By CONNIE PENDLETON
A Cambria Community Services District meeting was held on April 24 to formally establish an updated funding amount for the skatepark budget after finding a shortfall a few months ago. There was a standing room-only crowd filling the Veterans Hall with high anticipation of the skatepark’s future.
The podium was opened for public comments before deliberations. Approximately 25 community members, from business leaders to youth, spoke. A wide range of emotionally charged viewpoints, including criticisms and questions, were expressed. The majority of comments centered on strong support of the project, suggesting recommendations for a lower or ‘more reasonable’ fundraising adjustment and more quickly moving the project forward. A smattering of speakers expressed feelings that it was time the community reward the fervent efforts of the very youth this project would serve.
Following lively deliberations after the public comments, Board Director Karen Dean made a motion to propose a new budget amount with a target and deadline for fundraisers. It was seconded by Harry Farmer, and voted four to one in support, with Tom Gray dissenting.
The motion included language describing the target budget be: “…[based] on the average of the three [lowest local engineering and construction] estimates but excluding [the highest outlier]. Starting with $1.193 million 794 dollars, we apply a twelve and a half percent contingency which comes to a total for the project… at $1,343,328.95, which means the gap at this point would be $329,000. And we are asking for six months… [as a deadline for funds to be available].”
President Debra Scott had asked for feedback from the fundraising team, Skate Cambria, about the feasibility of a six-month deadline prior to the vote. The board and Cambria Community Council previously signed a memorandum of understanding that states the project must be fully funded prior to obtaining official bids and beginning construction.
During deliberations, CCSD General Manager Matthew McElhenie presented the agenda, answered some questions raised by the community, and explained District staff concerns based on budget limitations: “Some of the capital improvement projects that we have ahead of us…have to do with public safety. We have multiple fire apparatuses [that] do need to be replaced…We do have to have that fire engine…run and [not] break down.” “When we talk about public safety, there are hierarchies of needs within the district. Providing water, wastewater services, and fire protection. Those are life, health, and safety issues”, he continued.
For skatepark-related landscaping, he said, “Some of those are actually county requirements for actual drainage issues, …but it shouldn’t be very expensive as far as landscaping goes.”
“The District, as a part of the grant [for the skatepark], had to encumber $769,000 of general fund reserves as a part of the grant requirement. That is reimbursed as we submit invoices to the [grant provider]. Those reimbursements are at 80%. They hold 20% back and…will not be given to us until we finish the project and they do an inspection.” “Once we break ground on the project, …the District is [legally] on the hook for any overruns unless we have those monies in hand. …If we have any overruns, that will [potentially] come out of the general reserves, which already have a dent taken out of them because of what we encumbered.” He said it is incumbent on the CCSD to limit the financial responsibility for which the District is responsible.
The General Manager provided an overview of funding. He explained the District was approved for a $600,000 grant from the California State Parks affiliated ‘Land and Water Conservation Fund’, which will be matched up to a total of $1.2M. The CCSD dedicated $178,000 from general fund reserves and secured $47,500 from the Cambria Tourism Board. He said today (April 24) cash on hand from the CCC was $327,033. (The cash on hand was updated just before the meeting but not reflected in his report. Skate Cambria and the CCC have raised more funds. However, some monies from the $178,000 general fund reserve, Skate Cambria, and the CCC have already been spent on pre-construction costs, permitting, archaeological, sound studies and design.)
General Manager McElhenie referred to a recent financial appraisal by the Local Agency Formation Commission to provide additional input relating to staff concerns about adequate funding. “When we went to do our municipal review…LAFCO said, while our finances are healthy, in their review over five years they have seen a steady decline in our general fund reserves from unfunded parks, rec, and open space projects. The Fiscalini Ranch is one of them and this, theoretically, would be another unfunded project.”
He introduced a consultant from Waterworth Consulting, with whom he said the district is working to provide long-range financial forecasting for a goal of ensuring financial stability. The consultant provided analysis focusing on the next five years. He also presented graphs of 27 capital projects, totaling just over $7M, as well as six of the most “pressing” or higher-prioritized projects, which include the skatepark. He presented projected operating expenses, capital expenditures, and revenue requirements. He factored in the $600,000 grant and all the additional funds acquired by the district for the skateboard project and said, “with those funds included, cash is still depleting.”
The CCSD confirmed that the county permits expire in one year; however, the LWCF funding grant expires in three years.
Skate Cambria’s Project Manager Juli Amodei said they brought in a total of $12,500 on Sunday, April 27, at a fundraiser held at Parr Collective. The team is reaching out to different sources and brainstorming new resource opportunities.
Tax-deductible donations may be made directly to Cambria Community Council, the fiscal agent at: cambriacommunitycouncil.org/skate-park-initiative. Checks should have “skatepark” written in the memo section and mailed to P.O. Box 486, Cambria, California 93428.
