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Duval council asks staff to craft advocacy packet for King County Parks partnership
Summary
Council members discussed long‑standing efforts to secure King County Parks investment or a formal partnership to support parks and sports fields used by both city and unincorporated residents. Council directed staff to prepare a fact sheet and stakeholder outreach plan to support advocacy with King County.
Councilors on Oct. 7 discussed a six-month-old request to pursue a more formal relationship with King County Parks to secure investment, maintenance support or a formal acknowledgement that certain Duval facilities serve county residents.
City Administrator Cynthia Gebat (presentation lead) and Director of Public Works Steven Lanschevsky summarized recent grant activity and King County programs that could be relevant — Conservation Futures, Youth Sports, Parks Capital, Aquatics and Open Space grants — and the constraints that county grant rules and operating policies place on how funds are awarded. Staff said some King County programs require projects be led by the county or by a community partner and that eligibility rules can restrict direct county maintenance funding.
Council members described Duval as effectively serving a population well beyond the municipal boundaries — citing Riverview School District geography and usage by unincorporated residents — and said that neighboring jurisdictions with municipal park districts received larger levy-derived operating support. Councilors asked staff to prepare an advocacy one‑page (fact sheet) with data including the geographic area served by city parks, estimated population served outside city limits, maintenance cost per capita and a list of potential partners (YMCA, local nonprofits, tribal stakeholders) who could co-advocate for King County partnership or ongoing maintenance support.
Council asked staff to also prepare a stakeholder map showing county council members and department directors most likely to influence decisions and to develop engagement materials the council and staff could use when lobbying for policy changes or priority consideration in future grant cycles. Staff said they can produce a one-page position/fact sheet and a stakeholder outreach plan but cautioned that some advocacy outcomes ultimately rest with King County Council and county policy definitions.
Council members also raised possible local steps: creating a Friends‑of‑Duval‑Parks nonprofit to strengthen grant applications, calculating per‑capita comparisons to nearby jurisdictions, and considering whether formation of a municipal park district is appropriate long term. Staff said they will return with the fact sheet and an outline for a strategic advocacy effort.
