LA MESALA MESA — The city of El Cajon says it won’t contribute more money to maintain Harry Griffen Regional Park.
The 53-acre park, located on land in La Mesa, is maintained and operated as part of a t powers authority made up of the Helix Water District, Grossmont Union High School District, the county of San Diego, and the cities of El Cajon and La Mesa.
Harry Griffen Park is adjacent to Grossmont High School, which is in the city of El Cajon. Helix Water District owns the land and the reservoir that is underneath it.
El Cajon City Council member Michelle Metschel, the city’s representative on the JPA’s governing board, told the board last week that the city would continue to contribute 15 percent of the park’s costs.
El Cajon has budgeted $81,000 in its 2021-22 budget for the park. La Mesa contributes 40 percent of the costs, the Helix Water District provides 35 percent and the county of San Diego contributes 10 percent.
Earlier this year, Metschel told the El Cajon City Council that of the JPA board had called for El Cajon to increase its contribution.
At the JPA’s meeting last week, Metschel said the City Council discussed three options at a September meeting: increase its contribution, drop out of the JPA or maintain the status quo of 15 percent.
JPA board member Joel Scalzitti of the Helix Water District said El Cajon should become a more “equal partner,” and he suggested that the city up its contribution to 30 percent, with Helix and the city of La Mesa also putting in 30 percent, and the county remaining at 10 percent.
But Metschel said the El Cajon council’s consensus was to maintain the current contribution. She suggested the JPA ask the county to contribute more and reach out to the school district.
The school district does not contribute money. County board representative Charles Gailband said he wasn’t comfortable mandating what others pay, that the county is comfortable with its obligations to the park’s care, and that he would need to get direction from his management team on any financial decision making.
Metschel said that Harry Griffen is a La Mesa park on Helix Water District land. She said things have changed since the JPA formed. “There is nothing more to say,” she said. “This is our decision and this is what we’re going to stick to.”
Scalzitti disagreed.
“This isn’t a La Mesa park on Helix land; this is a t powers agreement,” he said. “We are united as one entity to serve the public. It’s a regional asset that we all came together… to make decisions for all our constituents. I’m hoping you take a better look. This is your park, it’s Helix’s park, it’s La Mesa’s park… to provide something for the public.”
The JPA was formed in 1979 as a group venture, with La Mesa initially providing all the for the park, financial and otherwise. But over the years, that has changed. In 1981, La Mesa and El Cajon split contributions to 35 percent apiece, with the county contributing 20 percent and Helix 10 percent.
Amendments to cost contributions have been made over the years — including an eight-year period from 1996 to 2004 when El Cajon’s payments were carried by La Mesa. But since 2004, the entities have remained at their current contribution rates.
The governing board also voted to amend its bylaws so that those recommending changes to the JPA agreement about member contributions will need to first get approval from their elected boards.
