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Richmond Parks board tables 2026 budget after controller finds cash shortfall; approves higher 2026 facility rates
Summary
The Richmond Parks and Recreation Board voted to table the department's proposed 2026 budget to Sept. 11 after the city controller identified a budget error that created a cash shortfall. The board separately approved revised 2026 facility rates, increasing some indoor rental rates by $20 instead of the $15 previously discussed.
The Richmond Parks and Recreation Board on Thursday voted to table consideration of the department's proposed 2026 budget until the board's Sept. 11 meeting after Tracy McGinnis, the city controller, told the board an accounting error left the parks fund with a multi-hundred-thousand-dollar shortfall.
McGinnis said the error "took the cash balance or the projected cash balance for the 2204 account to a negative $600,000. We have worked today to bring that down. We're down to about negative $200,000 right now," and said staff is continuing work to balance the fund before it goes to council.
The controller and department staff attributed the shortfall in part to state changes and delayed state information: McGinnis referenced implementation of "SB1" and said the city has not yet received required state data on the maximum levy and circuit breaker amounts, which complicates final budget calculations.
While the board postponed final action on the full 2026 budget, it approved a separate motion to revise facility rates for 2026 after finance staff discovered a spreadsheet miscalculation. Emma, a parks finance staff member, told the board she had prepared two sets of calculations and that "there's the increase by $20 and then there's the increase by 15" and that the difference between those scenarios is "just over a $14,000 difference in the total." Emma said the board had previously approved what they thought was a $15-per-unit increase but the formulas in the working spreadsheet had used $20.
Denise, the department's superintendent, explained the department's preference not to raise fees but said budget realities left staff with little choice. "We don't like to raise any rates — we would like to give the community everything that we have for free, unfortunately it's not something that we have to offer," she said, adding that staff were trying to limit changes to indoor cabins and venue rentals and not outdoor rental rates.
Board members agreed to approve the revised rate schedule at the higher ($20) level so the projected revenue aligns with the previously discussed bottom line for the department. Finance staff noted the new rates had not yet been published to the public when the error was discovered.
Votes at a glance
- Motion to table the Park and Recreation 2026 proposed budget until Sept. 11, 2025 — motion passed (voice vote). The board did not adopt the budget at the meeting.
- Motion to approve revised 2026 facility rental rates (revised upward to match $20-per-unit calculations; indoor cabins and venue rates only) — motion passed (voice vote).
Why this matters: The parks budget funds maintenance, staff and programming for pools, trails, senior centers and other city recreation facilities. Delaying final budget approval shifts the department's timeline for finalizing staff allocations, capital work and published customer rates ahead of the 2026 fiscal year.
What happens next: Staff will continue reconciling the parks fund and expect to return with a revised budget at the board's Sept. 11 meeting; city finance and the mayor's office will continue internal review before the city council receives the budget later in the fall.
