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Skagit County to send ballots to property owners on reestablishing Lake Management District No. 4
Summary
Skagit County commissioners approved a resolution to submit ballots asking property owners whether to reestablish Lake Management District No. 4 (Clear and Beaver Lakes). Staff said current assessments raise about $20,000 annually while treatment contracts run near $30,000, and proposed a 10-year reformation with a 5% annual assessment increase.
Skagit County commissioners voted April 14 to submit a ballot question to property owners asking whether to reestablish Lake Management District No. 4, the local self-taxing district that pays for aquatic weed and algae treatments in Clear and Beaver Lakes.
Jen Johnson, Natural Resources Division manager, told the board the district currently collects about $20,000 a year while annual contracts for full treatments have climbed toward $30,000. "We're sitting at about $20,000 is what we collect each year," Johnson said, "Our current contract for the ideal treatment for their lake is closer to $30,000 this year." She presented a draft 10-year reformation that would include an approximate 5% increase in assessments each year to keep pace with rising chemical and contractor costs.
The reformation is being pursued earlier than the districts scheduled 2028 review because staff and contractors report rising herbicide prices, more frequent treatments and new invasive species. Evan, the countyNoxious Weed and Lake Management Coordinator, said higher herbicide and permit costs and increased staff time are driving the need for added revenue. "The herbicide we're using is more expensive in lakes," he said, and added that many proposals now come back with higher budgets because of species and site conditions.
Staff described the notification and voting timeline: the county will coordinate with the assessor to produce a map of assessed parcels, publish required notices in the newspaper, then mail ballots to affected property owners; a simple majority of returned ballots would allow the reformation to proceed. Johnson said outreach so far shows property-owner support for a rate increase and staff hope to finish the process in roughly five months so changes take effect for the next year.
During the hearing no members of the public in the room or online offered testimony. Commissioner Browning moved to close the public hearing and the board approved the motion by voice vote. The board then approved a resolution to submit the reformation question and directed staff to mail ballots to properties identified on the assessment map.
The county plans two treatments per year as a target for LMD 4 when funding permits; a single contractor currently under two-year contract performs treatment work and must hold required permits (e.g., NPDS) and follow application windows to protect fish. Staff said reserves may be used for limited work in the short term but are insufficient to fund full treatment cycles without additional assessment revenue.
Next steps: staff will finalize the map with the assessor's office, print and mail ballots in accordance with the RCW- and WAC-referenced notification schedule, and report back on ballot returns. If a simple majority of returned ballots support reformation, the new assessment schedule would take effect under the timeline staff presented.
