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Residents urge $50,000 matching fund for Fairview Woods Wetlands Park restoration during city budget hearing
Summary
A resident and Parks & Recreation volunteers asked Fairview's budget committee for a $50,000 matching grant for Fairview Woods Wetlands Park restoration during a public hearing; staff said the request should proceed through PRAC and the city's formal budget and grant-matching processes.
Ben Pointer, a Fairview resident and Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee volunteer, urged the budget committee to allocate at least $50,000 in matching funds to support restoration work at Fairview Woods Wetlands Park during the city budget public hearing Monday.
Pointer, who said this was his third appearance before the council on the matter, told the committee volunteers and local partners have formed a nonprofit friends group, secured fiscal sponsorship with a wetlands conservancy and pursued grants and volunteer events. He asked the budget committee to include a minimum $50,000 match in the proposed budget to help the group attract Metro neighborhood and other grant funds that typically require local match.
"What we need now is your support to transform Fairview Woods Wetlands from a haven for crime, illicit drug use, houselessness, encampments, dumping grounds, and inevitable wildfire catastrophe into an environmental community resource," Pointer said.
Staff replied that the city's budget process requires requests to be routed through the parks advisory committee and the city manager to determine priority and feasibility. Anne, the finance director, and other staff said the city currently lacks internal bandwidth to manage large capital projects without outside partners and that ad hoc improvements must be coordinated so they follow city plans, permitting and maintenance requirements.
Pointer and staff agreed the volunteer group has prepared a detailed master plan and has a slate of partners, including the Wetlands Conservancy, Columbia Watershed Alliance, People of Color Outdoors and local schools. Staff said the most appropriate next step is to continue working through PRAC and bring any proposed city match forward for council review; budget committee members suggested staff evaluate whether existing funds might be available and noted the urban-renewal administration-excise charge or other restricted funds might be relevant.
Committee members did not amend the budget to add the requested $50,000 during the meeting. The committee recorded Pointer's request, asked staff to evaluate funding options and recommended that any request follow the city's formal sponsorship, master-plan and grant-matching protocols before being considered for appropriation.
