AMENDED Agenda Packet 11-12-19 Work Session

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November 12, 2019, Work Session – Item 3 EUGENE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Work Session: Parks and Recreation Bond and Levy Update Meeting Date: November 12, 2019 Agenda Item Number: 3 Departments: Public Works and Staff Contact: Craig Carnagey Library, Recreation, Cultural Services www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 541-682-4930 ISSUE STATEMENT This work session is intended to provide a general update on the work accomplished thus far implementing the parks and recreation bond and levy measures, which voters approved in May 2018, to renovate parks and recreation facilities, build new parks in underserved areas, improve public safety in parks, and restore park maintenance activities. A more detailed update including an annual report will be provided at a subsequent work session on February 10, 2020. BACKGROUND Since the voter approval of both the parks and recreation bond and levy measures, staff have taken significant steps toward implementing what was stated would be done in these measures. On the capital bond, staff have completed the major renovation of Tugman Park playground while making progress on several other developments across the city, including Berkeley Park, Striker Field, and the Downtown Riverfront Park. We also moved forward with breaking ground on Campbell Community Center and unveiled the final designs for Echo Hollow Pool and Fitness Center. The operating levy has already positively impacted the community in many ways over the last year. We increased park safety by adding two year-round Eugene Police Officers dedicated to parks, added two more Park Ambassadors, reopened closed restrooms in parks, increased mowing frequency, and added seasonal weekend and after-hours maintenance in high-use parks. We also increased seasonal trash service at busy trailheads, started doing more trail maintenance, and continue to do vegetation management to reduce fuel loads, manage weeds, and add native plants. As required by both the bond and levy ballot measures, a Citizen Advisory Board has been formed to ensure accountability in the use of bond and levy funds. The Citizen Advisory Board is responsible for reviewing end-of-year reporting to ensure that spending complies with the intent of the ballot measures. The Board then forwards the report and any comments to the City Manager, who provides the report to the City Council and makes it publicly available. Once completed, all reports will be available on the 2018 Bond and Levy website.