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Residents press Kenmore for boathouse lease transparency and restitution for taxpayers
Summary
Public commenters at Tuesday's council meeting accused the city’s boathouse lease arrangements of poor drafting and urged council to require formal leases, liability insurance and redirect payments to the city; residents cited alleged unpaid debts by the Kenmore Row Club and called for stronger enforcement and transparency.
Several residents used public comment time at Tuesday’s Kenmore City Council meeting to press the council for clearer leases and stronger enforcement related to the city-owned boathouse and the local rowing club’s use of the facility.
Phyllis Finley (virtual) accused the city and its prior agreements of being "incompetently written," saying the Kenmore Row Club had defaulted on obligations while the city and taxpayers continued to carry costs. "Am I understanding this right that the Rogue Club has not reimbursed Kenmore taxpayers at all... Considering that the school district has paid the row club $200,000 for the privilege of sharing the space — shouldn't the Row Club be turning those funds over to the taxpayers until their debt is paid?" Finley asked.
Stacy Valenzuela, who spoke both in-person and virtually at different points in the meeting, urged the council to revise the upcoming boathouse lease so that payments from the Northshore School District or other school-associated sources flow directly to the City of Kenmore, and to require all clubs that use city facilities to sign formal rental agreements and carry liability insurance. "All clubs should have a formal rental agreement and liability insurance," Valenzuela said, adding that taxpayers should have access to the boathouse without an additional fee.
Valenzuela also argued that the city's 2023 audit recommended providing leases for all facilities and ensuring public access, and said she believes the city has not yet completed that work. "We need responsible use of taxpayer funding and cut back on the waste," she said, urging the city to update leases to protect taxpayers.
Council did not take immediate formal action on the boathouse questions during Tuesday’s meeting. City staff did not offer a recorded response within the public-comment segment; councilors and staff may follow up outside the meeting record.
