Item B - Funding Gap for Maintaining Parks and Recreation Facilities

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annual maintenance needs not being met. While currently the majority of our Park, Recreation and Open Space facilities are still in fair to good condition, the system is not sustainable at the current funding levels and the City is losing ground. Consistent with the message from Eugene Counts, the City needs to have a sustainable parks, recreation and open space system that meet the needs of the community. To do so will require one or more of the following: 1.Increase operations and maintenance funding, and increase capital funding to address deferred maintenance; or 2.Remove facilities from the City’s inventory (divest); or 3.Accept system decline. Consequences of allowing system decline include:  Increase in deferred maintenance;  Decreased customer satisfaction;  Loss of revenue from program services, contracts, and facility rentals;  Deferred maintenance over time will result in facilities being closed. Funding Options: Questions 4 and 5 above are both in regards to funding options. While the unmet funding need of the Park and Recreation system is significant, it is one of several municipal systems in need of additional funding and for which the City Council will need to establish priorities and strategies. While staff does not have a recommendation at this time identifying one funding strategy over another, Chapter 5 of the PROS Plan (attached) discusses the various funding options open to Parks and Recreation and includes tables noting the advantages and disadvantages of each. TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE ANALYSIS Economic Prosperity Summary: If the current PROS facility operation and maintenance gap continues to grow, the quality of service will decline, negatively impacting the ability to produce revenue in some recreation services. The value and functionality of facility assets will decrease and their value as an attractive “second paycheck” for the community will be negatively impacted. Environmental Health Summary: Concerning Recreation facilities, prioritizing deferred maintenance projects that reduce energy consumption has been, and continues to be, a high priority. Continuing to defer maintenance of Parks and Open Space assets will decrease habitat and storm water quality and increase the risk of wildfire. Social Equity Summary: Overall, the PROS facility resources and services offered to the Eugene community are very strong, accessible, well-supported and appreciated by patrons. There are some current geographic gaps in services, affecting some neighborhoods. Continuing to defer maintenance of the parks infrastructure will further degrade the service, which will have a disproportionate impact on those in the lower socio-economic group, who have fewer options for access to parks and recreation services. L:\CMO\2010 Council Agendas\M101011\S101011B.doc