Rosenberg council favors limited supervision, keeps splash pad hours at 11 a.m.–8 p.m.

The Rosenberg City Council on workshop night discussed safety, hours and enforcement at the Travis Parks splash pad after two residents urged the council to add supervision and change reservation policies.

Residents said unsupervised activity at the splash pad has led to drinking, risky behavior and situations that make some families uncomfortable. Council members and staff outlined options including hourly patrols by city staff or police, seasonal part-time hires, reservation and capacity enforcement, and referral of vendor policy changes to the parks board.

Why it matters: Council members framed the splash pad as a high-demand city amenity that draws heavy daily use and therefore could raise safety and liability concerns different from other parks. Any change to charging or access would also change the city’s legal duty to inspect and warn about hazards, city legal staff told the council.

Council began the discussion after public comments from Cynthia Wesley of 2514 Avenue J and Mary Johnson of 2640 Live Oak Drive. Wesley asked for details on cost and maintenance and said the facility “is deteriorating” and “isn’t compensating for the expense.” Johnson said she had taken her grandchildren to the splash pad twice and called it “unsupervised” and “free babysitting,” adding that she feared an eventual lawsuit if behavior continues unchecked.

Parks staff explained the parks board recommended operating daily from April 1 through Sept. 30 and suggested opening hours of 9 a.m.–8 p.m.; the board ultimately recommended leaving rules as-is and operating without dedicated staff on duty. City staff said reservation-capable pavilions use a QR code system and that when a reservation conflicts with unreserved use staff or police can be called to enforce the permit; staff described past incidents being resolved in under 15 minutes.

City attorney (on the record) explained the legal difference between a licensee (no charge for entry) and an invitee (charged). For licensees the city’s duty is to repair or warn of known hazards; if the city charges admission the duty increases to inspect and correct concealed, unreasonably dangerous conditions. The attorney cautioned the council that charging admission would likely raise the city’s inspection obligations.

Council members expressed varying views on the level of on-site supervision. Several favored periodic checks by parks staff or Rosenberg Police—“go by there every hour, just walk,” one council member suggested—rather than full-time lifeguard-style staffing. Parks staff calculated a simple illustration that 10 hours a day over a season at $15 an hour would add about $25,000 in wages; staff noted multiple operational models (seasonal part-time hires, overtime for existing staff, or hourly patrols by police) each carry different budget implications.

Other items discussed and staff directions: - Hours: Council directed staff to retain the current daily hours of 11 a.m.–8 p.m. for now rather than move to 9 a.m., while authorizing opening on weekends in October with 6 p.m. closing during that month’s reduced daylight hours. Staff will bring the operating-schedule amendment and any proposed rule changes back to a future city council meeting for formal adoption. - Supervision: Council directed staff to develop options and cost estimates for supervision (seasonal part-time positions, periodic parks checks, and police walkthroughs) and include the staffing plan in upcoming budget discussions. Several council members said hourly checks by police or parks staff could address immediate concerns about alcohol or unruly behavior without creating a permanent expectation of full-time babysitting. - Reservations and enforcement: Council asked staff to clarify pavilion reservation logistics and enforcement (showing permit via QR code and calling the permit number) and to post reservation information more clearly for the public. Staff said one pavilion is currently first-come/first-served and others use the QR-code reservation system; staff indicated rental revenue figures are tracked but did not provide totals at the workshop. - Vendors: The council referred questions about allowing vendors (ice-cream trucks, permitted food vendors) to the parks board and asked staff to draft potential ordinance changes; staff noted an existing city ordinance currently prohibits vendors on park property and any change would require an ordinance amendment. - Capacity and safety signage: Staff will calculate maximum occupancy for the splash pad concrete area for enforcement and consider increased signage (“caution: slippery surface”) and daily maintenance checks. Staff said park maintenance teams check chemicals and remove trash daily.

Quotes drawn from the meeting: “It’s fun, but fun is not gonna pay the bills,” resident Cynthia Wesley said, urging the council to consider rental fees or reservation charges to offset costs. Mary Johnson said she would not bring her grandchildren back because the splash pad is “unsupervised” and parents sometimes leave children unattended. A parks staff member explained the reservation-permit system and said officers or park staff will respond when a paid reservation conflicts with unreserved users. The city attorney summarized liability: switching to a paid-entry model raises the city’s duty to inspect and correct concealed hazards.

What’s next: Staff will return to council with a proposed rules ordinance and a hiring/operational plan for supervision and enforcement. The parks board will study any proposed vendor-permit changes and report back with recommendations. Formal changes to hours, rules or charging would require a future council vote.