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Eugene Weekly : 12.24.03 Page 5 of 7 <br /> Pringle notes that there <br /> was no public process or citizen input in the staff decision to install hundreds of new ball <br /> field lights in the northern section of Amazon park and in the decision to build two skate <br /> hockey rinks with small bleachers. While staff decided on their own to spend more than <br /> $100,000 on the sports lights,they have told citizens at meetings that natural amenities <br /> must compete among themselves and other ball field projects in a strict budget of what can <br /> be spent in the southern part of the park. <br /> "Where was the public input on those lights?" Pringle complains. "The public process is <br /> flawed." <br /> In meetings with city officials,natural parks advocates were told by staff, "We'll make the <br /> decision. If you don't like it,then go to the City Council," O'Brien says. "That's not a good <br /> attitude." <br /> "Not all projects are put on for public discussion,"Riner says. For example, she says staff <br /> will decide for themselves how to spend the$1.2 million in interest that the bond measure <br /> produced beyond the initial$25 million plan the 1998 parks committee recommended. <br /> City staff held an open workshop last month ostensibly to gather input on how to spend <br /> $550,000 in bond money on Amazon park improvements. "Nothing is a done deal at this <br /> point, so we're here to hear from you," parks planner Carolyn Weiss told the 120 people <br /> who attended. <br /> But Riner said the decision on how the city will spend at least$350,000 of the money was <br /> already made by staff based on the broad recommendations of the 1998 committee. "This <br /> particular project is about providing an additional ball field," Riner said in an interview. <br /> O'Brien says it's been too difficult for citizens to get information on how the city is <br /> spending taxpayer money on park creation and maintenance and for whom. "They don't <br /> have an accounting of what you get for the money you spend and how many people does it <br /> serve," O'Brien says. "It's simply not transparent." <br /> O'Brien says she suspects "the reality is organized sports suck up a whole lot of money to <br /> serve very few people." <br /> ANOTHER BOND MEASURE? <br /> With so much fighting over limited parkland and park money, another bond measure could <br /> help solve conflicts. <br /> Such a bond measure could be used to buy up surplus 4J school property to take the <br /> pressure off the current park system,natural space advocates say. A second parks measure <br /> was envisioned for next year by the 1998 parks committee. With 94 percent of those <br /> surveyed rating parks as very important or important to Eugene's quality of life and the last <br /> parks measure passing three to one, such a measure might have wide support. <br /> But it doesn't look like it will happen. A new city parks planning committee is chaired by <br /> http://www.eugeneweekly.com/archive/12_24_03/coverstory.html 1/6/04 <br /> l <br />