Council and auditor clarify Lake Kennedy cost figures amid public criticism

Public comment at the May 7 meeting criticized the Lake Kennedy project and called it over budget. City Auditor Andrea Russell told the council the audit showed the project was not over budget in its current scope and that the frequently cited 48% increase reflects a change in the project’s scope from smaller community-park improvements to an expanded tournament center.

Marie Kavanaugh and others in citizen input said they were outraged by reports that the project had exceeded its budget. Auditor Russell explained the audit timeline and charted how the project evolved: an earlier 2016 parks master plan proposed modest improvements; subsequent designs expanded the scope to create a racket/tournament center (additional pickleball and tennis courts and related facilities). Because the project’s scope changed, the budget baseline changed as well; the audit notes a 48% increase in the budget figure only because planners moved from the earlier improvement baseline to the new tournament-center design.

Russell said, as summarized in the audit appendix, the city has spent about $11.9 million of a current $12.3 million budget and remains “substantially complete” on construction items examined by auditors. She emphasized the audit focused on planning and closeout processes, not a financial forensic audit of every invoice, and recommended administrative improvements in planning and closeout documentation.

Council members who addressed the issue said project decisions and scope changes were discussed in public meetings and that stakeholder input — including requests for expanded courts from local athletic groups — affected the scope. Several council members urged residents and media to review the audit appendices for the timeline and facts shown in the public record.