Parks staff report: promotion, Beaver View acquisition moving forward, Owen Park and ADA playground in early stages

Buncombe County parks staff used the advisory-board meeting to summarize recent department activity, staffing changes and capital-project progress.

Joseph Guzman was promoted from project manager to parks division manager; staff said the project manager role is being restructured and will be posted soon. "We're getting very close," Guzman said of the Beaver View Mountain Park acquisition, adding county commissioners are in full support and staff are preparing FY27 budget items to pursue the property.

Staff also reported that turf construction has begun on an unspecified project and that Owen Park's design work is advancing with a kickoff meeting scheduled for the end of the month. The department described an ADA playground concept at Buncombe County Sports Park as an early idea currently in contract negotiations and not yet approved.

Why it matters: The updates indicate momentum on several major park projects and a planned staffing shift intended to retain design and construction capacity while reallocating some responsibilities into a reworked project manager position. Budget planning for FY27 already includes steps tied to land acquisition and increased signage funds.

Other details from the report: staff said the Festival of Lights raised more than $14,000 for Special Olympics with about 21,000 attendees; these community events help fundraising and public engagement. No purchase date was given for Beaver View Mountain Park; staff said they would provide updates as the acquisition and budget steps proceed.

Next steps: Staff will continue FY27 budget planning, post the revised project manager position, and return to the board with more detailed project timelines and contract developments.