Columbus Parks Board Meeting - Budget Approvals and Financial Updates - September 10, 2026
Columbus Parks Board Meeting - Budget Approvals and Financial Updates - September 10, 2026
The Columbus Parks Board convened on September 10, 2026, at 4:00 PM to receive financial updates, approve budgets for the 2027 fiscal year, and discuss operational strategies. New staff members Veronica Fazio (Recreation Superintendent) and Amanda Waltz (Marketing Manager) were introduced. The meeting featured detailed presentations on the Commons, Field House, General Fund, and Capital budgets, alongside a master plan update. Key votes included approving the Commons, Field House, General Fund, and Capital budgets for submission to City Council.
Discussion Items
- Financial Update (August 2026): Don presented a one-page financial summary. The general fund showed revenues and expenses on track, with a cash balance of 66% against a council goal of 60%. Non-reverting funds performed well, with the field house fund generating increased own-source revenue and the commons fund receiving $300,000 of its $600,000 subsidy to date. Encumbrances brought forward totaled $3.665 million, with $1.65 million spent.
- Commons Fund Budget (Fund 2535): The proposed 2027 budget totals $1,295,828, with revenues of just over $1 million and expenses including $830,000 in personal services. The fund is projected to run a deficit of approximately $270,000, depleting cash reserves to nearly zero (ending balance ~$1,669). Board members expressed concern about the subsidy remaining flat at $600,000 since 2019 despite rising costs. Staff noted a planned conversation with council about increasing the subsidy.
- Field House Fund Budget (Fund 2537): Proposed 2027 budget of $1,108,737, a 9% increase driven by personal services. Revenue is projected at $1.1 million, with a 17% increase in earned revenue. Operating subsidy decreased to $200,000 (from $300,000 in 2026). The fund is expected to end the year with a 40% cash balance.
- General Fund Budget (Fund 2204): Proposed 2027 budget of $8,615,843, a 7% increase. Property tax revenue estimated at $7.055 million (1.5% increase in parks-generated revenue, but overall a 2% decrease due to loss of supplemental taxes). Personal services increased by $915,000 due to COLA (3.5%), 27th pay period, and insurance costs (up $500,000). Supplies cut by 10%, services and charges by 15%. Projected cash balance of 36% if full budget expended.
- Capital Budget (2027): Proposed $1,233,447 in capital funding from EDIT dollars, the largest allocation since before 2008 (except Freedom Field Playground). Original request was $4.871 million for 20 projects; after capital committee review, $542,772 in items were suggested for non-reverting funding (not guaranteed). Two large Nexus Park projects (roof and scoreboard) will be funded from a separate bond appropriation and removed from this list. Staff clarified that line-item flexibility exists within the total.
- Master Plan Update: The "Imagine Your Columbus Parks" master plan process is underway, including a SWOT analysis, inclusion audit, vibe assessment, mystery shopping, and a cultural impact survey. Stakeholder meetings were held September 9-10, 2026. A salary compensation study kicked off, with results expected early 2027 and potential implementation in 2028.
Key Outcomes
- Commons Fund Budget (Fund 2535): Motion carried to approve and send favorable recommendation to City Council with revenues and expenses of $1,295,828, noting the projected deficit and need to discuss subsidy increase. (Vote: unanimous ayes)
- Field House Fund Budget (Fund 2537): Motion carried to approve and send favorable recommendation to City Council with budget of $1,108,737. (Vote: unanimous ayes)
- General Fund Budget (Fund 2204): Motion carried to approve and send favorable recommendation to City Council with budget of $8,615,843. (Vote: 3 in favor, none opposed)
- Capital Budget (2027): Motion carried to approve and send favorable recommendation to City Council with EDIT dollar amount of $1,233,447 as presented. (Vote: 3 in favor, none opposed)
- Minutes from August 13, 2026: Approved unanimously.
- Claims and Payrolls: Motion carried to approve as reviewed.
Meeting Transcript
Yeah, that's what I thought it was different for two hours of possibility. You can probably start these if you want to. I have a question for my low viz. Hello, hello. So sad about my pen. Somebody is playing jokes on us. I lost my surface pen. So if you see a little surface pen somewhere in the office. It's okay. It's okay if you don't find those. No, it's I love them. Oh god. Coolness is subjective. Yeah, bad guy from the Disney movies. All right. I told everybody what was going on. Sprinted. All right, it's four o'clock and we have a quorum, so I'll call the meeting to order. All right. So I was gonna do a quick thing because we removed staff reports, but there's two new staff members you guys haven't had the ability to meet yet, so I thought we would do quick intros and then we can do financials. Great idea. Okay. Um so uh I will just do a brief intro and then have them kind of introduce themselves, but Veronica Fazio started with mind your business computer lady. Who invited you? No. Um as I was saying, Veronica started uh with us before uh summer started and then was in the throes of everything, so she wasn't able to attend park board, which is why Jacob was reporting on rec. Um Veronica came to us from a couple different areas in the city, so she started over at Hamilton as our customer service uh specialist there, and then um her background, I'll let you tell her, but it was a direct alignment with this position. So uh prior to that she was with animal care services, and so um she's been with the city for a bit and hit the ground running. Um and I'll have her do an intro in a second, but Amanda Waltz also started as our um marketing manager uh really recently a couple weeks now. Yeah, that's my third. Okay. Um and so we are um really grateful so far. I've put her to the test. I was like, hey, I need two slides for tonight's presentation. Um you got two hours. Kick them right out for me. So um Amanda, we're really grateful to have her with us as well. Her expertise is tremendous, and we're lucky to have both of them. So Veronica, do you want to let them know a little bit of yourself? Sure, yeah. Hi, I'm Veronica. Uh I um like she said I was at Hamilton before this, um, so I was introduced back when I started that position. Um, but I'm very excited about this role. Um I graduated from AU Bloomington in 2023 with a degree in common recreation parts and phenotypic. Um, so I'm very excited to bring that knowledge to this position. Um I kind of have told that one of my big goals for this traditional term is to bring more um outdoor education and natural resource programming um department. So um slowly kind of figuring things out um and um excited to start bringing new things on board. Um and I'm excited to find a look to attend today because it's someone was novel. Awesome, awesome. Welcome to Ron.
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