The funds exist for the San Diego Beach Fire Pits

We have a website now!
http://www.savethefirepits.com/

The money to maintain the Mission Bay Fire Rings is easily found for 2009. Even though $86,525 (this number is explained below) is a lot to spend to maintain 186 fire pits, let's not throw out all of the pits without first seeing if we can economize in 2009.

[Edit: So the full $173,000 is the confirmed cost. $86,525 was just for half the year. $1,000 per year per fire pit, using heavy equipment! This seemed too unbelievable to be true. Oh well. We'll just go with massively over-maintained.]

The Mayor just vetoed the council budget, so there is still an opportunity to fix this for 2009.

Use the Mission Bay Park Improvement Fund

The allocations for the Mission Bay imrovement fund for 2009 are $2,466,802
This is money collected from the hotels and businesses sitting on Mission Bay land. The city council has the option to leave these funds for Mission Bay Improvements or "waive" them to the general fund. Recently-passed Proposition C requires that these funds stay in the bay and parks improvement funds starting in 2009.
This is money that the voters have requested be used for Mission Bay Park.

The city should direct 3.5% of this 2009 money to continue to maintain the fire pits
If procedurally necessary, they can waive this money out of the Mission Bay Improvement Fund to permit it to be spent on maintenance. At the same time, direct Parks and Recreation to test a reduction in off-season maintenance. In 2010, the city will have to find the money somewhere else.

Click the image above to enlarge or see page 10 of the buget analyst's memo: http://www.sandiego.gov/fm/pdf/parknrec_referral_redux.pdf

How much does it cost

The Mayor's budget proposal shows a savings of $86,525 by removing the fire pits. Strangely, the media reported double this number. It seems that someone added the 2009 Budget to the 2009 forecast, doubling the number. It would be unbelievable to spend $1,000 a year per fire pit to clean it. [deleted, see above]



This is page 48 from the budget proposal pdf:http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/images/081110sanderscuts.pdf

What can you do?
If you want to save the fire rings, you must phone or email the City Council (click to find your council member) and the Mayor's office (619-236-6330). Tell them to respect the voters wishes and maintain the Mission Bay fire pits.