Parks and Recreation presents expanded budget, requests four positions and camera upgrades

Parks and Recreation staff presented an expanded budget request for fiscal-year planning that includes operation of the Rainey B Aquatic Facility, four proposed full-time positions, equipment replacement and a three-year agreement for upgraded cameras at key parks.

Anessa, who led the presentation, said the Rainey B Aquatic Facility budget request totals about $411,200 and that projected admission revenue is increased to $100,000 from last year’s $80,000 estimate; she also added concession revenue that had not previously been included. The aquatic-budget request includes the splash pad equipment added last year (about $15,800 included) and better-quality cameras after repeated vandalism and fence-jumping incidents, Anessa said.

For the general recreation budget, Anessa asked the commission to add two full-time parks maintenance positions and to refill a deputy director/assistant director role that had been vacant. She said the department currently maintains roughly 360 acres with limited full-time staff and that staffing benchmarks from the National Recreation and Park Association suggest higher staffing ratios. Anessa also asked for a cyclical replacement plan for mowers and other equipment and proposed replacing a 30-year-old playground at City County Park as a capital project.

Commissioners noted that rental revenue projections have increased and that staff are pursuing concession and sponsorship opportunities to offset costs. Kathy and other staff confirmed that prior budgets had understated payroll taxes and retirement contributions; the revised request includes corrected payroll expense calculations. Commission consensus was to include the Parks & Recreation request in the city’s June budget process; no standalone vote was required at the meeting.