Fire Pit Program Saved Through June 2011

The City’s fire pit program has been saved for Fiscal Year 2011 through generous donations from two foundations and more than 60 citizens. The funding was announced by Mayor Jerry Sanders at a May 10th news conference on Mission Bay, where he was joined by Bob Kelly, President and CEO of The San Diego Foundation, Phyllis Pfeiffer, Board Chairman of The La Jolla Community Foundation, as well as by Council President Pro Tem Kevin Faulconer and Councilmember Sherri Lightner.

The 185 fire pits at the city’s beaches and shoreline parks, which are used and enjoyed by numerous residents, were slated for elimination in 2008 as a cost-saving measure in light of the national recession, inadequate tax revenues and budget cuts. Fortunately, an anonymous donor’s generous contribution funded the program through June of this year. Once again, the generosity of public-spirited citizens and benevolent institutions has secured the program’s continuance, cleaning and maintenance through June, 2011.

Bob Kelly, President and CEO of the San Diego Foundation, has applauded the preservation of the fire pits: "Many San Diegans have fond memories of the fire pits and expressed concern and sadness over their potential demise. The preservation of the fire pits ensures that the celebration of families and friends around a campfire will continue. This is about our quality of life and why we live here."

A breakdown of the funding for the program, which costs $120,500 a year, is:

The City’s Fire Pit Fund was established in the winter of 2009 as a vehicle for donations from the hundreds of citizens who had voiced their desire to help save the fire pit. Donations, which averaged about $45 each and included some as small as $5 and $10, were accepted for the 2011 Fiscal Year budget for more than a year. The fund is now accepting donations for the 2012 Fiscal Year budget. The fund covers the annual cost of maintaining the fire pits, including salaries for the City employees who operate the front loader and dump truck needed to scoop up and haul away the accumulated debris and ash.

At the news conference, Mayor Jerry Sanders recognized the contributions of these individuals: "As the City is forced to deal with budget problems caused by the weak economy, it is encouraging to know that some San Diegans are willing to step up and be counted. Five dollars isn’t a lot – but if everyone who claims to love the fire pits had contributed $5, our fund might be overflowing today."

Donations came from communities throughout San Diego County, as well as from New York and Arizona. The zip code with the most donors, six, was 92117, which covers Clairemont and Bay Ho. Residents of the 92107 zip code, covering Loma Portal and Ocean Beach, made five donations; residents of 92037, covering most of La Jolla, made four; and three donations came from 92123 (Serra Mesa) and 92109 (Mission Bay, Pacific Beach and Bird Rock).

The City would like to thank the following individuals, and recognize them as Friends of Fire Pits for the coming year:

• Charity Anderson
• Kim Bass
• Hans A Baumgartner
• Cullen Bemis
• David Berquist
• Cathy Buffington
• Tanya Calienta
• Pat Cates
• Tina Cioffi
• Laura Van Cleave
• Barbara Dunphy
• Benjamin Eastman
• Richard Effress
• Patricia English
• Todd Felton
• Linda Fleming
• Jane Friedman
• Kim Frink
• John Gottfredson
• Jerry Grinstead
• Lisa Hamann
• William Hammond
• William Harju
• Wendy Harrison
• Alexander Hempton
• Michael Hender
• Patricia Herron
• Keith Hilsinki
• Nicholas Holt
• Cynthia Hupper
• Frank Johnson
• John Keasler
• Karyn Koenig
• Wally & Alice Lange
• Keith Lareau
• Scott Lawson
• Kyle Lutz
• Brady Mahaney
• Deborah & Ca Marengo
• John McConnell
• Holly McNamara
• Alondra Meraz
• Howard Moore
• Kathy Moorhouse
• Katie Murphy
• Daniel Ogas
• Donald Olsen
• Lori Van Orden
• Frederick Orton
• Leslie Pearl
• Jack Peter
• Gloryanna Post
• William Pugh
• Amy Quigley
• Kathy Rea
• Robert Rojas
• Anne Saunders
• George & Nancy Schmall
• Suzanne Sheridan
• Jill Sorge
• Steve Stoloff
• Julie Tedde
• Syndi Tracton
• Marsi Vancleave
• Dan Velasquez
• Steve Viernes
• Lorna Walsh
• Dorothy Young

The current state of the economy continues to put a strain on the City’s budget and on the lives of all residents. However, the commendable community-mindedness and altruism of ordinary citizens, foundations and local government, will help ensure that the much-loved fire pits at the city’s beaches can continue to be available for the enjoyments of residents for years to come.