Citizen Portal
Sign In

Rec & Parks warned $2 million shortfall could cut programs, staff

Recreation and Parks Commission, City of Santa Maria · February 10, 2026

Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts

Subscribe
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

Staff told the Recreation & Parks Commission that the department faces earlier cuts of just over $1 million and has been asked to find roughly an additional $2 million for 2026–27; staff warned deletions already enacted and further cuts would reduce services, staffing and limited‑hour positions.

Neville, the department budget presenter, told the Recreation & Parks Commission that City Council direction from Jan. 20 requested additional reductions to the Recreation & Parks general fund budget beyond prior cuts.

Neville said the department's budget is approximately $15.7 million (general fund and Measure U) and that council previously approved slightly more than $1 million in reductions. City management has since instructed departments to identify about another $2 million in reductions for the 2026–27 fiscal year. Neville said roughly 67% of the department's budget is salaries and benefits and that $4 million is supplies and services.

Staff reviewed positions already eliminated at the Jan. 20 meeting (seven full- and part-time positions) and the elimination of about 30,000 hours of limited-service time (seasonal and limited-hours staff), saying those changes have immediate programmatic impacts. "We are one person away from losing whole program areas," staff said, and described consequences including reduced availability of youth prevention services, fewer recreation offerings, reduced pool and facility hours and longer maintenance response times.

Commissioners asked where the additional $2 million should come from and how long vacant positions had been open; staff said the vacancies range from one to two years in some cases, with the parks operations manager post vacant since April 2024. Staff said they had discussed impacts with finance, HR and the city manager and that the department will work with the budget committee and council to recommend which core services to preserve.

Staff also described revenue options but said generating $2 million in new revenue this year is unrealistic, so further expense reductions appear necessary. The commission was urged to talk with council members and constituents about core service priorities as staff develop a detailed plan for council consideration. No formal budget decision was made at the commission meeting.