Title
Supervisors Frentzen and Parlin recommending the Board direct staff to:
1) No longer include funds received from Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians (Tribe) tribal funds to support the Diamond Springs Parkway Phase 1B and Phase II;
2) Determine that no other discretionary fund sources be used to construct the Diamond Springs Parkway; and
3) Report back to the Board in 60 days on how the Tribe funds could be used for other public improvement projects to benefit El Dorado County. (Est. Time: 30 Min.)
FUNDING: Tribe Funds.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
The original intent of the funds from the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians (Tribe) was to mitigate the impacts of the Casino on the surrounding community in Shingle Springs. The County is currently planning to use Tribe funds to facilitate the construction of the Diamond Springs Parkway. While this is an allowable use of the funds, and while the Diamond Springs Parkway will benefit the Diamond Springs community and improve their traffic circulation, Diamond Springs has its own source for funding new roads and the County has many other qualifying public improvement needs for which funding has not been identified. Examples include the following:
-Ongoing road maintenance throughout the County
-Funding to ensure County owned property and roadways are cleared of vegetation in order to reduce fire risk
-Funding to build parks in the unincorporated areas of the County in a manner that is consistent with the Parks Master Plan
-Funding to improve the Senior Center in Placerville
In the last four fiscal years, the Board of Supervisors has allocated $11.7M of Tribe funds to the Diamond Springs Parkway Phase 1 and 2 projects. The Board of Supervisors has also programmed an additional $5M to the Diamond Springs Phase 1B project for the next three fiscal years.
The Missouri Flat Area Master Circulation and Financing Plan (MC&FP) requires the County to allocate 85% of sales tax and property tax generated in the Missouri Flat Corridor to remain in that region, and those funds have been allocated to construct the Diamond Springs Parkway, along with funds received from the Tribe. If the Board chooses to use the funds received from the Tribe for a different public improvement purpose, the MC&FP funds will still be allocated to the Diamond Springs Parkway, and the Parkway will be completed when the MC&FP has accrued enough funds for the project.