Huntington Park council debates parks budget, Dodger grant and pay for part‑time staff

At a special operating‑budget meeting, Huntington Park city council members spent more than two hours on Parks and Recreation funding, questioning program line items, the city’s use of a Dodgers-sponsored grant and whether part‑time and non‑represented parks workers receive livable wages.

Council members said the department’s revised proposals reduced some previously large line items but left open questions about equity and service reach. Several council members urged the city to prioritize wages for non‑represented and part‑time parks staff to reduce turnover and improve program continuity.

Why it matters: Parks programs reach a visible portion of young people and seniors and are highly public. Council members said they want scarce general‑fund dollars targeted where they serve the greatest number of residents and to stop creating program “winners and losers.” At the same time, staff said some grants — and their reporting requirements — limit what the city can spend.

Most budget specifics and who pays Finance staff clarified the largest specific grant discussed. "The Dodgers grant is for $34,560," Finance Director Jeff said; according to Jeff’s breakdown, $27,000 of that grant offsets the salary for a Dodgers program coordinator and $7,560 is allocated to maintenance and umpire fees for the program. Staff said uniforms, bats and balls are provided by the Dodgers program; trophies and photographs may not be covered and could come from the general fund.

Council members pressed staff to specify how the department uses the city’s youth‑sports appropriation (basketballs, nets, court repairs, chalking and other supplies); staff said $27,870 shows as the year‑to‑date actuals for youth sports supplies in the packet but that invoices and revenue/expense reports can lag by weeks.

Grants and restrictions City staff reminded the council that some programs are funded with restricted federal sources: policies and eligibility matter. A finance representative told the council CDBG‑funded programming carries age and use restrictions, so events funded by CDBG must meet those federal rules.

Pay and staffing debate Multiple council members urged the city to raise pay for non‑represented parks employees. Council members repeatedly described high turnover among part‑time workers, said that competing private employers pay more, and asked staff to pursue a compensation and salary analysis for non‑represented employees. City staff said non‑represented employees received a marginal adjustment several years ago, that a wider review is underway and that any increase must be mindful of compaction (supervisors not being paid less than those they supervise).

Staffing tradeoffs Parks staff proposed converting several part‑time slots into a full‑time recreation coordinator to reduce turnover and provide year‑round program continuity. Staff said the Dodgers grant already offsets the coordinator position for the Dodgers program; council members suggested a park‑focused grant coordinator might be a higher priority than a coordinator tied to a single external program.

Equity and program reach Council members pressed on whether current spending serves a large share of residents. One council member said seniors’ dance and meal programs and other events reach only a small fraction of the city’s seniors and asked whether funds should be reallocated to larger‑reach services such as increased splash‑pad hours or more open‑access programming. Staff responded that proposed cuts were based on prior‑year actuals.

Commissions and special events The budget adds a modest, pooled allocation for commissions — $25,000–$35,000 total divided among commissions — so each body can pilot programs. Staff said the line for Dia de los Muertos appeared to have been combined with Halloween in an early packet and promised to show the line separately in the final document; staff also located a proposed $5,500 allocation for Dia de los Muertos in the consolidated special‑events page.

What the council decided Council members ultimately voted to adopt the operating budget for FY 2025–26 with direction to staff to return with clarifications and requested changes (see Actions). Council members asked for continued review of part‑time staffing levels, further detail on how sports and special‑events dollars were tracked, and direction to bring a compensation study item for non‑represented employees to the council for future consideration.

Ending note Council members and staff agreed the budget adoption is not the last opportunity to act: staff pointed to mid‑year adjustments and other opportunities to reallocate funds once more precise revenues and expenditures are available.