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Parks department says layoffs cut staffing and will reduce events and some services; public commenter urged restoration
Summary
Parks, Recreation & Waterfront officials told the Board of Finance they lost staff in a recent reduction in force and will eliminate some events, close or end leases on certain spaces and curtail adult programming; a longtime parks professional urged the city to restore positions during public comment.
Derek Roche, division director for parks and central facilities, told the Board of Finance on May 14 that Burlington’s Parks, Recreation & Waterfront (PPRW) department sustained multiple layoffs and is planning service reductions to close the FY26 budget gap.
"Prior to the reductions, we'd had 70 individuals that were the PPRW... comprised of 65 full time and 5 part time staff. Following the RIF, we will have 59 full time and 3 part time staff," Roche said, summarizing staffing before and after the recent reductions in force.
Why it matters: Roche and colleagues said the cuts will reduce the department’s capacity to run events, adult programs and some facility operations. The department flagged ending the community center second‑floor lease (a building owned by Champlain Housing Trust) and winding down the adult center operation as notable service changes. Roche said some external rentals and events will be reduced and that those changes will lower revenue that the department historically used to offset costs.
Roche urged patience as staff, the mayor’s office and department leaders meet to catalog work and reassign necessary tasks: "This is a work in progress ... it will be bumpy the next 5 to 6 weeks," he said, noting leadership transition meetings and staff engagement sessions were scheduled.
Public comment earlier in the meeting included a lengthy statement from Maggie Lubbers, a former Burlington recreation superintendent and long‑time parks advocate, who criticized the manner of recent staff eliminations and urged the city to preserve Parks & Recreation services. "I do not understand, how the city is eliminating essential workers in the department that have the institutional knowledge, professional certifications," Lubbers told the board during public forum, calling the removals "unnecessary, demeaning, and will affect these people for their whole entire lives." Her remarks were offered during the public comment period and were not part of a council vote.
Roche said the department has made some revenue gains—marina and campground rates were increased and the department pulled in above‑budget revenue in FY24—but warned that summer revenue is uncertain because of changing visitor patterns (including fewer Canadian visitors) and reduced event capacity.
What was not decided: No council votes were taken on service closures at the meeting; the department will provide more specific scheduling and service‑level information to counselors. Roche said the Clerk/Treasurer's Office committed to filling a financial administrative assistant gap to support department finance tasks.
What's next: Department leadership will continue staff engagement meetings and provide follow‑up details on event scheduling, adult programming and how lost functions will be reassigned or wound down.
(Quote sources: Derek Roche; Maggie Lubbers.)
