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OSMP seeks early board input on 2026 budget priorities: wildfire, presence on the land and asset management
Summary
Open Space staff presented a high-level kickoff on 2026 budget priorities, emphasizing wildfire and climate resilience, enhanced presence on the land (rangers), and continued asset-management investment; trustees requested trend data and clarity on how citywide strategic priorities intersect with OSMP work.
Open Space and Mountain Parks staff used the Jan. 15 board meeting to provide an early, strategic-level briefing on proposed priorities that will inform the 2026 budget. Staff said they wanted to engage trustees earlier in the cycle to connect the department’s master plan with the City’s strategic plan and to highlight near-term “tier 1” priorities.
Deputy Director Lauren Kilcoyne and senior manager Sam McQueen outlined how OSMP aligns departmental master-plan strategies with broader citywide guidance and then described the department’s internal strategic priority areas for 2024–25: wildfire and climate resilience implementation; an enhanced presence on the land (rangers and outreach); and prioritizing integrated work planning and budgeting. McQueen provided examples of previously funded actions tied to those priorities, including new wildfire‑focused positions, climate-fund operating support for fuels mitigation and CIP investments for climate‑plan implementation.
Trustees asked for more context and for multi‑year trend data on staffing, CIP spending and the maintenance backlog. Several trustees expressed concern about equating OSMP’s work with city policing priorities; staff clarified that the City strategic plan contains items that intersect with ranger duties (training and interagency coordination) but that OSMP will not be asked to perform policing outside its charter. Trustees also asked whether reduced CIP funding and other tightening strategies (not backfilling vacancies, potential disposal of non‑charter residences) are sufficient and requested the OSMP six‑year project list and a deeper review of tradeoffs between capital and operating choices.
Staff proposed a calendar of touches: strategic guidance in January (this briefing), a revenue and near‑term update in April, a written update in May after city finance returns updated revenue guidance, and then the usual June–July budget presentations and a July public hearing. Trustees asked staff to produce historical trend lines on FTEs, CIP spending and maintenance backlog to provide context for prioritization decisions. No budget votes were taken at the meeting.
