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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Parks and Human Services - 06/26/1991 Brenda Jacober iyy City Clerk Parks Committee Minutes June 26, 1991 Councilmembers Present: Steve Dowell, Chair; and Christi Houser. Staff Present: Jim Hansen, Tony McCarthy, Helen Wickstrom, Tom Brubaker, Robb Dreblow, John Hillman, Jim Huntington, Priscilla Shea, Stephanie Strozyk, Jack Ball, Karen Ford, Lori Hogan, Robyn Bartelt, Lea Britting, Lee- Anderson, Cheryl Fraser, Patrice Thorell, Tracey Wickersham, Liz Carpenter, Ramona Valdez and Pam Rumer. Others Present: Jim Land and Grace Hiranaka, Kent Arts Commission. COMPANION ARTWORK FOR COUNCIL CHAMBERS Liz Carpenter requested authorization to commission Dana Boussard to create a companion artwork for the Chambers West. Carpenter explained that the new artwork will be of similar style and color scheme as the existing piece in the Chambers East. Houser moved to approve commissioning artist Dana Boussard to create a companion artwork for the existing fibre artwork in the Chambers East. Dowell seconded. The motion passed unanimously. RIVERWALK PARK Helen Wickstrom requested authorization to adopt a resolution allowing the Parks Department to apply to the Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account for a $75,000 grant, to be matched by $25,000 in Open Space Bond Issue funds. Wickstrom explained that this money would be used to purchase a small piece of property just south of Valley Daily News. She clarified for Dowell that this purchase does not affect City monies. Houser moved to place this item on the Consent Calendar for action at the July 2 City Council meeting. Dowell seconded. The motion passed unanimously. GOLF COURSE STUDY It was decided that the Parks Committee will hold a special meeting prior to the regular July 23 meeting to discuss the golf course study. Staff with work with Chairman Steve Dowell to set a date. a ' Parks Committee Minutes June 26, 1991 Page Two 1992 PARKS pEPARTMBXT BUDGET PROPOSAL Wickstrom explained that in looking at the budget, staff looked at what is discretionary versus non-discretionary. Staff tried to make their cuts from the discretionary portion of the budget but at times it was necessary to cut items from the non-discretionary items. Representatives from each division and facility presented their portion of the budget and the impact(s) that each budget cut would have. Staff referred to overheads to show their proposed cuts (copies available upon request) . After hearing the proposal to cut senior trips, Dowell asked why staff was eliminating a program which pays for itself. Britting explained that Finance instructed staff not to look at the revenue side of items - only the expense side. Houser said that she did not like taking away from the seniors. McCarthy clarified that there is a certain amount of uncontrollable cost in everyone's budget. He said staff may have the option to subtract the uncontrollable costs and then take a 20% cut, or to take a 10% cut of the gross. Finance is fine tuning this to have a plan before the August 8 meeting. Hansen commented that there is agony in each department's budget and that every department has suffered. Lori Hogan said she felt it was important for the Committee to know that the Recreation Division is the money maker for the Parks Department. She reported that Recreation generates 65% of the department's revenue and spends approximately 28% of the department's expenditures. Hogan said that because almost every Recreation program is directly related to revenue, the Recreation Division is 76% self-supporting. Karen Ford explained that the quality of our parks is what brings in the many users, and that the budget cuts wi;11 take Parks Maintenance back to a pre-1988 level of quality. She pointed out that the department has gained many new parks since 1988. Ford said that Park Maintenance is proposing the transfer of the street tree program back to the Public Works Departnt as a budget cut. She reminded the Committee that it was in 1083 as their budget cut that the Public Works Department transferred the street tree program to Parks Maintenance. Ford pointed ,out that it is important to note that Parks Maintenance is also proposing to transfer with the street tree program its most experienced staff member. Mr�F • i i n#i I Parks Committee Minutes June 26, 1991 Page Three Patrice Thorell stated that it is her request and the recommendation of the Arts Commission to allow them to delay spending 10% of the City Art program budget until 1993, rather than cutting 10% of the budget. Otherwise, Thorell pointed out, the City would have to change the City ordinance relating to the City Art program. Thorell informed the Committee that to cut lot of the Arts Commission budget would mean cutting 30% of their program monies, which would impact regrants, donations to Saturday Market, summer concerts, etc. She said that the Arts Commission is concerned that the public will not have access to low cost activities. Thorell said that she wishes to look at creative ways to increase revenues, rather than cutting programs. Houser advised her not to cut programs that bring in money. Thorell reminded Houser that she was told that when looking at her 10% cut not to look at revenues but only expenses. She explained that anything she ,cuts will also cut revenue. Thorell said that she would like to be given the opportunity to create money in other ways that will make up the difference and save programs. She explained that there are options for all programs that generate revenue. Grace Hiranaka commented that the Arts Commission has worked so hard through the years to get where they are today. Jim Land expressed concern that the Arts Commission does not know where it stands; budget cuts will force them to step back four or five years. He reminded the Committee that the Arts Commission is comprised of 12 members of the community who volunteer their time. Cheryl Fraser commented that there isn't much extra in the Special Populations budget, as the program was started in 1984. She proposed raising Resource Center rental fees and fundraising from community businesses and individuals as two alternatives to help reduce budget cuts. Dowell said he wanted to make it clear that it wao not the City Council who recommended a 10% budget cut, but AsIa4histration who made the recommendation. Dowell added that he 4di not have a problem with an exercise in a 10% cut because it makes staff think about what they would cut if they really had to. Dowell suggested that there are other ways to solve the deficit Such as hiring freezes, contingency funds, and staff's recommendation to raise fees to increase revenues. Parks Committee Minutes June 26, 1991 Page Four Dowell stated that the Council instructed Finance t6 come up with some sort of balancing mechanism without raising taxes. He said he felt that increasing revenues is a better option. McCarthy responded that he considered raising taxes and raising fees synonymous. Houser said that the City really can't cut back parks, programs that it has taken so long to build. Robyn Bartelt proposed reducing merchandise inventory for the entire complex from $220,000 to $130,000. Her suggestion was to keep the sellable merchandise and utilize special orders. Bartelt commented that this will affect revenue somewhat but, there will be a greater turnover in merchandise. Houser instructed staff to put a lot of effort into how much additional revenue the department can generate. She stated that the City has to keep the programs going. Both Dowell and Houser agreed that the Parks Dep4rtment should create a separate package, pursuing the option of increasing revenues. McCarthy said that the Parks Department will have to come up with an additional $200,000 in revenues just to reach the required 10% cut. Robb Dreblow, who stated that he was speaking strictly as a citizen, said that many of the proposed cuts look like a savings on paper, but in the real world scenario, they are looses. He felt that a simplistic program such as a 10% cut could not be fairly applied across the board. McCarthy clarified for the Committee that the departments housed in the Centennial Building do not pay rent. Dowell pointed out that the golf course staff pay rent for the golf course and Ford noted that Parks Maintenance pays for 1/5 of the upkeep of the city shops. Houser further added that one of the best thin9s.i,, kout Rent is having the parks to talk about. McCarthy advised staff to come back with a 10% net cut for the next budget meeting, and to show as a separate package, generating additional revenue as an alternative to the cut. Parks Committee Minutes June 26, 1991 Page Five Dowell said that it is difficult for the City Council to recognize the figures being presented to them because councilmembers haven It seen the 1992 budget yet. Robb Dreblow mentioned demoralization and insecurity on the party of City employees and volunteers. Houser instructed' staff to tell employees that the Council will work to find different ways. She said she would rather pay more in taxes than to get rid of parks programs and staff. She assured staff that the Council will do what it can for the Parks Department. A discussion developed regarding equipment rental fees. Karen Ford suggested some type of audit to determine justification for the rates. Both Lee Anderson and Karen Ford reported that currently their divisions are paying 300% of the original purchase price for equipment in equipment rental fees. McCarthy agreed that he also felt the rates are too, high and need to. be examined. Ford said that it would be cheaper for Parks Maintenance to hire a mechanic on staff. McCarthy ouggested that Ford meet with Equipment Rental and get back to him.