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July 18, 2002
Sims issues plan for the future of parks
Recommendations call for a new way of doing business
King County Executive Ron Sims today outlined long- and short-term solutions for putting the parks system on stable financial and operational footing. Sims offered his recommendations (Word 6 .doc) to the Metropolitan King County Council as part of a soon-to-be-released business plan.
“We must embrace a new way of doing business,” said Sims. “The challenge before us is great, but I am optimistic we will come out with a strong plan that will allow us to provide open spaces, parks and recreational facilities for our residents.”
The Executive’s recommendations (Word 6 .doc), based largely on the recommendations of appointed citizen commissions -- the Metropolitan Parks Task Force and the Active Youth Sports and Recreation Commission (ASpYRe) -- responds to the estimated current expense fund shortfall of $52 million in 2003 that is imposing the need for major cuts in all areas of King County general government. It recommends long- and short-term funding solutions based on new savings and revenue-generating options.
“Active recreation remains incredibly important to our citizens. Both the Metropolitan Parks Task Force and the ASpYRe Commission recognized that new partnerships and new ways of operating are needed in the area of active recreation, if these facilities and services are to continue to be available to the public,” said Sims.
"The effort of the Task Force and ASpYRe that went into shaping these recommendations is solid work by our citizens and is now bearing fruit,” said Councilmember Carolyn Edmonds, chair of the King County Council Committee on Natural Resources, Parks and Open Space. “I look forward to working with the Executive, my fellow Councilmembers, cities and citizens on a successful solution for keeping park facilities open and accessible to the public."
“We are fortunate to enjoy a first-rate parks system in King County. The County budget crisis means we don’t have the wallet to support our pools and parks in the same way we have in the past, but with the help of our citizens and leadership, we are developing alternatives that will preserve our parks and pools for the future,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips, chair of the Budget & Fiscal Management Committee.
The recommendations were presented today in a briefing to the King County Council Committee on Natural Resources, Parks and Open Space. The final plan will be ready by the end of the month.
Redefining County Parks: Due to current budget constraints, the King County parks system can no longer afford to be all things to all people. As a result, the County is re-focusing and re-prioritizing its parks and recreation mission on key regional assets and unincorporated local facilities. The Executive’s Plan will provide for the continued operation and maintenance of:
- All neighborhood parks in the unincorporated and rural areas of King County;
- Regional passive parks;
- Regional active recreation facilities;
- Regional trail system and the resource and ecological land—open space—in the system; and
- All five local pools located in unincorporated areas.
The County will work aggressively to transfer to cities all local park facilities located within city boundaries and future annexation areas. This amounts to a significant cost saving of nearly $6.2 million. Discussions are ongoing with all affected cities and school districts to try to ensure the transfer of facilities or other means to keep these facilities open to the public. If efforts to transfer city pools and parks are unsuccessful, they will be mothballed beginning January 1, 2003.
“We are working very hard to offer cities a reasonable package that will enable them to keep their local parks and pools open,” said Sims. Yesterday the County and the City of Kirkland announced the transfer of Juanita Beach to the City of Kirkland and Sims said negotiations to transfer Enumclaw and Tukwila pools are also going well.
Doing Business Differently: By embracing new ways of doing business, King County will reduce its annual Current Expense (CX) subsidy of the parks system from $18 million this year, to under $8.5 million next year, with a three year goal of reducing the annual CX subsidy to just $5 million. King County will achieve these savings by implementing the following strategies:
- Creating an Enterprise Fund (ADOPS Fund): The Parks Division will create an Enterprise Fund program as a means to aggressively seek out and implement new revenue generating opportunities, including:
- Creating an Association Development and Operations Partnerships (ADOPS) Fund – Youth Sports Grant Program monies will be available as an initial investment to get ADOPS programs up and running in partnership with youth sports organizations.
- Expanding advertising, naming rights, and concession agreements, which together are projected to raise $1.2 million in support of the park system in 2003.
- Developing new partnerships to help maintain and operate active recreation facilities.
- Creating a capital innovations project fund dedicated to support new revenue generating projects in the Park system.
- Generating Higher User Fees: By setting user fees based on cost of and demand for service, the County expects to generate an additional $950,000 in revenue next year.
- Streamlining Parks Management: The plan calls for 50 percent reduction in management, or six positions, in addition to administration.
In addition to focusing on new ways of doing business and redefining the County’s role in parks, the plan calls for temporarily redirecting some existing County revenues, including a small percentage of the unincorporated area levy to support unincorporated area trails, and use of surface water management fees to support resource and ecological lands.
The Executive is recommending that a dedicated tax measure be submitted to the voters in 2003 in order to prevent massive park closures in 2004. The executive will be working closely with members of the Task Force, ASpYRe, as well as members of the County Council and representatives from cities to help shape a more detailed recommendation for this levy.
“We will demonstrate to the residents of King County that through our new way of business we have increased revenue, cut overhead and saved our parks for their enjoyment. Then I believe we will have earned the right to ask for their investment to keep our park system open over the long-term,” said Sims.
The plan is a preliminary proposal for the 2003 budget. It may differ from the final proposal as work progresses on cost savings and revenue generating strategies. Following the County Council’s adoption of the budget, a Phase III report will be written confirming the course laid out for 2003 and beyond.
Related information:
Updated: Sept. 16, 2002
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