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San Ramon Parks department proposes budget restoring some cuts; staff says 53% cost recovery achieved but sustainability questioned
Summary
Parks and Community Services staff presented a draft FY 2025–26 operating budget that restores services cut during last year’s shortfall, reports a projected 53% cost recovery and asks commissioners to weigh cost‑recovery priorities against service goals. Staff noted major fixed costs (benefits, contracts) drove much of the increase.
San Ramon Parks and Community Services staff presented the department’s draft operating budget for fiscal year 2025–26 on April 9 and described a program of restored services alongside continuing cost pressures for salaries, benefits and contractual obligations.
Department analyst May Malinick told the commission the proposed PCS budget would increase department expenditures from the current fiscal year’s roughly $8.8 million to about $10.45 million for 2025–26, while revenue was forecast to rise modestly to about $5.54 million. The city subsidy (general fund contribution) increases to make up the difference; staff said much of the change reflects reintroducing employee benefit costs that were previously covered by an OPEB trust fund.
Why it matters: the department reported it reached a 53% cost‑recovery ratio for the coming budget year — above the department’s historical 50% benchmark — but staff cautioned the ratio may not be sustainable as fee increases can reduce participation in fee‑based programs over time.
Key points - Expenditures: proposed PCS expenditures for 2025–26 were presented at $10,449,824, an increase of about $1.6 million from the current year. Staff explained much of that increase reflects full‑time benefits and contract escalators previously offset with trust funds. - Revenue and cost recovery: proposed revenues total about $5.54 million. Staff said the department “did excitedly maintain a 53% cost recovery goal” but warned that continuing to raise fees to chase a percentage could reduce participation in fee‑based programs over time. - Restored programs: staff proposed restoring library hours, reopening customer service counters at community centers during lunch hours, additional senior programming and events (including a planned dive‑in movie series), and other services that had been cut during last year’s budget shortfall. - Contractual and fixed costs: staff highlighted fixed costs the department cannot control, including full‑time salaries/benefits and multi‑year contract escalators for things such as theater management and registration systems. An IS (information systems) replacement charge of about $31,000 was called out separately.
Commissioner comments and follow up Commissioners praised the department’s outreach and the staff’s effort to hold non‑discretionary costs down, but asked for more historical trend data to better understand multi‑year revenue and expenditure patterns. Several commissioners suggested looking beyond a single cost‑recovery target — for example, factoring community value and program equity into long‑term policy decisions.
Next steps: staff asked for commissioner feedback on priorities; the draft budget will be refined and transmitted through Finance and City Council processes for final adoption in June.
