Bonney Lake, school district make decision about parks and recreation program’s future
Families who use Bonney Lake’s parks and recreation program can rest assured that the program will still be around this summer.
The Sumner-Bonney Lake School District’s school board extended its interlocal agreement with the city Feb. 16. This means the city will continue administering the parks and recreation program until Aug. 31, 2023.
The school district will continue working with the city and other groups to find ways the program can be “a successful and viable option for students, families and our community,” according to an email from school district spokesperson Elle Warmuth.
The City Council also voted unanimously Feb. 1 to extend the interlocal agreement with the school district for another year. The city sent the school district a letter of its intent to extend the agreement.
Although council member Justin Evans voted in favor of extending the agreement, he said during the Feb. 1 meeting that he is still wondering what changes will be made to improve the program.
Mayor Michael McCullough said during the Feb. 1 meeting that extending the agreement will help the city form a committee that will help brainstorm those changes.
“I’d like to see some sort of responsibility on the school district as well,” Evans said. “At some point ... we’re talking about transitioning over back to them where they have the responsibility ... and not necessarily us continuing to do this.”
When asked about any changes the school district or city plans on making to the program, Warmuth wrote: “We don’t have details on what this will look like at this time.”
The school district will continue to offer its facilities for the program, as usual, she wrote.
“It is too early to say what changes may be made to the agreement or what that will look like. Programs in the coming summer will be the same as in years past,” city administrator John Vodopich wrote in an email.
On Jan. 11, community members spoke during the City Council meeting, voicing their concerns about the program possibly ending. The council assured them that it was not ending, The News Tribune reported.
The concerns about the program’s future were prompted by a letter the city sent to the school district on Jan. 4, stating its intent not to renew the interlocal agreement, The News Tribune reported. The interlocal agreement allowed the city to have “administration” of the recreation program.
Asked why the city changed its decision, the mayor and city administrator did not respond Monday to the Herald’s request for comment.
The agreement was scheduled to expire on Aug. 31, 2022. If the city or school district decides not to renew it, one must notify the other six months in advance, The News Tribune reported.
The school district “believes strongly” in the program, and its benefits to students and their families, Warmuth wrote.
“SBLSD has a great interest in seeing this program continue, and looks forward to further discussions with the City of Bonney Lake and stakeholders,” Warmuth wrote.
