Tigard-Tualatin pool district approved for ballot

‘Worst case scenario’ plan in place if measure passes, but funds aren’t immediatly available

By Geoff Pursinger

The Times, Jan 7, 2010 (6 Reader comments)

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Washington County Commissioners approved the petition to place the proposed Tigard-Tualatin Aquatic District on the May 18 ballot.

The approval is contingent on Metro’s upcoming vote to change the Tigard Urban Services Agreement, which would permit the proposed district to provide services to unincorporated Washington County, which were previously designated to be provided by the city of Tigard.

Now voters will get the final say in creating a special district to operate the swimming pools located at Tigard and Tualatin high schools.

“We’re excited that we’ll get to do that now,” said Cheryl Coupé, spokeswoman for Save Tigard-Tualatin Pools. “This was the first half of the battle, the campaign will be the next big effort.”

Tigard-Tualatin School District officials have said that the pools will close June 30 if the pool district doesn’t pass.

The date that the proposed district would begin receiving tax revenue, if passed, is still up in the air. State law says that the boundaries for the district must be finalized by March 31 for a district to begin receiving tax revenue by November. The problem: The vote isn’t until May, meaning that the district itself would not exist until well after the March 31 deadline.

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