Parks and Recreation lays out fees, projects and staffing needs ahead of zoo season

Parks and Recreation staff presented a wide-ranging update covering parks maintenance, cemeteries, recreation programming and the zoo during Monday's Idaho Falls City Council meeting, asking the council for approval to run a public hearing in April on a proposed zoo nonresident fee increase.

The department described its assets and operations: 48 city parks; three golf courses; about 27 playgrounds; 33 public restrooms; more than 24 miles of pathway; roughly 25 baseball/softball fields and 27 soccer/football fields; 16 tennis courts; 6 outdoor and 7 indoor pickleball courts; two cemeteries (Rose Hill and Fielding), disc golf, an aquatic center and an ice rink. Staff said they maintain roughly 1,700 acres of city-managed property (including rights-of-way and storm ponds), with over 500 acres of turf grass alone.

Zoo and fees: Parks staff told the council the zoo will open April 24 and that staff are pursuing accreditation this year. To reduce subsidy pressure, staff proposed keeping resident zoo admission at 2024 resident levels while raising nonresident admission by $3; they asked council to authorize a public hearing in April. Staff also proposed reintroducing a resident validation card that patrons can obtain at the recreation center and show at park windows to receive the resident rate; staff said they expect to have the card and validation process ready before opening day.

Staffing, security and vandalism: The department described its combination of full-time, seasonal and contracted workers. To reduce vandalism, the department expanded an overnight security patrol contract: May'September coverage costs about $3,000 per month (roughly $15,000 for the season), and limited winter patrols cost about $800 per month. Staff said nightly patrols plus targeted investments (automatic-locking restroom doors and cameras funded by ARPA) brought vandalism-related replacement costs down from roughly $60,000 in an earlier season.

Recreation finances and cost recovery: Parks presenters reviewed cost-recovery figures for fiscal 2024: sports and programming showed cost recovery above 100% (127% reported), the aquatic center recovered roughly half of its operating costs (about 50%), and the ice rink recovered about 27%. Staff said recent fee adjustments, a modest increase in the parks-and-recreation levy and operational changes had put the recreation fund back on a positive trajectory; the fund showed a cash balance of about $67,000 in December 2024. Staff asked the council to consider a further 10% increase in the recreation levy for fiscal 2026 to meet finance guidance that reserve cash should equal roughly 25% of anticipated expenditures.

Cemeteries and capital: Staff described cemetery maintenance challenges including early-season irrigation limits that reduce crews' ability to prepare Memorial Day plantings, vole damage to turf near farm fields, an aging irrigation system at Rose Hill that is on the five-year capital plan, and a $50,000-plus unplanned cost to rebuild a niche wall that lacked adequate foundation. Staff said cemetery burials in 2024 totaled about 128 across both sites (60 in Fielding, 68 in Rose Hill) and that digital mapping and software improvements are underway to clarify inventory.

Trails, grants and parks projects: Staff summarized capital projects: canal-pathway construction underway (4.6 miles built with associated linear miles of bank maintenance), planned realignment of North Tophus/Tophus Park access, restroom and playground work, and a $500,000 TAC grant to fund pathways in Taffas Park's eastern half. Other projects include restroom upgrades at Heritage Park, relocated playgrounds, playgrounds scheduled for Antares, Bel Air and Willowbrook in 2025, and continued work to finish paving and parking-lot improvements budgeted in later years.

Operational changes and technology: The department said it will trial more contracting of right-of-way and storm-pond maintenance to reduce recurring full-time staffing growth, pilot autonomous field-lining machines to cut labor, and pursue more resident-oriented fee collection (resident card and address validation). Staff also highlighted investments in automated scheduling for field lights and potential pay-for-use control systems for athletic-field lighting.

Events and personnel: Staff announced the zoo's volunteer cleanup day (April 19), the zoo opening (April 24), and retirements: longtime staffer Tim Reinke is retiring (noted by Parks staff), and Cleve Lewis's retirement celebration is planned tentatively for May 30. Staff also named several awards and recognitions, including a PRCA honor for the rodeo.

Why this matters: The presentation laid out several near-term budget decisions (notably the proposed zoo fee change and a requested levy increase later in the budget cycle) and outlined capital and operational needs the council will weigh during the 2025-26 budget process. Staff said the fee changes and new resident validation process are intended to reduce per-visit subsidy and better allocate cost across residents and nonresidents.

Council direction and next steps: Councilors discussed the zoo fee proposal and resident card timing; staff said they expect to have the card and validation process in place before opening day and asked council to approve advertising an April public hearing. Council did not take a final vote on fee changes at the meeting.