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Parks director warns of major 2026 cuts; fees and service reductions presented as options
Summary
City Parks and Recreation staff told the advisory board the department faces a share of a $6.5 million citywide shortfall for 2026 and will likely need a combination of fee increases and service reductions to meet targets.
The City of Lawrence Parks and Recreation director told the advisory board that the department will likely bear a significant portion of a citywide $6.5 million budget shortfall in 2026 and that officials are considering a mix of fee increases and service reductions to reduce the shortfall.
During the director’s report the director said the department expects to receive budget guidance and targets in March and that the City Commission will discuss community input on March 21 and present budget numbers on April 1. “We know we will have to have budget reductions to the tune of $6,500,000 across the city in 2026,” the director said.
Department leaders said they will try to minimize program losses by increasing revenue where feasible — for…
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