Clark County warns parks operations short on funding; staff proposes task team to study new revenue

Clark County Parks and Nature managers told the Clark County Council during a work session that the department lacks sufficient operating funds to maintain current parks and support planned growth, and recommended forming a stakeholder task team to evaluate new revenue and funding strategies.

Deputy Director of Public Works Jenny Coker and Ross Hoover, Division Manager of Parks and Nature, told councilors the county maintains 7,166 acres across 111 parks and sites but has only 31 full‑time operations staff and an operating budget of about $8.14 million for maintenance and operations. Hoover said the county’s operating expenditure per capita — about $15.62 — is roughly 26 percent of the National Recreation and Park Association median for similarly sized agencies, and staffing (0.59 full‑time equivalents per 10,000 residents) is far below the national median of 4.7.

Those gaps, staff said, produce deferred maintenance and limit the department’s ability to develop planned sites. “We will not meet growth needs for parks and nature facilities because of the O&M operating budget gaps,” Hoover said. He warned that without additional operating funding the county could have to limit or close amenities and…