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Franklin Park staff flag potential $48,000 community-events shortfall; camps revenues hinge on school calendar
Summary
At an October work session, parks and recreation staff warned the borough—s 2026 recreation budget could face a sizable shortfall if summer camp weeks drop; councilors discussed sponsorships, festival costs, trash cans and timing for final budget numbers.
Recreation staff told Franklin Park Borough Council at an October work session that uncertainty over the school district—s calendar could cut summer program weeks — and with them tens of thousands in revenue — producing an estimated $48,000 net reduction in community-events revenue in the 2026 draft budget.
The parks and recreation director said the department could not finalize revenue expectations for its camps until the school district sets its calendar. "If we have 8 true weeks of summer, we will — or 10 true weeks of summer — we will run 10 weeks," the director said, adding the draft budget currently assumes fewer weeks and that the final budget will be adjusted if the district releases dates.
That uncertainty helps explain a projected revenue swing reported by staff: the department—s recreation-programming revenues would drop by roughly $60,000 if two weeks of camp cannot run, staff said. The director said the program is normally revenue-positive and estimated the parks department typically clears roughly $70,000 to $80,000 annually from recreation operations if full programming runs.
Councilors pressed staff on several lines in the packet, including why festival and community-event expenses appear to be increasing. Staff said festival budgets have risen partly because of multi-year fireworks contracts that are expected to hit with a roughly 20% increase and because larger attractions and logistics (staging, sound) have higher costs than in prior years.
Sponsorships and cost-containment were discussed as a way to close the gap. Councilor discussion urged more aggressive sponsorship solicitation for events that are currently free to residents, and staff said they would re-engage a local fundraiser who had previously generated sponsorships in the mid-five figure range for the borough—s larger events.
Staff also described planned equipment and maintenance purchases for parks: replacing a patchwork of current trash can types with standardized, covered receptacles (estimated at roughly $600 each) and buying liners and lids to reduce overflowing wet trash. The director said work funded by grants will pay for certain items at Acorn Park, and other parks will be phased over multiple years.
On operations, staff outlined a choice about yard-waste (leaf bag) collection timing during the fall: the borough—s current schedule creates calls from residents when leaves accumulate during weeks the contractor is off. Staff said changing the contractor schedule or adding supplemental collection would increase disposal costs.
Why this matters: the recreation budget is one of the borough—s largest discretionary service lines and funds community events, camps that families rely on, and maintenance of park amenities. With rising event costs and uncertainty about camp weeks, staff and councilors must settle revenue assumptions before the borough adopts a final budget.
Staff said they will update the draft to reflect the school calendar and will report a revised recreation revenue/expense projection before final adoption.
