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Feb. 25, 2002

Many park closures to continue; fees, longer term plans announced

King County Executive Ron Sims and County Councilmembers Cynthia Sullivan, Larry Phillips and Carolyn Edmonds today announced that 20 County parks will remain closed throughout the year due to the County's ongoing financial crisis as these leaders seek to find a way to establish long term stability for the region's parks.

County Executive Sims also announced a series of additional mid-year budget reductions that will eliminate the annual Heritage Festival at Marymoor Park, playground and pre-school programs, and further decrease maintenance of parks system-wide. Park user fees are also proposed to be increased by 10 to 20 percent.

In addition to these actions, the County officials announced the formation of a task force that will be charged with finding new ways of long term funding for parks and recreation services in the future.

"King County's fiscal crisis is forcing us to keep parks closed and eliminate programs that the community values, like the Heritage Festival at Marymoor Park," said Executive Sims. "While we know what these parks and programs add to our quality of life in the area, parks are simply a lower priority than legally mandated criminal justice and public health services.
King County
Park System

20 Park Closures

1. Auburndale II
2. Bryn Mawr Park
3. Camelot Park
4. Cascade Park
5. Cecil Moses Mem Park (North Wind Weir)
6. Edith Moulton Park
7. Green Tree Park
8. Hazel Valley Park
9. Hilltop Park
10. Honey Dew (Darnell II) Park
11. Juanita Heights Park
12. Kingsgate Park
13. Lakewood Park
14. Maplewood Park
15. Meerwood Park
16. O O Denny Park
17. Puget Sound Park
18. Sierra Heights Park
19. Southern Heights Park
20. Windsor Vista Park

"In four months, we hope to be announcing a new plan developed by this task force to fund parks and recreation in King County over the long-term. It's time for dramatic action and I look forward to working with the Council and other partners in the region on this," Sims added.

King County operates under an outdated funding structure that depends on property taxes, that are capped, and the volatile sales tax, which is declining during this recession. The projected budget shortfall for 2003 is estimated to be $50 million and at least another $30 million in 2004. Due to these huge deficits, King County is enacting mid-year cuts in 2002 to avoid even more drastic cuts in 2003.

Sims said King County's financial crisis has forced him to immediately cut an additional $1 million from the Parks budget. The urgency of the Task Force effort was underscored by these mid-year budget cuts.

Council Chair Cynthia Sullivan said that the Executive and Council "have massaged this county's budget to keep direct service reductions to a minimum. Even after a hiring freeze and a drawdown of reserves, park closures and other service impacts proved unavoidable. Some may talk about trimming the fat from county government, but we are now down to cutting into meat and bone."

"There is no question people like their public parks. I like parks. The problem is parks and swimming pools cost money, which is something we don't have a lot of right now," said Council Budget Chair Larry Phillips. "King County has built up one of the finest municipal park systems in the country. I do not want to see us dismantle it, but the County is continuously being asked to provide improved regional services with less and less of a tax base. Something has to give."

With regards to the task force Phillips noted, "We are asking the committee to help us think through how we can maintain the region's premier parks system given the current financial emergency facing King County."

Natural Resources, Parks & Open Space Committee Chair Carolyn Edmonds stated, "The decision to continue the park closures and eliminate valuable programs was a difficult one. Clearly the county's financial crisis is preventing us from providing services to residents that they want. I am committed to working with the Executive and the task force to create a viable parks plan. This will be a top priority in my committee this year."

The cuts will result in the continued closure of 20 parks that have been closed since January 1 (see attached list of closed parks). These parks had been scheduled to open on March 1 and close again in November as part of a winter closure plan approved during the 2002 budget process, but now they will remain closed throughout the year due to a growing funding shortage.

Sims will also transmit a package of fee increases to the King County Council for immediate implementation. If approved, the fee package would increase fees by 10 to 20 percent. Other mid-year budget reducing actions will likely include:

  • elimination of playground programs system-wide;
  • elimination of pre-school programs system-wide; and
  • further reduction of maintenance system-wide (mowing, trimming, weeding, field preparation).

These mid-year cuts to King County Parks are in addition to the $2.3 million in cuts that were implemented at the start of the year. The $2.3 million cut was achieved through a number of steps, including:

  • merging the former Parks Department with the Department of Natural Resources to achieve administrative efficiencies;
  • eliminating full-time positions (21 in total);
  • reducing 19 positions from full-time (12-month) to 8-month employment, including 13 positions in conjunction with the winter closures; and
  • reducing maintenance activities at many parks throughout the system.

The task force is being formed now and will be comprised of leaders from business, user groups, and the community. Gene Duvernoy, president of the Cascade Land Conservancy, has volunteered to help the County lead the effort. The task force will meet over the next four months to develop a report highlighting new funding recommendations, and will seek input from cities, user groups and others in the community on the recommendations.

"I view this as an opportunity to participate in the development of a program that will not just address the funding issue at hand, but also build the capacity so we can continue to deliver a top-flight system of parks and open spaces to our neighborhoods and communities," said Duvernoy.

Sims said he expects the group to submit draft recommendations by June 1 to provide time to consider any potential impacts on the 2003 budget. Working with cities, King County will use the report to put together a plan for financing parks and recreation services in King County over the long-term.

"Thirty years ago, the community came together to create Forward Thrust, a program that built the foundation for what has become a world-class park system. Now we must find a new way to continue to deliver these world-class park and recreation services in King County for future generations. This group will be made up of smart, energetic people to find a solution, and I am confident they will be successful," said Sims.

Related link: King County Parks and Recreation Web site

Updated: Feb. 25, 2001

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