Parks & Rec seeks new part-time assistant, flags $250K field repair need

Parks & Recreation staff told the Budget Review Committee that the department’s budget proposes increasing headcount from five to six by adding a part-time year-round recreation program assistant. Tina, who presented the Parks & Recreation budget, said: "This budget is proposing to go from 5 people to 6 people. So it's a recreation program assistant set the position?" The committee moved and seconded the position; members voted in favor.

Tina reviewed operating changes and reclassifications: field-maintenance expenses were split out from general operating supplies into a dedicated field-maintenance line after a request from the budget board last year. She said operating supplies are essentially flat but that contractor costs for field maintenance (grub control, seeding and related work) have risen, driving a net increase in those costs.

Tina described two small building CIPs that are coming from the enterprise fund — new vinyl commercial flooring and an on-demand hot water heater — and said the flooring vendor indicated the proposed amount would buy a commercial-grade product. The committee discussed a proposed rider mower and trading in the old unit; Tina said the old mower will be traded.

A focal point of the Parks & Recreation discussion was a proposed full field rehabilitation for the softball/athletic complex. Tina and committee members described persistent safety problems on the outfields: decaying stump pockets, uneven ground and poor drainage. Tina said the project estimate provided by contractors is "250 to $300,000." She cautioned the figure is a preliminary estimate: "it's not a legitimate estimate because it's so much that's that's unforeseen... we're hoping maybe 200,000, but they said you don't know what you're gonna find when you get in there. So we bumped it up a little more just in case."

Committee members discussed possible funding strategies. Several members proposed considering a loan from undistributed surplus to the enterprise fund so the project could proceed immediately and be repaid over multiple years; staff noted current CIP plans already use available surplus and said a loan would require changing a CIP before the votes next week. The committee encouraged hunting for grant opportunities and agreed to keep the field repair in the CIP conversation rather than funding it in this cycle.

On recreation amenities, Tina described a $50,000 playground equipment request (enterprise-funded), a shelter and a concrete slab, and a new online reservation system for the recently added pickleball courts. She explained the town will implement an online reservation system and seasonal memberships for the courts; the fee schedule has not been finalized. Tina said the department plans an on-site attendant (a small hut) to monitor court use. The committee approved the department’s operating subtotals and the new part-time position.

Committee discussion emphasized safety concerns at the fields, the difficulty of funding a large one-time capital project within existing enterprise balances and the need to pursue grants or inter-fund loan mechanisms if the town wants to accelerate repairs.