Boulder parks advisory board backs $40.76 million 2026 budget; approves $4.22M permanent-fund spending and $43.91M six-year CIP

The Boulder Parks and Recreation Advisory Board on Wednesday recommended the city manager's proposed 2026 parks-and-recreation budget of $40,764,360 and approved several capital spending items, forwarding a $43,910,000 six-year capital improvement program to planning board and city council.

Board members voted unanimously in roll-call votes to (1) recommend the 2026 operating and capital budget for the department, (2) recommend $4,222,134 in 2026 expenditures from the permanent parks and recreation fund for council appropriation, and (3) forward the 2026—1 CIP totaling $43,910,000 for adoption. The votes followed a staff presentation and discussion about program priorities, fee changes and funding sources.

The board heard a budget overview from Ali Rhodes, director of parks and recreation, and Jackson Hite, senior manager of business services. Staff said the recommended package combines operating and capital spending and draws on six funding sources, including the permanent parks and recreation fund, a 0.25% parks sales tax fund (CCRS), facility and fleet budgets, and other dedicated revenue. Staff described a roughly flat year-over-year budget on paper but stressed that inflation and cost-escalation pressures reduce purchasing power.

Why it matters

The recommendation moves the city manager's budget forward to planning board and city council for final consideration. The package includes program-level changes that will affect membership and fee structures at Boulder's recreation centers, planned capital investments in parks and facilities, and the department's service-delivery choices when faced with inflation in areas such as trash collection and concrete work.

Major details from the presentation

- Budget totals and timeline: Staff described a $40,764,360 recommended budget for 2026 (operating plus capital). The department said the city council will hold two public hearings in October and adopt the final city budget later in the year. Staff also noted that a separate capital appropriation from the permanent parks and recreation fund would still require city council appropriation after the board's recommendation.

- CCRS and major capital projects: Staff explained that Community Culture and Recreation Sales Tax funding (referred to in meeting materials as —CCRS—) is a key funding source for multi-year projects. Staff said CCRS had $53 million of voter-authorized projects spanning 2022—227, and that East Boulder Community Center work is funded from facilities/fleet budgets (about $7.5 million in 2026). Staff noted $18 million identified for Civic Area Phase 2 and $1 million for a Pearl Street Mall allocation; the CCRS fund balance was described as roughly $14 million at present. Staff also explained the ballot this November asks voters to extend CCRS collections in perpetuity and to authorize bonding against future CCRS receipts; if approved, bonding would allow the city to receive larger sums upfront for major projects.

- Fee and membership changes: The department plans to implement a new recreation management software (SmartRec) on Nov. 14 and to phase in membership and some fee changes with the software, with new fees effective Jan. 1. Staff said the standard three-facility recreation-center membership will be held flat for many users, but an all-access pass that includes outdoor pools and reservoir access will increase for people who add those amenities. Staff told the board the budget assumes roughly $600,000 of additional revenue from membership re-structuring.

- Cost allocations and internal charges: Staff flagged a near-$930,000 increase in central cost allocations across the department's funds (from 2025 to 2026), driven by a new methodology and a consultant's re-costing. Staff said the department's administrative share (including those central allocations) remained near 12% of the budget, a benchmark they said is at the low end compared with peer agencies.

- Service trade-offs and maintenance: Staff described specific service decisions under consideration to manage cost pressures: limiting some mobile security trailers, changing restroom maintenance approaches at problem sites (e.g., porta-letties at Knighton Canyon), and delaying or sequencing capital repairs where construction-season timing matters.

Public comment and board response

A public commenter, identified as Lynn (resident), urged the board not to increase rates at the South Boulder Recreation Center and criticized the city's practice of relying on development fees and subsidies to pay for infrastructure. Lynn said raising recreation fees would harm low-income residents and urged the board to press city council for developer funding of needed services. Board members and staff acknowledged the comments; staff emphasized that fee decisions and budget trade-offs are part of the broader city budget process and that some revenue and service decisions are tied to voter-approved CCRS decisions.

Formal motions and votes (summarized)

- Motion: Recommend the 2026 city manager's recommended parks and recreation budget, $40,764,360. Outcome: approved (roll call). Vote record (as read into the record): Bernie: Aye; Yvonne: Aye; Caroline: Aye; Robert: Aye; Jenny: Aye; Michael: Aye; Kira: Aye. Tally: yes 7, no 0.

- Motion: Recommend 2026 expenditures of $4,222,134 from the permanent parks and recreation fund to city council for appropriation. Outcome: approved (roll call). Vote record: Bernie: Aye; Yvonne: Aye; Caroline: Aye; Robert: Aye; Jenny: Aye; Michael: Aye; Kira: Aye. Tally: yes 7, no 0.

- Motion: Recommend the Parks and Recreation Department 2026—31 Capital Improvement Program of $43,910,000 to the planning board and city council for approval and adoption. Outcome: approved (roll call). Vote record: Bernie: Aye; Yvonne: Aye; Caroline: Aye; Robert: Aye; Jenny: Aye; Michael: Aye; Kira: Aye. Tally: yes 7, no 0.

Related board action

Separately during the meeting the board agreed to prepare a short letter of support for continuation of the CCRS sales-tax measure on the November ballot; the board asked staff to finalize a brief letter and send it to local outlets (letter to the editor / op-ed) that highlights parks projects supported by the tax.

What the board asked staff to follow up on

Board members pressed staff for more detail on: (1) the CCRS cash flow and the fund balance and how bonding would work if voters authorize it, (2) exact breakdowns of CCRS funding across years and projects, (3) more granular estimates of cost-allocation changes and why they rose, and (4) specifics of membership revenue modeling and the communications plan tied to SmartRec roll-out.

Ending

Staff said the packet contains detailed spreadsheets and project lists; the board will forward its recommendations to planning board and council as part of the city's October public-hearing schedule. Staff asked board members to help publicize the statistically valid survey linked to the Boulder Valley comprehensive-plan update and to share feedback during the fall outreach period.