from Ken Mickelsen, Ashland Parks and Recreation

MEMORANDUM

TO : Honorable Mayor and City Councilors
FROM : Ashland Parks and Recreation Commission
DATE : January 17, 2003
SUBJECT : Recommendation on Funding

For the past year the Ashland Parks and Recreation Commission has been working on the update of the Parks, Trails, Open Space Plan. Last year the Council approved the short and long-term plans as recommended by the Ashland Parks and Recreation Commission. As part of the update process a committee was appointed by the Ashland Parks and Recreation Commission to explore and recommend a proposal to fund the updated short-term plan. The Committee was comprised of Parks and Recreation Commissioners, City Councilors, and citizens. After reviewing and discussing a variety of funding options the committee recommended the following:

1. That a ballot measure be presented to the voters at the first opportunity in 2003 to reallocate the percentage of the food and beverage tax as follows: 40% to Parks, Trails, Open Space, and 60% to the wastewater treatment facility. (Note the current allocation is 20% Parks, Trails, Open Space, 80% wastewater treatment facility).

2. To increase Parks SDCs based on increasing land prices.

3. Donations, grants and private public partnerships along with other creative funding strategies would be pursued to provide additional funding for the plan.

In addition the Committee has included the following recommendation to the Council:

To offset the decrease in monies going to the wastewater facility from the food and beverage tax by increasing sewer rates. The preliminary estimate is that the sewer rates would be increased by 15%.

These recommendations were approved by the Ashland Parks and Recreation Commission.

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