I would like to follow up on the article in last week’s Beachcomber titled “Park district benefits from last-minute effort to curtail fields costs.” While it was fabulous news that King County changed its mind and helped us save $120,000 by not needing to pave a portion of the VES Fields parking lot, it is also important to note that Vashon Park District (VPD) commissioners still voted to proceed to finish the other work needed under the construction permit. This was not a decision I made easily.
As a commissioner, I am committed to using taxpayers’ dollars wisely. And by voting to do the necessary work now, instead of spreading the work (and associated costs) into subsequent years, it avoids allowing the current permit to expire and the need to reapply (and pay thousands) for a new permit that would be subject to yet new potential regulations/requirements.
Two separate bids confirmed that construction costs would only be higher in future years, due both to lost economies of scale by not doing all now, in addition to simple inflation. Yes, we could have our attorneys continue to fight the county over other requirements in the permit, but if we are unsuccessful, we have just spent attorney fees with the same result. As it was, we did have our attorney review the code, and there was little he could find in the code application to argue against.
We are now able to finish the required work (in my mind, this is what I call “finishing the VES Fields”) by the end of this year and continue to have a $100,000 reserve in our VPD budget at the end of 2016. And it is the least expensive alternative. And, in spite of all the attention the VES Fields is receiving, we have been able to help fund other VPD user groups in the past year and plan to in the 2016 budget cycle, including Paradise Ridge, the skate park, Point Robinson, the boathouse at Jensen Point and extend the pool season. We will continue to support the entire range of VPD activities and facilities. And, especially since I personally use a good majority of them, I will continue to vote to do so.
— Lu-Ann Branch
