Astoria Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Meeting - August 29, 2025

The Astoria Parks and Recreation Advisory Board met on August 29, 2025 (provided event timestamp 2025-08-29 14:45:00 UTC; agenda and minutes list Wednesday, August 27, 2025, 6:45 a.m.). The transcript indicates the meeting ran from about 6:46 a.m. to 7:42 a.m. All board members were present except Carla Oja. The board approved minutes, recognized an employee, received updates on the Youngs River Falls incident, the parks budget, and the master plan, and discussed upcoming events.

Consent Calendar

• Motion to approve the July 23, 2025 Parks Advisory Board minutes by Britta Herwig, seconded by Nathan Pinkstaff. Approved; official minutes record Howard Rub abstaining because he missed the previous meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made; no email comments were received and no members of the public appeared.

Discussion Items

• Chair Hernandez's 'What do you hear?':
  • Britta Herwig praised Parks' social media outreach publicizing the board meeting.
  • Nathan Pinkstaff thanked parks maintenance staff for helping with the Regatta's Seaman's Memorial, reported complaints about the overgrown hedge at the Maritime Memorial, and asked whether it could be pruned. He also offered to donate a larger flag for the memorial flagpole.
  • Herwig complimented staff for repairing root-damaged Riverwalk trail near Pier 39.
  • Lou Marconeri said Lindstrom Park is heavily used and praised the improvements as a tribute to former Parks Director Fred Lindstrom.
• Employee Recognition: Staff recognized Aquatics Manager Peter von Payens. He started as a part-time lifeguard in 2018, advanced to aquatics coordinator and then manager, and was praised for covering shifts, teaching classes, and leading lifeguards by example.
• APRCF Updates: Britta Herwig reported no update because the foundation had not met over the summer. Chair Hernandez said she had heard the Run on the River event is moving to May 16 of the next year.
• Youngs River Falls Incident Update: Staff provided an update after a fatal accident at Youngs River Falls in late July. The city's insurer, CIS, is still reviewing the incident. Staff said replacement signs will be more explicit: 'Do not jump from rocks,' with warnings that serious injury and death have occurred and a pictogram of a person jumping into water with a red slash. Signs will be temporary initially, then metal. Maintenance staff will check the site regularly to keep signs intact and legible.
• Parks Budget Overview:
  • The FY 2024-25 parks fund budget was almost $3.8 million; the FY 2025-26 fund increased by about $200,000, roughly 6%, which staff described as an increase in the fund and subsidies, not necessarily expected spending.
  • Staffing was budgeted at 20.4 FTE in FY 2025-26, down from 21.7 FTE in FY 2024-25. The department has about 14 full-time staff and usually 20-30 part-time staff. Personnel costs are about 68% of the current budget, down from 72%.
  • The general fund subsidizes Parks by about $1.1 million; Promote Astoria provides about $500,000; the 17th Street dock lease through the Coast Guard is $140,000 this year (typically $70,000, but it includes last year's payment). The department began the year with a fund balance around $1.5 million and is using part of it.
  • Department statistics cited included about 58,205 aquatic center visits, a 7% increase over the prior year; over 1,000 youth sports participants; about 200 acres maintained; roughly 70 public sites; six public restrooms; and at least seven tons of trash removed annually.
  • Aquatic center revenue is budgeted at $450,000, with a likely range of $450,000-$500,000 and a three-year average around $540,000. Monthly passes are about 50% of aquatic revenue, walk-ins about 30%, swim lessons about 10%, and rentals/miscellaneous make up the rest. Recreation revenue is budgeted around $300,000, with child care at least half (possibly closer to 60%), sports about 22%, and the department receives about $70,000 from 20% of parking revenue.
  • Ocean View Cemetery is a separate fund, with annual expenditures of roughly $50,000-$70,000 and revenue of about $90,000-$100,000, so it is a positive revenue source. A separate cemetery irreducible fund is around $1 million for future perpetual care.
  • Capital spending includes a $50,000 Oregon Parks and Recreation Department grant for the master plan update plus a $34,000 city match, two new mowers, and $20,000 for tire swing and climber play equipment at Lindstrom Park.
  • In response to Britta Herwig's questions, staff said there is no current plan to re-expand Aquatic Center hours because attendance remains comparable to previous years, and filling the Aquatics Coordinator position would add staff expense without, by itself, allowing more hours; additional part-time staff would still be needed.
• Parks Master Plan Update: The city has engaged Mackenzie Inc. for the update to the 2016 Parks Master Plan. After a kick-off meeting and background review, Mackenzie will make a site visit. The first broad community open house is tentatively planned for early November, followed by three additional public meetings. Staff will also conduct targeted engagement, online surveys, and post information at the Aquatic Center and on the city's parks website.
• Staff Reports and Upcoming Events: The next Free Movie in the Park is August 30 at Fred Lindstrom Park, showing 'Monsters Inc.' at dusk. Howard Rub said the School District appreciated the completed intergovernmental agreement between Parks and Astoria School District, and the high school soccer team will practice at Evergreen Fields this fall.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the July 23, 2025 Parks Advisory Board minutes by voice vote (one abstention recorded).
• Staff will install more explicit warning signs at Youngs River Falls and conduct regular maintenance checks.
• Staff confirmed the Maritime Memorial hedge will be pruned, scheduling it as growth tapers off. Pinkstaff's offer to donate a larger flag was noted but no decision was recorded.
• Peter von Payens was recognized as Employee of the Month.
• The master plan update will proceed with an early November open house and subsequent engagement sessions.
• Next board meetings are September 24 and October 22, 2025.