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Parks department outlines flat FY26 operating budget, requests $250,000 rates-and-fees study and several CIP starts
Summary
The Department of Parks and Recreation presented a FY26 operating budget of about $42.3 million, requested $250,000 for a rates-and-fees cost study, and outlined CIP priorities that include a Lahaina community center and field house.
The Department of Parks and Recreation presented a flat operating budget for fiscal year 2026 and outlined prioritized capital improvement projects and operational requests at the Maui County Budget, Finance & Economic Development Committee.
Director Pat McCall told the committee the department's FY26 operating budget is "approximately $42,300,000 with the CIP budget in addition of 23.4" million dollars. McCall said administratively the department is asking for $250,000 to fund a cost-study analysis of rates and fees so the department can adopt a "systematic approach for determining these rates and fees with a built-in system to look at it on an annual basis." McCall also requested four part-time caretaker positions to replace services previously provided by qualified rehabilitation programs.
Major CIP priorities McCall listed include: a Lahaina community center, a covered field house for Lahaina, an emergency generator at the South Maui gymnasium, Kalama Park light replacement, roof replacement at Kahului Community Center, Lahaina Aquatic Center rehabilitation, and planning for a new Kula facility. McCall also said the department will add a budget line for annual court resurfacing as part of preventative maintenance.
Committee members pressed the department on vacancies, carryover items and project delivery timelines. The director and staff said the department has roughly 70 vacancies and that a fully staffed complement would be about 430 positions (not counting temporary PALS staff). Staff pledged to provide a written breakdown of which FY24 carryover items (capital projects, unfilled vacancies, equipment) are being re-proposed in FY26.
Public testimony during the meeting included community appeals for parks, playgrounds, youth services and support for the YMCA. Steve Scraggs, CEO of Maui Family YMCA, testified in favor of a proposed $250,000 appropriation to the YMCA for scholarships and programs countywide; he said the West Maui YMCA Community Resource Center in Lahaina will provide partner office space and free program space for several organizations. High school student Meliana Kurokawa of Hana testified in favor of new playgrounds for Hana, Kipahulu and Keanae and said she collected a petition with 410 signatures.
Why it matters: Parks manages the county's community facilities, recreation programs and a broad CIP portfolio that touches neighborhoods across Maui. The department faces a hiring and retention challenge for recreation staff, rising construction costs, and public expectations to deliver projects in rural communities. The department signaled that the rates-and-fees study is intended to make future fee increases transparent and evidence-based.
What comes next: staff said they will provide written answers to member questions on vacancies, FY24 carryover items to be re-budgeted in FY26, and PALS staffing and wage data. CIP designs and procurement schedules will determine when construction starts; members asked staff for timelines and for updates on permit and delivery delays.
