BREAKING NEWS: City Manager Proposes Elimination Of All Parks & Recreation Programs
by Brenda Anders-Larson
BREAKING NEWS: On Tuesday (Oct. 6th), Des Moines City Manager Tony Piasecki proposed a blockbuster of a budget cut – the full elimination of all Des Moines Parks and Recreation programs.
Wednesday’s city council candidate forum (at Noon at the Des Moines Activity Center, 2045 South 216th St.) will be the soonest event that will allow for public comments.
Residents are encouraged to come ask questions of the candidates.
The city council will have to vote on this proposal to finalize it, but these cuts are major – here’s a list of the programs that would be eliminated should this proposal be approved:
- ALL BEFORE AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS CANCELED FOR:
- Parkside
- North Hill
- Midway
- Marvista
- Des Moines
- CAMP KHAOS CANCELED
- ALL PARKS CLOSED:
- Steven J Underwood Park CLOSED
- Field House Park CLOSED
- Beach Park CLOSED
- And more
- ALL SPORTS PROGRAMS
- Basketball
- Soccer
- Volleyball
- Exercise programs
- And more
- ALL COMMUNITY SPECIAL EVENTS CANCELED
- Halloween carnival
- Easter hunt
- Fireworks
- And more
Council meetings will be every Thursday throughout October, and public comments are always encouraged.
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This makes me so mad! Having a child that uses most of these programs and parks it hits close to home for me. Where are the other options????
One of the main reasons we moved to Des Moines was the feeling of community and all this does is make DM just another city that doesn’t care about it’s kids. I have noticed that the children in this area really are respectful and seem to treat each other as well as adults with kindness that I haven’t really seen in other places and I think alot of these programs have alot to do with it.
So sure do away with the budget for this but we might as well just say to our kids ” you don’t matter enough for us to find another way”.
Thanks city council for showing us that our kids and probably even your own kids don’t matter to the city of Des Moines!
Ought to re-tool Prop 1 to include all Parks and Rec instead of only the pool…makes it look irrelevant given this news.
Seems to me it’s time for new city govenrment that can keep these parks and programs available as they are critical programs to many working parents. It may not be a priortiy for them but they have to remember who they work for. This is not going to happen without a huge uproar from the residents of Des Moines with kids.
Hey- No kids here, but an uproar will still help from us too
Which I completely agree with Matt! They should really change the time from noon for the
forum. Alot of parents are working during this time, which could also be a reason it’s at noon so alot of us can’t go.
There are more candidate forums planned through various organizations…this particular forum has been planned for quite some time at the request of the Senior Advisory Committee for seniors, which is why it is at the senior center at during the lunch program offered for seniors. This announcement and the timing of this forum are merely a coincidence.
Please make it a priority for yourself to find a forum that works for your schedule…all voices need to be heard!
That is very sad, one of the great things in this community is all the wonderful things that the city does for families. I do not think that Tony was sitting around bored and just decided to do this on a whim. I am sure there is a reason and in order to prevent this we need to come up with some solutions in our comments. I would love to know more about the specifics, money that it would save or better yet the amount of money we would need to continue these programs. Are there any creative solutions, scheduling, staffing volunteers etc… that would help? This would be a very sad day in Des Moines to cancel all these programs.
What would happen to all of the fields? Private investors? closed completely?
I think the best creative solution comes during voting time. I know we are just beginning to pull out of recession, but why is it that other cities are not having to close all parks and after/before school programs. This screams of mismanagement!
Tell me, is city manager a position we are able to vote on? If so when can we vote this guy out? If not, who do we talk to to get him placed in the unemployment line like everyone else? It’s obvious that he is not doing his job, how many parks could his bloated (and at this point minimum wage is bloated for what he brings to the table) salary save?
It’s my understanding the City Council supervises the City Manager position. It seems to me in order to even suggest the elimination of the entire Parks & Recreation (or any other huge department or program) would be due to decisions made by all or a majority of our City Council over a long period of time.
In addition to the 10/7 Candidate Forum at the Des Moines
Activity/Senior Center, there will be a Forum @ Wesley Homes at 7pm,
and ano…ther at ERAC (Des Moines candidates go on around 9 immediately
following Wesley).
But, City Council meeting on Thursday is probably best place as well,
Also, next Monday at 1:30 at Judson Park and next Tuesday at 7pm @ North Hill
Community Clubs are Des Moines City Council Candidates’ Forums.
Melissa
Thanks Melissa,
The city council meetings will be held each Thursday through October. Here is the link to the City of Des Moines web page council meeting agends. The times are also posted there.
http://www.desmoineswa.gov/city_gov/city_council/future/future_cm.html
Come prepared with questions and solutions!
Dear citizens of Des Moines! It is time to unite to save our city’s parks and recreation
programs. This proposal to cut all the city’s parks and recreation program will set back the quality of life in our city for years to come.
Our city government has to make hard decisions, but we as citizens have the right to let our elected officials know what type of decisions we want them to make. Cutting the parks and recreation program in 2010 is not one I want them to do.
So please come to the Des Moines City Council meetings on Thursday, write,call or e-mail each of the Des Moines City Council members and candidates running for open council seat to let them know that this proposal isn’t acceptable in any form.
Our city manager, Tony Piasecki (I almost always get his name mis-spelled) is very likely the most honest man that I have had the pleasure of doing busniess with for many years. Integrity should be his middle name. If Tony does close all of the listed items mentioned, there is a very good and valid reason.
It is terribly sad that the youth of Des Moines must suffer as a result of, in my opinion, poor management, beginning with our city council, and we need to start reflecting our grief with them as election time approaches.
There can be no excuse for this situation and spending of money that you do not have is not allowed in our home budget. Can our city say the same? It was already bad enough that our city can’t afford to keep the Mt. Ranier Pool open without additional taxation, but this straw has broken the camel’s back.
We probably could use a good fiund raiser now and hope that our city will return to a healthy budget. The last person to blame here, is Tony Piasecki. and I would trust him with my last dollar! There is a dire need too, for our city to become more business friendly, reminding that revenue from our small businesses is our life blood.
Thanks, Pat – I think you’re correct at absolving Tony of the blame – these are agonizing proposals he’s going to make, and I don’t want to see everyone pile on him. We are $1.6 million in the hole due to decreased property values yielding less revenue coupled with some poor decisions made by council. Maybe they looked good at the time, but did we really need to invest in federal and state lobbyists (@100,000), a Public Information Officer to write glowing advertorials of the city ($50,000) and a 50th birthday that hasn’t been completely assessed and paid for yet? My family has had to cut back on niceties because of this depressed economy, but our council was spending like there was no tomorrow. And now we’re being dinged an extra $20 for our tabs so the city can dedicate that “Transportation Benefit District” money to developers, yet we’re losing every city amenity we thought we had paid for?!? With no disrespect intended to my dear friends at Huntington, Wesley and Judson, by cutting family services, this council is turning a family community into one big retirement center.
We know it isn’t your fault, Tony.
There could have been a plan to encourage small business for tourism in the downtown area and business parks along the highwy. This is a way with out taxing us all with our own cut-backs that we could have the city support its self. NOT TAX the small tourism, but work with them to encourge people to buy local and attend local events, to self-support our city. While still keeping our parks, youth, and services going. Its like any business, money does not fall out of trees, it has to be earned and our city is laid out to be used this way. Think Laconner, do you know they were also broke at one time, now business crys to get there goods there to sell. The more they come, the more we have. Its called earned income. We have a wonderful marina, that could and does provide for all kinds of events, we have talented people willing to give their time to help with the planning, we have the answer, why do we not use them. IF we think outside the box, we will find the prize inside. Make it more affordable for the small tourism business to work here with tax breaks, and they will be able to make up for it in sells, and pay the city. If we work as we were intended, together, we could solve this. We do not need to have our youth wondering looking for things to do, our parks in a stated of decay, more people having to make even deeper cuts to help make up the lost that the city created by having to find other programs outside our city to help with children….there goes more money out the window. The answer lies with in us not with our city council, we have to demand the changes, they will make them, they work for us. First we need to show the way. Who will listen though, who will support our small business, who will take a stand, I can ask the questions by the way because I was a member of a citizen group that took great pain to make sure there were programs and thoughtful planning to start the tourism. I felt no one listen. Make a stand. What do you want?
…and our mayor is 100% for a parade?
This time I agree fully with Pat, get rid of the existing city council members, they have spent money on stuoid stuff. Use your vote to clean house.
The problem here is not the city manager or the misallocation of funds-it is the lack of funds. The city is broke. Recent reviews of the proposed budget for next year indicated that there were funds to come in that will not come in (Landmark on the sound will not being doing any addition or upgrades to its facilities in 2010-hence a very big financial hole for the city).
I’m not saying that cutting all of these services is a good thing, but if they are not cut, then where will the money come from? The police union has refused to take any cut in salary whereas the unrepresented employees have offered to certain cutbacks. The police cannot be forced to take a cut as they have a very strong contract (signed by the city manager).
Several more employees have been notified that they will be fired, but more could still be released. That’s a small start, but the city is broke (or worse in the hole and only the feds can do that).
So where will the money come from? More taxes, less city employees, less city services?
Somebody has to decide. The city manager (which is hired be the city council and not elected) has made some proposals. If you don’t agree with them (and most don’t) then come up with some other ideas. If you are not part of the solution then you are part of the problem. Think! What are you willing to do or to give up? The choice is ultimately yours!
this is so stupid! parks&rec breaks even,it will not help their money problems at all to cut any of these programs and it will take so much away from our community. All the kids who go through these programs benefit so much, they make new friends,they learn things,and it brings our community together. If they cut these programs kids will be less involved,the community will be less involved,our parks will end up as dumping sites.
Unbelievable. It saddens my heart to see this Council thinks it has to come to such extreme measures of cutbacks. My Children are grown & no longer use such facilities or programs, however they would not be the Young Adults they are today had these opportunities not been there for them. My Children grew up Playing all the Sports & I coached MANY, MANY children offered thru DM Park & Rec along w/ attending such festivities as the Easter Egg Hunt & Christmas Pictures w/ Santa & Mrs Claus along w/ the Halloween Carnival now deemed Fall Festival, please. Enough is enough. Our FUTURE is our Children. And their Children. DO NOT take anything positive away from that. These programs do pay for themselves, and if rates ned to be raised a bit to help offset expenses, so be it vs doing away w/ it all together. FIGURE out a way to KEEP these.
I encourage people to come to the upcoming City Council meetings over the next several weeks, and to speak their minds. It’s important that the Council hear your concerns, and more importantly your suggestions on how to close the budget gap.
However, it’s important to note that putting the option of closing parks & recreation on the list of cuts (and it’s only a suggestion) the City Manager is trying to point out the scope of the problem we face in trying to balance the budget for 2010. NOTHING HAS BEEN FORMALLY PROPOSED OR ADOPTED! The reality is that we will have to close a gap between next year’s budget and our current budget (approximately $17 million) by another $1.7 million to $2 million. That can only be done by cuts in services and/or tax increases.
And while there are those pontificating about current spending priorities, the City Council has yet to do what I’ve proposed for years which is to build a budget from scratch, based on a true prioritization of the services we do provide or should provide. That is why I’ve voted against the three budgets that have come before us (2007, 2008, and 2009) … they’ve all been balanced using substantial amounts of one-time money. Any additions or changes in the services we provide that I’ve proposed have been offset by proposed cuts.
Again, I strongly encourage you all to come to the next several City Council meetings to express your concerns, and hear about the scope of the problem.
It seems to me that this problem ( lack of funds ) is not a new one. It did not just happen all of the sudden and most of us could see this coming. We all have had to make cuts in our own house hold budgets so we did not go with out. Why did our city leaders not do the same? Its like they had no fore site and then put no work into finding a solution. To just say get rid of the Parks and Recreation programs is the easy way out. I can ask anyone on the street with no leadership or budget skills to come up with that as a solution. The city leaders should be the ones to have solutions and be able to problem solve. To say” if you don’t like it then you come up with a solution” makes me think why we have city government in the first place. If they create this problem and then ask us to find the solution what good are they? Isn’t that why they want to do the job in the first place. To find ways to solve problems that come up in city government and help the people of Des Moines. Tell me how closing the Parks and Recreation programs is helping people or good for the city. Tell me how this makes people want to live here and someone open up a Business in Des Moines. REALLY that’s the solution! Come on!!!! Just cutting the Parks and Recreation is not the solution it’s a mistake that hurts our city as a whole. I saw the phrase ” If your not part of the solution your part of the problem.” Ok I can get behind that but that also mean if your part of the problem your not part of the solution and is sure looks like this city government is part of the problem!!!!!!! You were elected to make this city better, to make this a place we all can be proud to live in. Tell us, are you really making this city better? Be better than that and don’t take the easy way out.
I think that a long and hard look into a police department that is one of the highest played in the state is more than over due. The city has cut all the other departments but has left alone the one that need to do some pruning. Just ask any of the council members about this issue and I’ll bet dollars to donuts that you will get the we need more and not how we can fix it reply. I do agree we need more, more money and a more caring and informed council but that is not the case at this time. That can and must change with the next election.
Why is prop1 just addressing Mt. Rainier pool? If your going to create a park district, wouldn’t it make sense to include maintaining all the Parks in Des Moines City Limits? Fields like Underwood support more people and diversity of sports than the Mt Rainier pool. Shouldn’t it get at least the same level of billing as the pool (give the citizens a chance to fund).
Normandy Park’s version of Prop1 also has a provision to support the Mt Rainier pool but also covers all the parks within its city limits.
Proposition 1 only includes the Mt. Rainier Pool because my proposal for a full and independent park and recreation district has been opposed the by Council budget-voting majority (including Susan White) for the last several years. There haven’t been the votes on the City Council to put a broader park & recreation district on the ballot.
This information about our City Manager’s proposal to cut our Park and Recreation department came to light in less the 24 hours and I as a current council member was not notified nor do I think any of us were. This suddenly appeared on the Waterland Blog from someone that knew about it before the council did that’s for sure. I know Tony Piasecki (our City Manager) put it out as an option but it’s a reckless option in my opinion and I will not consider it. I can understand the outrage of the public. It’s important that we do hear your input as we work on the budget in the forthcoming month and months ahead. Please do plan to attend council meetings and give us your input or send e-mail, blog, etc. I’m listening!
Hi Dave-
A little off topic, but since we have your attention, what was the reason for you running for a different city council position? To us who are not insiders in the Des Moines political scene it does come across as a tad shady.
I think a little insight would go a long way to help voters decide who to vote for.
This is the most rediculous thing I have ever heard. Why would you want to remove the Park and Rec. Department when they do so much for this city? This depatment has programs that keep kids in good, clean, safe environments so they can learn, play and grow as individuals. Without this department children will have no place to go and this city would have nothing left to come visit for. Why would you want to visit a place that has nothing to do? There are easier ways to save money!
So, the hits just keep on coming!
I moved to Des Moines in 1968, graduated from MRHS, and attended Highline College. I moved away for a few years, however, returned with my family as Des Moines was the place we wanted to live and raise our kids.
Since returning 13 years ago, we have seen Des Moines slowly deteriorate. What once was very active city has now seen the loss of businesses, empty buildings, the Marina hoist shut down, airplanes flying right over the top of our houses, the town is a mess, etc., etc., etc. And now we are facing the loss of our parks and sports and communities activities and facilities. Why don’t we just shut the town down!!!
I think we are past due for some new leadership. We can justify and pay for a one-way street that goes nowhere and serves no purpose, attend dinners for subcontractors, and other spending that appears to be of no value to the health of the city and it’s citizens. I was an Executive with Boeing before retiring a couple of years ago. If I had run my business and executed my leadership responsibilities in a similar manner, I would have been fired a long time ago.
It’s time for change – there has to be a better way to run the city and manage our budget!
Maybe we can get lucky, and have Burien annex us
I think that a long and hard look into a police department that is one of the highest played in the state is more than over due. The city has cut all the other departments but has left alone the one that need to do some pruning. Just ask any of the council members about this issue and I’ll bet dollars to donuts that you will get the we need more and not how we can fix it reply. I do agree we need more, more money and a more caring and informed council but that is not the case at this time. That can and must change with the next election.
Hi, Concerned Citizen,
The police department has a dedicated revenue stream as a result of the levy lid lift that was voted in by Des Moines voters a few years ago, which means their budget cannot be touched. That’s fair, that’s what the people wanted and voted for. I ran the Levy Lid Lift attempt two years prior that included Pool, Parks and Police, and it was rejected by the voters 55% to 45%. This was at the height of the Eyman Initiative phase, and anyone that voted for his junk is now receiving diminished goverrnment services.
As long as people vote for any Eyman, anti-government rant, we will continue to mothball and tear down.
Everyone is unhappy about the budget problems.
Thursday night at city hall at 7 pm there is a council meeting. Show up and let the council members know how upset you are and demand solutions.
After all, it is your city….
Once again, Mysty Beal is playing fast and loose with the facts. As if her chronically abrassive style was not poison enough for political discourse in Des Moines, her disregard of basic, verifiable facts casts doubts on all of her claims for causes and allegations against her opponents.
She claims that I am paid $50,000 by the City of Des Moines for providing public information services – described by her as glossy advertorials. Her opinion of the content is one thing; however, I contend that nothing written by me for the city has come close to “advertorial.” Furthermore, I know of only one councilmember ever to publicly describe it as such.
The main error that she committed, however, is my payment. It is a matter of public record that I was retained for public information services for the city in the amount of $25,0000. In March, that figure was twice reduced – first to $20,000 and then to the current contract toal of $12,500 for all of 2009. And only a fraction of my hours were invested in providing information for the city’s 50th anniversary.
In brief, people who complain either should get their facts right before commenting or remain silent. Then again, this is par for the course for her and her ilk. Nevertheless, do a fact check first next time!
Hi, there, Ralph! So good to hear from you again! You misspelled “abrasive”, and misused the term “ilk”, but I can live with it. I checked through last year’s council minutes (available here for the curious: http://www.desmoinesarchives.us/) and the City Manager’s reports (http://www.desmoineswa.gov/city_gov/city_mgr/cm_report.html) and I may have goofed up figures with “then year dollars” or how much was paid to you from one year or another, but the gist of my argument is the same: how could our city council, knowing that revenues were dropping, decide to provide a budget of $50,000 to a “Public Information Officer”? Those of us that knew you as a strident opponent of wasteful government spending absolutely dropped our jaws over the offer and acceptance of this governmental welfare. Now that we’re faced with possible loss of our Parks and Rec, we’re just wondering why this money was squandered and ponder the questionable value gained by your efforts.
Again, good to hear from you, even though you called me “ilk” (senseless word but carries such a negative connotation!) – can’t wait to spar with you again.
Fondly – Mysty
Doing away with parks & rec. is the most insane ‘solution’ council could have possibly come up with…really are we trying to make Des Moines a ghost town full of retirement homes??? By taking out all the programs, sports activities, and the parks you’re taking away any reason for anyone to even come here. Your putting families in positions where they’ll need to look elsewhere for child care when a before/after school programs are available at schools to use at their leisure. Parks that would be fenced off and essentially off limits to the public. Your taking away kids ability to socialize with other youths in various sports activities. It amazes me that the city manager and council would even suggest this as a possible money saver when Parks & Rec generates enought revenue to support itself!!! Council should stop trying to take the easy way out and actually attempt to help their departments that matter stay!!!
Providing public information services ? Here is one area where we should be cutting costs,, as I see i. There are a few “overhead” items that should come under the magnifying glass. One more thing; I enjoy reading Mysy Beal and her “abrasiveness. She does it for free!
New Des Moines slogan: “Come retire here! Come get drunk here. It’s the only thing to do.”
There’s going to be more retirement homes and bars, than parks/activities for children to participate in.
For shame, For shame Des Moines!
I just talked to Tony Piasecki, This is only a suggestion on a large list of proposed cuts. It is up to the council how much, if anything, they will cut from the parks. Like Mayor Sheckler said what is not being considered are any senior services. They have to fill a 2 million dollar shortfall and among other things Tony said they are looking at ways to increase their revenue. Last year the City staff all took voluntary cuts so no one would be laid off. Not saying cutting parks is the solution to Des Moines’ problems, but they really don’t have much left to cut. And whether people believe it or not the city staff is already very small and underfunded. They are feeling the budget shortfall just as much as anyone else in Des Moines.
Somehow, I feel, as a Des Moines Citizen, that I have not read any “public information” wrtitten by Ralph or anyone else. So how can I get my money back? Another question; why do we need a public information officer when we have the waterland blog and the highline times? The reason most apparent to me is; it becomes increasingly easy to spend money when it is the taxpayers and not yours. Oh, and how do you spell chroniism?
Regrettably, it is necessary that I respond for a second time in two days to erroneous claims, made by certain “community organizers” and agitators in Des Moines, about what the city has paid/is paying me for providing public information services.
In fact, because these assumptions have been repeated again, despite my clarification yesterday to set the record straight regarding my contract, these allegations (which question the city and City Council, and not my role as a contractor) now constitute false claims.
Posted here last evening, in response to my earlier challenge to one erroneous claim about what I have been paid (a challenge in which I summarized the facts), was this comment:
“I may have goofed up figures with ‘then year dollars’ or how much was paid to you from one year or another, but the gist of my argument is the same: how could our city council, knowing that revenues were dropping, decide to provide a budget of $50,000 to a “Public Information Officer”?
Once again, the City Council, did not, at any time, “provide a budget of $50,000 to a ‘Public Information Officer” – not in 2008, not in 2009, and not a total for public information services for the years 2008 and 2009 combined.
As “community organizers” and agitators too often are inclined to do, it appears that they have taken a number here and a number there and produced conclusions, based on hearsay and assumptions, which have no basis in fact.
Therefore, let’s take it from the top:
The city extended to me a contract in May 2009 for certain specific services (a far cry from “government welfare,” a specious allegation at best). That contract was for $10,000. It was extended in November – after the $10,000 had been used up (at an average rate of just over $1,500 a month) – only for the purpose of accommodating the completion of certain information projects, already in progress, before year’s end.
I don’t, at this time, recall the exact amount I was paid under the contract extension. While a quick review of my Form 1099 will provide confirmation, as I recall it was only a few hundred dollars more. Without confirmation on my part, however, I will error on the side of caution and allow that it would not have been more than about $2,000 for six to seven weeks.
Even with an additional $2,000, however, my total income for providing Des Moines with public information services in 2008 would have been $12,000 at most.
Then, during the 2009 budget-setting process during the fall of 2008 – literally a line-by-line review of the budget, done more than once in some categories; the most detailed budget process I have ever seen any city council go through, at least in public – the council agreed to retain again my services as a public information officer. I was offered a new contract for the full current year, signed in early January, for $25,000.
When it became apparent during the first quarter this year that the city’s general fund revenue would be less than anticipated and was unlikely to improve, the City Council re-visited the budget. During that process in early March, my contract was reduced from $25,000 to $20,000. Before month’s end, my contract had been slashed by 50 percent – to $12,500 for the year. My work as a PIO for the city ends when contract funds run out next month; I will not return in this or any capacity with the city in 2010.
Furthermore, never was I retained specifically, under this or any other contract (of which there were none), to promote the 50th Anniversary celebration. While one of my several tasks specified in the contract under “Scope of Services” was to provide some public information support for the anniversary, once again those hours represent a small fraction of my total time working for the city. And never was I paid $50,000 or any amount to promote that celebration beyond the hours just noted.
In fact, as is readily apparent, the most I will have been paid by the City of Des Moines for providing public information services in 2008 and 2009 combined (and, as noted above, it is probably less by over $1,000), is about $24,500. This is just under half of what the erroneous claims suggest I have been paid.
To make, and then after being corrected to continue making, false claims such as this besmirches not me but City Council members. You (collectively) may disagree with their reasons for retaining public information services, but you must not misrepresent the dollars-and-cents facts of what they did.
Therefore, if you can provide documentation that provides otherwise – which you can’t – produce it now. Otherwise, on this matter, cease and desist, and take elsewhere your politically motivated allegations that have no basis in fact.
Why doesn’t our dear little hamlet look into what some of our neighbors are doing? The sports complex at Valley Ridge (SeaTac) is a great facility that is rented out consistently! (as an example) (tax those walking business people along Pac Hwy – just kidding!)
There are not a lot of affordable childcare options for working (taypaying) DM parents….it is time this city start to think outside the box and work on increasing revenue, not cutting essentials like our Park & Rec. department..hundreds of families would be lost without their services!
We need new blood in our city government!
Whoever the person is who “broke” this “breaking news” story should be ashamed of themselves. Next time get your facts straight before you go getting everybody so excited. You made a lot of people EXTREMELY anxious and unnecessarily upset over overblown allegations and speculation. Oh sure, its neat that so many people showed up to the city council meeting, but if you are going for a record attendance please next time just advertise free pizza instead of making up ridiculous stories about city council proposals that don’t even exist.
Rest assured, people, the LAST thing I want is to loose any parks, services, or ANYTHING from our city, which, in my opinion, is rapidly deteriorating, but lets go about this in a more adult matter, PLEASE. Starting rumors like this reminds me of passing secrets around in grade school. Let’s all keep an eye on this city council and MAKE SURE they don’t cut ANYTHING. They just need to spend the MILLIONS of dollars they get from all of us more wisely. KEEP GOING TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS! KEEP THE HEAT ON THEM. And if they don’t do what you want, ELECT NEW PEOPLE TO REPRESENT YOU!!!
P. S. What is this B.S. about less revenue due to our property values (therefore taxes) going down? Am I the only one whose TAXES WENT UP?????
Dear “John down the street” – As Publisher/Editor of The Waterland Blog, I work diligently to post only REAL, factual news, NOT rumors.
To claim that this breaking news story was false in anyway is, ironically, false.
Or if indeed some of our facts are wrong, I’d love to hear which ones, so we can compare it to our info which came directly from the city itself.
To reiterate, this story contains NO RUMORS, just facts. We are all journalists who pride ourselves on confirming sources and stories before posting.
And I personally stand by this story as being 100% accurate until proven otherwise.
thanks,
scott schaefer
you obviously did NOT go to the meeting last night!
I DID! Everyone absolutely DENIED this story as FALSE!
ALL of the council members said they are NOT cutting parks and rec.
Even the City Manager apologized for the leaking of information that was NOT accurate.
John
John – We had a Reporter there last night, and she told me about the council’s reaction (see http://www.waterlandblog.com/2009/10/09/kid-to-city-council-dont-take-it-out-on-the-kids-%e2%80%93-i-am-begging-you-to-keep-parks-rec/).
Even Tony Piasecki has admitted directly that Parks & Rec is on the chopping block (see http://www.waterlandblog.com/2009/10/08/city-manager-responds-to-budget-cuts-facing-des-moines/), saying “Cutting the Parks and Recreation Department is one of many options included on a list of potential ways to balance the 2010 budget,” Piasecki said. “But I can only make suggestions. Ultimately the City Council will decide what programs and services to cut to balance the budget.”
Please note John that it’s a PROPOSED CUT, not a definite one until the council votes on it.
Again, I stand 100% behind our reporting on this. What we published is the TRUTH about a PROPOSED CUT of Parks & Rec.
cheers,
scott
So tell me exactly WHERE the
OBSERVATIONS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING:
1. Council members “surprised” at proposed budget cuts. Yeah, surprised at one proposed solution (eliminating Parks and Rec), but they act like the whole shortfall is news to them. We all saw it coming at least a year ago, why the surprise/helplessness now?
2. Budget crisis going to continue. No long term plans. HELLO!!
3. Everyone recognizes what an outstanding job Bob Houston, Ralph Thomas, and the whole staff at Parks and Rec are doing!
4. Lastly, there will be cuts, in all departments. There has to be. One moving speaker was the woman that acknowledged that, pointed out her own business decline, and stated how much she was doing, as a private citizen, to help the community. We ALL have to step up.
5. Some people still think that if something is in print–computer/paper/or campaign literature–it must be true. Still?
You were brilliant last night (tune in to the city website to see the video – Mr. Gerhke is one of the later speakers)! Thank you to you and your wife for sponsoring the Des Moines 5K Fun Run every year – my family really enjoys that run. As for item 4 of your statement, that was Janel Stoneback of Emerald City Smoothie – she was an enthusiastic sponsor of the Burien 5K Run that our swim team, WhiteWater Aquatics, hosts every year, and she is everywhere in the community.
And I think your observations are right on the money.
The programs and activities offered by the Parks and Recreation Department and Mt. Rainier Pool are the heart and soul of our community. This is where our children, parents and seniors come together to share fun, recreation and the opportunity for improving minds and bodies. There is an enormous social component that if eliminated, would leave our community adrift without a common anchor. The after-school programs are a life-saver for children who have no other option than to become latch-key kids. If we hope to see our young people become good citizens, we need to give them encouragement, support and direction rather than leaving them stranded with no options to help guide them. Those who are most in need will become the ones who will lose the most .