PRECA 03-03-1981 - Laserfiche WebLink

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r July 2, 1c~7(3 ~, • RE; L~PJG LAKE 1tEGIONAL PARK Apparently the Ramsey County Hoard of Conu~lissioners will soon be entertaining a reconuzlendation by their staff to adopt a joint powers ayre~:ment with New Brighton for the joint operation of the Lony rake regional park. Thc: capital cost and the operating cost of the park are proposed to be shared between .Ramsey County and the City of New Brighton on a 75/25 cost sharing k~asis. The projected operating cost for the City of New Brighton for Phases .l - VI from 1979 - 1984 is estimated at almost $87,000, 'Phe annual cost of operation each year thereafter, not factored for inflation, would be $36,000. This annual operating cost does not inlcude any anticipated cost for equipment capital outlay. `1'he development cost for the park is to be funded by the Metropolitan Council, While Ramsey County is the implementing agency as designated by the Metropolitan Council, it is due to New Brighton's expressed interest in having some degree of control. over the planning and operation of the proposed park that is leading the City to also be a potential participant in the ,. ongoing operating, maintenance cost for the site. '.che moment of decisiolt for the City Council may soon be near relative to formally deciding the level of commitment that the City of New Brighton in fact wants to assume for tha proposed park, The County Board may receive their staff reconunendation July 16th. I have great concern, and I have detected concern among members of the City Council about the City's maintenance obligation for parks in general, for the passible City maintenance obligation which would accrue with the development of Lung Lake Park. Unless .the City's cost obligation is somehow net by a new revenue source, I believe that the City will be hard pressed to meet its obligation for maintenance of the park in the long run. I therefore question the wisdom of the City assuming a share of. the operati-on and maintenance cost of the park when this on~~oing obligation could be shifted to the County as part of ttluir obligation for operating regional parks. Philosophically I also have a problem with some joint sharing arrangements. While on paper the lines of respor,siblity 3ro delineated, in practice the lines become cloud~:d and conununications seem to 'break down. The end result is poor accountability and ultimately poor service to the public. • Items not covered by the initial resalutiorl are to be r~solv~.d by "negotiation", where there is always a potential