Beaumont City Council Voted on June 7th to Continue Stealing Parks and Rec Mitigation Fees Collected.
Written by Julie Farren, Reprinted from the Banning Record Gazette.
Beaumont-Cherry Valley Recreation and Park District General Manager Duane Burk would like to see a regional park system in the San Gorgonio Pass area.
Burk, who was hired as general manager almost a year ago, came up with the idea recently and is just starting to talk to other cities about their interest in a collaboration.
One of the factors that made Burk think about such an effort is the new law increasing minimum wage over the next five years, which Burk feels is going to affect cities and counties as when it comes to providing services.
“We, as a park district, and the county, as a whole, we need to look at regionalizing the park system and collaborate with each other, creating the quality of life the community wants to see,” Burk said.
If other communities are interested, the name could be changed to the Pass Area Regional Park District or the San Gorgonio Pass Regional Park District, that could encompass an area from County Line Road to Cabazon.
The Beaumont-Cherry Valley park district is not under the city of Beaumont’s jurisdiction and receives little funding from the city, receiving a percentage of property tax from the city that amounts to a half of a half percent, according to Burk, who points out that the city and park district are separate entities, and that the park district is not affected by the Beaumont’s financial woes.
“What happened in the city of Beaumont is a tragedy, but quality of life goes on in the park district,” Burk said.
The Valley-Wide Park District charges parcel taxes to the cities of Murrieta and Hemet, but Burk said that the city of Menifee has distanced itself from that park district.
Mainly, the park district’s revenue comes from a facility use fee and donations.
Burk said that Beaumont Youth Baseball rents the softball fields from February through July, charging $100 per child. The park district receives $7.50 per child — a rate that has remained consistent for the past four years.
In 2017, however, that amount will increase to $10 per child.
The Cherry Valley Horsemen’s Association is charged $125 per event and averages 11 events annually, Burk said.
Thunder Alley RC Raceway, the remote control racing facility, is charged $225 a month.
The recreational vehicle area charges $30 a night for full hook-ups and $15 for day camping.
Burk said that men’s and women’s adult softball is charged $400 per team for an eight-week run.
The Grange, in Cherry Valley, also is used for events, classes and meetings.
Burk said that classes held at the park district are only charged for the amount it costs to use the facility, such as utilities.
Burk said that the park district’s operating budget is $1.8 m
illion, which includes nine full-time staff, two part-time staff and 20 casual employees who work at events.
Burk said that minimum wage is now $10 an hour and will increase by 50 cents an hour over the next two years, eventually reaching $15 an hour in 2020.
Burk believes that teens would benefit by working for a park district.
“Parks are a great place for kids to learn how to get started with a job,” Burk said.
Those wage increases are going to affect the park districts, which will have to raise their fees, Burk said.
If a lifeguard is going to be paid $15 an hour by the city, then the city might have to start charging $5 per person admission.
Burk said that the park district charges parking fees for their annual events, such as Oktoberfest.
The parking fee is usually $5 per vehicle, while admission to the event is free.
Burk said that the park district really can’t increase its fees right now, even though It does need to increase its revenue.
Cutting expenses is not an option because that might include staff, and he can’t cut back anymore, he said.
It may come to a point where some parks may have to close, or program’s costs will have to increase just to keep the parks open, said Burk.
Bogart Park, which is owned by the Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District, is nearing the end of its 100-year lease.
The water district has made no announcements in regards to striking a lease agreement with any potential tenants.
The park district has shown interest in possibly taking over the lease, but nothing definite is in the works, though Burk is confident that, “I don’t believe the water district is going to let that land go to waste.”
There are possibllities for that historic park, which is a great place for hiking trails and open land for picnics.
Burk said that an amphitheater could be integrated into the park.