medicine_wheel_PPR : Message: IMPORTANT Message from TOSC

El Paso County Considering Cutting Parks

Public Comments Needed on County Parks Budget Cuts

Board of County Commissioners Work Session

Tuesday, May 27, 2008, 9 a.m.

27 E. Vermijo, 3rd Floor

The BOCC will take public comments on potential budget cuts for 2008 at this work session. As we all know, the county is facing a severe budget deficit. Part of its solution will severely impact the county parks department. This is your opportunity to show up and express your opinion on the proposed cuts.

Essentially, the proposal will zero out the general fund support for parks leaving the department to survive only on a small lottery allocation and developer fees. This would save approximately $560,000 for the County. In 2003, the department was operating with a $2.3M general fund budget.

Here are the proposed cuts:

- Lay off 5 general fund full time staff members ($168,000)

- Close Bear Creek and Fountain Creek Nature Centers including laying off 5 full time staff members($170,000)

- Canceling all landscape contracts and trying to do the work internally ($67,000),

- Further reducing operations by $155,000

- Laying off 5 lottery funded full time staff members ($110,000 - not part of the $560,000).

They have also been asked to review the potential sale of park property.

We have a spectacular county park system used by thousands of residents and visitors. Losing this number of employees will take away years of experience that cannot be replaced. The department will become a maintenance only department operating in essentially a caretaker operation. Is this what we want? No.

Please get involved. Public comment will be accepted at the Tuesday meeting. If you cannot make this meeting, please email or write the Commissioners to let them know how you feel. Their contact information can be found at www.elpasoco.com. Getting involved will only take a small amount of time but could have a major impact.

Forward email

This email was sent to jim@..., by ellen@...

Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy.

Email Marketing by

Yahoo! Groups Tips

Did you know...

Messages

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail
	Sign In New User? Sign Up
		Sports - Groups - Help

Yahoo! Groups Tips

Did you know...

Best of Y! Groups

Messages