Park leaders share priorities with council committee

Cincinnati City Councilwoman Yvette Simpson says she will make a motion for City Council to commit $4 million annually to Cincinnati Parks maintenance.

That $4 million would cover what the failed parks levy initiative would have locked in place, had the charter amendment passed on Election Day.

The motion has not yet been circulated to other council members and it was unclear on Monday evening whether it might have the support needed to pass.

Simpson made the pledge after listening to a presentation by Parks Director Willie Carden to the Neighborhoods Committee Monday afternoon.

Carden said the levy failure means he must press for more support from City Council, because a current backlog of deferred maintenance is estimated at $55 million and climbing.

"By 2025 it could be $70 million in deferred maintenance," Carden said. "Could be."

All of the members of the Neighborhoods Committee – Simpson, chairman David Mann, Wendell Young and Kevin Flynn – cheered Carden for the work he's done leading the parks. Simpson took it a step further, pledging she will support his request.

"I want to apologize to you, I think you've been a victim of your own success," Simpson said to Carden. "I’ve heard in our conversations over the years, when the budgets were tight, 'Oh, Willie will find it. He’ll find the money.' ... I don’t think that’s fair to you; I don’t think that’s fair at all."

Simpson said council had agreed to fund parks capital budget but were told that the levy would cover the costs.

Instead of giving capital dollars for "private apartment towers" and other private projects, Simpson said city department needs must come first.

Still, some of Carden's other priorities were challenged on Monday.

After getting more money to chip away at deferred maintenance, finishing Smale Riverfront Park should be priority No. 1, Carden said.

That would include a marina, a green space that would include a restaurant and a "hard edge" along the river.

The most immediate need at Smale is finding $1.5 million to match nearly all of a $1.8 million grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The offer from the federal government expires in August 2016, Carden said.

"You know there are some who question how broad the benefit will be from a marina," Vice Mayor Mann said.

Simpson spoke up again, calling that view "short-sighted."

"These are individuals who not only will pull their boats up, but they will spend money," Simpson said. "(Carden) is going to find a way to charge them for every single piece of energy they use. The water they use, the electricity they use. He’s going to make sure that they have plenty to eat and drink, that they will pay money for. That’s part of the revenue model."

Councilman Kevin Flynn questioned if the parks should take on any new projects, including Over-the-Rhine's Ziegler Park.

When Carden said his staff has every intention of winning a bid operate Ziegler, Flynn pressed harder.

"I wonder about taking on another obligation, when we can’t meet our current obligations," Flynn said.

The updated budget process should start shortly, and when it does Mann said he'd like a fuller picture of what the Cincinnati Parks Foundation brings to the table.

"I'm interested in having a lot more detail about total resources," Mann said, "and what is realistic to expect will be included in operating and capital budgets."

One topic that was never mentioned Monday is the external audit, ordered by Mayor John Cranley after The Enquirer uncovered some questionable spending by the Park Board.

The only reference was mixed in with another compliment from councilman Young.

"I do not like that during this park levy controversy that somehow the parks department found itself thrown under the bus for simply doing the good work that it does," Young said. "For me, at least, it makes very clear that if there is something nefarious going on in parks, it operates to the benefit of Cincinnati and not to the Parks Board members, not to the Park Foundation members. That’s Robin Hood at his best."