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 said they aimed to “share the pain” across the department. Proposed reductions include training and education, membership accounts, public notices, uniforms, some overtime, arts and special‑program spending, and deferred equipment purchases. Staff told council they would restore program accounts first if funding became available.

- ARPA and grant‑funded items: Several projects and programs were funded or helped by ARPA and county grants. Staff said the Learn to Earn program is covered by ARPA funds for the next two years but will require future budgeting discussions for long‑term funding. County support via the Maryland‑National Capital Park and Planning Commission (MD‑NCPPC) provides roughly $260,000 that is split among pool, community center and therapeutic recreation; staff urged council to consider advocating countywide for higher per‑jurisdiction allocations.

Pools, schedules and user impacts

- Indoor pool renovation: Aquatics Supervisor Steven Parks described a “dramatic renovation” of the indoor pool that is expected to continue through September. He said crews hope to finish earlier but are keeping the published timeline through September.

- Outdoor pool timing: Parks reported the outdoor pool work was progressing “faster than we think.” Staff expected a health‑department inspection the week of the fifth of the month and said the pool could open as early as the 12th, but added a firm fallback: “the drop dead date we will open is Memorial Day weekend.” Staff also outlined a modified approach to swim lessons this summer because of construction, and a hybrid schedule for swim team practice and at least one home meet currently scheduled for June 21.

Programs, arts, museum and special events

- Camps and registrations: Staff said many camps were oversubscribed and that the department processes a very large number of transactions (registrations, cancellations and facility reservations). Some summer camp registrations remain handled in‑person for paperwork reasons rather than online.

- Arts and performances: Art Supervisor Nicole DeWald reported about 2,800 class participants, 350 youth in arts camps and roughly 3,000 attendees expected for 21 musical theater and dance performances. DeWald noted the department employs dozens of teaching artists and supports public art work and exhibitions.

- Museum projects and fundraising: Museum Director Megan Searing Young updated council on a $550,000 renovation and small addition for the Greenbelt Museum (the “visitor and education project”), reporting about $330,000 raised to date from grants and private gifts and ongoing fundraising by the Friends of the Greenbelt Museum. The project still needs a fundraising finish and permits before construction.

- Special events and in‑kind costs: Staff said the recreation department has assumed responsibility for more city special events and will create a dedicated special‑events team of non‑classified staff. Council asked staff to compute the full in‑kind city cost (public works, rangers, equipment and staff support) for each major event so future budgeting can account for those expenses.

Facility improvements and community centers

- Spring Hill Lake Rec Center: Recent capital work includes full gym resurfacing, new game‑room furniture and playground updates. Staff said they are exploring further improvements (tile replacement, a smaller front desk) using dedicated funds, including money donated by Motiva.

- Community Center: New community center supervisor Trevin Green said hours have been extended and that room reservations and free‑space use grew during the recovery from the pandemic. Staff noted growth in “free space” use by recognition groups and said policies limit unlimited free use (for example, free groups are limited in frequency) while seeking ways to increase rental revenues where practical.

Equity and geographic access

Council asked about geographic equity between Greenbelt East and West: staff said there are no dedicated staff assigned by neighborhood; facilities are centralized on the main campus and Spring Hill Lake Rec Center, and staff acknowledged both Greenbelt East and West lack the facility footprint of other neighborhoods. Staff and council discussed possibilities such as shared use MOUs with the county Board of Education for school facilities as longer‑term options.

Clarifying details and follow‑ups

- Deficit context: Staff linked recreation impacts to an overall city budget gap of about $4 million (city‑wide), which limited options for holding vacant positions as cost‑savings measures. - Pool timelines: Indoor pool renovation expected through September; outdoor pool inspection week of the fifth and earliest possible opening the 12th, with Memorial Day weekend as the final deadline. - Staffing: Park rangers currently numbered five; the department plans to fill the vacant aquatics coordinator post in January to prepare for summer. - Grants and funding: MD‑NCPPC contribution totals approximately $260,000 shared among recreation functions; museum addition project cost $550,000 with $330,000 raised to date (including state grants and a municipal/state bond).

What council directed or asked staff to do

Council requested staff provide: (1) a line‑item estimate of in‑kind costs for each major special event (public works, ranger support, equipment), (2) clarified timelines and communication about pool reopenings and member crediting, (3) a plan for potential restoration priorities if funding becomes available (programs first, then training), and (4) advocacy options for increasing county park‑and‑recreation funding.

Ending

Staff said they will return with any requested follow‑ups and that they will continue to manage the pools, camps and capital projects while working to minimize service disruption. Council thanked the recreation team for operations and programming and asked for updated materials (charts and demographic breakdowns) to be added to future budget presentations.