Prescott Pool Levy Passes

PRESCOTT - Prelimi- nary results from last week's election show the Prescott Pool Maintenance and Op- erations Levy passing by 64% - a few points above the required 60% supermajority.

The 2014 levy is for $110,000, approximately 40 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. Due to a rise in assessed property values, the levy rate is down slightly from the 2013 rate of 45 cents per $1,000.

Unlike the neighboring cities of Waitsburg, Day- ton and previously Walla Walla, the City of Prescott has never had any financial or management responsibility for the pool there, even though the Prescott Pool and adjoining Field View Park lie in city limits. Instead, the pool is managed by the Joint Parks and Recreation District which must run a "maintenance and operations" levy each year for funding. The levy must pass by a 60% su- permajority.

The pool was originally built in 1958 and was part of the Prescott School District. In 1981 changes in state funding led the school's Board of Directors to decide the district could no longer finance and manage the pool. Instead, a junior taxing district, called the Prescott Joint Park and Recreation District (PJPRD) was formed in 1981 and took over respon- sibility for the pool. The PJPRD boundaries are the same as the Prescott School District, with a small part of the district lying in Columbia County.

During the 2013 season, Prescott Pool attendance figures showed 2,978 visi- tors from Prescott, 350 from Waitsburg and Dayton, 1,750 from Walla Walla and 300 from elsewhere.

PJPRD Board of Commissioners Chairman Pasty Adams Warnock is grateful for the levy approval. "I want to thank the voters for sup- porting Prescott Joint Park and Recreation District with the supermajority needed to pass our levy," she said. "In our small district every vote counts, and we appreciate your support. We are already busy planning to bring our patrons another great season in 2014."

Preliminary results have the levy passing with 103 votes in favor (63.98%) and 58 votes (36.02%) opposed. Results will be validated and certified by the Walla Walla County Department of Elections at the end of the month.