BENTON CITY -- More than a quarter-century since its inception, Benton City's vision of having its own aquatic park appears to be living on.
The Benton City Council approved a boundary Tuesday for a proposed taxing district that could pay for the project. But the Benton City Metropolitan Park District won't become reality unless a simple majority of voters approve it on their November ballots.
The district, which the council agreed Tuesday would have the same boundary of the existing Benton City Library Capital Facilities Area, would tax its residents to pay for the $3.5 million that it could cost to build the park. The approved boundary includes all of the city and some county lands immediately surrounding it.
Plans for the park have included a zero-depth pool, an Olympic-size lap pool, picnic areas and shade trees. City records have shown this rural city of about 3,000 has been discussing such a park since at least 1975.
The district would be governed by a board, members of which would be appointed by the Benton City Council and the Benton County commissioners. That board could levy up to 75 cents per $1,000 of district residents' property values without voter approval to pay for the park's maintenance, said city attorney Leland Kerr.
But the aquatic park's actual construction likely would be paid for with a general obligation bond, which Kerr said voters would be asked to approve a year after they approve the creation of the district. If the bond had a 5 percent interest rate, Kerr estimated district residents' property taxes would increase 78 cents per $1,000 for a 20-year bond or $1.26 per $1,000 for a 10-year bond.
The council had considered making the district's boundary mirror the larger limits of the Kiona-Benton City School District, which includes about $61 million more in assessed property value. But Mayor protem Lynn Johnson said the proposal would have better odds of passing if residents closer to Benton City were asked to vote on it.
The city has a lot to accomplish before the proposal can go on the November ballot, Kerr said.
"We have a couple of hurdles ahead and one of those is the county commissioners," Kerr said.
Commissioners will be asked to support the proposal at their May 27 meeting. Kerr said after Tuesday's meeting that the commissioners' approval was "not going to be a rubber stamp."
The Benton City Council also must pass a formal resolution at its next meeting on May 20 to place the park district proposal on the November ballot.
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