Parks and Recreation trims staff lines, delays capital work after bids exceed estimates; Kinloch renovation and Kennedy pool cited as priorities

Department of Parks and Recreation Director Brian Schafer presented the department’s recommended 2026 Park Maintenance Fund budget to the County Council’s budget committee on Oct. 14, saying the proposed budget is $40,092,423, a 9.4% decrease from the 2025 adjusted budget.

Why it matters: Parks operates as a self‑funded department relying on a mix of property tax, sales tax, rents and user fees. Council members pressed Parks officials on staffing, procurement challenges, large unfunded capital needs and sponsorship opportunities to boost revenue.

Budget highlights and staffing

Schafer said personnel costs account for about 50% of the proposed budget; the department shows 413 positions (249 full‑time / 164 part‑time intermittent) or about 292.1 full‑time equivalents. To reduce costs and align with workload, the department removed 56 vacant positions (40 vacant for more than a year, 16 unfunded), Schafer said. He said the changes allowed Parks to absorb mandated merit increases without exceeding available funds.

Revenue mix

Schafer described the department''s revenue composition on the record: real estate/property tax revenue provides roughly 42% of the fund (about $14.4 million), local sales tax about 38% (about $13.1 million), rents and concessions roughly 11% (about $4.0 million), park and recreation fees about 4% (around $1.29 million), and other revenue about 4% (approximately $1.5 million) from long‑term leases, sponsorships and utilities‑related funds.

Capital projects and unfunded needs

Schafer outlined current capital work and requests: - Kinloch Park: Phase 1 (demolition, grading, utilities) completed at about $842,000; Phase 2 site amenities drew initial bids (low bid $2,718,000) that exceeded expectations and were rejected; Parks plans to rebid and is budgeting $2,000,000 in 2026 to continue work and complete parking construction that is already out to bid. - Tillis Park: the department plans a one‑mile main loop road resurfacing; Parks expects to fund $500,000 and will use Transportation and Public Works for procurement and construction management. - Kennedy Recreation Complex outdoor pool: staff discovered a failing underground return line and structural deterioration. Given the pool’s age (about 49 years) and extensive structural needs, Schafer said it is not fiscally responsible to reopen after temporary repairs; Parks is developing a replacement design (destination water playground, lap pool, renovated locker rooms) with KAI Enterprises but has not funded construction. - Bellefontaine Park: department proposes converting two underused softball fields to a synthetic turf football field and two kickball fields to address demand in North County. - Jarville House Annex (former Museum of the Dog): Parks has engaged Trivers Architects; estimated project cost is $8,540,000 (including $940,000 for design) to repurpose the Annex for centralized Parks office space before the department must vacate the L.K. Roos building by 2027.

Schafer said the projects listed on the presentation add to roughly $24.7 million in identified, currently unfunded needs. He explained that Arch River tax projects were reallocated to the divisions where the work occurs to improve transparency.

Procurement and sponsorships

Committee members and Schafer discussed procurement challenges and MWBE paperwork, bid competition, and whether procurement rules and Munis upload problems were discouraging bidders. Schafer said some contractors reported that county procurement processes are burdensome and that staff are working with procurement leadership to reduce technical bid rejections.

On sponsorships, Schafer said the department has issued an RFP for a sponsorship consultant to identify naming and sponsorship opportunities for events and facilities; he said his initial internal goal for sponsorship revenue was modest (the department targeted roughly $100,000 in early sponsorships) and that proposals were under review.

Council follow‑up and direction

Council members asked Parks to provide program‑level cost and revenue breakdowns for major events and programs (for example, Winter Wonderland, JB Bash, day camps and rec center operations) so council can evaluate tradeoffs if budget reductions are required. Schafer agreed to provide documentation and to supply additional detail on procurement hurdles and sponsorship plans.

Ending note

Schafer framed Parks’ choices as balancing service delivery with financial constraints: “The 2026 recommended budget for the Department of Parks and Recreation is $40,092,423, a decrease of $4,142,733 or 9.4% from the 2025 adjusted budget,” he said, summarizing the department’s fiscal posture and capital priorities going into 2026.