Madrone Wall Update - June 2009

[elaine]

Below is a letter I sent to Katie Dunham today. E-mail addresses are:

kdunham@co.clackamas.or.us ( Katie Dunham, Planner), bcc@co.clackamas.or.us ( Board of County Commissioners), lynnpet@co.clackamas.or.us ( Lynne Peterson is the Commissioner Chair)

 

 

On June 10th, Katie made a presentation in Bend to the Oregon State Parks Board ( OSP) for the Madrone project to receive a matching grant. OSP has funds from Oregon Lottery money and other sources that helps agencies like Clackamas County, city parks, etc., receive significant grant money for matching funds to create or expand parks.

 

Clackamas County has budgeted $100K of their own funding in hopes of receiving another $100K from this OSP Local Government Grant. This OSP Local Gov't Grant is something that our group, the MWPC, cannot apply for because we do not have a source of significant funding. Hence, a matching grant. Clackamas County did spend $80K for the Madrone Wall Master Plan which was completed in the Fall of '08. You can see those plans at our site, www.savemadrone.org, or the County's site, www.madronewall.com

 

Ian Caldwell, former MWPC President, and State Parks employee, was at the hearing for other grant applications. When Katie was asked by the Board which 2 of the 3 grant projects Clackamas County preferred to receive funding for, Katie stated the the Madone was not one of them. Each applicant ( in this case, Clackamas County) can only receive 2 grants per year. The Clackamas County Parks Department would prefer to see funding for the Springwater Trail improvements in Boring, and one of their North Clackamas sites. I know that Clackamas County was seeking a $500K matching grant for the Springwater Trail, but I'm not sure how much the County was seeking for the North Clackamas Park site.

 

When Keith attended the Parks Advisory Board meeting this last Tuesday, the PAB, along with Katie Dunham and Dan Zinzer, stated that if the Madrone did not receive a matching grant, then the $100K that was being budgeted by the County would go to help other projects within Clackamas County.

 

Lame? Yes! This means that the County's proposed funding to even start something at this site would go to help other parks, and once again, the Madrone would be put on the back burner!

This local gov't grant program that OSP has will have less grant money next year than they did this year because of everything that is happening with the economy, income and property tax dollars, RV sales ( which make contributions to park funding), and so on.

 

We will know by mid-late July which grants Clackamas County will be receiving funding for their park projects.

 

A total pain in my arse, and a thorn in my side!

Kellie

 

Katie-

 

Last week in Bend you made a presentation for the Local Government Grant application for the Madrone Wall, Boring Station, and a North Clackamas Park. I'm sure that the Boring Station/ Springwater Trail project has received a great deal of support from businesses as well as residents in the area. Any improvements to the Springwater Trail are certainly an asset to the region.

 

I realize that all of your parks are a priority, and I hope and appreciate that you gave the same enthusiasm to the Oregon State Parks Board at your presentation for the Madrone project.

 

While you stated that you preferred the Boring Station project to receive grant funding over the Madrone project, I think that the County should still be creative with the funding that you do currently have, and see what can be done with the 100K to at least start the capital improvements at the Madrone site instead of spending that money on other park projects if the Madrone project does not get a matching grant.

 

You asked the Madrone Wall Preservation Committee to see if we could find our own civil engineer, and we did! We have several resumes from undergraduate, graduate, and professional engineers at local universities that are willing to do the work pro bono, and the MWPC will be providing a small grant to the engineer(s) who end up getting the bid. I realize that it is not the norm for a "Friends of" group to find their own civil engineer, but you stated that you were trying to be creative in saving money for this specific project.

 

In addition to finding several civil engineers who would do the engineering plans at no cost to the County, Keith also made a connection with the Oregon National Guard who can do the construction of the site improvements with no labor costs. The Oregon National Guard is ready with their own construction equipment, and with having done park construction projects before in our area, and it provides this group with valuable training as necessary to help with construction and rebuilding in disaster zones.

 

The MWPC has found a couple of significant and creative ways to save Clackamas County money towards the Madrone project.This is a win-win for both the County and the 1000's of supporters who want to see this site move forward into a park in the near future. With all of the work that the MWPC has put into this site and finding legitimate cost cutting ways, even at your request, wouldn't it seem most appropriate to be as creative as well to see what could be done with the $100K that Clackamas County has budgeted for the site, regardless of receiving a matching grant.

 

On behalf of the thousands of citizens who have written in, e-mailed, called, attended public meetings, and began to clean up the site at two restoration events, I'm requesting that Clackamas County be creative as well, and find ways to see that the Madrone Wall site begin construction improvements within the timeline that you've provided to us, the public, and your colleagues within Clackamas County.

 

Thank you,

Kellie Rice

President, Madrone Wall Preservation Committee

 

[LostCamKenny]

It just seems like this place will NEVER open up... Serious foot dragging and lots of red tape! And more blah blah blah than anyone should have to hear about a climbing venue closure - wait a minute. What am I saying?