Finance committee reviews Parks & Recreation budget as Christina Park encampment draws debate

Wilmington's finance committee on April 20 heard a detailed presentation on the Parks & Recreation department's proposed FY27 operating budget and a sustained debate about city management of Christina Park, a site hosting people experiencing homelessness.

Deputy Chief of Staff Stephanie Mergler told the committee the city's contract with Friendship House to manage services at Christina Park runs through June 30 and "our contract with Christina Park through June 30 was 218,400." She said additional operating costs include porta-potty rentals she described as "about $3,000 a week," waste-removal work through a contract with Lewis Environmental (about $13,000 spent so far against a roughly $60,000 PO) and purchases of tents and temporary platforms. Mergler said outreach partners have transitioned 11 people out of the park to date and that a permanent bathroom has been ordered for delivery and installation in August; the transcript gives an incomplete cost figure for that fixture.

Dr. Melody Phillips, director of Parks & Recreation, said the department's proposed operating request totals $13.7 million and emphasized that recent reorganizations and modest staffing additions were intended to reduce overtime and sustain services across more than 70 parks. She described programs that the department said are low- or no-cost to residents — summer camps, aquatics, youth leadership and an entrepreneurship pilot — and outlined lines shifted to grant funding for nutrition programming.

Council members pressed officials on trade-offs and community impacts. Councilmember Oliver criticized spending tied to Christina Park and urged prioritizing funding for neighborhood youth programs and community centers. "I'm totally against the Christina Park and all the money that's being spent down there," Oliver said, citing constituent complaints about location and cost. Councilmember Owens and others defended city staff and outreach, saying staff have continued "to show up" and that temporary management has kept the site cleaner and safer while longer-term housing options are pursued.

Two members of the public who spoke during the allotted comment period urged quicker moves to housing and basic safety improvements. Jean Messick, who said she works with people at Christina Park, said, "We have 60 people out there living right now" and asked the city to improve lighting and safe access to restrooms. Brandon Fletcher urged the committee to use city-owned vacant property and funding levers to prioritize permanent supportive and deeply affordable housing rather than leaving people in tents.

On personnel and operations, Parks officials said the FY27 budget realigns positions in the park maintenance division, adds several general-labor and technical maintenance roles, and includes $1.6 million budgeted across temporary salaries and agencies for summer youth programming and limited-service hires. The department reported summer food-service (SFSP) and child and adult care food program (CACFP) meal counts across recent years and said it anticipates about 60 partner sites for the coming summer.

Chair of the finance committee asked that any follow-up information be provided to the council contact staff; the committee recessed and moved to the Office of Economic Development hearing. The parks presentation ended with officials saying the proposed budget would sustain day-to-day operations but that renovations and further capital investment would be necessary to elevate aging facilities.

Ending: Finance committee members asked for additional material on Christina Park costs, shelter planning and program balances; staff were directed to provide follow-up to the council clerk for distribution.