Maple Valley parks and recreation bond fails again

The bond for park and recreation facility improvements appears to have failed for a second time

The city of Maple Valley Proposition No. 1 bond for park and recreation facility improvements appears to have failed for a second time.

Out of those ballots counted, 52.65 percent have voted yes and 47.35 percent are no.

The measure needed 60 percent to pass and a minimum of 16,002 total votes cast, which it received.

Of the 47,908 registered voters about 40 percent returned the mail-in ballots, 19,006.

Mayor Sean P. Kelly said Tuesday the City Council and Parks Commission will need to reassess the next steps regarding the Summit Park property and the other issues in the bond.

If this bond passed, it would have allowed the city of Maple Valley to construct, improve and develop facilities at Summit Park and at the Lake Wilderness Elementary School site, according to the description of the proposition.

An off-leash dog park, playground, skate park and trails at the Summit Park would have been part of the work. Also, a multipurpose turf field with restrooms would have been built.

If passed the proposition would have allowed the city to issue $14.7 million of general obligation bonds maturing within 20 years and to levy property taxes to repay the funds.

Maple Valley residents turned down this measure in the April 2016 special election. That time it received a 63.03 percent no vote and 36.97 percent yes.

City Manager Laura Philpot said one positive is the measure received more yes votes than in 2016.

Philpot said what the city has heard is residents, “really did not want more added to their property tax bill.”