The Pasco Public Facilities District (PPFD) is benefitting from the talents of Matt Watkins in a consulting capacity as Project Manager as the District moves ahead with siting, design, and construction of an aquatic facility in Pasco.
The voters of Pasco approved a 0.2% sales tax increase in April to pay for the construction of an aquatic facility. The sales tax increase will go into effect on January 1, with the first proceeds to be distributed in April 2023. Watkins will assist the District board in moving forward with an aquatic center project for the community.
Watkins is a former Mayor and City Council member of Pasco, having served on Council for 16 years until 2019, when he did not seek another term. After some world travel (interrupted by the COVID pandemic), Watkins returned to Pasco in May 2022 and offered his assistance to the Board. Watkins is a Tri-City native and graduated from WSU - Tri-Cities. He chose to make Pasco his home in 1995 and spent a 30 career at Hanford in Information Technology. He first started community service as a board member of the Tri-City Water Follies in 1997, including a term as President following the guiding principle, “Give back to the community that has given to you.”
Watkins has previous experience working through the idea of a regional aquatic facility since 2006 via a Tri-City vote on the question. While it did not pass, the need to construct a facility in Pasco became even more apparent. Watkins helped secure Washington State legislation to allow Pasco voters to consider an aquatic facility independently.
Mark Morrissette, Chair of the PPFD, “The Pasco Public Facilities District is pleased Matt Watkins is joining the Aquatics Center Project as Manager. He brings a wealth of experience from his time on the City Council, experience with public outreach that will be important in this project, as well as a long-time personal interest in our city advancing a regional aquatics facility.”
Matt began working with the District last month and looks forward to representing the Board in the community and helping the PPFD design, site, construct, manage, and maintain the best aquatics facility in the state for Pasco residents, Tri-Citians, and visitors to our community.