CC Minutes - 07/23/08 Work Session

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Mr. Helikson agreed a long-term discussion was necessary, but the board would appreciate the larger contribution with the commitment to work with the City on a long-term arrangement. Ms. Bettman, seconded by Ms. Taylor, moved to direct the City Manager to follow the cur- rent direction for a one-time payment of $100,000 to the district in the FY09 Budget and to develop a work plan and timeline to explore a variety of partnership options between the dis- trict and the City that identifies a long-term sustainable strategy for the viable operation of the district until annexation occurs. Mr. Clark concurred with the remarks of Mr. Pryor. He said if the City ever acquired the district, it was important it be in the best possible shape. He recognized the district’s importance to the residents he represented in Santa Clara. He thought it would be difficult for the City to duplicate the level of service now provided for the amount expended. Mr. Clark appreciated the good job the district did and said the issues for him came down to equity and priorities. He thought it logical the district would want to address the fact that many Santa Clara residents used the facility but did not live in the district, but acknowledged the political difficulty that might present. He thought there was an equity issue involved. He suggested the demise of the Boundary Commission might present new opportunities in that regard. Mr. Helikson believed it would be self-defeating to annex Santa Clara if the City continued its piecemeal annexation program; the problem would last “forever.” Mr. Clark said that the City needed to consider both the revenue side of the picture as well as the increase in demand experienced by the district in regard to services provided to Santa Clara. The City was not in the position to provide the same excellent service to its residents as the district provided, and there was an equity issue in that regard as well as a priority issue that he continued to struggle with. Mr. Helikson indicated the district would be willing to waive out-of-district fees for City residents if an equitable arrangement with the City could be reached. Responding to a question from Ms. Ortiz about the change in funding, Mr. Carlson attributed it to the City’s financial situation at the time. He said the City was cutting its recreation programs, and the question then became how the City could cut its own programs without reducing its contribution to the park district. He estimated the cost of restoring the amount at about $140,000. Responding to a follow-up question from Ms. Ortiz about the City’s budget, Mr. Carlson said the City used reserves to balance the budget in the last two years, and proposed to do so again this year. That eliminated the City’s Reserve for Revenue Shortfall going into fiscal year 2010. He said that restoring the contract would require the City to make service reductions or find revenue increases. Ms. Ortiz wished the City could write the district a check to make it whole and continue its services. Speaking to the issue of the County, she pointed out that the County had not always been in crisis and given that the district’s constituents were largely County residents, she wondered why the board had not held the County’s “feet to the fire” to a greater degree. Mr. Helikson said the district never seemed to be in crisis when the County had money. Ms. Bettman noted the County’s lack of a systems development charge for parks. MINUTES—Eugene City Council July 23, 2008 Page 7 Work Session