LAKE COUNTY — The Board of Supervisors is moving forward with exploration of a way to keep an active water park in the county.
District 4 Supervisor Anthony Farrington took on the project recently after the park”s former joint owners went their separate ways in the hopes of making the equipment available to Lake County”s youth.
Developer Barry Johnson offered to donate the equipment after he bought the Outrageous Waters property with the intention of combining the 10-acre parcel with another city-owned parcel to create a 35-acre “regional power center” for the city of Clearlake.
At a recent tour of the facility by Farrington, along with District 1 Supervisor Ed Robey and other county officials, Johnson said he was willing to donate the equipment “as long as it actually gets relocated and is operational.”
During the county”s budget hearings in August, Farrington earmarked $100,000 for the county to look into the feasibility of disassembling, relocating and reassembling the water slides at an as-yet undetermined location in Lake County.
At its Oct. 24 meeting, the board accepted Johnson”s donation of the water park equipment in a reluctant 3-2 vote, with District 3 Supervisor Gary Lewis and District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown in dissent.
At that meeting, Farrington emphasized that his purpose that day was “not a request to spend money, just to go ahead with considering whether it”s possible.” He tauted the project as a way to create a recreation program for Lake County”s youth, something Farrington said had been lacking since the mid 1980s.
“Everything is positive as it relates to this project,” said Farrington. He went on to say that he had identified potential sites where it might be appropriate to set up the equipment, including a park in Upper Lake.
District 2 Supervisor Jeff Smith brought up concerns regarding the yearly cost of insurance and startup fees, saying the park”s former owners Mike and Dorrie Walker had quoted a price of $150,000 in start-up fees without moving the equipment.
“As much as I”d love to see the water park operating,” said Smith, “I question whether or not the government should be involved in operating it rather than the private sector.”
Brown concurred, taking the admonition one step further. “We shouldn”t be in the business of competing with private business,” he said.
“Getting (the water park equipment) for free sounds nice,” Brown added, “but I had an uncle that gave me a junkyard once. Didn”t cost me anything till I owned it.”
To that, he added his doubt that water park admission would be something at-risk youth would be able to afford.
Farrington responded that all he asked at that meeting was for open minds, “but I”m not asking us to open our minds so far that our brains fall out.
“Providing amenities to our youth is something I”m passionate about,” he said.
Farrington emphasized that he would support the project even if the endeavor did not turn a profit for the county.
Regarding concerns about competition, Farrington said, “I don”t know if there is competition; I don”t have enough information to know that at this time.”
Farrington said he is open to the possibility of operating the park jointly with private enterprise, and possibly using the park as an incentive for kids to stay in school. “Most private owners can”t provide that. Keeping kids active is part of getting them on the right track,” he said.
Lake County Sheriff Rodney Mitchell expressed concerns over what the acceptance of the donation may imply about the county”s financial priorities.
“I”m not opposed to the water park, I”m opposed to spending General Fund money,” said Mitchell.
On Monday, Mitchell clarified his statement. “I admire Tony”s heart on this issue, and anybody else who supports it. I am not opposed to the concept; I”m asking the county to take inventory of our priorities.”
As an example of his concerns, Mitchell brought up staffing concerns in his department and throughout the county.
Public Services Director Kim Clymire estimated that the project would cost around $1.5 million, including a geotechnical survey needed to determine whether or not the parcel in question could handle the weight of the equipment.
Farrington held that Clymire”s estimate could be “sharpened up,” and that he wanted the board to allow him to look into the concerns raised.
“I”m very positive about it,” said Farrington. “I believe in my heart that it”s the right thing to do.”
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com.
