Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Recreation Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parks and Recreation budget draws council scrutiny over senior programs, parade costs and new drone show
Summary
Parks and Recreation Director Cynthia detailed program budgets — including a $25,000 drone show, $25,000 for senior dances and Dodger Dream Team participation — prompting council scrutiny of general-fund subsidies and parade production costs.
Parks and Recreation Director Cynthia (last name not specified in the transcript) presented staffing and program details and drew questions from council members about general-fund subsidies for senior programming, special events and the city’s holiday parade.
Cynthia said her department has 10 full-time and 25 part-time staff, with part-timers often students and high turnover in those roles. She reviewed line items for classes, after-school supplies (largely covered by CDBG), art-walk promotion, and special events. For the July 4 celebration the department is transitioning from a fireworks display to a drone show and budgeted $25,000 for an initial 200-drone production; she said that figure covers the vendor deposit and related production costs.
On senior programming, Cynthia said regular senior activities have grown to more than 100 participants and that the department budgets for multiple senior dances and events (Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and a senior prom). The parks director identified $25,000 budgeted for senior dances (four events) and described associated costs such as DJs, food and modest performers. A council member questioned whether city general-fund dollars are appropriate for events that are restricted when held as part of a CDBG-funded senior program; staff said the building and some programming are governed by grant rules and that building use can be arranged differently when events are intended for the broader public.
Council members sought a clearer accounting of total parade costs and cross-department charges. One councilor estimated the holiday parade’s total annual cost had reached “a quarter of a million dollars”; the finance presenter said the parade’s approximate account is “right around $2.45 to maybe $2.70” (the transcript did not specify units; council discussion earlier referenced a quarter-million-dollar scale). Parks staff listed video production and broadcast costs: an estimated $15,000 to broadcast the parade on KTLA plus roughly $18,000–$20,000 for parade coordination and production services. Councilors expressed concern about cost-per-viewer math for paid broadcasts and asked staff to reassess sponsorships and partner contributions to reduce city subsidies.
On youth sports, staff described participation in the UCLA/Dodgers “Dream Team” program. Parks staff said the Dodgers provide uniforms and in-kind services and that the city handles coach recruitment, training and field support; staff estimated Dodger-related support (including some staff time and field maintenance) at roughly $30,000 in in-kind and staff-related costs but said the exact figures had not been tabulated for the meeting. The parks director explained class-instructor payments are coded under a special-interest revenue line: instructors receive 80% of the revenue generated by classes (the city retains 20%).
No final budget approvals or program contract awards were made; councilors requested more granular cross-department cost reporting and asked staff to return with refined figures at the continued meeting.
