Park_Office_Visitor_Center_Pro_Forma.pdf

Park Office and Visitor Center Pro Forma

In 2017 Parks was approved to request a grant from the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBOR) for construction of a new multi‐purpose building at Scoggins Valley Park. The grant request was successful and funded at $1.7M. The functions of this building are anticipated to be 1) park admin offices, 2) visitor center, 3) flex space for recreation/nature education programs which will double as a rental space (e.g., wedding receptions). Programming and rentals will offset the cost of operating and maintaining the building.

Parks staff have outgrown the existing office spaces at the Parks compound. Staff currently double‐up in some workspaces and when fully staffed with seasonal employees they use the conference room as a shared workspace. The structure, an almost 30‐year‐old double‐wide trailer was not designed for its current use and as such has issues such as security concerns and subpar air handling.

A visitors’ center would provide a 7‐day‐a‐week welcome and information stop for the hundreds of thousands of visitors the park receives every year. This will be especially important when the campground is operational.

Capital USBOR Grant $1,700,000 Other Local/State/Federal* $1,700,000 Total $3,400,000

The USBOR Grant has been awarded and the contractual agreement has been signed by the county. The USBOR grant much be matched dollar‐for‐dollar and expended by 2025. A two‐year extension is possible.

*Other Local/State/Federal funding options

The original strategy was to match the USBOR grant with a combination of general fund dollars. Washington

County’s general fund is currently an option of last resort for matching funds.

The park office/visitor center is not eligible for use of the Metro Local Share dollars as the project is outside the prescribed project type.

The indoor projects are not eligible for grants from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.

Private donations may provide some opportunity (Major Washington County industries, foundations, Stimpson

Lumber, etc.) but that has not been researched.

Visitor Center may be competitive for grants/donations for interpretives and displays (Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde’s Spirit Mountain Community Fund or Travel Oregon/Washington County Visitors Association grants).

Other partner agencies may contribute for a dedicated annual use of the flex space (e.g., Clean Water Services)

The most appealing source for matching funds is another federal funding source that does dot have a prohibition against matching with other federal funding sources. There are two that are most appealing:

Federal Lands Transportation Program (FLTP) This program improves the transportation infrastructure owned and maintained by federal agencies including the Bureau of Reclamation. A $1.7 million grant for construction of an access road and parking lot would further the project and be an eligible match for the USBOR Grant.

Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) This program was established to improve transportation facilities that provide access to, are adjacent to, or are located within Federal lands. The Access Program supplements other resources for public roads and other transportation facilities, with an emphasis on high‐use recreation sites and economic generators. A $1.7 million grant for construction of an access road and parking lot would further the project and be an eligible match for the USBOR Grant. FLAP grants were recently used to fix and resurface the loop road around Scoggins Valley Park.

The next application cycle for these grants is not yet known but with County permission to proceed Parks would partner with the USBOR (and possibly LUT) to prepare an application. These are large, well‐funded programs and $1.7 million grants should be achievable.

Operations

The building would house county parks administration, a visitors’ center (open seven days a week) and have a flex space for programming and rentals. At such a time that the visitor center becomes operational program and rental fees, combined with an increase to parking pass fees, would be sufficient to pay for the operation of the building. Existing personnel and other costs now paid for by the general fund would remain in the general fund in the short term, but, over time as programming and rentals increase parks may be able to reduce its requested general fund contribution.

New personnel costs to operate the building, identified below, would be paid for by program and rental fees.

The pro forma below demonstrates an approximation of year‐one revenue and expenditures. CAP expenses are unknown and therefore not considered in the pro forma. As the facility becomes more well‐known and well‐utilized over time, and revenue increases, payment of CAP costs or reductions to the general fund contribution are possible.

Revenue (Year One) Event rentals $300/hr x 12 hrs x 20 weekend** $ 72,000 $150/hr x 5 hrs x 10 weekdays** $ 7,500

Recreation programming $ 10,000

Increase SVP Parking Pass Fee $ 83,355 Increase day pass by $1, annual pass $5

Sundries (snacks, souvenirs, etc.) $ 5,000 Total $177,855

Personnel Variable Hour Administrative Specialist I $24.32.hr x 20 hrs/wk x 52 weeks $ 30,000

Variable Hour Program Coordinator $45.54 x 20 hrs/wk x 52 weeks $ 52,500

Operations Utilities Electricity $1800/mo x 12 mo $ 21,600 Trash $160/mo x 12/mo $ 1,920

M&S $ 20,000

Advertising $ 10,000

Contracted services $ 30,000 Total $156,020

Revenue minus expenses $ 21,835