Upper Bear Creek UAC Meeting Minutes

Date: February 26, 2003
Time: 7:00 - 9:10 PM
Location: Old Hollywood School House
Board Attendees: Mary Filkins, Geoff Clayton, Nancy Stafford.
County Attendees: Bob Burns, Director of King County Parks, T J Davis, ASpYRe Commission and ADOP's funding Program
Community Attendees: Jeanette Knutson (Woodinville Weekly), Randy Boroughs,
Mathew Pruitt (Kathy Lambert), Maxine Keesling, Victoria Robbe, Joan Fleming, Tim Gross, Carl Seip, Jim Bates, Karen Jessen, Dave Shipway (NYSA), Bryan Loveless, Judy Trockel (SODA), Harold Fowler, Craig Parish, Kris Bush, Philip Krogh, Patti Petesch, Robert Landick (RNLL), Craig Weaver, Peter Lukevich, Nick Lukevich, Jorge Barrera.

Pres. Geoff Clayton opened the meeting at 7:15 with some background remarks on the various groups who have been working the problem of funding to keep King County Parks open.
Bob Burns, acting director of King County Parks gave a thumbnail description of cost cutting measures taken by the County which include divesting itself of parks within cities to those cities and forming partnerships in the community to keep 9 of 10 County swimming pools in operation, and raising user fees. Existing parks are categorized into Regional Parks (Marymoor) and Rural Parks (Cottage Lake), the difference being size and specific use of the park. In the past, KC Parks has subsidized 85% of the cost of ball fields and 30-35% of the costs for aquatics. Money to fund parks comes from the General Fund, not a dedicated fund like Roads have. The General Fund is shrinking due to poor economy, voters placing limits on some taxations and increased expenses of the Criminal Justice System (78-9% of the GF). After Parks has turned parks within cities over to those cities, made partnership agreements with the public sector to take over the cost of running pools, (112 properties) it still needs to find a source of revenue to keep the rest of the system open. Studies show that outdoor activities are very beneficial to the physical and mental health of our population and that kids active in sports/park recreation are less likely to be part of the criminal justice system….we need to fund our parks. Parks have come up with a request for a six year levy of .045 per thousand of property value for maintenance and operations, the task forces have come up with .055 for a levy figure, Ron Sims his sending a recommendation to the King County Council for a .05 levy possibly to be presented in May to the public. The funds from the levy would be dedicated funds for park use only. The audience made two clear suggestions: appoint or name a director to Parks now and double the levy to .10 per thousand and really take care of parks.
T J Davis then spoke on the different processes being considered to involve the public and business sectors of the community in the development, care and maintenance of parks. Existing rules of risk and liability are being relaxed; turf wars between municipalities are being addressed, and better uses of the 28 thousand acres of parkland is being considered. He is working toward certifying and compensating user groups with Capital Grant Funds to do active care and development of parks through the ADOP's (Association Development and Operations Partnerships). Copies of the ADOP's Draft proposal were available.* TJ is making a detailed inventory of Park lands as part of this process; his map shows that Cottage Lake Park is the only active park in the UBCC catchment area. Maxine Keesling reminded us that there were park lands purchased for active use and then found to be unsuitable for active use and relegated to passive park status. TJ hopes to match specific user groups with specific suitable park sites that can be developed with the help of grants. Other questions: Could funds for Parks acquisition be used for maintaining existing parks or development of new parks on existing parklands? Can sports fields be located at or near existing school grounds?

Kristen Bush, a commissioner with NW Parks Foundation spoke about this private, non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds for operation of regional park, pool and trail systems and to educate the public to be better stewards of these "treasures"*

Peter Lukevitch (who did he represent?) encouraged government and users to work together for more athletic fields…"a field for one is a field for all".

Those attending the meeting were slow to leave, each having strong feelings about Parks

Meeting adjourned at 9:pm. Next public forum March 25th, Woodinville Water District Offices 7:30 when a representative of Scott Nobel, County Assessors Office will be our speaker. Richard Barr of Vashon Island will present a proposal for Universal Health Care
Marissa: Who/what is Waste Management speaking about….something "green"?

*see handout