Rec & Parks seeks staff additions and fee adjustments; commissioners ask for ticket‑pricing model for summer performances

Recreation and Parks Director Ray Bivens presented staffing requests and proposed fee changes tied to program demand and rising operating costs.

Positions and operations: Rec & Parks requested three positions: a coordinator to manage onboarding and volunteer coordination (to free program coordinators for core programming), and additional maintenance staffing to keep pace with an expanded park system and new facilities. Bivens said the department has 12 maintenance crew positions historically but growing facility complexity (gymnastics center, new amenities) has increased workload.

Programs and enterprise funds: The department reported strong summer registration and a recovery in school‑age care demand since the return‑to‑work trend. Bivens said staff budgets include anticipated new before‑and‑after school sites (Evergreen Elementary among potential additions) but cautioned hiring/licensing constraints for child‑care staff (director qualifications, staff counts tied to licensed capacity).

Fees and summer stock: Staff proposed incremental fee increases for various programs and rentals and suggested a $2.50–$15 change in some facility rental rates. Commissioners focused on summer‑stock ticket pricing (current adult matinee/regular/senior pricing structure). Multiple commissioners asked Rec & Parks to model a simplified adult ticket price of $15 and child price of $9 (removing matinee differentiation) and to show the likely revenue impact using recent years’ attendance and sales data.

Ending: Rec & Parks will supply commissioners with a detailed fee‑model of summer‑stock pricing and additional program revenue projections; the department also identified a set of nonrecurring capital items that could be funded from fund balance if commissioners choose to do so.