Citizen panel to review King County Parks levy spending

King County is convening a nine-member citizen oversight board to review the Parks and Recreation Division's spending of funds from a voter-approved levy.

The King County Parks Citizen Oversight Board is comprised of private citizens from each of the nine King County Council districts. Board members are: Raelene Gold, Maisha Barnett, Guy Bennett, Ryan Dicks, Joan Allan, Harold Fowler, Steve Freeborn, Ann Martin and Tony Davis.

The board's mission is to review and report to King County Executive Ron Sims and the County Council on the division's spending of parks levy proceeds. Its initial report is due by August, with two additional annual reports due by the end of May 2007 and May 2008.

Voters in May 2003 approved a four-year, 4.9-cent levy to support parks, open space and regional trails maintained by King County. The levy revenue has been used for maintenance activities in regional and rural parks including maintenance of trails, ball fields, and sports courts; cleaning of bathrooms and litter removal.

King County Parks Director Kevin Brown said the citizen oversight board plays an important role in reviewing division operations.

"We greatly value the direct feedback that we receive from this public review of how we have spent the public's money," he said.