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Swisher council and parks board prioritize Castaic Park repairs, approve youth sports fund transfer and event permits
Summary
City officials and park board members discussed urgent safety and upkeep at Castaic Park — fencing, infield resurfacing, pavilion repairs and routine cleaning — directed staff to gather contractor quotes for spring work, approved transferring $16,503.22 to Swisher Youth Sports, and cleared permits for food trucks and two nights of lights for summer games.
The City of Swisher’s joint City Council and Park and Recreation Board meeting on Oct. 1 focused on a package of maintenance needs and short‑term fixes at Castaic Park, with the board directing staff to obtain quotes for fence, infield and pavilion work and approving several account and event requests.
Chair called the meeting to order and led a review of park items, saying the city’s insurance list shows the municipality insures the scoreboard, restrooms, both pavilions, the garden shed, playground equipment and the ballfield fence. A staff member reported electricians would repair the scoreboard and lights within a week and crews had recently tackled weeding and playground cleanup.
Committee members pressed for safety repairs and clearer maintenance scheduling. One committee member urged prioritizing hazards, noting loose tubing on the outfield fence and curled basketball‑court surfacing that could cause injury. The board discussed lowering or repairing the outfield fence now (a contractor estimate in the meeting packet was around $4,300) and budgeting larger resurfacing projects, such as infield regrading, for next year. “If somebody gets hurt, it’s not going to be good,” the Chair said when discussing fence tubing and safety concerns.
On the infield, members cited a rough contractor estimate of about $14,000 to restore proper playing material and drainage; one volunteer offered free labor and equipment to help with the work. Board members emphasized that without equipment or a maintenance plan, field conditions would likely deteriorate again.
The board also discussed pavilion repairs, including replacing under‑sheathing and considering a metal roof or siding to improve durability and appearance. Members asked staff to gather quotes for a metal roof, for new siding on the concession building, and for grading/dirt to address trip hazards around slab edges. The Chair asked Justin (park staff) to obtain bids and return recommendations to the Park & Rec Board.
Regarding routine upkeep, the board reviewed a new bathroom‑cleaning plan and rental rules. Members agreed that renters must clean pavilions as part of the rental agreement and discussed trying a schedule of morning checks (Monday/Wednesday/Friday) during peak season to reduce vandalism and messes. Outsourcing weekend cleaning was discussed but flagged as potentially costly; portable restroom cleaning was noted to be over $150 per week if contracted.
Budget context factored into nearly every conversation. The Chair referenced a capital equipment fund labeled for parks holding roughly $424,300 and noted most current park budget lines are consumed by salaries with limited discretionary dollars for capital projects.
Votes and administrative actions at the meeting included: transfer of Swisher Youth Sports funds; approval to allow a food‑truck vendor at scheduled youth events; waiving of light fees for two summer night games; and approval for a school event to use the water pad and associated park area. The board approved transferring $16,503.22 to the Swisher Youth Sports account at Central State Bank. The board also approved allowing Grind Coffee (permit in progress) and similar vendors at scheduled events and agreed to waive light fees for two nights, pending final scheduling and permits.
The Chair closed the park discussion by directing staff to collect multiple quotes where appropriate, to pursue lower‑cost options using volunteer labor when safe and feasible, and to include prioritized park projects in next year’s budget planning. The board also agreed to place pavilion fee revisions, including requiring payment at booking and reconsidering the reservation fee level, on a future agenda.
Votes at a glance • Transfer Swisher Youth Sports funds — motion passed; amount: $16,503.22. • Approve food‑truck vendor(s) at youth events — motion passed (permit(s) pending). • Waive park light fees for two nights for summer night games — motion passed. • Approve use of water/pad for Curry High School event — motion passed.
What’s next Staff were asked to return estimates and contractor quotes for fence work, pavilion roofing/siding, infield material and dirt/grading costs; the board signaled it will prioritize hazards and pursue a multi‑year maintenance plan during the next budget cycle.
(Reporting based only on remarks and motions recorded at the Oct. 1 joint meeting; the meeting packet contained contractor estimates and a treasurer’s report referenced in the meeting.)
