City approves trust fund for donations to parks programs

Published 7:30 am Monday, February 25, 2008

EDMONDS – In these tough budget times, a creative way has been found to generate revenue for Edmonds parks programs.

The City Council recently approved a parks trust fund, into which citizens can make donations for a specific budget area – Yost Pool, the flower program or the Beach Rangers – and the money would be protected as principle while it raises interest that would be used for the programs.

“It’s one more mechanism to see if we can get contributions from people who would like to give philanthropically to those programs,” said city parks director Arvilla Ohlde.

The idea came up when city officials looked for ways to keep Yost Pool open for its traditional full season of Memorial Day through Labor Day. Due to budget constraints, the pool had been scheduled to be open only July and August this summer.

A $4,900 donation was received from the Hubbard Foundation which the City Council agreed to match, providing – along with fee increases – the projected amount needed to keep the pool running for another five-plus weeks.

As it turns out, the pool was so successful this summer the parks department was able to give the money back to the Hubbard Foundation and to the city general fund, Ohlde said.

“The weather worked for us,” she said.

This may not always be the case, and with revenues not expected to increase anytime soon, discretionary programs could need a helping hand at any time in the coming years. The Beach Rangers and flower programs are cases in point, Ohlde said.

The Beach Rangers – part-time employees who provide general information and environmental education about the Edmonds waterfront during the summer – were funded by the Port of Edmonds this year after being cut by the city. Port officials made no promises for the years beyond. And the flower program – reinstated after being proposed for cutting – is one of the first items to be mentioned for cutting whenever the budget gets tight.

The city received an estate donation of more than $10,000 to go to the flower program if it were needed. Since it was not needed this year, the city will keep the money to go toward future flower expenditures if needed. However, because the principle fund was not set up at the time of the donation, when the money is used, it will be used once and will be gone, Ohlde said.

Donations under the new parks trust fund will be able to continue to give to the programs once the fund builds to the point where it generate interest, without the principle having to be touched.

Edmonds Memorial Cemetery has a fund that it uses in this manner to supplement the revenue it receives from plot sales, said assistant parks director Brian McIntosh.

“They try to run it more like an enterprise than a regular city department,” McIntosh said.

The money will be conservatively invested through the state investment pool, Ohlde said. The City Council will have the option of using the principle if called upon by “unforeseen budgetary needs,” according to the ordinance. The ordinance directs the Council to use its “best efforts” not to do so, and if it does dip into the principle, it must first attempt to use the money for projects related to the purpose for which it was donated.

Former Council member Dick Van Hollebeke helped float the idea of the parks fund when he was working last winter on getting donations for Yost Pool.

“We’re delighted that (approval of the fund) is taking place and feel that it gives Edmonds citizens and others an opportunity to support their parks and recreation programs in meaningful ways long into the future,” he said.