Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Finances topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parks board reviews FY2025 annual report, hears revenue and expense shifts
Summary
Parks staff presented the FY2025 annual report, citing 4.1 million website views, $3 million from the Hays County Parks Bond and mixed revenue results: parks exceeded $1 million in revenue while the community center ran a $180,000-plus deficit. The board discussed sponsorships, modest fees and program cuts to shore up finances.
Parks staff presented the board with the FY2025 annual report, highlighting attendance and finance trends that will shape next year’s operating decisions. "We had over 4,100,000 event counts on our website this fiscal year," the staff presenter said, and noted the department received $3,000,000 from the Hays County Parks Bond.
The report showed divergent results across operations: parks revenue exceeded $1,000,000 (a figure that includes a $271,000 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department reimbursement), while the community center recorded roughly $74,000 in revenue against $254,273 in expenditures. "The community center has always been a community asset, not a revenue generator," the presenter said, adding that staff came in under budget on some line items but still expected to look for expense reductions.
Board members pressed staff on which programs make or lose money and discussed options to boost revenue without reducing access. One member suggested expanding sponsorships after staff reported $8,000 in sponsorship income this year; another recommended voluntary QR-code donations at free events rather than raising mandatory admission fees. "We keep the ones that people are going to," the presenter said about program retention; low-attendance offerings such as a single belly-dancing class were flagged for removal.
Members also discussed longer-term risks to revenue if key draws decline. The presenter noted concerns about low water levels and the potential for reductions in gate fees that currently help cover programming costs. The board asked staff to examine fee structures, sponsorship tiers and small voluntary-donation pilots for high-attendance free events and to return with options.
The meeting record shows the board approved the prior meeting minutes by motion and unanimous vote earlier in the session. The board did not take a formal new budget action at this meeting; staff framed the discussion as guidance for planning and asked for additional analysis on balancing the community center budget next fiscal year.
