Greenbelt reviews FY26 recreation budget as pool renovations, staffing and event costs squeeze spending

Greenbelt City Council and recreation staff on Monday reviewed the proposed FY26 recreation budget as department leaders described a multi‑million dollar shortfall in the city’s overall finances, planned cuts to nonessential accounts, and ongoing capital work on the indoor and outdoor pools.

City Manager Salmarone told the council, “This particular budget has some challenges. As you know, we had a over $4,000,000 deficit,” and said the direct impact to recreation would be cuts to training and some direct services because there were few vacancies staff could hold open.

The budget matters because recreation is one of the city’s largest front‑facing departments and funds camps, pools, arts programs, therapeutic services and special events that serve thousands of residents and nonresidents. Council members and staff framed the discussion around preserving core programs (camps and lessons), completing capital work already underway, and limiting the effect on seasonal programming that generates substantial user revenues.

Most important items and immediate impacts

- Size and staffing: Recreation Director Greg Varda summarized the FY26 proposal as covering nine sub‑budgets (administration, arts, aquatics & fitness, museum, therapeutic recreation, community center, recreation centers, recreation programs, and special events). He reported proposed total expenditures “around 8,500,000.0, with total revenues approximately around 2,000,000.” The proposal also shows a reduction in total FTEs driven by specific vacancy management (for example a vacant aquatics coordinator position held until January).

- Personnel costs and COLA: The FY26 request includes a proposed 2% cost‑of‑living adjustment (COLA) for non‑classified employees — the third consecutive year council has considered or adopted a 2% COLA — and a 3% performance pool. Staff told council that roughly 70% of the department budget is wages and salaries.

- Program priorities and cuts: To balance the books, staff…