County to Consider Harbor Financing

Ventura County officials on Tuesday plan to consider reorganizing recreation services to free up money to help pay for renovation of Channel Islands Harbor.

For the past 18 years, a significant chunk of the money generated by the harbor has subsidized the park system. Currently, the parks get about $1.2 million of the $3 million generated by the harbor.

But with the county planning a massive $169-million face-lift for the aging facility, officials are looking for new sources of money to help pay for the renovation.

That is where the reorganization comes in. County staff members propose creation of an independent harbor department that eventually would be able keep all revenues generated by the harbor.

As a result, the county’s 26 local and regional parks would be forced to become more self-sufficient through development of golf courses, camp grounds and other activities.

“It has become increasingly evident that there are some serious needs at the harbor which will require significant additional funds over the next five to 10 years,” according to a staff report on the proposal. “The parks department can also benefit from a more focused attention aimed at developing key regional park properties to generate the revenues necessary to achieve self-sufficiency.”

Under the proposal, supervisors have two options:

They could cut the park’s subsidy every year, starting at $1 million in fiscal year 1996-97 and decreasing $200,000 annually until reaching zero in the year 2001.

The other option is to approve a subsidy of $1 million for fiscal year 1996-97, and decrease park revenues depending on the amount of money generated by the harbor.

The reorganization, which would become effective July 1, would eliminate five positions but would result in only one layoff.