Seaside Park and Recreation District reviews finances, bylaws and fundraising updates despite lack of quorum

The Seaside Park and Recreation District met on an informational basis on an in-person/teleconference session without a quorum present to receive updates on finances, building maintenance, draft bylaws and planned fundraisers. A staff member presented the financial report and event planning notes; the board did not take formal votes and will place the chair's resignation on the next meeting agenda for action.

The briefings matter because they affect the district's operations and local events: the district's revenue lines, building repairs and use agreements with the City of Seaside, and fundraising through the Park District Foundation could influence program offerings and maintenance work in the months ahead.

A staff member told commissioners the financial report is typically one to two months behind the ledger and that the snapshot presented does not fully reflect September activity. “We're doing great,” the staff member said, adding that revenue and reconciliations normally lag and that “we should catch up with all that by the end of the year.” The staff member said the district’s contract revenue from Northwest Senior and Disability Services appears understated in the draft figures and that the building-rental receipts are recorded to the City of Seaside while program-staffing fees stay with the Park and Recreation District.

Key budget details presented included a $84,180 budget line for one revenue source discussed, a $5,000 budget for program-staffing related to after-hours rentals, and an operating-supplies appropriation the staff member identified as $10,000. Personnel services were reported at roughly the expected year-to-date percentage (about 24.6%), materials and services spending was low (about 9.13%), and total expenses were shown at about 20.43% year to date.

The district also reviewed facility and equipment updates. The group accepted donated used tables from the City of Seaside convention center and discussed the practical need for carts to move large round tables; carts were noted to cost “a couple thousand dollars.” A rusty door at the building remains on back order, a staff member said, and there has been no recent movement on a proposed parking-lot fix. Staff said a permit-based permanent repair would be preferred to multiple temporary repairs.

On governance, commissioners discussed a draft set of bylaws and a companion ordinance concept that would direct operational questions to the bylaws while leaving the bylaws flexible for future updates. A staff member explained that ordinances require multiple readings and a longer process to adopt, whereas bylaws can be updated more easily and the district could ask city council to adopt an ordinance that simply points to the bylaws for operational detail.

The meeting record notes that the district received a resignation letter from a member identified in the packet as Molly; because there was no quorum, formal acceptance of that resignation will be an agenda item at the next meeting. The staff member also confirmed Molly’s term runs through 2028 if referenced in appointment timing.

Fundraising and events were discussed at length. The district’s Hood to Coast and other fundraisers are run through the Park District Foundation, which acts as a fiscal sponsor and enables tax-deductible donations; the staff member said this keeps transactions cleaner in accounting and avoids routing receipts through the district’s point-of-sale system. The group reviewed past fundraising results, including a previous capital campaign in which the foundation raised approximately $52,000 toward a roughly $325,000 main-hall refresh (the city contributed the remainder, about $275,000), and noted asbestos mitigation was an added cost on that project.

Event planning details included that last year’s community fundraiser fielded about 32 teams, that the facility has 40 tables but typically three are nonoperational, and that realistic maximum team capacity is roughly 36–38. Staff indicated next steps: finalize event dates (staff suggested again pursuing a February date for the race/fundraiser), open registration using the foundation’s Square site, and begin outreach to past team leaders.

Because no formal votes were taken, staff will circulate meeting materials and reminders and place the resignation acceptance and any needed approvals on the November 5 meeting agenda. The district directed staff to continue reconciling finance entries, follow up on the door back order, pursue a permit-based parking solution, and coordinate event logistics with the city and foundation.

The meeting ended without formal action due to lack of quorum; staff and commissioners agreed to reconvene with a full membership at the next scheduled meeting for any required votes and approvals.