DATE: June 20, 2006
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT: Allocations of District Two Community Project Funds

SUMMARY:
Several communities in East County have demonstrated a need for improvements to their recreational facilities, and have shown that they are prepared to work together with other jurisdictions and community members to provide their children with opportunities to play and stay healthy. This action will provide funds to several communities to improve and develop recreational facilities in East County.

RECOMMENDATIONS:
Supervisor Dianne Jacob:

1. Find that the allocations to Pacific Southwest Railway Museum and Alpine Community Center and the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15301.
2. Transfer appropriations of $200,000 from the District Two Community Projects fund to the Department of Parks and Recreation, Org. 52811, Account 53666, to go toward the costs for the installation of an all-weather track at El Capitan High School.
3. Establish appropriations of $100,000 in the Lakeside Park Land Dedication Ordinance (PLDO) fund, Operating Transfer Out, for the El Capitan High School Sports Field Improvements project, based on Fiscal Year 2004-2005 Fund Balance available.
4. Establish appropriations of $100,000 in the Department of Parks and Recreation (Org. 52811, Account 53666), for the El Capitan High School Sports Field Improvements project, based on an Operating Transfer from the Lakeside PLDO fund.
5. Authorize the CAO, or a designee, to negotiate and execute an amendment to the existing Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement between the County of San Diego and the Grossmont Union High School District to construct an all-weather track at El Capitan High School, including any additional amendments that do not increase the County's cost.
6. Transfer $83,000 from Community Projects Budget (Org 15650) to the Department of Parks and Recreation (Org. 52811, Account 52370) for a portion of the costs for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to construct a bridge over the Sweetwater River east of the Sweetwater Reservoir.
7. Authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, or a designee, to negotiate, execute, and manage an agreement between the County of San Diego and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the County’s contribution toward the total cost for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to construct the bridge described in Recommendation 6, including any amendments to the agreement that do not increase the County’s cost.
8. Allocate $34,120 from the District Two Community Projects fund to Mountain Health and Community Services to purchase materials needed to install a well at Mountain Empire Little League in Campo.
9. Allocate $41,338.39 from the District Two Community Projects fund to Ramona Pony Baseball to purchase two batting cages and a play structure for Wellfield Park in Ramona.
10. Allocate $18,000 from the District Two Community Projects fund to the Ramona Parks & Recreation Association to purchase replacement fencing for the adult softball facility within Wellfield Park.
11. Allocate $100,000 from the District Two Community Projects fund to El Cajon Girls Softball to be used to partner with the San Diego Padres to purchase materials to complete a Little Padres Park at Magnolia Elementary School in El Cajon.
12. Transfer appropriations of $300,000 from the District Two Community Projects budget to Contributions to Capital Outlay Fund (Operating Transfer Out) for acquisition of land for soccer fields in Lakeside.
13. Establish appropriations of $300,000 in the Capital Outlay Fund for Capital Project 1009548, Lakeside Soccer Fields Acquisition, based on an Operating Transfer from the General Fund.
14. Transfer appropriations of $650,333.11 from District Two Contributions to Community Projects to Contributions to Capital Outlay Fund, Operating Transfer Out, to provide funds for the Lakeside Sports Park project.
15. Establish appropriations of $650,333.11 in the Capital Outlay Fund for Capital Project 1005334, Lakeside Sports Park, based on an Operating Transfer from the General Fund.
16. Allocate $10,000 from the District Two Community Projects Fund to San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce to be used for a half-day disaster planning workshop for businesses in East County.
17. Allocate $3,950 from the District Two Community Projects fund to the Poway Historical and Memorial Society to be used to purchase new display cases that will be used to showcase the museum’s extensive collection of artifacts, photos and documents that focus on early pioneer/farm life in Poway.
18. Allocate $10,000 from the District Two Community Projects fund to the City of Poway for improvements to the Kumeyaay-Ipai Interpretive Center.
19. Allocate $40,000 from the District Two Community Projects fund to the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum to construct public restrooms at the museum.
20. Allocate $10,000 from the District Two Community Projects fund to the Volcan Mountain Preserve Foundation to continue the work of the Foundation so that Volcan Mountain is preserved for generations to come.
21. Allocate $24,240 from the District Two Community Projects fund to the Grossmont Union High School District to purchase an aquatic specific scoreboard for Valhalla High School in El Cajon.
22. Allocate $19,971.50 from the District Two Community Projects fund to Fletcher Hills Little League to purchase irrigation equipment and sod for two fields at Northmont Elementary School in La Mesa.
23. Allocate $17,500 from the District Two Community Projects fund to the Alpine Community Center to purchase new shade structures for the park, planter boxes, stage backing and bleachers for the ball fields.
24. Allocate $7,000 from the District Two Community Projects fund to the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District for an Eagle Scout project to provide sod and irrigation at Avondale Elementary School in Spring Valley.
25. Find that these grant awards have a public purpose.
26. Authorize the Chief Financial Officer to execute grant agreements with these organizations establishing terms for receipt of the funds described above.

FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact of these recommendations is $1,669,453. The funding source is FY 05-06 District Two Community Projects and Lakeside PLDO funds. This action will result in the addition of no new staff years and no future costs.

BACKGROUND:
On May 18, 2005, the Board of Supervisors approved $300,000 of District Two Community Projects funds to install a synthetic turf football field at El Capitan High School, located in the community of Lakeside. The next step is to install an all-weather track that will comply with CIF regulations, and enable the school to host regional tournaments. Today’s allocation of $200,000 from the District Two Community Projects fund and $100,000 from the Department of Parks and Recreation Lakeside PLDO fund (Org. 52811, Account 53666), will be used to partner with the Grossmont Union High School District and the Barona Indian Tribe to install an all-weather track at El Capitan High School in Lakeside. This action will also authorize the CAO, or a designee, to negotiate and execute an amendment to the existing Joint Powers Exercise of Agreement between the County of San Diego and the Grossmont Union High School District for construction of an all-weather track at El Capitan High School including any additional amendments that do not increase the County's cost.

For many years, hikers, bikers, and equestrians have enjoyed experiencing the vast beauty of the backcountry along the Sweetwater River Near Rancho San Diego and Jamul, just south of Campo Road. The existing trail along the Sweetwater River crosses the river, leaving trail users with few choices other than turning around or risk endangering sensitive habitat within the river. Fortunately, the US Department of Fish and Wildlife, which owns the property in this area, has been extremely cooperative in finding ways to preserve the refuge while keeping the trail open to the public. In this spirit of collaboration with the US Department of Fish and Wildlife, today’s action will allocate $83,000 from the District Two Community Projects fund for a portion of the costs for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to construct a bridge over the Sweetwater River east of the Sweetwater Reservoir for the trail. The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service is preparing the environmental review for the bridge project.

The Mountain Empire Little League brings in young baseball players from Pine Valley, Descanso, Boulevard, Jacumba, Potrero, and Campo. On June 21, 2005, Board of Supervisors approved $10,000 of District Two Community Projects funds to the Mountain Empire Little League to partner with the San Diego Padres for the completion of a Little Padres Park in Campo. The field has been completed, and the next step is to install a well to be used to irrigate this first-class field. Today’s allocation of $34,120 from the District Two Community Projects fund to Mountain Health and Community Services will be used to purchase the materials needed to install a well at Mountain Empire Little League in Campo.

Today’s action will also allocate $41,338.39 to Ramona Pony Baseball to purchase two batting cages and a play structure for Wellfield Park in Ramona. This project will certainly go a long way for the youth and adults who enjoy the park as athletes or spectators. In addition, the fencing on the adult softball field at Wellfield Park is in need of replacement. Today’s allocation of $18,000 to the Ramona Parks & Recreation Association will be used to purchase replacement fencing for the adult softball facility within Wellfield Park. These improvements will be installed by volunteers.

On June 21, 2005, the Board voted to allocate $10,000 in District Two Community Projects funds to Mountain Empire Little League to partner with the San Diego Padres on a Little Padres field, and on December 13, 2005, the Board again voted to allocate $100,000 to the Lemon Grove Little League to partner with the Padres on another field. Another opportunity to partner with the San Diego Padres has been presented. This opportunity is especially exciting, as this is only the second girls field the San Diego Padres has completed in the history of the Little Padres program. Today’s allocation of $100,000 to El Cajon Girls Softball will be used to partner with the San Diego Padres to purchase materials to complete a Little Padres Park at Magnolia Elementary School in El Cajon.

On March 14, 2006 the Board voted to investigate the feasibility of obtaining land for active recreation in the unincorporated area. A potential site for a first-class soccer facility has been identified. Today’s allocation of $300,000 from the District Two Community Projects Fund to Contributions to Capital Outlay Fund (Operating Transfer Out) will be used to acquire approximately 15 acres of undeveloped land owned by the Lakeside School District to be used to provide a central location for soccer fields that would benefit leagues throughout the community. Environmental review will be completed before the County purchases the property.

Lakeside residents overwhelmingly support the idea of having a beautiful sports park that would be home to the Lakeside National Little League, and that could host tournaments and serve the entire East County region. Today’s action will transfer $650,333.11 from the District Two Community Projects fund to the Capital Outlay Fund (Operating Transfers Out) for the Lakeside Sports Park project for the eventual construction of the sports park. This action only allocates funding into an account.

The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce would like to bring a disaster preparedness workshop to East County with the support and aid of the Institute of Business and Home Safety and the Public Entity Risk Institute. Today’s allocation of $10,000 from the District Two Community Projects fund to the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce is for a half-day disaster planning workshop for businesses in East County featuring experts who will advise on how East County businesses can prepare for a disaster such as the Cedar Fire.

The Poway Historical and Memorial Society, located in Old Poway Park, has a unique “Turn of the Century” atmosphere that attracts visitors from the entire county. Today’s allocation of $3,950 from the District Two Community Projects fund to the Poway Historical and Memorial Society, will be used to purchase new display cases that will be used to showcase the museum’s extensive collection of artifacts, photos and documents that focus on early pioneer/farm life in Poway.

The native plant gardens at the Kumeyaay-Ipai Interpretive Center, located in the City of Poway, display plants used for food, medicine, and shelter by ancient people. The gardens are also examples of water-efficient landscape, emphasizing water conservation. Today’s allocation of $10,000 from the District Two Community Projects fund to the City of Poway will be used for improvements to the Kumeyaay-Ipai Interpretive Center.

The Pacific Southwest Railway Museum, located in Campo, runs weekend excursions on portions of the San Diego and Arizona Railway utilizing actual vintage equipment. The Museum is run by volunteers, who are responsible for every phase of its operation, and an FRA (Federal Railroad Administration) approved training program is utilized to safely train brakemen, conductors, fireman and engineers. The facility is home to more than eighty major pieces of railroad equipment, with many of the pieces in various stages of restoration by the volunteers. The museum is in need of restrooms. Located off of Highway 94, there are no other restroom facilities for 30 miles. Today’s allocation of $40,000 from the District Two Community Projects fund to the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum will be used to construct public restrooms at the museum.

Since 1988, the Volcan Mountain Preserve Foundation, in cooperation with private organizations, public governmental agencies and principal landowners on the mountain, has been able to preserve over 4,000 acres of Volcan Mountain. Today’s allocation of $10,000 from the District Two Community Projects fund to the Volcan Mountain Preserve Foundation to continue the work of the Foundation so that Volcan Mountain is preserved for generations to come.

The aquatics program at Valhalla High School, located in El Cajon, has won countless CIF titles in both swimming and water polo, and is currently on the longest league title win streak in San Diego County, having won the league title in boys water polo the past 18 years straight, and the girls league title the first 8 years of the team’s existence. The boys swim team has won 5 of the past 7 CIF swim titles and finished second in the two years they didn’t win. The school has worked hard to raise $25,000 toward the purchase of an aquatic specific scoreboard. Today’s allocation of $24,240 from the District Two Community Projects fund to the Grossmont Union High School District will be used to purchase an aquatic specific scoreboard for Valhalla High School in El Cajon.

Fletcher Hills Little League has been providing a safe place for the youth of La Mesa to play baseball since 1951. The more than 300 children involved with the league as well as the 444 students at Northmont Elementary would benefit from having grass to play on instead of dirt. Today’s allocation of $19,971.50 from the District Two Community Projects fund to Fletcher Hills Little League will be used to purchase sod and irrigation equipment for two fields at Northmont Elementary School in La Mesa. The sod and irrigation system will be installed by volunteers. The Alpine Community Center, Inc. is committed to promote, support and provide facilities and programs for the social, cultural, educational and recreational needs of all youths and adults of Alpine and surrounding areas. Today’s allocation of $17,500 from the District Two Community Projects fund to the Alpine Community Center will be used to purchase new shade structures for the park, planter boxes, stage backing and bleachers for the ball fields.

The dirt field at Avondale Elementary School is no longer safe and in need of sod and irrigation. Today’s allocation of $7,000 from the District Two Community Projects fund to the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District is for an Eagle Scout project to provide sod and irrigation at Avondale Elementary School in Spring Valley.

I urge your support!
Respectfully submitted,


DIANNE JACOB
Supervisor, Second District