Parks manager reports pier work, porta‑potties and skate‑park cutbacks; advisory board backs groundskeeper request

David Guider, St. Mary's County Parks Division manager, updated the Recreation and Parks Advisory Board on March 6 about recent maintenance and capital projects, park operations and budget pressures, and he described a set of short‑term changes designed to manage winter costs.

Guider said crews completed a pier replacement at 12 Timbers on Herring Creek and added an ADA ramp to the lower landing. “We completed a pier replacement project at 12 Timbers on Herring Creek ... the new pier is similar in size and dimensions and also includes, an ADA ramp down to our lower landing,” Guider said. The division is awaiting state permits to replace a pier at Paul Ellis in the 7th District.

He told the board that a milder winter allowed staff to get onto athletic fields earlier for soil amendments, topsoil and landscaping work. The county has also had “relatively minor” vandalism in parks, including a damaged bleacher at Lancaster Park and broken windows at a concession building in 5th District Park.

To manage early‑season restroom needs while reducing freeze risk, Guider said the department will place porta‑potties in higher‑use parks for March: “We are gonna put porta potties in our major parks, for the month of March. And those parks would be 5th District, John Baggett, Cecil, Dorothy, and 7th District Park.” He said Chaptico Park bathrooms, which have heat, will be opened sooner.

Permitting and field scheduling remain busy: Guider said Tyrone Harris, parks operations coordinator, has issued approximately 257 permits to leagues and teams for field usage this season. On the skate park, Guider said the county will reduce hours and close the skate park each day during December, January and February (beginning winter 2008) because low winter participation makes staffing per‑shift costs unsustainable; he said the skate park operates at an annual deficit estimated at $10,000–$15,000.

Budget and capital: a county staff presenter briefed the board that commissioners adopted a draft recommended capital budget on March 4 and that the public hearing on capital projects will be April 22 at Chopticon High School. The presenter summarized capital projects in the county plan, including ongoing work on the 3 Notch Trail (multiple phases), resurfacing and new courts at Cecil Park, a picnic pavilion and perimeter path work at Lancaster Park, ballfield lighting at Chancellor's Run (with remote control capability called Control Link), and a planned expanded parking lot at Chaptico Park to add roughly 100 spaces.

Guider and staff also described a central‑county parkland acquisition effort: three properties were appraised and appraisals must be within 20% of each other to use Maryland Program Open Space funds; staff are seeking appraisal reconciliation or a third appraisal before making a recommendation.

Operating budget requests remain constrained. The department requested converting an hourly office specialist to full‑time county funding, a groundskeeper position and additional part‑time park attendants. The county commissioners did not place those positions in the “to be considered” category in the initial operating budget review. Board members then moved to authorize the advisory‑board chair to submit a letter urging that the groundskeeper position be funded should money become available; the motion carried on a voice vote.

Ending: staff said they will furnish the board with additional numbers and materials for Tuesday's commissioner work session and will provide photos/documentation of park problems when requested.