Borrego Sun - Since 1949

The editorial in the last Borrego Sun stated that Christmas Circle Park Board of Directors withdrew their Prop. 68 grant application because it was too complicated.

It was the grant process that resulted in the decision not to participate. The source of the Master Grant was Department of Water Resource (DWR), as a result the Christmas Circle Park Board elected to apply for funding to the Borrego Water District, who is the managing agency for the grant, to upgrade their irrigation system to reduce water consumption.

After the applications were submitted, we were informed that a Proposal Review Committee (PRC), consisting of representatives from the Borrego Water Master, Borrego Water District and each of the 15 non-profit organizations that have applied, were required to grade each application, except their own. The review consisted of a list of subjects to be graded on how well the proposed activities supported these subjects. Points were granted (1 to 4) based off that criteria.

Unfortunately, Christmas Circle Park’s proposal was not applicable to some of the subjects, such as “Does the Project or component fully describe their plan for outreaching and engaging interesting parties” and “How does the proposed project or Component address the Human Right to water,” therefore no points could be granted.

There was no means to rectify the grading method, therefore the Christmas Circle Park Board elected not to participate. We would like to have been successful as including the CCCP proposal, there were only three that reduced water consumption. Currently, the list of approved grant applications does not include any water reduction programs.

Jim Wilson

– President, Christmas Circle Community Park BOD