PORT TOWNSEND – A large turnout is expected at Monday’s public hearing regarding a proposed clean water district that would encompass all of East Jefferson County and charge an $18-per-parcel fee to each property owner within it.
The hearing will be at 10 a.m. in the Jefferson County Superior Court courtroom in the county courthouse, 1820 Jefferson St., Port Townsend.
The Port Townsend City Council has sent a letter opposing the city’s inclusion in the proposed district.
The county has the power the power to include the city in the district without city permission.
Opposition to the proposal was heard at an Olympic Stewardship Foundation meeting on Thursday that was attended by about 45 people.
A prominent theme at the meeting was that the three county commissioners have been hasty in attempting to establish the clean water district.
“In government, when you have a process that’s rushed, you usually have poor policy come out the other end,” said Norm MacLeod of Port Townsend, foundation member.
If approved, the district’s fee – which would bring in about $500,000 a year – would be put on next year’s property tax bills to allow time for the administrative process of adding the fee – which is not a tax – to the bills, said Jefferson County Treasurer Judi Morris.
Morris said she would have to receive direction by no later than Oct. 1 to include the fee.
She said the process appears hurried.
“I personally think they’re rushing into this,” Morris said.
