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Q&A
Council Member Brannan questions Parks Commissioner on budget and operations
3:07:51
·
4 min
Council Member Justin Brannan engages in a Q&A session with Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue, focusing on various aspects of the Department of Parks and Recreation's budget and operations. The discussion covers topics such as log loader repairs, marine debris removal, zoo contract shortfalls, and budget allocation between personal services (PS) and other than personal services (OTPS).
- Brannan inquires about the repair of log loaders and ongoing litigation with the manufacturer.
- They discuss the newly formed Office of Marine Debris Disposal and its goals for removing abandoned boats.
- Questions are raised about the zoo contract shortfall and the department's budgeting for it.
- The conversation concludes with a discussion on the department's PS and OTPS budget spending patterns.
Justin Brannan
3:07:51
Thank you, commissioner.
3:07:53
It has been great working with you.
3:07:55
We've had a real partnership and I think because of that partnership we managed to get a lot done.
3:08:01
It's been great working together.
3:08:02
I want to jump right in.
3:08:04
I don't want to take up too much time and hand it over to the chair here.
3:08:06
But questions about some new needs.
3:08:10
Executive plan includes $825,000 for the repair of six log loaders.
3:08:17
It's our understanding that the city is currently engaged in a lawsuit with the manufacturer to recoup the money that was spent on the repairs of those log loaders.
3:08:26
Could you tell us about that?
3:08:53
Okay.
3:08:57
The executive plan, you mentioned the Office of Marine Debris Disposal.
3:09:02
Does the department have a goal for how many boats could be or will be removed per year?
3:09:33
And does the department have an idea of how many boats are currently out there waiting to be removed?
3:10:12
And does the department do this work in house or is it entirely contracted out?
3:10:26
Okay.
3:10:28
The executive plan includes $8,800,000 in FY '25 for the zoo contract shortfall.
3:10:34
As part of the contract with the city, the department fills any shortfalls that zoos have been have had between expenses and revenue.
3:10:42
How are the terms of the agreement memorialized?
3:10:45
Is there master contract or an MOU or
3:11:06
Okay.
3:11:08
And how much how much does the Parks Department budget each year for the zoo contract shortfall?
3:11:21
Okay.
3:11:24
And I have one last question.
3:11:28
In FY24, Parks overspent its PS budget by $22,300,000 and underspent its OTPS budget by $21,500,000 Is there a plan to realign the budget so that it more accurately reflects historical spending patterns?
3:12:23
Okay.
3:12:24
I'm going turn it over to Chair Krishnan.
3:12:26
Thank you.
Sue Donoghue
3:08:28
Thank you, council member, for the question.
3:08:31
Due to the fact that this is active litigation, there's very little comment that I can make on this topic.
3:08:38
But I can assure you that, you know, Parksville has all city rules and regulations for purchasing equipment and other goods.
3:08:46
We work with DCAS, other relevant entities.
3:08:51
But that's about all I can say at this point.
3:09:08
Yes.
3:09:08
We anticipate thank you for the question, councilmember we anticipate removing between 8,100 abandoned derelict vessels every year.
3:09:17
In addition, we also anticipate removing at least 500 cubic yards of large marine debris annually.
3:09:25
So it's been a really wonderful new division that we formed in this administration and a lot of good work happening there.
3:09:40
You know, anecdotally, council member, there are several hundred abandoned derelict vessels on the city's waterways, some of which have been specifically requested, brought to our attention.
3:09:52
Council members have been very active in suggesting removals.
3:09:58
Others have been in locations that have been historically, sadly have served as marine dumping sites.
3:10:05
So there's an awful lot of derelict vessels, there's no doubt, out there.
3:10:08
But we are attacking them as aggressively as we can.
3:10:17
It's a combination.
3:10:18
Anything that we can reach by land, we absolutely are doing those removals ourselves.
3:10:23
But then we also do a lot by contract.
3:10:48
Yes.
3:10:49
So thank you councilmember for the question.
3:10:52
Parks entered into a fifty year contract with the Wildlife Conservation Society for the maintenance and operations of the three city zoos beginning in 1980, and this contract will expire in 02/1930.
3:11:13
We contract it's currently budgeted at $8,000,000 in FY twenty six.
3:11:48
So thank you, councilmember, for the question.
3:11:51
And it's really for us as an agency, it's really advantageous to make sure we retain sufficient OTPS money so that as things come up, if we need supplies or equipment, we have that funding in place.
3:12:07
Funds can always be moved from OTPS to PS, so it's just a more functional way for us to be able to run the agency in terms of spending, making sure we have the money when we need it, where we need it so that we can buy supplies and equipment.