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Hilliard’s new well drives 30% Rec & Parks budget increase request; staff seek added full- and part-time workers
Summary
With the new well operating for a full year in 2026, Recreation & Parks proposed a 30% budget increase that includes five additional full-time positions, 140 part-time positions for well operations, and marketing and utility costs tied to full-year operation.
Recreation & Parks staff told the committee the 2026 operating budget request for their function rises about 30% compared with 2025, primarily because 2025 included only six months of the Hilliard Well's operation and 2026 is the first full-year projection.
“We are requesting 5 additional full time positions that includes a maintenance technician, 2 custodians ... a recreation supervisor position for programming, as well as a park supervisor,” the recreation director said. The request also includes 140 part-time positions to support full operations at the well and funding to fully staff two positions started in 2025.
Staff described dependent budget increases: personnel and uniforms drive supply increases; utilities reflect a full year of well and athletic-complex operations; contractual services grew to cover additional special events planned in 2026; and refunds increased to cover the city’s share of Issue 22 tax refunds. Staff reported membership and revenue to-date for the well: about 4,316 memberships sold and roughly $800,000 in membership revenue; through September, current revenue was reported as $2,134,800.
Council members pressed staff about staffing challenges and scheduling. The department said daytime and morning part-time coverage (for lifeguards and other roles) remains hard to fill; staff are recruiting nontraditional candidates, including retirees and existing staff obtaining lifeguard certifications. Council asked whether marketing for the well should be budgeted under Recreation & Parks; staff said the marketing position is formally supervised by Community Relations but works closely with Rec & Parks and that most ad-placement costs sit in the Community Relations budget.
Staff said they are monitoring recapture and revenue targets; one councilmember reminded staff that the original recapture target for the well was roughly $3 million. Staff reported current membership and revenue numbers and said there are about three months remaining in the year to meet targets.
Why it matters: Full-year costs and staffing to run the well will influence whether Recreation & Parks approaches self-sufficiency and how much general-fund support the department needs in 2026.
