Parks, Open Space, and Cultural Services
Overview
Mission Statement
To provide safe, well-designed and maintained parks and a wide variety of recreational and cultural opportunities for our diverse community.
Department Overview
Parks, Open Space, and Cultural Services is responsible for over 1,400 acres of County park land, the Simpkins Family Swim Center, multiple County beach access points, a variety of after-school and summer recreational programs and cultural services programs.
Budget Summary
Department Budget Overview
Budget Summary of Changes
The Parks, Open Space, and Cultural Services (Parks) budget reflects ongoing efforts to provide pre-pandemic levels of outdoor, recreational, and cultural services to support a healthy community, and continued efforts to improve the health and resilience of the natural environment.
The Parks budget includes scheduled and negotiated salary and benefit increases, as well as reallocation of several positions between divisions, with no impact on overall costs, to better match services. The budget recommends funding 1.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) Park Maintenance Worker III in Maintenance and Facilities, with existing CSA 11 fund balance to restore allocation of a Parks Maintenance Worker III to each section of Maintenance (North, Mid, and South County) for the continued restoration of services in each section. It includes reclassifying 1.0 FTE vacant Program Coordinator to 1.0 FTE Departmental Fiscal Officer in Parks Administration, with available CSA 11 funds, to provide enhanced fiscal support to the Parks Department’s complex budget. The budget also makes permanent 1.0 FTE limited term Administrative Aid, with project-related funds in the Planning section and CSA 11. The budget recommends Increasing Extra Help in the Swim Center to pre-COVID levels, with commensurate increased revenue to reinstate and increase program offerings.
Supplemental Budget Summary of Changes
The Supplement Budget reallocates 4.0 FTE positions from Administration by transferring 1.0 FTE Assistant Department Analyst to Planning and Development, 1.0 FTE Administrative Aid to Operations Maintenance, 1.0 FTE Program Coordinator to Outdoor Education and 1.0 FTE Clerk II to Maintenance and Facilities.
Last Day Budget Summary of Changes
The Last Day Budget adds $5,000 from Board-directed spending from District 1 for a water fountain and bottle filler at the Simpkins Swim Center pool area.
Adopted Budget Summary of Changes
The Adopted Budget adds $2,025,996 in expenditures and $1,789,988 in revenues. The changes are from $1,789,988 in 2023-24 revenue agreements and $302,616 in related appropriations that continue into 2024-25. They also include $1,374,697 in 2023-24 unspent contract expenditures that continue into 2024-25, and $348,653 in added expenditures from 2024-25 concluding budget actions.
District Sales Tax Contribution
The District Sales Tax contribution of $1,000,000 funds ongoing parks maintenance as well as youth and senior programs. This is part of the existing General Fund contribution to Parks but is being shown separately beginning in 2024-25.
In addition, the Capital Projects budget includes a new District Sales Tax contribution of $1,000,000 for parks improvements in 2024-25. This contribution is divided evenly between the five supervisorial districts.
Open the Services Overview or Operational Plan Objectives below for more details.
Department Services and Objectives
Footnotes
1 – Indicates change from FY 2021-22 Allowed Budget
2 – General Fund Contribution is the share of General County Revenues (primarily property tax and other local taxes) allocated to each department. Other funds that contribute to this budget are shown on the Budget Details page.
3 – Indicates change from FY 2021-22 Adjusted Funded Positions (including Board-approved mid-year changes as of April 1, 2022).
Budget Details
The charts below show department expenditures and revenues by division and service. Click on the pie charts to drill down for more detail. Complete detail can be found on the County's Transparency Portal.
Expenses by Service
Expenses and Revenues over time
Personnel Details
The chart below provides the department personnel detail by division, service, and classification.