Parks committee reviews budget, CIP items and playground options; staff to return with bids and design details

The Atherton Parks and Recreation Committee received a December 2024 fiscal update and discussed capital-improvement priorities for Hobart Palmer Park, including playground design, pavilion flooring and exterior bathrooms.

Robert Baron, a town staff member, told the committee the tennis fund for fiscal year 2024–25 had a budget of $57,500 and, as of December, showed $6,898 in expenditures — “we're at 12 percent of the expenditure for this current year,” he said. He also noted fiscal year 2023–24 tennis expenditures totaled $56,512, and most of that was pickleball-related work, court fencing and court restoration costs.

The nut of the discussion was the town’s broader parks budget and planned capital work. Baron said park maintenance (department 57) accounts for the largest share of park spending and that year-to-date maintenance expenditures were well below the annual budget. He summarized capital outlay and one-time projects from 2023–24 — including roughly $80,000 for a decomposed-granite pathway and about $60,000 for a playground replacement — and outlined items planned or under review for 2024–25.

Committee members pressed for more detailed line-item reporting for departments 57 (park maintenance) and 58 (park programs) at the next meeting so they can see why particular categories are over- or under-spent. Baron said he would provide a deeper level of detail at a future meeting.

On capital projects, Baron said there is $150,000 in the current CIP budget for pavilion flooring work and that the town has an estimate of $800,000 for new exterior bathrooms by the playground. He also identified a $155,000 operations/capital-outlay package that includes a $120,000 carriage-house bathroom remodel, $20,000 for Little League stands and $15,000 for Gilmore House painting and fireplace conversion. “There is a $150,000 in the CIP budget for pavilion floors,” Baron said. “There’s an estimate of appropriation of $800,000” for the playground-area bathrooms.

Playground planning and the proposal from Magical Bridge drew sustained attention. A committee member reported that Magical Bridge withdrew its proposal to build a dedicated Magical Bridge playground and that the council and staff were working toward a hybrid design that would incorporate some of Magical Bridge’s inclusive features. Rick (committee member) summarized: “Magical Bridge decided they didn't wanna participate in that. Okay. So they withdrew their off their proposal.” Staff said the playground still requires design work and that council-level review of revised designs was expected in the near term.

Committee members and staff also discussed the clay tennis court. Committee members noted rising court usage and asked whether converting the clay court to a hard court (an estimated roughly $100,000 capital cost mentioned in discussion) should be pursued; several members asked staff to delay any capital spending decisions on the clay court until the committee could review data and discuss alternatives next month.

Operational items and next steps: staff said an RFP seeking an event-coordinator vendor is active to help increase rentals and revenue; the committee asked staff to continue pursuing proposals. Staff reported they had solicited flooring estimates from multiple contractors for the main house and Jennings Pavilion and expected bids and material options by the next meeting. Committee members asked staff to provide a clearer breakdown of the $155,000 operation/capital-outlay allocation and a one-level deeper budget view for departments 57 and 58.

Quotes in the meeting came from committee members and staff. Robert Baron (staff member) summarized the tennis fund status and project estimates; Rick (committee member) summarized Magical Bridge’s decision to withdraw; Frank (Park Foundation) reported the foundation’s fundraising and fountain plans, saying the foundation expects the iconic fountain to be reinstalled by summer if site conditions allow. Michael (staff member) described repairs completed at the park and noted ongoing issues such as sewer root intrusions at the playschool building and plans for additional water-fountain replacements.

Votes at a glance: the committee approved the December minutes by voice vote (“Aye”; no abstentions or nays were recorded) and later adjourned by motion and second.

The committee set a schedule and timeline for committee input into CIP and budget review: a March study session will present a five-year forecast overview; April will review the general fund; May will include the townwide CIP (with a final review in June and budget adoption later in June). Staff said the next month the committee should expect more detailed CIP materials and contractor bids (floors and carriage-house work) and that staff would return with recommended alternates and cost breakdowns.

Ending: Committee members asked staff to return in February with the deeper departmental breakdown requested, the flooring bids and a clearer accounting of the 155,000 operations/capital-outlay items so the committee can make prioritized CIP recommendations to council during the March–June budget process.