Queen Creek council approves Parks & Recreation deputy director after budget concerns
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Summary
Council approved a mid‑year full‑time Deputy Director for Parks & Recreation over one dissenting vote. The decision followed a debate focused on rising parks maintenance costs, an estimated near‑quarter‑million annual financial impact cited by a council member, and staff testimony on department workload.
Council members approved a mid‑year full‑time equivalent position for a Deputy Director of Recreation on Nov. 1 after a period of debate that centered on program costs and staff workload.
Council member Padilla said he could not support Item B, citing long‑term maintenance cost growth: “our annual parks and rec maintenance fees for the parks that we have built, has climbed from over 3 to $4,000,000 5 years ago to over $10,000,000 a year,” and said he could not support adding what he described as “a financial request for, nearly a quarter million dollars a year to the town.”
Council member Benning, who moved the motion, said he supported adding a deputy to assist an expanding department and moved to approve the position.
A staff member explained the rationale for additional management: the Parks & Recreation Department now includes recreation programming and park maintenance staff formerly in public works, and when part‑time employees are counted the department is the town’s largest. The staff member said the added management would provide needed assistance to the director and help maintain service levels.
After discussion and a recorded vote, the motion to authorize the Deputy Director position passed 4–1.
The council did not provide a detailed line‑item cost in the public discussion; the estimated "nearly a quarter million dollars" figure was stated by Council member Padilla during debate. Staff said the change is intended to align the department’s management structure with its current scope but did not specify an immediate funding source during the meeting.