[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6278413,"mediaKeyId","2641182-cc6db280370e739afacf4da3b4042ba5","parentId",2641182,"title","Honolulu parks department seeks TAT funding for garbage trucks, expanded tree work and Kailua planning","audioSeconds",1466,"startMs",258000,"endMs",1724000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2641182-cc6db280370e739afacf4da3b4042ba5&start=258&end=1724","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2641182-cc6db280370e739afacf4da3b4042ba5/thumbnail_258000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6278413/Honolulu-City/Honolulu-County/Hawaii/Honolulu-parks-department-seeks-TAT-funding-for-garbage-trucks-expanded-tree-work-and-Kailua-planning","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6278413-b238f3cdfa41dc2c49c7b1e0cf6ab7c8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771182134&Signature=RABlUiTt4R14X2t8WT6Klqzko0VDimQ-473-~OgLalmGebkDbEiTthFUJjD90ebU70Uqbx7BdjCadnV9y7NIT-gr9DWVhivjZDZ4HgDL2AvNaQIGDSGcPjyHFRXl53OLhdUMTVEKXFE3uBnf7Dr63LpzGdRnmMzKzgJARO7vdMO5yOzJJ3zI0zj3pHpXvmfI1B7MDwcJZCMNh9HFJDyoXCREcq-OawDfR4OJDAim7JH8eSv2F3k1dPncmxUPH72l1yjMjHWub9GQxTr6UfvLcCdWQ3KwYnDVlccf-lLceqxszHp6ei2go0qU~oWYkURd5gqFhqP~BKH6rPMYafNFZw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Honolulu, HI","date","2025-03-08T05:22:01Z","article","The Honolulu City Council Committee on Budget heard March 11 from Department of Parks and Recreation Director Laura Thielen who said the department's proposed fiscal 2026 operating budget totals about $118 million and includes three Tourism Accommodation Tax-funded initiatives to address wear from visitor use.

Thielen said the FY26 budget is roughly 60% personnel costs and 40% current expenses, with about $13,000,000 of that earmarked for utilities. She told the committee that the department has 1,200-plus positions and hires more than 200 seasonal staff each summer to run the summer fun program for roughly 10,000 youth.

Those program and maintenance costs, Thielen said, are the backdrop for three TAT-funded priorities the department included in its request: replacement of aging rear-loader garbage trucks and a contract for weekly park rubbish removal; expanded urban-forestry budgets for tree trimming, treatment of invasive pests and removal of diseased trees plus contracted 30-foot firebreaks adjacent to residences; and planning and initial infrastructure work for Kalailoa (Kailua) regional park development.

\"We need to replace these trucks,\" Thielen said, describing multiple rear-loader trucks that are frequently in the shop and a contractor the department now hires weekly to keep parks clear. \"We're going to be putting these onto an asset management schedule going forward so that we can purchase them more sequentially.\" She said the department had one truck approved earlier and delivers on that prior initiative has been slow because of procurement timing.

On trees and invasive species, Thielen said the city reduced routine trimming in prior years and that longer trimming cycles have increased failures, debris and risk of property damage. The department is pursuing a larger trimming schedule, redrawn geographic contract boundaries to attract more bidders and funding for treatment of coconut rhinoceros beetle and for removal where trees are beyond saving. \"Every dollar that's spent on prevention saves $5 on disaster response,\" she said, attributing the ratio to emergency-management guidance.

For Kalailoa, Thielen said the city has recently taken title to the area and can now invest capital-improvement funds; the department requested funds to upgrade a septic-based comfort station to current wastewater standards and to begin master planning. The master-plan cost estimate, she said, was adapted from a 2019 bid and adjusted for inflation.

Thielen and members also discussed the legal framework for using TAT revenue: under the Council Revised Ordinance of Honolulu 21-33, 8.34% of TAT receipts are to supplement (not supplant) maintenance and restoration of natural resources impacted by visitors. Thielen said the department's three initiatives do not exhaust the total TAT allotment and that the administration set aside about $2.5 million in a provisional account for council-directed projects.

The Committee did not take a final vote on the department budget at the meeting; members questioned specifics and procurement timing and instructed staff to follow up on the truck procurement schedule and firebreak contracting.

Why it matters: parks maintenance, tree health and solid-waste removal affect everyday use of parks, public safety and emergency costs, and the Kailua project is intended to expand recreational facilities in a fast-growing area of O'ahu.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025-03-14 Special Budget Briefing","oneSentenceSummary","The Honolulu City Council Committee on Budget heard March 11 from Department of Parks and Recreation Director Laura Thielen who said the department's proposed fiscal 2026 operating budget totals about $118 million and includes three Tourism Accommodation Tax-funded initiatives to address wear from visitor use.","taxTitle","Honolulu City, Honolulu County, Hawaii","taxId",61746,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6278404,"Parks, DDC flag procurement timing and higher capital costs for equipment, pools and Waikiki surf racks",1982,3754000,5736000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2641182-cc6db280370e739afacf4da3b4042ba5&start=3754&end=5736","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2641182-cc6db280370e739afacf4da3b4042ba5/thumbnail_3754000.jpg","/articles/6278404/Honolulu-City/Honolulu-County/Hawaii/Parks-DDC-flag-procurement-timing-and-higher-capital-costs-for-equipment-pools-and-Waikiki-surf-racks","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6278404-c569f87391dfdcc7d520195041eed8eb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771182134&Signature=fu9pI6fhRa-0m58YHI~bQSVMHmZjdwRLO7ZtzKGcv2XR-vvkUegdTq7up4AUpPicwjpuWkC0AY-WSnst-rHdvmhSdrUG88itMRGYp-4m3Puvd1p2iryIDaK1ZHBrwPcjVwcl6V-k5CqYWa1AY8QdeWtuHiDeh2b4XhiZUYNdKeVg8Zt6qzne7YM9Ut~0K1CoHrzLNJfssEvNiJQZ5mmRiAwSMJAGg9WkGc-DPCmrbalPq-qMVsygAgRGM4ApqH70D-Zs3E4v4zQs8jaDyFb~Ah2mR7B9fc8kBdabgA5q-o6Bz3J-2FPATIT7Uldj0X1hAbWirGjkVR4LjkvGsCuUdw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Committee members pressed Department of Parks and Recreation and Department of Design and Construction staff about how the city will procure major equipment and complete capital projects amid supply and inflation risks.

DPR Director Laura Thielen told the committee that some truck purchases have been included in operating with TAT cash funding but that national trade uncertainty could make contracts and delivery of heavy equipment volatile. \"It may be difficult to enter into a contract with somebody, for delivery of heavy equipment when prices are gonna be so uncertain,\" she said, and raised the possibility of moving truck purchases into the CIP to allow a longer encumbrance window.

Committee members had previously budgeted a mix of operating and CIP funding for trucks: Thielen said roughly $1 million in operating funds for trucks was included previously, and the current CIP showed about $750,000 for trucks. Bureau of Financial Services rules, she explained, generally place items costing under $60,000 or with a lifespan under 10 years in operating, while heavier equipment is placed into CIP and debt-funded purchases.

On pools and maintenance, Thielen said DPR is pursuing master agreements with the Department of Design and Construction to streamline replastering and retiling work across 21 pools. \"Once we can get that contract, bid out and finalized, we will then schedule a certain amount of work to be done each year and methodically go through all 21 of our pools,\" she said.

Design and Construction director-designate Hako Millis told the committee that costs for replacing Waikiki surfboard racks are higher partly because the rebuilt racks will include fire-suppression systems and stronger structures after prior fires destroyed earlier racks. \"It's going to be a bit of a stronger structure than it was before... That's the main reason why the costs are so high,\" Millis said.

The committee also discussed a proposed Waimanalo pump track that DPR supports; Thielen said cost increases were likely because developers moved from plans for a dirt facility to a more durable asphalt surface. DPR sought $250,000 in FY26 for security services related to the Haiku Stairs on the Kaneohe side until removal is complete; Thielen said she expects the security need to end once the stairs are dismantled.

Why it matters: Procurement timing and whether items are budgeted as operating or CIP affect the city's ability to obtain equipment, manage costs and schedule capital work. Fire-suppression requirements and long lead times affect project budgets and scheduling.","DPR and the Department of Design and Construction discussed timing and budgeting for major equipment and capital projects: procuring rear-loader trucks, reconciling operating vs CIP purchases, master agreements for pool replastering and higher-than-expected surf-rack costs driven by fire-suppression requirements.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6278409,"Parks director credits recruitment push for improved hiring; committee presses for clearer park-permit rules and adopt-a-park staffing",2019,1227000,3246000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2641182-cc6db280370e739afacf4da3b4042ba5&start=1227&end=3246","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2641182-cc6db280370e739afacf4da3b4042ba5/thumbnail_1227000.jpg","/articles/6278409/Honolulu-City/Honolulu-County/Hawaii/Parks-director-credits-recruitment-push-for-improved-hiring-committee-presses-for-clearer-park-permit-rules-and-adopt-a-park-staffing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6278409-fe88c062b22e978844babe38e8fb3d44/orig.mp4?Expires=1771182134&Signature=VUu0VnAtFNB5-wJKSkPPQ-tnKHwZGt6ewsS8QPtcNjkwpF5ll5VVH1zqyRh7OXGs15-TdT3T~KwdLqPc0VbJsuRLkkWuAPKynuTMAZNkuhMxQZgLpLDdTFWiD7oeDpChh0Nf0mgIzSd0Od1D10F9mCApSivVL5Wyrmoxf5-8qu1O7UczpLtEuMrrTiY7ZWeF9fa3U~v8UwuJcedNrCX45I2Y6QyuEJIwx74sS9eiPdrCrLne5Vn5Zcz325VcAIZiMJp-CxlR~WQJlMyf9G4LFy~F-lxwCAaWalyra6EuELrI-HhBMDUcUcGeIKoqS5zjvctJVrHZYR3GRsD2e6KzEQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Department of Parks and Recreation Director Laura Thielen told the Committee on Budget that the department substantially improved its hiring metrics, moving from the slowest to the fastest hiring department across six measures in FY24 and hiring 116 people that year. Thielen said the department hired 85 people in the first six months of FY25 and reduced average time-to-hire from 49 days to about 41 days.

\"We moved from being the worst department at hiring on all 6 measures, to the number 1 hiring department in the entire city,\" Thielen said, describing outreach including job fairs, social media, Work Hawaii partnerships and targeted training to meet minimum qualifications.

Thielen told members the department had 194 vacant positions as of Feb. 1 and that most vacancies (over 180) had been open less than three years; positions vacant longer were typically tied to reorganizations. Committee members asked for details on positions vacant more than five years and whether some long-held vacancies should be deleted or reorganized.

Members pressed on maintenance and community partnerships. Thielen said DPR runs an Adopt A Park program with a single full-time civil-service coordinator who manages more than 100 adopt-a-park groups and nearly 190 other community groups. The department previously had an ARPA-funded contract position to assist and the council converted that to general funds; Thielen said the contract-level pay made it difficult to recruit and recommended converting the role to a civil-service position to improve stability.

On mowing and field maintenance, Thielen said the department is formalizing mowing schedules, expanding preventive maintenance on equipment, and identifying high-use parks to prioritize when equipment failures or illness reduce capacity. She warned against uncoordinated volunteer field work: \"We have a lot of well-intentioned people that will go out to fields and do things that actually create a lot of damage,\" and said the department will standardize agreements to allow safe community assistance.

Permitting drew council scrutiny. Thielen said the department now posts issued park calendars online so the public can see daily permit activity for each park; the posted calendar does not show pending requests still under review. On field-user allocation, she recommended convening applicants together in regional field-user meetings so user groups negotiate schedules directly.

Why it matters: Hiring and vacancy levels affect park operations and program delivery. Permit transparency and standardized volunteer agreements affect fairness for youth sports, community groups and park users.","Director Laura Thielen told the Budget Committee the Department of Parks and Recreation improved hiring performance in FY24 and early FY25 and described outreach strategies. Members pressed the department on field permitting transparency, standards for community maintenance and the adopt-a-park program.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Honolulu parks department seeks TAT funding for garbage trucks, expanded tree work and Kailua planning

Parks, DDC flag procurement timing and higher capital costs for equipment, pools and Waikiki surf racks

Parks director credits recruitment push for improved hiring; committee presses for clearer park-permit rules and adopt-a-park staffing