Item B: Capital Project Funding for Washington-Jefferson Skatepark

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skatepark facility. Since neither POS nor SES have been able to meet the commitments outlined in the 2009 partnership agreement, it will need to be revised or rescinded in order for the project to move forward. O & M Budget Impacts The POS Division’s inability to maintain a new skatepark is due to POS Division participating, over several fiscal years, in repeated budget reductions across the organization required to balance the General Fund. These General Fund reductions have diminished the POS Division’s capacity to maintain the existing assets in the park and open space system. At the same time, significant new park assets have been added to the system, yielding a gap of more than $1.7 million between resources available for maintenance and the resources needed for maintenance of the park and open space system. As reported to the council at an October 11, 2010, Work Session, since 1998 more than 1,000 acres of park land have been acquired and 18 new parks have been developed while maintenance funding has declined. Allocation of Park Bond Funds The council has raised the specific question of whether funds from the 2006 PROS Bond should be allocated toward Washington-Jefferson Skatepark construction and related park improvement costs. The City Attorney, after consultation with the City’s Bond Counsel, has indicated that allocation of funds from the 2006 Parks, Recreation and Open Space Bond for construction and construction-related costs for the City Center Skatepark in Washington-Jefferson Park would be unlikely to survive a court challenge (see memo attached). Alternative Capital Funding Sources Given the analysis provided by the City Attorney, the council may choose to consider and discuss alternative funding strategies for construction of the City Center Skatepark. There are a number of alternative capital funding sources available, which are described in Chapter V of the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Comprehensive Plan (attached). RELATED CITY POLICIES As noted above, the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Project and Priority Plan, adopted by the City Council in 2006, includes a City Center Skatepark to be built in Washington-Jefferson Park as a Priority 1 project. On May 22, 2006, the council passed Council Resolution No. 4869 (May 22, 2006) calling for a city election for the purpose of submitting to the voters a measure authorizing up to $27,490,000 of General Obligation bonds to be used for “parks recreation and open space projects, including purchase of land for parks and preservation of open space, purchase of land and construction of improvements at Golden Gardens Park, construction and resurfacing of all-weather sports fields and auxiliary projects on school district property and on City parkland adjacent to Meadow View School and construction and equipping of the West Eugene Environmental Education Center.” A copy of Resolution No. 4869 is attached. COUNCIL OPTIONS 1.The council can take no action, and allow the continuation of the public-private partnership effort to pursue matching funds for the City’s Parks SDC Funds previously allocated. In this case, the project would not go forward until additional private fundraising can be garnered to adequately support the S:\CMO\2012 Council Agendas\M120523\S120523B.doc