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<br />It <br /> <br />Ralph Myers, Eugene Sports Program, stated that in 1954, the City had <br />agreed to take part in subsidizing Eugene Sports Program activities by <br />providing ball field maintenance. He stated that he had received a letter <br />from Ernie Drapela'stating that the City would no longer be able to provide <br />the services due to budget cuts. The amount that would be cut would be <br />$18,500 which would be a 100-percent cut of their fie.ld maintenance. <br />The on'ly alternatives ESP had are either to use volunteers for field <br />maintenance, which the Parks Department has not been in favor of in the <br />past, or to charge higher fees to the youths taking partin athletic <br />competition. They already pay $22 to participate. He further stated that <br />if the fields were not maintained, there would be an increased number of <br />injuries and recent lawsuit settlements have awarded damages to children <br />and their parents who have been injured playing on fields that were not <br />properly maintained. He added that if Eugene Sports Program did not exist <br />to provide athletic activities for those 3,000 youths, the responsibility <br />for this program would become the Parks Department IS. He urged reinstate- <br />ment of the $18,500 into the Parks Department budget for field maintenance. <br /> <br />There being no more testimony to present, the public hearing was closed. <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />Mr. Obie stated that he had three concerns. The first, is what the dollar <br />figure would be to immediately reopen the pools. Second, he is concerned <br />with the cost of the ball field maintenance, and third, he would like to <br />know the cost of reopening the Library on Sunday. <br /> <br />Mayor Keller adjourned the meeting for a break. <br /> <br />Mr. Henry indicated that at the library, $3,000 has already been saved <br />with an additional $3,000 anticipated savings. As to the savings to <br />date by closing Echo Hollow Pool, Mr. Henry will check on that. <br /> <br />Mr. Obie asked what the savings would be if the pools remained closed and <br />Mr. Henry responded that the savings would be approximately $30,000. <br /> <br />Mr. Henry introduced Ernie Drapela. <br /> <br />Mr. Drapela stated that he is trying to keep people well-informed. He <br />gave a brief outline of the February 20 memo and the alternatives therein. <br />The first alternative would be for the pools to remain closed on the <br />rotating basis. The second alternative would apply savings from the <br />closures to the repair of Jefferson Pool during the time it was scheduled <br />to be closed down. The third alternative would be to shorten the pool <br />closures and to work with the school districts and to take another look at <br />re-funding the Eugene Sports Program ball field maintenance. The fourth <br />alternative is not recommended; although it would keep the pools open, and <br />would restore the ball field maintenance to Eugene Sports Program, park <br />maintenance would be drastically reduced and many other services would not <br />be able to be provided. He further stated that staff will be taking leave <br />without pay, which has presented a savings for the department. In response <br />to Mr. Lieuallenls concern about funding programs that take citizens <br />outside the city, he said that such activities are being curtailed. <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />2/20/80--11 <br />