Susan Wood, swood@tahoedailytribune.com
More than five years after its passage,
Measure S brought the South Shore community a ballfield, bike trail links, an
ice rink, playground equipment - and now an audit from El Dorado County.
District 5 Supervisor Norma Santiago recently ordered the audit to determine how
the $6.5 million voter-approved special tax has been used to enhance recreation
in her district. The county shares a joint powers agreement with South Lake
Tahoe and a special district formed at Tahoe Paradise Park in Meyers.
Property owners within 50,000 parcels in the district pay $18 annually in fees.
The county collects $600,000 a year.
"I had a concern from a constituent. We're trying to find out where the
money is going," said Santiago, who plans to attend her first JPA meeting
in July. The JPA last met in July.
The sessions are scheduled once a year or on an "as needed" basis and
include city representative Hal Cole, Paradise Park board member Michael Clark
and assistant to the county supervisor, Judi Harkins. She had stepped in as
former Supervisor Dave Solaro. City Councilman John Upton works as a JPA staff
person when he helped to spearhead the effort that South Shore attorney Dennis
Crabb had crafted for the South Lake Tahoe Chamber of Commerce. Since the
formation, Upton has been paid $17,610, an income claimed when he ran for City
Council in 2002. The state requires reporting the income.
County Auditor Joe Harn gathered fiscal records and requested the board minutes
from Upton in order to cross reference the reports. Upton obliged and added the
JPA had agreed in 2001 to conduct an audit "when the bond proceeds were
spent." That time has come.
It didn't take long for questions to come from former City Councilman Bill
Crawford, a vocal opponent of Measure S, which squeaked by in September 2000
with a two-thirds vote among 13,000 citizens.
Before taking his inquiries to the county, Crawford wrote to City Finance
Director Christine Vuletich seeking the records. Vuletich responded in a letter
the Tahoe Daily Tribune obtained indicating "the JPA has not filed any
financial records with the city." As it turns out, Union Bank has provided
financial reports to the city clerk's office.
Although Upton said he finds no issue with the current procedures, Harn lamented
over the lack of communication and accountability toward city constituents.
"If Joe feels we should be more on top of specific
details then he's entitled to feel that way. The information is readily
available," Upton said.
Harn explained: "The bottom line is, the city and county need to set up
controls if I die or Judi Harkins dies so when citizens ask about Measure S they
can get the information. That's where the city and county dropped the
ball."
Santiago said she would reserve judgment until after the audit. Harn is also
reviewing whether bond proceeds should be spent on administrative fees.
South Lake Tahoe Recreation Facilities (Measure S)
Preliminary Fiscal report (July 1, 2000-March 31, 2006, bond closing date)
Revenue:
Special taxes, bond proceeds and interest: $8.7 million
Disbursements:
-- Arbitrage services (Bond Logistix): $4,550
-- Special tax services (Larry Klaus, tax consultant):
$4,922
-- Trustee fees (Union Bank): $7,844
-- County tax collection fees: $28,315
-- JPA administrative fees (John Upton, working as an independent consultant):
$17,610
-- Cost of bond issuance: $166,597
Construction:
-- Ice arena and support facilities: $4.3 million
-- Athletic field and support facilities: $1.2 million with 500-foot bike trail
link
-- Tahoe Paradise Park recreation facilities (playground equipment, etc.):
$229,631
Operations and maintenance:
-- Tahoe Paradise (Park) Resort Improvement District:
$249,880
-- City athletic field maintenance: $50,000
-- City bike trail maintenance: $38,000
-- County transportation engineering bike trail maintenance: $48,000
-- Vehicle turning- lane reimbursement to STPUD: $36,110
Debt service:
-- Principal: $575,000
-- Interest: $1.3 million
Source: El Dorado County Auditors' Office
