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Council disputes and clarifies parks funding after voter-approved 12-mill tax
Summary
Finance Director Mike Farina reviewed the history of parks funding, transfers from metro districts and revenues from a voter-approved 12-mill property tax; one council member said the public hadn't been fully informed about earlier transfers, prompting rebuttals and a staff pledge to supply documentation.
Finance Director Mike Farina gave a historical overview of parks, trails and open-space funding, saying the city had relied on transfers from the general fund for years and that intergovernmental agreements with North Pine Vistas and Castle Pines North Metro Districts moved responsibilities and mill-levy proceeds to the city in 2022–2023.
Farina said the city received a carryover from Castle Pines North ("we received 8,600,000 in '23") that largely funded projects through 2024 and that voter approval of a 12‑mill property tax in November 2023 provided approximately $4.5 million in 2024 and a projected $4.7 million in 2025 for parks, reducing the need for general-fund transfers.
During Q&A, one council member said the record is incomplete and contended "we were not honest with the public about what was being done there and what was needed." Other council members disputed that characterization and said staff had previously explained the transfers at multiple meetings. Farina and staff agreed to provide more detailed documentation on past metro-district expenditures and the specific carryover amounts earmarked for projects such as the Coyote Ridge improvements.
Farina also said the 2026 budget and five-year forecast show the parks and recreation fund meeting the city's 25% reserve policy with roughly $500,000 in excess under current projections, excluding new capital outlays.
