Fulton Community Center Info
Fulton Closure—May 15 Update - Kim Appleberry
I was just talking with Amanda [Commissioner Amanda Fritz]. As I got off the bus, she was on the corner of Barbur & Terwilliger holding a sign and waving at the commuter traffic. Getting reelected. I asked her, “So is it all over? Have the deals all been made and it’s too late for us?” She said, “Not at all. It is still very much in play.” I said, “Horse trading? You vote for my stinky item and I’ll vote for yours?” She smiled and said, “There is a lot of discussion. It takes three votes to pass the budget. Your group has done a good job. Keep it up. Keep positive. Keep writing and keep showing up.”
There is one last Community Budget Public Meeting.
It’s this Thursday, May 17th.
6:30 - 8:30 pm
David Douglas High School - South Cafeteria
1001 SE 135th Ave.
(Parking and South Cafeteria entrance located off of SE 130th between Taylor and Mill)
Map of school grounds here: http://www.portlandonline.com/omf/index.cfm?c=58635&a=395497
(Names will be drawn at random for testimony)
PLEASE COME OUT, IN RED, AND SHOW YOUR COLORS
Then on May 30th, the council votes on the budget, so please write, email and call the mayor and all the other four commissioners. (contact info below)
If you want some points to present, here are some suggestions:
- Commissioner Saltzman pointed out that (as of February) PP&R had approximately 55 employee positions funded in their budget that are VACANT. They are requesting money for empty chairs yet closing community centers. Stop funding even just one or two of these and they would not need to close Fulton. The mayor’s budget eliminates 10 of these positions and used the savings to fund other Parks programs. Just one or two more and Fulton is fully funded.
- Director Abbate said in his presentation of the budget to council that one of the principals used in making these budget decisions was “geographic equity”. If they close the two centers, there would be only one community center on the west side and 9 for the rest of the city.
- An extensive 21 year scientific study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed that of all the habitual physical activities of the elderly participants, only dancing was associated with a lower risk of dementia. It’s not just the aerobics of dancing, the social part of it works the mind. The teamwork of dancing with another person tunes balance and again the mind. (Contra dancing is highly aerobic, mentally challenging and fun for all ages.)
With the great benefits of social dancing, what is Portland Parks and Rec. doing to promote this healthful activity? Closing the ONLY community center that has any regularly scheduled, open social dancing. None of the other community centers have anything like it. As is appropriate, PP&R supports almost every kind of physical exercise there is. So why do they support horseshoes but not dancing?
- Dancing at Fulton is not just for people from the area. Every Saturday night folks come from all over the city, (26 zip codes!) and beyond. In the PP&R publication “Cost of Service Report - December 2010” on page 4 it states, “Recent analysis of customer travel patterns indicates that the service areas of many locations reach far beyond their immediate neighborhood, which means neighborhood income levels are not necessarily similar to the income levels of participants.” Fulton is being used by people of all economic levels, not just “the affluent people of the Southwest”.
- In PP&R’s proposed closing of two community centers, they give us a 100% solution to a 1% problem. They are proposing to completely shut down two community centers to save $110,000. The proposed 2012-13 budget for all the community centers totals $11,063,106. The $110,00 cut is 1% of that. If that $110,000 was spread over all the community centers, proportionally, they would all get a 1% budget reduction. They would all share the decrease and they would all stay open.
It’s not about the money.
Here is a link to PP&R’s budget presentation to Council (it’s over an hour so get comfortable). PP&R starts at 70:37 minutes:
http://www.portlandonline.com/
Keep those cards, letters and emails coming to all the players:
Our perseverance is our strongest asset. Press on.
Thank you,
Kim
Contact List:
Mayor Sam Adams
1221 SW 4th Ave, Room 340Portland, OR 97204
503-823-4120
sam.adams@portlandoregon.gov
Commissioner Dan Saltzman
1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 230
Portland, OR 97204
(503) 823-4151
dan@portlandoregon.gov
Commissioner Randy Leonard
1221 SW 4th Ave, Rm. 210
Portland, Oregon 97204
(503) 823-4682
randy@portlandoregon.gov
Commissioner Amanda Fritz
1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 220
Portland, Oregon 97204
503-823-3008
amanda@portlandoregon.gov
Commissioner Nick Fish
1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 240
Portland, Oregon 97204
503-823-3589
nick@portlandoregon.gov