The deeper City Hall players dig into the prospective finances for funding a round of new recreation equipment for the youngest children at Syd Kronenthal Park in East Culver City, the more complex it appears.
Whatever the panacea may be a clear one is not in sight — a year or more could be required to fulfill the requests of parents at a neighborhood meeting two nights ago.
The question is, said City Councilman Jim Clarke, “are we able to reprogram ($61,000 in) grant money from the County” to provide new playground equipment for the youngest children.
“Nobody has a clear answer,” he said.
“Staff has told us to even make a request to the County, we would have to put together what they called a site plan, a layout of what you are planning to do, what equipment you are going to use, and then select the equipment.”
Mr. Clarke paused for a moment.
“After we would provide them with all of that information,” he said, “how quickly would the County even make a decision?
“Obviously that is not going to happen in the next two weeks,” leading up to the June 22 Council decision when preliminary decisions may be made.
Mr. Clarke noted that Dan Hernandez, Parks and Recreation director, has estimated the cost of satisfying parents’ requests at between $115,000 and $150,000.
City staff is due to return with a (skeletal?) plan for the June 22 Council meeting.
But how can they? Mr. Clarke wonders.
“One, they don’t know exactly what it is the (Kronenthal Park neighborhood) community is interested in.
“Two, they don’t know whether the County is going to give us approval for use of that fund.
“So,” said the Councilman, “we really have no idea what the anticipated cost would be. I said Tuesday night that I couldn’t speak for my two colleagues who were not there (Vice Mayor Andy Weissman and Jeff Cooper). But I am pretty sure neither one will approve of a blank check without knowing the answers to the questions I just mentioned.”
