Parks Director Chris presented the Westfield Parks and Recreation Department's proposed 2026 budget to the Parks Board on Oct. 1, saying the total request is $3,374,756, a 2.1% reduction from the 2025 budget of $3,441,946 but larger than the mayor's requested 5% departmental cut due to program transfers.

Chris said three programs ' Farmers Market, Jams at the Junction and the Kids Summer Series ' are being transferred from Westfield Welcome into the Parks Department budget. That transfer brings associated expenses and one new staff position, a market manager, into Parks. Chris said the transfers are internal reallocations rather than net increases to the city's overall budget.

Key line items cited by staff include a staffing (100-series) appropriation of $872,164 to cover salaries and benefits (including one additional full-time market manager and a 3% merit increase across staff), an operations line of $44,900 for supplies and trail markings, services (the largest line) at $2,357,693 covering utilities, building maintenance, programming and contracted services, and an infrastructure allocation of $75,000 for parking-lot and trail pavement maintenance and equipment. Chris said a portion of the department's increased programming and promotions budget reflects the three programs moving into Parks.

The director outlined several capital priorities that would draw on the park impact-fee (nonreverting) fund, which the board is appropriating this year for specific projects. Planned projects mentioned in the presentation included the Simon Moon playground Phase 2 completion and installation, a proposed pickleball complex at Freedom Trail, new restrooms at Freedom Trail and Woods Family Park, a playground at Woods Family Park (a 5-acre parcel the city is negotiating to accept as a donation), and Park Street design and construction documents.

Board members and staff clarified specific items: a board member pointed out a typographical error in materials, noting the merit increase is 3% (not 4%), and Chris confirmed the correction. Chris also described a new on-call maintenance program to address after-hours incidents: staff on call would receive a $30 daily stipend and time-and-a-half for overtime when dispatched for call-outs. Simon Moon Phase 2 construction has started (silt fence installed and pond water pumped down to install helical piers); the contractor expects substantial construction through winter and a 100% completion target in May 2026.

Chris reported that kayak rentals at Simon Moon have shown early public interest; an influencer video about the kayaks had attracted more than 106,000 views, and staff observed full kayak use on at least one day. The presentation noted other seasonal programming and events (First Century Hike, Barktoberfest on Oct. 11, Trick-or-Treat at Grand Junction on Oct. 24) and operational work including pickleball court resurfacing at Quaker Park by Leslie Coatings and roundabout landscaping projects.

The budget was introduced to city council and may be adopted as early as Oct. 13; final adoption must occur by the last meeting in October.