Anacortes council delays placing pool district measure on ballot amid tax and wording concerns

Anacortes — The City of Anacortes on July 14 heard a proposal from city staff and the Fidalgo Parks and Recreation District to place a joint proposition on the November 4 general election ballot to create a Fidalgo Metropolitan Recreation District, but councilors postponed action pending further legal and factual clarifications. City staff introduced two related items: an interlocal agreement to have the city place the district proposition on the ballot while the district would prepare and pay election costs, and a companion resolution requesting Skagit County to add “Joint Proposition 1” to the ballot creating a five-member Fidalgo Metropolitan Recreation District with boundaries coterminous with the Anacortes School District. Multiple members of the public told council they opposed re‑presenting the measure after voters narrowly rejected a similar proposition last year. Linda Martin, who lives in Anacortes, told council she…