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City staff outline $1.6 million in proposed Recreation & Parks cuts that could eliminate positions and hours
Summary
Business Manager Neville told the Recreation & Parks Commission the department is working to find roughly $1.6 million in additional savings for fiscal 2026–27; proposed reductions include eliminating limited‑service hours (≈10,500), cutting vacant program specialist and account clerk positions, and other service and maintenance reductions.
Neville, Business Manager for Santa Maria Recreation & Parks, told commissioners on June 9 that the department was asked to identify additional budget reductions after a prior reduction earlier in the fiscal year.
"We have worked on proposing an additional cut of $1.6 million in our general fund and measure UU budget," Neville said, explaining that the department’s appropriation had been reduced from roughly $16.5 million to $15.5 million earlier in 2026 and further savings were being sought ahead of the June 16 city council consideration.
Neville outlined specific proposals that together are being considered to meet the $1.6 million target: eliminating about 10,500 hours of limited‑service staffing (seasonal and hourly personnel who staff events and programs), eliminating a program specialist position (vacant), eliminating an account clerk position (vacant) and reducing supplies, contract services, park irrigation maintenance and marketing. He cautioned that eliminating those hours and vacancies could delay administrative processing and reduce programming capacity for teens and other groups.
The business manager also said the department is anticipating additional year‑end expenditures that will raise the percent of budget expended for the fiscal year and that fee increases approved by council — roughly 15% on facility rentals and picnic sites, and about 30% on sports field rental fees — are expected to partially offset reductions.
Why it matters: the proposed reductions would affect summertime and after‑school programming, field and irrigation maintenance, and administrative capacity. Several of the cuts specifically target limited‑service hours — the seasonal staff who operate lifeguard, event and program functions — and commissioners were warned that losing those hours could reduce program offerings and create processing delays.
What comes next: Neville said these proposals were presented to city council and would likely appear on the June 16 agenda for final city‑level decision. Commissioners asked for follow‑up detail on which programs and positions would be prioritized for retention and asked staff to return with options that minimize service disruptions.
