Fiscalini Ranch Preserve is facing another year with a significant drop in its maintenance budget.
The Cambria Community Services District (CCSD) owns and operates Fiscalini Ranch Preserve.
“It's just a place where I can feel a connection with nature,” said Paul Charell, Cambria resident.
In recent fiscal years, the maintenance budget for the ranch was around $50,000, which was spent on contracted work. Last fiscal year, the budget was reduced to $15,000 and is now $16,000 for this fiscal year, according to the CCSD.
“We lowered that amount and then diverted those monies over to salaries and benefits so they could not only do ranch maintenance, but they could do other things within the district, and we found that to be more efficient,” said Matthew McElhenie, Cambria Community Services District General Manager.
Kitty Connolly, Friends of the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve Executive Director, says a second year with a lower budget will not sustain the 437 acres of land maintenance. She says most of the work that's needed hasn’t been done.
“You have to hire outside help for that. You can’t do everything yourself,” Connolly said.
“But this is what we can do fiscally as far as the CCSD goes to not be in the deficit,” McElhenie said.
Fiscalini pointed to two trees that had fallen two years ago and haven’t been removed.
“Not only did these two trees die, but they are killing other trees, which will then fall and kill other trees,” Connolly said.
"We're here on the bluffs, but there's a forest up there filled with trees, and we know from what we have seen recently that's tinder, and there are homes right up against it, so it's a concern,” Charell said.
Fiscalini’s maintenance is funded through the CCSD’s General Fund.
“If you are asking for more money to come from our budget, it’s going to be taken from our fire department. There is no way around it. Or, you’re asking it to deplete our reserves, which are our emergency funds,” McElhenie said.
Charell volunteers to pull invasive plants from the ranch every week.
"It's going to be tough because there are not a lot of us that volunteer, and 437 acres of trying to maintain trails and pull out invasive species, it's a lot,” Charell said.
“Multiple departments supported by the General Fund, such as Parks, Facilities & Resources, and Fire Protection, are experiencing constrained or reduced budgets in response to a projected $328,000 General Fund deficit. This structural gap is driven by rising operational costs and limited unrestricted revenue,” McElhenie said.
He added that when he looked at the nonprofit's IRS documents, “The Friends of the Fiscalini Ranch have a $6.6 million revenue stream,” McElhenie said.
“The money that we have is savings,” Connolly said.
McElhenie added, “Unlike the FFRP, the CCSD cannot fundraise, the only revenue enhancement tool we have is grant funding or a tax measure. The CCSD cannot continue to operate in a deficit, degrading its general fund reserves while a community 501(c)(3) funding continues to grow significantly.”
The ranch sees 440,000 visits every year. Connolly says even though visiting the ranch is free, it helps the local economy.
“It’s a big selling point to buy homes here. It’s a big selling point for tourism. People don’t come here for the nightlife. They come here for the nature. The ranch is a big part of that nature,” Connolly said. “It’s also really important for the people who live here that the ranch be maintained so home insurance doesn’t go up."
A CCSD board meeting will be held on August 14 to review and approve the fiscal year budget.
