Jenny Wilson, parks planner for the City of Lacey, told the Human Services Commission on July 10 that Proposition 1 would create a Metropolitan Park District (MPD) with boundaries coterminous with Lacey city limits and be governed by the Lacey City Council. "I'm only gonna be providing information about the MPD ballot measure that is neutral and factual," Wilson said, noting state law restricts use of public facilities for advocacy.

Wilson said the ballot item would authorize a property tax levy of up to 45 cents per $1,000 of assessed value and offered an example: a property with an assessed value of $500,000 would pay about $225 per year, or roughly $18.75 per month. She said the MPD at the maximum rate would be expected to generate about $5.9 million annually if voters approve the measure.

The presentation outlined two primary MPD priorities: funding new park features and increasing ongoing maintenance. New features listed included spray parks and other water-play elements, expanded trail and open-space access, indoor playgrounds, sports fields, pickleball courts, pump tracks, skate features and community gardens. Maintenance items included playground replacement, janitorial services, safety inspections, repairs, lighting and landscaping.

Wilson provided departmental context: the parks program manages about 1,269 acres of park property (roughly 59% undeveloped or partially developed), 22 developed parks, 9 undeveloped or partially developed parks and 4 trails. She said the department has roughly 40 full-time positions (18 in parks, culture and recreation; 22 in public works) and an operating budget of about $10.4 million per year. Currently, she said, about 84% of park funding comes from the city general fund, with program and rental fees and other taxes making up the remainder.

Wilson described community outreach used to build the MPD proposal: a parks, culture and recreation comprehensive plan adopted in 2023 and roughly 8,700 community comments and survey responses gathered over several years. She said the City Council formed an ad hoc parks improvement funding work group in 2024 that recommended pursuing an MPD.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about the MPD boundary (Wilson said it would be limited to Lacey city limits), whether the MPD could generate significant user revenue, and the difference between a levy and a bond (Wilson said the MPD would be a permanent levy, not a one-time bond). Commissioners also discussed how revenues might be used and emphasized that MPD funds would be intended to supplement, not replace, existing parks funding.

No formal action or recommendation by the Human Services Commission was recorded on the MPD presentation; the session was an informational briefing to allow commissioners to ask questions ahead of the August ballot.