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Parks and Recreation presents budget plans, rising costs and self-sustaining fund uses
Summary
Parks and Recreation outlined staffing changes, program participation of about 9,000 users, a projected Waveny House revenue increase and capital requests including a proposed $35,000 sound system. The department described plans to keep some services in-house to limit cost growth and asked for clarity on using self-sustaining funds for capital needs.
Parks and Recreation officials presented their FY27 budget overview Jan. 6, describing program growth, staffing changes and several capital priorities tied to town properties.
Staff said the department served roughly 9,000 participants across youth, adult and special-event programming last year and highlighted continued growth in pickleball and summer camps. Officials flagged staffing adjustments: recent retirements and new hires in administration and parks maintenance; one new hire will allow certain grass treatments to be done in-house, reducing contractor costs and lowering the projected line-item increase from 9% to about 7% for turf treatments.
On the recreation self-sustaining fund, staff explained how approximately $100,000 per year had previously been credited against salaries but is now being accounted for differently; the change makes some line-item percentages appear larger on paper though the town still receives the revenue. The department proposed using part of those self-sustaining revenues for capital improvements at facilities where program income is generated; one specific capital request is a $35,000 upgrade to the Waveny House sound system, which staff said will be used for weddings and community events.
Waveny House and pool operations drew questions. Staff projected Waveny House income could exceed $200,000 and possibly approach $300,000 in future years, but board members asked for clearer accounting of wear-and-tear and operating expenses tied to rentals. Parks staff reported the outdoor pool had 1,323 memberships in 2025 and about 35,000 gate scans; they noted the pool is roughly 21 years old and will require continued capital attention.
Officials said they will provide additional budget detail and income/expense statements for enterprise-style tracking of self-sustaining programs and will coordinate with the Board of Finance on any proposed uses of fund balance for capital projects.
