WATER CONSERVATION GARDEN JPA CONSIDERS NEW FINANCIAL PATH FORWARD
By Miriam Raftery
March 25, 2025 (Rancho San Diego) – Today, the Joint Powers Authority (JPA) for the Water Conservation will meet to weigh opens for long-term funding and stability of the Garden at Cuyamaca College.
At its Feb. 25 meeting, the board discussed future funding options after the City of San Diego’s representative Nicole Beaulieu DeSantis announced intent for San Diego to withdraw from the JPA in light of the city’s budget crisis. Helix and Otay water district representatives voiced optimism that their agencies will likely be able to fill the funding gap left by San Diego’s departure and avert having other agencies leave the JPA.
Lauren Magnusen, Director of the garden, provided good news on improvements in Garden revenues outside of the water agencies’ contributions. Large donations have come in from the Sam Ciccati Foundation and major donor Maggie Burnett.
“The numbers are a lot better than in the past,” she told the board. “We have more admissions and more events.” The Garden has 77 new members and drew over 2,500 visitors in the prior two months, she said. Events are returning, including Tomatomania in early March and the Spring Garden and Butterfly Festival May 3.
But Magnusen added, “If we want more revenue, it’s in education. For education, we need educators.”
The board eliminated the Ms. Smartyplants education programs when it took over operations of the garden from the financially troubled nonprofit Friends of the Water Conservation Garden, which has since declared bankruptcy.
Helix Water District director Brian Olney said that despite the improved revenues, without contributions of the JPA’s member agencies, “The garden would be $180,000 in the hole right now.”
A draft letter has been sent to each member water agency for review; results are expected to be discussed at today’s meeting. It proposes that short term, Helix and Otay Water Districts will share in covering the revenues lost from San Diego pulling out.
Helix representative Dan McMillan said Helix is “fully committed to an upward budget. We will cover half if the city pulls out.”
Otay representative Jose Lopez said he believes Otay is committed, adding, “We’ll give it the best shot we’ve got.”
Sweetwater representative Steve Castenada asked for a non-escalator clause to be sure no agency would be “on the hook” for higher contributions if any agencies pull out in the future. With that, he said, “We could probably get approval for more than two years.”
If increased funding doesn’t come through, the JPA would consider turning over operations of the Garden to the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District.
Chancellor Lynn Neault said, “We’re fully committed to the Garden,” but cautioned that they would need at least 18 months, and preferably two years notice to take it over, since it takes time to create college-oriented educational programs.
The Chancellor praised the work of the Garden’s volunteers, who provided 1,245 volunteer hours in the prior month alone. “God bless the volunteers,” Neault said. “That’s the work of 30 people. They’re the backbone of operations—it’s astounding.:
The JPA aims to make a determination as early as April on a plan for continued funding and future operations of the Garden after the current agencies’ agreement ends June 30.
