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Kenmore council unanimously backs North Shore Parks levy ahead of Nov. 4 vote
Summary
The Kenmore City Council voted unanimously to adopt Resolution 25-435 expressing support for North Shore Parks and Recreation Service Area Proposition 1, a replacement levy to fund building repairs and maintenance for the North Shore Senior Center and related facilities.
The Kenmore City Council voted unanimously to adopt Resolution 25-435 expressing support for North Shore Parks and Recreation Service Area (NPRSA) Proposition 1, a replacement levy on the Nov. 4 ballot intended to fund building repairs, maintenance and operations for facilities that serve seniors and adult day health clients in the North Shore district.
NPRSA program manager Christine Scotton told the council the districts current levy began in 2020 at a rate of 4 cents per $1,000 of assessed value and is expiring. Proposition 1 would run from 2026 through 2031 at a proposed rate of 5 cents per $1,000; Scotton said that on a home with a $1,000,000 assessed value the increase would amount to about $4.17 per month. The proposition requires a 60% favorable vote and a validation threshold tied to turnout.
"This levy will fund building repairs and improvements that keep facilities accessible and safe for the people who rely on them," Scotton said during the presentation.
Council members asked how the senior-center services would be affected if the levy fails; Scotton said the NPRSA provides the buildings rent-free to the North Shore Senior Center and without the levy the district would be unable to maintain the facilities, putting the senior centers continued occupancy at risk.
Councilor Sherbeck and Councilor Sassen praised the NPRSAs stewardship of levy funds and emphasized the services the center provides. After public question time produced no speakers, Council member Shrepnick moved and Deputy Mayor O'Kane seconded a motion to adopt a resolution expressing council support for the levy. The clerk recorded a unanimous roll-call vote in favor; the motion passed.
Why it matters: The funding is the primary dedicated local revenue for capital repairs at the North Shore Senior Center and associated adult day health facilities serving residents of Bothell, Kenmore, Woodinville and parts of King and Snohomish counties. If the levy fails, Scotton said, those buildings would lack a sustained local funding source for capital maintenance.
What happens next: Proposition 1 will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot. The councils resolution is an expression of municipal support; the levy must still meet the 60% supermajority and any validation rules set by state and local election law to take effect.
