Present: Commissioners Amorotico, Eggers, Gardiner, Lewis, Rosenthal; Councilor Don Laws; Director Ken Mickelsen

Absent: None

Chair Lewis called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. at the Parks and Recreation Department Office, 340 S. Pioneer Street

Commissioner Gardiner stated that the purpose of the meeting was to determine the Ashland Parks and Recreation Commission’s recommendation to the City Council regarding this proposal, as well to discern APRC’s recommended timeframe for proceeding. Director Mickelsen stated that, in order to get the proposal on the May ballot, the Council would have to take action by March, and for the September ballot, by July.

Guy Nutter, 1037 Pinecrest Terrace, spoke on behalf of himself and The Ashland Trails Users Group which strongly support parks and trails in Ashland. He supports the 1% tax increase proposal because he thinks it will clear up misconceptions the public has that all of the 5% currently is spent on Open Space acquisitions. Big, expensive parks are meeting with growing resistance by the public, but less expensive trails are easier to galvanize support for. He encouraged the entire Parks and Recreation Commission to support the proposal.

Pat South, 76 N. Pioneer Street, is the owner of Tabu Restaurant and spoke on behalf of himself and other restaurant owners in Ashland. He stated that restaurateurs are disappointed with the idea of raising the meals tax by 1%. While trails are important, he believes the City should find another way to fund them, because Ashland restaurateurs are already unfairly singled out for taxation.

Commissioner Eggers stated that she was not in favor of raising the tax by 1%. She preferred to wait and see what the Council would do with the Open Space proposal presented to them by the APRC. Chair Lewis offered to present whatever decision the APRC agreed upon to the City Council at their Tuesday, February 18, 2003, meeting.

MOTION – Commissioner Lewis moved that the Ashland Parks and Recreation Commission should continue to support the funding of the Open Space plan, recognizing the need to develop a funding mechanism to go forward with the short-term plan. Further, the APRC eagerly awaits the City Council’s decision on the plan. Commissioner Gardiner seconded.

ADJOURNMENT – By consensus, with no further business, Chair Lewis adjourned the meeting at 7:45 p.m.