PORT TOWNSEND — Rich Stapf Jr. grew up playing competitive sports at Jefferson County Memorial Field downtown and wants the aging stadium to survive.
“I had a lot of memories on that field, and I think it’s important that it stays a ballpark for the future,” said Stapf, who is putting his fond feelings for Memorial Field to work, donating his construction company’s staff to work about 20 hours a week with volunteer labor and equipment.
“I just think that Memorial Field has become pretty vulnerable if nobody steps up to maintain it for a park for the future,” he said.
Jefferson County commissioners on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding with Stapf Construction to donate in-kind services for a year, with labor amounting to a donation of about $20,000 and equipment use costing about $5,000.
Stapf and his employees are some of many volunteers who have stepped forward to help save the county’s cash-strapped budget that cannot fund parks and recreation programs.
It threatened to close parks late last year unless volunteer help came forward through an adopt-a-park program.
Revenue shortfall
The county cited a more than $100,000 revenue shortfall and proposed closing four parks and laying off three part-time staff positions.
The move left just one paid staffer for parks maintenance countywide.
That led to a call for stepping up the system’s volunteer program to maintain most of the county’s 19 parks.
The county park system that serves 2,200 families with 700 children budgeted $539,546 in 2009 expenditures but has only slightly more than $438,000 for 2010. That’s a reduction of 19 percent.
To make budget, the Parks and Recreation Department must pare back its part-time staff, laying off 2.64 full-time-equivalent position, leaving the department with a staff of 5.28 positions in 2010.
Closed was the “low-performing” Chimacum Campground and Day Use Park adjacent to the Tri-Area Community Center in Chimacum.
It will also close the Lake Leland Campground north of Quilcene, leaving the day use park there open.
Hicks/Shine Park and the Quilcene Campground were closed altogether.
‘Extraordinary’ move
“This is extraordinary that a member of the community, a company, would come forward to help,” County Administrator Philip Morley told the county commissioners Monday when discussing Stapf’s offer.
Morley said county Parks and Recreation Director Matt Tyler is still developing a volunteer coalition for Memorial Field.
“I think the story is: We’re open, and good progress is being made on adopt-a-park,” Morley said.
“An adopt-a-park program is a welcome bridge to allow us to operate through tough times now, but is likely not a solution that would be viable in the long term.”
As to future Memorial Field improvements, Morley said:
“We have yet to find funds for the significant capital improvements/maintenance that we know Memorial Field will need in the next few years.
“We are optimistic this community partnership will allow us to keep it open in 2010, and hopefully 2011, too.”
Morley said in that two-year period, the county would use the time as an opportunity to search for longer-term solutions.
The county administrator has already voiced support for a metropolitan park district countywide that would consolidate all parks and recreation facilities and programs.
Volunteer help
Tyler said volunteer help, including that from Port Townsend School District which is providing field mowing, has led to improved access to the field from the intersection of Quincy and Washington streets.
The stadium’s maintenance shed has been cleaned up and rearranged, and plumbing has been repaired.
“We pretty much spring-cleaned everything,” Tyler said, adding that volunteers have mowed the field about six times already.
A car rally already took place on the field and the field has been set cared for and striped for youth soccer, which is under way.
Tyler said a work party is being organized for 1 p.m. April 21 at Memorial Field to pressure-wash and paint the facility.
Those wanting to join in that effort should contact Tyler at his office at 360-385-9160.
_________
Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.