September 19, 2014
Chico Enterprise-Record
Letter to the Editor
The Feather River Recreation and Park District was
investigated again in 2013-14. FRRPD submitted its response dated Sept. 12.
The board blames past debt for its financial problems. It
isn't true. Had the Activity Center not been purchased, they could be out of
debt by now.
The board blames past members for not allowing new programs.
FRRPD cannot create enough programs to pay the debt on the Activity Center, not
in Oroville. The income base isn't there. The Grand Jury had it right. The debt
load is not sustainable.
The Grand Jury recommended setting term limits. The board
stated they would not do so. Term limits would eliminate board members who are
toxic for the district.
The Grand Jury found that "many board members and
staff lack in-depth financial expertise." The FRRPD board stated,
"There is not a current board member that does not have a successful
financial background ..." Someone with a "successful financial
background" isn't necessarily someone who knows financial accounting.
Why wouldn't they know they've approved and published a
budget comparing actual figures to budgeted figures? They didn't report actual
figures for prior years correctly, nor report actual figures for the 2013-14
year. There can be no comparison.
A governmental budget should be balanced. FRRPD's is not.
There should be balanced budgets for the general fund, the BAD fund and the
impact fee fund. There should be a summary of all three. There is not. This
budget does not reflect either board members or staff who understand finances.
— Susan Martin, Chico
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