The San Dieguito River Park
18372 Sycamore Creek Rd.
Escondido, CA 92025
Phone: (858) 674-2270
Fax: (858) 674-2280

Executive Director's Column Fall 2001

Park Endowment Grows

By Dick Bobertz, Executive Director

In past columns I have emphasized how important it is to establish an endowment for the River Park to ensure that the habitat conservation and trail system we achieve over the next 20 years can be maintained in perpetuity. Projections show that at least $11.5 million will be needed in 20 years to generate sufficient interest to cover operational costs of a completed River Park without increasing the current agency contribution level. It has been over a year since the JPA board initiated the River Park endowment program and this is the first of many reports which I hope will track continuing progress until the goal of $11.5 million is realized. To reach that goal, $200,000 must be raised each year for 20 years.

How can that be accomplished? Although the River Park has been very successful in winning grants from assorted federal and state programs, those sources only provide funds for land purchase or construction projects – not for operational costs. That means the community must provide for itself in caring for the River Park when it is complete. By “community” I mean private individuals, local organizations, businesses and corporations whose employees will receive direct benefit from the River Park.

Selling this concept is easy. Everyone I talk to about it readily agrees. But getting the ball rolling with the first contribution is a bit more difficult. Who goes first in a community to accomplish a common interest? JPA Board members Pam Slater and Mark Whitehead answered that essential question last year. County Supervisor Slater has a long history of providing funds to the River Park over and above the County’s regular agency annual contribution for special projects. In the past, each year she did this she encouraged her fellow Board members to join her for the common good. Last year Del Mar City Councilman Mark Whitehead, with the Board decision to establish an endowment fresh in his mind, convinced his City Council to support an annual endowment contribution to the River Park. Supervisor Slater quickly pledged a proportional amount from the County if it were matched by the other agency members.

That started the ball rolling. In October of last year the City of Poway Council, at the urging of Council Member Betty Rexford voted to support the River Park endowment. This February Escondido Council Member June Rady was successful in winning approval of her City Council for an annual endowment contribution. The Solana Beach City Council took action to support the endowment in June due to the support of Council Member Tom Golich.

These commitments, added to an annual amount the JPA Board had previously designated for the endowment (rent savings realized when the River Park administrative office moved from rented space in San Diego to a house owned by the River Park in Poway) totals $65,713 per year or 33 percent of that annual $200,000 goal. Remember that these are commitments for annual contributions for 20 years. That means we have accomplished one third of our 20-year goal in little more than one year.

What’s next? One of the reasons the JPA Board made these commitments was to set a good example. Just as Board members Slater and Whitehead got the ball rolling by stepping forward, it is hoped that the community will join in to help assure the future of a community asset that increases in value to current and future generations every year. A volunteer team of advisors recruited from financial professionals and the corporate community will be assembled this year to work with a JPA Board Committee to put together a fund raising plan to complete the goal. Much of my time at the River Park in the coming years will be dedicated to working with this group to ensure that conservation accomplishments that are achieved over the next twenty years are sustainable for all time.