Parks staff outlines restroom, lighting and road repairs as budget heads to council

The parks staff member reported a slate of capital projects and repairs planned for local parks and said the department will present a budget to the city council in May.

The staff member said restroom painting and some exterior restroom repairs are already under way, and added that four clear white stage lights have been ordered, with the total installed cost for all four estimated at under $4,000. "They're already painting," the staff member said. "I've signed the paperwork for it."

Why it matters: park-maintenance items and one-time capital purchases will be included in the department's budget request, and several projects carry significant costs that could affect the fiscal-year spending plan.

The staff member outlined additional line items and rough cost estimates: placeholders of about $50,000 for holiday lighting, roughly $75,000 to replace metal-halide field lights, an estimated $40,000–$45,000 for a parks pickup vehicle, and about $75,000 for laser grading the U14 soccer field (up from about $66,000 last year). For HVAC at restrooms, pump houses and concession stands, staff estimated approximately $10,000 per unit for nine units — about $90,000 in total — and said the department is adding contingencies to avoid running out of funds midproject.

Staff warned that the planned full-depth replacement of Park Road could be expensive because crews may encounter a clay "pan" underneath certain sections that would require backfill and stabilization. "One of the reasons why it's so high... is because when we got into doing the parking lot, they cracked what I call was a pan," the staff member said, describing unstable ground that could raise costs if crews must dig in and backfill.

Security and operations: staff described plans for an upgraded camera system that would include higher-clarity cameras on 5th Avenue to capture license plates and more general park monitoring. Costs will vary by camera type and location; staff estimated some cameras could run about $2,000 apiece depending on the clarity required. "You can get crazy with them or they're just expensive," the staff member said.

Vandalism and fixture durability were a repeated theme. The staff member said restroom fixtures will be upgraded to stainless or other tamper-resistant materials and that automatic dispensers and sturdier hand-washing fixtures are being considered to limit recurring damage. A committee member responded with a personal preference about hand dryers: "I hate the blowers that just, like, blow germs all over the bathroom," the committee member said, and asked whether blade-style or automatic faucets could be installed.

Other items discussed included cleaning the splash-pad tank and replacing controllers so the splash features can open around Memorial Day weekend if parts and repairs arrive on schedule; installing stronger picnic tables (15–20 units) across older parks to improve ADA compliance and durability; and replacing a lower section of a baseball backstop fence where needed. Staff also reported no bids were received on a recent solicitation for crosswalk lighting fixtures and intends to solicit firms in Hopkinsville, Madisonville, Murray and Mayfield on the second attempt.

Grants and schedule: the staff member said the walking-trail project received a state recommendation and that the local match being reserved is about $10,000; however, staff noted that certain grants — such as the Land and Water Conservation Fund — are conditional and would affect other funding if not awarded. On timing, staff said the parks budget will go before the city council in May, with a workshop and first reading expected and a second reading possible at the regular June meeting.

The meeting also included routine procedural business. A motion to approve the minutes was called and carried by voice vote, and the meeting concluded after a motion to adjourn.

Next steps: the parks budget will be presented with these capital requests and contingency figures to the council in May for formal review and readings.