. S. and S. 208th St., A 85-acre local, in-city park with a paved trail. Sunset Playfield — 18th Ave. S. and S. 136th St., A 13.9-acre local, in-city park with baseball fields, a soccer field, tennis courts, restrooms, walking trails and a BMX racetrack. These transfers will have no financial impact on King County. Tukwila South Central Pool — 4414 S. 144th Street, The City of Tukwila has voted to take title of the pool as of January 1, 2003. Accompanying the pool agreement is another interlocal agreement concerning the maintenance and rehabilitation/replacement of the South Park Bridge. The financial impact of this transfer on King County will be annual savings of $610,296 in maintenance and operations costs and a loss of $123,393 in fees for net savings of $486,903. Contact: Brooke Bascom (206) 296-4056; Logan Harris (206) 263-6550 Updated: Nov. 20, 2002 Executive's home Executive's news Executive's site map | E-mail the Executive King County | Executive | News | Services | Comments | Search Links to external sites do not constitute endorsements by King County. By visiting this and other King County web pages, you expressly agree to be bound by terms and conditions of the site. The details.