On our fourth day of budget workshops, and I'm Sally Alcorn, chairing the budget and fiscal affairs committee, and I want to welcome first the parks department.

He'll be presenting to be followed by the Department of Neighborhoods, and then we'll be hearing from City Legal.

And I am joined by my staff from my vice chair, Councilmember Mario Castillo, staff from Council Member Joaquin Martinez, staff from Vice Mayor Pro Tem Amy Peck, staff from Councilmember Twilight Carter, and my own staff here.

And just want to remind everybody out there in HTV that tomorrow morning at 10 a.m.

is our budget workshop for the public, and that will take place at the Fondee Recreation Center.

So hope to see a lot of people there.

All right.

With that, Director, I'd like to introduce Director Kenneth Allen, and he is joined by Bridget Ikoff.

Yes.

And she comes from HR, but we're so happy to see you and glad to see everybody wearing green.

I'm with the theme today, too.

Green for parks.

So happy to have our hardworking parks department here.

And with that, you may proceed.

Also, want to welcome Kate Dentler with Councilmember Amy K Abby Kamen.

All right, thank you, Councilmember.

I'd like to also thank staff from other council offices, as well as my esteemed colleagues and guests that are here and general public.

You know, it's just an honor to serve as a parks director for the Houston Parks and Recreation Department as we submit our 27 uh budget proposal.

Um, you know, I'm excited about this coming fiscal year because of opportunities and efficiencies.

Um, I want to introduce again Bridget Ikoff, our uh management and finance um lead for our department.

Um she's been with us in terms of the city for a while.

Um, stole it from me, but I stole the back.

And needless to say, she's a critical role in this process, and she's worked with all of my division heads and other staff to present this budget, not only from a financial standpoint, but from an operation standpoint as we execute the budget throughout the year.

I also like to uh recognize our finance and management team that's sitting behind me, as well as executive staff and the employees that work tolerant tire tirelessly day to day on operations on meeting our budget, on executing it, and on implementing all the things that we do with the resources that we have.

Now, moving forward, as we look at this coming year, um we just maintain steadfast.

Our budget has not changed much from last year, uh, but we are a lot more efficient.

I mentioned my team.

There's only one person, and that's Erica Madison that's on their original executive team when I started in this seat, and they have transitioned well.

Uh they communicate.

I mean, they're they're a team, and we work together to accomplish the things that we're accomplishing.

I just wanted to note that um it's just through strategic partnerships and fiscal responsibility and management.

Um we're maximizing our resources, and we're delivering delivering measurable and meaningful outcomes for citizens.

Let's go to the first slide.

Um, this slide, you know, in terms of the table of contents, we have strategic alignment, plans to eliminate the gap, proposed FY27, department expenditures, uh, outcome based budget programs, proposed FY27, department revenue, and then an appendix at the end of this presentation with a wealth of information from our R chart to tell you a little bit more about our team, uh park facilities, um, and our inventory, KPIs that we're going to for FY27, but that we will start implementing um this year internally as we turn the curve from the Ernest and Young study.

And then also department um demographics along with department accomplishments.

Next slide, please.

This slide shows the parks and recreation and how we align with the mayor's priorities.

Uh 45% of our budget is prioritized and addressed under quality of life, 4% in public safety, 16% in infrastructure, and 35% in government that works in that category.

I want to note in this category it accounts for the Houston Zoo contract.

Next slide, please.

Our FY 27 budget reduction is a decrease of about $300,000 in supplies and services.

I'll go into that when we reach the program.

But like I said, minimal impact on our operations compared to last year.

Next slide, please.

This slide capture it captures the expenditures from each fund.

Our largest expenditures is 88.5 million in our general fund.

And the total expenditures from all funds is 106 million, 106.4 million.

We, in terms of the Bio Greenways 2020 fund from 2106 noted in the slide, we reduced, we were reduced by 1.26 million because we no longer service the White Oak Bio, Houston Parks Board decide they're servicing that and leaving us with some gaps that I think we were able to fill based on vacancies that we had in our department.

We didn't have to lay any of that the 11 staff off that was operating and maintaining that part that portion of our trail system.

Next slide, please.

This slide shows expenditures by fund charted from the previous slide.

Next slide, please.

This slide shows our personnel and non-personnel, a breakdown by each fund.

From the general fund, 1,000 51% of expenses are in personnel, 22% in non-personnel, and restricted accounts, 14% is from the annual zoo payment.

Next slide, please.

The next two slides are department expenditures by program.

You know, the department is made up of 14 programs.

As I mentioned, Ernest and Young, we're constantly thinking about how to reorganize and be more efficient.

And we've done some of that with this fiscal year.

We'll do more in next fiscal year.

There's a decrease of 12% in administrative services due to restricted accounts, such as sewer, electrical, debt services, and NFI transfers, and there's an increase in 13% in aquatic operations due to personnel.

We're going to open all of our pools this year.

That's our goal.

And we're well on our way with hiring and processing.

We're currently over 157 staff.

And I'd like to recognize Prentice Collins behind me, our deputy director of recreational and wellness.

He's he was instrumental in recruiting efforts and kind of realigning what we're doing with aquatics.

So we have 13% in aquatic operations, like I said, due to personnel, and hiring more lifeguards to open our pools.

There's a 12% increase in debt services due to the NFL debt service charges and charge back.

Next slide, please.

This is the rest of our expenditure by program.

There's a decrease of 4% in ground maintenance due to Houston Parks Board and ending our bio greenways contract for White Oak Bio.

Overall, there's not a significant change in our programs.

Next slide, please.

The following slides highlight HPR's programs.

The first program is adaptive sports and recreation.

This particular program provides inclusive uh specialized sports and recreational opportunities, which allows citizens, no matter what their ability is, to actually participate in meaningful activities that promote health, inclusion, and social connections.

It's been said as a result of that, as a result of activities that are much metropolitan multi-service center at West Gray.

It's a lifeline for many constituents that visit there.

The fact that we program that place for people with disabilities, they go there every day and evaluate.

As I mentioned, we're implementing these internally for this fiscal year, but we'll roll that entire process out in 28 again.

The new KP KPIs are designed to accurately measure service delivery, operational efficiency, and overall community impact for our programs, facilities, and events.

The proposed KPIs can be found in our appendix in the back.

And as we move forward and current and and turn the curve, very beneficial for our department.

Next slide, please.

Administrative services, and that program includes management and finance, strategic partnerships, our marketing division, and the director's office.

I mentioned reorganizing the department.

This is one of those examples where we've merged programs, you know.

Last year, for the last two years, we've lost a tremendous amount of staff for the mayor's incentive program for staff that's retired up until now, and staff unfortunately that's been terminated.

With this process, we're able to streamline, organize better, get leaner and meaner, so to speak, uh, and more efficient.

Um I've told each division head to use a white board, wipe it clean, current, and let's look at how we could be more efficient.

And they've done an outstanding job with that project and where we're going based on span of control, based on supervisory level, and reorganizing our department.

Um, it also this uh program it tells about all the interfine chargebacks and restricted accounts for the department, including fleet services.

Um, as a goal for this program, we're targeting two 2,000 volunteers uh to help support what we do with this department, constant civic engagement and how we track that.

Um changes made again span from the Ernest and Young study, um span of control and supervisory levels.

Next slide, please.

You know, we mentioned I mentioned aquatics, definitely a point of interest that as we approach the summer months.

Uh we plan to operate uh 34 pools with three pools down for maintenance um reasons.

Uh, that two of them hopefully will come back online, and then the third one, it'll take a while to reopen, that's hit well because of uh renovations and reconstruction.

Um we're going forward with our lifeguard development programs, uh lifeguard certifications, learn to swim, open and lab swim as we did last year.

Um we're gonna staff over 40 FTEs consisting of five full-time, 13 part-time, and 158 seasonals, and we're well on our way.

You know, some may ask, how do we get to this point with aquatics?

Well, we dropped the incentive and increase the pay by two dollars with each classification, and it's been a uh shot in the arm, so to speak, for recruitment because we're just above market with all our competitors, which makes it great, and we're hiring 15-year-olds as well, which helped out.

Um, our goal for Pools is to serve over 85,000 participants this coming season.

Next slide, please.

Community center operation operates 59 community centers with programs listed on the slide.

So many I I can't go into it, it'll take an hour and a half to finish.

But I'm very proud of our program team that's offering a variety of services.

Um, in addition, this section um it operates our fitness centers and weight rooms throughout the city.

Uh, for FY27, we're going to target to reach over 130,000 seniors and adults, and over 75,000 after school participants.

You know, our after school and summer programs, there are there are core programs, so it definitely takes quite a bit of resources to manage, but it's such a benefit to our young kids that need attention doing risk high risk hours at summer and after school.

So I just wanted to mention that.

Next slide, please.

This program, it's debt services, interfund transfers, and it reflects the debt service payments or inter-fund transfer payments.

It also includes the annual payment to the zoo.

And then we also need we also use it for a loan for golf carts that's been repaid.

Next slide, please.

Our facility maintenance program coordinates and monitors park planning and expansions, expansions, sorry, uh construction, maintenance, renovations, and park facilities.

Now these are small constructions that's not handled by GSD, but they're badly needed in our neighborhood and pocket parks.

And there's the things that we're able to accomplish as a result of this particular program.

One goal is to do 600 playground inspections up from last year.

Next slide, please.

Golf operations.

This city is buzzing about golf.

It's good to know with golf operation.

We have two golf courses that we manage and maintain at Memorial and Sharpstown.

And as a result of us managing those courses, we plan to do 350,000 rounds between both courses, and 120,000 rounds of golf, which makes us able to maintain those facilities at cost and a little bit above.

I'm very proud of what we're doing with golf operations.

With a PJ tour and the LPJ tour, just finishing up, and other tournaments and fundraisers.

We're able to operate this at no cost to the tax players.

Thank you.

Next slide, please.

Now our ground maintenance program, it oversees the daily maintenance of Houston's Parkland, Esplanades, Green Space, and Urban Forests.

The division also maintains green space for other public facilities, libraries, GSD, and Esplanades with Houston Public Works.

Huge responsibility for this for this repart for this department.

Need a lot of resources to maintain an 18-day cycle for mowing as well as a 30-day for esplades, which is where we are, which is where we were last year.

Certainly helps us focus on our core, which is cutting parks, removing trash, and take care of our trees.

Next slide, please.

Lake Houston Wilderness Park.

An event, in terms of those venues that support it, maintenance as well, structural repairs, security, custodial services for the lodges and the cabins and the dining hall.

If you guys have not visited Lake Houston Wilderness Park, I encourage you to do so.

5,000 acre park that accommodates overnight camping, fishing, archery, um, tours, you name it.

Uh, it's a wonderful piece of property.

Next slide, please.

Oh, we hope to we hope to service 85,000 participants as a result of this program.

Next slide, please.

Our natural resource management program is to protect, preserve, and restore all natural resources in our park system.

This is what helped with this program keep our city clean, you know, through native um plantings, repurium projects, restoration of our forests and our wetlands.

We hope to service over seven natural resource projects that will keep this city clean next year and beyond.

Next slide, please.

Park safety and security.

Uh this program manages the security operations and dispatch services.

Uh, we remain committed to safety.

Um, this may be a small budget.

We're able to accommodate this with uh 39 rangers, uh, three supervisors, three in dispatch, two superintendents, and one division manager.

Could we use more resources?

Yes, but partnering with the county, partnering with HPD, local law enforcement, and citizen citizen groups help us um at least keep us you know aware when things happen and help look out.

Um, I'll call our rangers lookout blockers.

You know, they're they're not armed, but they're able to say look out.

Here they come.

So next slide, please.

Uh recreational fitness program.

Uh this oversees the operation of programming of Lee and Joe Jamel Skate Park, our uh disc golf courses, and our citywide soccer for success program and FY27.

We're targeting 75 participants from our adult sports program.

Next slide, please.

Tennis operations.

Um, when you when you think about programming recreation and wellness um in the future, many of this will be combined into one program, but there are revenue-producing programs.

I thought it was important to keep them separate at this point.

So our tennis operation, it offers opportunities for three major tennis centers, uh, and more than 200 neighborhood tennis courts.

Our goal is to serve over 25 or 24,000 youth participants in FY27.

Next slide, please.

Urban forestry, another potential um program to combine with natural resources and parks maintenance.

Um we're looking at this program, you know, it manages our Houston tree canopy and it's planted and approved more than 13,000 trees from various initiatives in 27.

We plan to plant another 15,000 trees, uh, working with partners uh and grants to accomplish that.

Next slide, please.

Um that concludes our our program and expense part of the presentation.

I want to pass over to Bridget Ikoff, who again has been instrumental working with staff to accommodate the changes that we're making as well as uh for us as a department to operate more efficient in accordance with the Anderson Young study and what the mayor wants us to do as a result of the findings.

Thank you.

Good morning, Council members.

This slide shows revenue by fund.

The special revenue fund is projected to collect 300,000 less as a result of the completion of loan repayments.

The goal of special revenue fund is projected to increase by 204,000 due to higher customer participation at HPAD Gulf facilities and increased pro shop purchases.

There is a decrease in fund 2105 maintenance renewal and replacement due to the expiration of a contractual agreement.

Overall, the total proposed revenue for FY27 is a little over 18 million, which is approximately one percent lower than the FY26 estimates.

The next slide provides additional revenue highlights.

Next slide, please.

This slide highlights some of the significant revenue changes included in the FY26 proposed revenue by fund.

Fund 2100 reflects a decrease of approximately 422,000.

This reduction is primarily due to the completion of the loan repayment from Fund 2104.

As well as lower projected miscellaneous revenue from developers removing trees for housing projects.

Reflects an increase of approximately 44,000 due to an increase in hope revenue.

Next slide, please.

This slide shows revenue by fund, which is charted from the previous slide.

Next slide, please.

This slide this slide shows HPA revenues by programs.

Overall, there's a one percent decrease in program revenue.

Which equates to a reduction of 185,000 in the proposed revenues.

Next slide, please.

In the appendix, you will find the department of demographics and accomplishments.

Thank you, Bridget.

Um as we conclude today's presentation, I just want to express my gratitude for working with all partners in all factors of government.

It's gonna take a collective effort, uh, not just internally but externally.

So this budget reflect um definitely us moving forward, um, but also definitely us needing additional support.

And I want to thank the mayor for his continued support of parks, um, and each and every one of you.

Um, and again, and my team, um, everything that we're doing, we work we work together to get it done.

So I want to thank them publicly in front of everybody.

Thank you.

That concludes our presentation.

We're open for questions.

Thank you, Director.

Very good presentation.

We're not panicking like last year over the mowing cycle.

So we appreciate we appreciate that very much.

I want to welcome council member Julian Ramirez and my vice chair, Councilmember Mario Castillo, as well as staff from Councilmember Mary Nan Huffman and Tiffany Thomas' office and the Mayor Pro Tem Castex Tatum's office.

Um Vice Chair Castillo.

Thank you, Chair, and thank you, Director, to you and your team uh for all the partnership in District H with respect to the parks.

A couple of questions.

Uh I'll start with safety and security slide 20.

You mentioned uh could you use more resources?

Sure.

Uh what specifically would be helpful to parks with respect to safety and security additional resources.

The the ability to hire more rangers.

Um, you look at our inventory.

We have over 386 parks now.

Uh we require additional four parks, but look at our community centers and pools.

Um, it's just a 640 mile radius that we have to cover.

It's just not enough to adequately cover all of the hotspots and some.

We have our major signature parks that need a lot of attention in terms of traffic control, but working with HPD, of course, we do that.

Uh but additional boots on the ground would help, uh, especially in areas that need it that we know where we have problems.

Uh dumping is a huge issue throughout this city.

It'll be nice to use technology and to monitor that technology and know where the hot spots are.

This we dispatch staff out to uh curtail incidents or and catch them.

How many rangers do you all have currently?

Uh we currently have uh 40 rangers, uh, approximately, but we get a lot of turnover, so we're never really fully staffed because we're always rehiring because of others leaving.

And quite frankly, we get that quite frankly, we get that in our grounds and other areas.

We we like to say we train people because other departments and other entities uh pay a little bit more, so it's it's constant turnover.

Okay, thank you.

And then moving on to uh urban forestry, uh slide 23.

You talk about trees trimmed and trees removed uh on public land.

So is this just in our parks or is it also in esplanades?

You know, if they're adopted by a group, do y'all handle the the tree removal or is that on the responsibility of the adopter?

We well, if the we handle the removal, I mean you think about you know, a tree and adopter trying to handle it, it's just a high risk task.

Um, when there's a storm and trees are down, we remove it if it's on public property, and that happens a lot.

So we use contractors as well as internal.

And on the removal specifically, I know I've used some of my CDSF for that uh in the past.

Uh is there a gap there as well in terms of resources?

Could y'all use more resources to uh better maintain and remove dead trees, dangerous trees?

Absolutely.

Um, our first priority definitely when when streets and roads are are blocked, or if there's any uh safety issues potentially because of tree is leaning, we have to handle those first.

It'll be nice to get on a routine schedule uh where we're uh we're identifying and removing trees that need attention as well as planning.

You know, can't forget that part.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you, Director Allen and all for the um presentation.

Um Mayor Pro Tim Cestex Tatum.

Um appreciates the works that the Houston Parks and Recreation Department does.

Um she's proud to uh lend support to some programs at Town Wood Park, you know.

Um for summer programs.

Um, happy to do that.

Um question I have, and it's regards to aquatics, um, specifically lifeguards.

I do recall, um, and I'm I don't recall the specifics, but I do recall us meeting virtually the council offices meeting virtually with an agency that was helping with the hiring of lifeguards.

Can you elaborate on that?

HR has taken a and I have to thank Director Cheeks for this.

We've taken a hands-on approach to recruiting, um, which has helped tremendously in terms of job fares in terms of processing on site.

We've made some adjustments, um, and it's and it's been very beneficial.

We have a lot more in the queue, and we're ready to open a lot more pools this summer as a result.

We'll start we'll start with 10 and uh on memorial day weekend, uh, and then the following weekend we'll open more, and as as kids get out of school and they're ready to work, we'll have at least 34 open on a full-time schedule.

Very good.

And we look for the pools in District K to be open to plug that in.

You have you have princesses, apprentices' word that they'll be open.

Thank you.

And then um with regards to safety um and the um park rangers, are there any type of incentive programs or any type of um programs that would help with retention?

Last year uh we raised the pay, and that helped.

Uh before that, uh we had turnover even more so, and it was hard to hire.

At least we're getting people in now, and they like I said they get trained and they go on for more other opportunities, but it would be great to continue to increase their pay for longevity and uh sustainability.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh I submitted a number of questions in writing, but did want to talk to you a little bit about the the uh the maintenance renewal and replacement um fund.

I did notice that went down a half a million dollars, and I believe Bridget, you said that was um due to the expiration of a contractual agreement.

What what exactly is going on there?

And what are what's the range of of costs of these projects?

You said they're not the big construction projects, but they're yeah, it could be like I'll use Let's Play the mayor's initiative.

Let's play Houston as an example, working with Houston Parks Board.

Uh we've committed about 10 million dollars.

Uh a lot of that comes from the park dedication fund, but there's some other things that we could do internally.

It could be uh changing our uh lighting systems to LED, fencing, uh some concrete work, not a complete redesign of the park, but when we need something major to get improved in terms of an amenity, um our facilities and management section, we have crews and contractors that can come out and help mainly repair.

Um, is there a dollar amount that that differentiates operating maintenance and capital maintenance?

Typically or capital, you know, projects that could deal with deferred maintenance.

It's typically designed.

Anytime design is needed, um, or surveys that comes from GSD.

Then it becomes a capital project.

Yes, thank you.

Uh Bridget, can you talk about the contractual arrangement?

Yes.

Um it was because of the conclusion of a one time, um, the 800,000 funding allocation that was received in property sales for um North Houston highway improvement.

So we've finished paying that, and that accounts for the decrease.

Oh, okay, okay, understand that.

Um, very grateful for your KPIs that you put in the appendix.

Those are great.

Um, we've been really I've seen a lot of improvement in this year's budget book due to the EY work, so appreciate your work on that.

And um Vice Chair uh Castillo.

Thank you, Chair.

I do want to also ask about grants.

I saw in the book, you have a goal of 25 uh grant applications in FY27.

Also in your uh appendix in FY26, you secured 26.9 million in grants for for various parks.

Is there uh somebody in the parks department that is responsible for sort of coordinating and applying for or spearheading all the grant efforts?

Yes, that's uh Tina Ortiz who's sitting behind me, Wade.

Uh she's our strategic partnerships.

Um, so to speak.

Her and her staff, they go after grants.

Any capacity is definitely an issue.

Uh you can only do so much when you're responsible for things that not only grants but broad, um what we're talking about only grants, but all the work that's done with uh the kinders, the Houston Parks Board, the conservancies, um, and nonprofit groups.

It starts from her office um with her working with our team.

Uh we for major grants, 25 is a good target.

Um we would love to do more, but we have we have we need at least two more staff to um apply and and monitor and execute uh grants for the department.

Uh she's done a lot of good work uh working with the team.

Uh would love to make that 20 million into 781 million.

So but it's through is for that office where we're able to accomplish it.

Well, I know how important they are.

Um there's a number of of parks in District H that received grant support.

We had an item on the agenda uh this week for some some state dollars along with uh other funds to help improve some parks, and so uh it's a it's a important aspect if you're talking about limited resources to try and keep up with the maintenance, the uh safety, you know, the amenities, etc.

Um, so I will I wanted to learn a little bit more about what that looked like on your end, because it it seems like there's been some success.

Last year, you've got a goal for this year, um, so I appreciate that.

All the all the earmark earmarks from from the state, um, as a result of us applying for those.

That's one other example, um, federal, state, local um funding support.

Councilmember Ramirez.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Director, for the presentation.

I know you work under uh some great challenges in terms of resources and and trying to uh take care of uh many parks, many of which are in uh need of uh a lot of assistance.

In fact, I was looking over the question submitted by Councilmember Evan Shabazz, who represents District D, where she noted that in a survey y'all did a couple years ago, as far as condition of the parks.

Twelve of the parks, 12 of the 20 parks in the worst condition were located in her district, and I know y'all are trying to address a lot of those, but that's just emblematic of the challenges that I know you face.

And uh I'm wondering about how much help uh you get from the TERS to address this.

You you spoke about some of the nonprofits that do a great deal of good.

HPAR, I'm sorry, the parks board and the kinders and the various conservancies around around town.

Um and I've spoken before about one park that that has received uh to date more than 36 million dollars from one of our wealthier TURS.

Um I'm what I'm curious to know, aside from that, how how much help are we getting from for some of these other parks in in uh poor condition from the rest of our TURS?

Um I think we can improve tremendously with tourists, but at the end of the day, it's up to them to decide to help us.

Uh we have some shining examples.

Tourist 8 has stepped up to improve four four parks in that in their in their area, which which is tremendous help.

Um we've addressed this with Houston Parks Board to identify over 186 neighborhood parks that need support.

They've helped us with 50.

Um there's another 25 on the way in terms of getting help.

These are neighborhood parks and pocket parks.

Um, with a mayor's let's play Houston campaign.

So that's one way that we're trying to address this equity or imbalance issue.

Um we're also targeting uh adjustments for the park dedication fund that would allow us to use 30 percent of the money coming in over any sector, and that would include neighborhood and pocket parks, but just a continuous um outreach and and effort uh to channel funds into areas that where it's needed most.

We try not only to to hit the uh parks that are in most need, uh sometime it may be an amenity like playgrounds.

All of our playgrounds, most of them were built in the late 19, mid-19, I think it was 1984 to 97.

Most of them were built then, so we've ripped out quite a few of them because of safety issues, and now we're we're having an initiative to replace them.

Um so grants for that, uh targeted spending, and they're all over the park, no matter you know what area you live in.

Some things sometimes things are past their useful life uh along with facilities, but to answer your question direct about tourists, we need we need some additional work with them.

Great.

Um, let me let me ask you as well about golf operations.

Uh and I'll go all right, I'll keep going.

So um, and on slide 16, I believe it is you reference uh Memorial Park Golf Course and Sharpstown Park Golf Course, those are the the two that that H.

Pard uh operates, is that right?

Yes, and um I know the memorial park golf course obviously does very well and um you know kudos to the Astros Golf Foundation for for their uh help with that and uh the double decker driving range that is out there gets a lot of use.

Do you have a ballpark figure on how much revenue comes in from that uh driving range there?

Any idea?

Oh, I think it's I think it's no quote me on it, but it's over two million.

Over two million a year, yeah.

So the double decker, you know, we renovated the entire surface of the range, we're repaired the roof.

Uh it stays busy.

Uh, love to do something like that at Sharpstown.

Uh Sharpstown is making money.

We're not we're not supporting it with memorial uh revenue or any other city revenue.

So golf is is busy, people are interested in playing.

When we have weather like we have now, it's gonna be hard to get a tea time.

So um the interest in golf, you know, because of the PGA tour and LPGA tour, we can capitalize even more so in golf with a few improvements um at Sharpstown.

Uh Memorial gets a lot of attention because of the Astros Golf Foundation, of course.

Um, but I'm excited about golf and where we can go in terms of in terms of revenue and delivering uh outstanding golfing experience for those at play golf.

Are there any plans to upgrade Sharpstown's golf course?

Yes, we currently have um believe it's 10 million uh to give some attention to the clubhouse.

Um we're we're working with the tourists and the management district in that area who has who has interest, along with council member Pollard, um, along with uh the players at play there.

Uh would love to have a functional driving range there.

This is gonna it's gonna take more than 10 million to redo the clubhouse.

It's old.

Uh all the systems need to be replaced.

Um we could re reconfigure that course, functional driving range, a new restaurant, um, also a recreation center with with space all combined.

We just need to do a little bit more fundraising to get that done.

Okay, and um I know there was a plan to put in a uh a driving range at Herman Park, similar to the one at Memorial Park that would generate a lot of revenue.

I understand the parks department doesn't run Herman Park uh currently, but that plan also would would have reconfigured the golf course at Herman Park.

You know the status of that plan at this point.

We're on a whole, you know, there's a lot of interest because of Harris Health and what's happening across the street with the Wannake Track and Bentov.

Um we're gonna do some more community outreach.

Some people were for the plan, some wasn't.

If the Astros are still interested, next year I like to bring that back to the table after we've done some more digging uh with the community.

Uh would love to redo that course as well with the help of Herman Park Conservancy and the Astros.

Okay, last thing, and then I'll I'll I'll finish.

Um so last weekend I had the opportunity to help pick up trash along Harrisburg uh hike and bike trail.

And um one of the things I noticed was that a lot of the drains are clogged with uh vegetation and debris and so forth uh beyond our capabilities to uh to address.

I reached out to Director Mackai of Public Works, and he said that particular trail is under under park.

So I just wanted to bring that to your attention.

I mentioned it a couple days ago in our meeting, and uh to her credit, uh Martha Escalante got right on it and uh reached out about where exactly that was so uh she's always very responsive when uh you know we bring up an issue or concern.

So kudos to you and your staff, but I just wanted to bring that to your attention.

Thank you.

We're lucky to have her.

Dee Dee with Mayor Protown.

Thank you, madam chair.

Um just wanted to um go back to Councilmember Ramirez.

Um, one of his questions was in reference to the TARS investment um in the parks in the parks, and I just wanted to um point out that TARS 25 is in uh one of their CIP projects is park improvements at Simon Mansion Park, the extension and improves improving park capacity and also parking.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Yes, good point.

And and Council Member Americans, when we're reviewing those um TERS budgets, you know, and we see their project plans.

I mean, that'll be a good time to advocate for some additional investment in parks.

It was um no mistake that he's put uh that the director stated that 781 million that he wishes he had.

That's that's the really the situation um across the city of 386 parks, and that's a big number, and that's not a number that we raise in bonds every five to six years, those are usually about 50 million dollars.

So this is a steep hill to climb.

Um we're headed in the right direction.

Yesterday, as you know, I've been in this horseshoe talking for months about the open space ordinance, had the opportunity to advocate for a fee increase.

Um that fee has been the same since 2007.

Those are funds that could assist us in in you know climbing that hill.

So, and we also had um six or seven members of the community advocating for a fee increase, and as well as the the changes to make it more equitable um across the park sector.

So I'm looking forward to continuing the dialogue with stakeholders on that, but that's another good funding source to help us address a lot of these needs.

Um question I had on community it looked like you're down about 30 FTEs in the community centers.

Is that were those vacancies or what what specifically uh is that going to impact any services or what's what's happening there?

You were at this year's estimate was like one sixty-one, I think.

And so um the the change comes from some of them retiring with the incentive and then some resignations, and then um some realignment and consolidation of some of the community centers to SwissL sites and elaborate on it if needed.

Um and also combination of um merging some positions into full-time in some other areas to assist with the um they can see that I in other community centers.

Okay, so not really going to have an impact, great impact on at the community center.

And working with Prentice and his team, you know, every community center that it does not need to be a cookie cutter approach.

You don't have to run a summer program at every center.

Uh where we were averaging 10 or less.

We decided to turn those into social sites, not run the summer program, refer constituents to the next nearest location, but we turn that into maybe a senior center, uh, or maybe uh teen center, something that the community is uh is demanding or requesting uh and it's been very effective as we as we reorganize our our divisions and our department uh based on efficiencies.

Got it.

That's that's smart.

Thank you very much.

I want to get to our public speakers, Director Ms.

Ikoff, thank you so much.

The whole parks team, you guys are amazing.

Uh Joe Turner used to always say it's 103 degrees outside, and everybody's working out there.

I don't think it's quite that hot today, but we really uh it's hot.

So we really appreciate all the work of the parks employees.

You guys uh parks are the you know a great Houston treasure and really appreciate all you do to keep them keep them going.

So thank you for your budget presentation, and now we will move to public speakers.

Thank you.

Thank you all.

Speakers, the talking points first.

Taylor Valley.

Okay.

First, we have Taylor Valley.

With SEER, good to see you again.

She was with me advocating for the open space ordinance yesterday.

Good morning.

Um, I'm really excited to hear about like the more trees um in the urban forestry section, um, the improvement in the mowing cycles, um, all of the grant work that um Tina Ortiz did, that's really great.

Um, all of that is really good to hear.

Um, yesterday, whenever we met um at City, I mean, um, Planning Commission about the open space ordinance, the open space ordinance notably um does not go towards maintenance.

It's written like that in the ordinance.

So those go more towards um park improvements, renovations, and land acquisition.

And so we're really excited about um the opportunity for there being um the 7030 split and um possibly the um increase in fees.

However, um that's still gonna take an overall um toll as far as maintenance with more park land potentially and more um you know renovations and everything that's gonna take more maintenance.

So we still would just really like to see um more um funding allocated towards age part.

Um that's gonna be really important as we move forward with the open space ordinance and the possibility of more um capital improvements, renovations, and um park allocation, park land allocation.

So um, just here to emphasize that I would really like to see more go towards HPard, but um you guys are doing a great job with what you're working with, and we just hope to see more money allocated towards y'all.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Taylor.

And you did bring up user fees, and that's something we didn't discuss.

I did put that question in in writing about, you know, a lot of our user fees, you know, tennis, other other activities that people pay for, rentals haven't been updated in decades.

So I've asked a question in writing about what potentially could be raised annually if we if we um kind of brought those up to CPI or whatever.

So thank you very much for your advocacy.

Next, um, Stefania Thompson, also with SEER.

Good morning, everyone.

My name is Stefania Tomaskovic, and I'm the director of SEER.

And so we're a coalition of nonprofit organizations.

We came together to address pollution place and public health, and we think parks are an integral part of our mission because they're not just the amenities that they provide, they're crucial infrastructure for community health, wellness, and safety.

And we talk to a lot of community members, we hear a lot about what they need from their parks.

Mowing and maintenance definitely comes up.

Open pools during Houston's incredibly hot summers, programming.

Some other issues we hear about storm debris piling up in parks and illegal dumping.

And we also hear a lot from community members who don't have adequate access to parks.

They actually want to see more parks in their neighborhoods so that they can walk to a community park.

We also hear community members are really excited about parks as places for gathering, for exercise, for resilience, and serving a double duty.

They can help mitigate flooding.

And many people that we speak with are really interested in the development of native plant gardens and parks.

They're really uh excited to see how parks can support ecological resilience as well as human resilience.

So today I want to let y'all know that we are fully in support of H.

Pard's uh budget, and and if possible, like Taylor said, if you can expand the budget, provide more funding for parks, especially in some of the areas that Director Allen mentioned and and Taylor around maintenance and security.

We think all Houstonians could benefit from the additional investment, especially as Councilmember Ramirez mentioned, the community parks that have been historically underserved and need additional crucial investment.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Stefania.

All right, next, Alison Bell.

Okay, good morning, everyone.

I'm Alison Bell.

I'm the executive director of the Heritage Society in Sam Houston Park, and we would not be in existence if it weren't for Sam Houston Park.

We are across the street.

We have the 10 historic homes, three of which are UNESCO designated sites of memory of the Slave Route Project.

So our busiest month is the month of June.

We're about to embark on our plantation to emancipation tours.

And we are in the park daily.

We have 80 students today from Founders Classic Academy that are just arriving in about 10 minutes.

So we are very appreciative of how the Parks Department maintains Sam Houston Park.

We know that it's a challenge.

We work closely with Tina and with Director Allen.

And I get to know all of the um lower levels of the park because they're over there daily taking care of the park and itself.

We could always use more security, as council member mentioned, because we do have frequent break ins of our historic homes.

So we do rely on the park rangers.

So it's good to hear that that they did increase the pay, and hopefully, as you mentioned, they would um involve some incentives.

So we're just thankful that we are able to take advantage of such a beautiful park.

We hear a lot when people discover us that they did not know we were there and we are a hidden treasure, and I think the park, Sam Houston Park has a lot to do with that.

Thank you very much, Alison.

We I look at it right outside my window, and it's a beautiful park, and I know you rely on private foundation private funding and city funding, correct?

Exactly.

Okay, yes.

So, and and in the past you've received city funding from I believe some of the kiosk revenue.

That's correct.

Okay, and do you know if that's going to transpire again?

Um, I have reached out and I have not uh received um a message yet or a return email, but I'm hopeful that that is available again.

Okay.

Well, we we will we will track that down for you.

Okay, thank you very much for coming.

And thanks for all you do there.

Thank you.

Jack Valinski.

I think you all know how important uh the Metropolitan Multi-service center is to us in the city.

And it's also a park, and it is a beautiful park.

Um and it seems like we have an election day every day this year, and I spent a lot of time out there.

So the day in the life of watching people come and use the park is really incredible.

From 7 a.m.

when people are walking into the center or using the park or walking or using the tennis courts.

On Tuesday, a gentleman drove up, didn't speak a word of English, and he motioned his iPhone, wanting to know whether the park is private or public.

Never thought me that this would be a private thing.

Our parks are public.

Certainly remember Buffalo Bayou Park about 20 years ago, how bad it was.

Now it is a world-class park.

And I know we don't have the resources to do what we need to do, but we're doing a pretty good job.

I just wish we could do better.

I would like to know what the status of Wi-Fi on the park buildings are in the parks.

I think we're deficient in that.

Um, I don't believe we have it at West Gray.

Um, I know, or at Cherryhurst.

Um, I think that would be a big help for the especially the after-school programs or people that use it for meetings.

And that's another thing.

Our park buildings are a lot used for uh for meetings, and I think some of our park buildings need a lot of help.

So any way we can do that, I would appreciate it.

Thank you.

Great Jack.

Always great to hear from you.

Would anyone else?

That's all I have signed up.

Would it okay?

Laura Gallier.

Oh, sorry, Doug, I told you I would call you.

So Laura Gallier first, and then we'll have Doug Smith and then you.

Good morning, counsel.

Uh, just a few unrelated but uh related but random comments.

Um, the additional parks rangers has made a huge improvement at my neighborhood park, Love Park, in terms of the unleashed dogs.

I can now take my grandchildren there.

Um we go there a lot, and it was really frightening to them to have even a friendly dog run up to the eye level with a toddler.

So thank you for that.

Um I asked the officer who sits at the sign-in table downstairs what he wanted from the parks, and he wanted me to tell you that he met his wife at a Houston City Park.

Um I was able to observe baseball at the park at uh Metropolitan Multi-service center.

And so I just wanted to elevate that, make sure you're aware of how awesome that is.

Um I got like 200,000 social media views for the business card of that person.

I guess people really care about the baseball.

Maybe that doesn't come under parks, I don't know.

Also um removed playgrounds need to be replaced.

Um the one I know about specifically is in Mango Manor Park.

Um it's been removed for about 10 years or more, and it hasn't been replaced.

And it's a really beautiful park that anchors their community.

Thank you very much, Laura.

Really appreciate that.

I've heard about that last park you mentioned as well.

Doug Smith.

Thanks for coming, Laura.

Great to see you, Doug.

Good morning.

I have some good news and I have some bad news.

First, the good news, uh, and I talked to Kenneth about this.

If you ever get a chance, hopefully right after they've done the maintenance at the A Leaf Neighborhood Center.

It looks like a private home in River Oaks, uh, as far as I'm concerned.

It's beautiful, it's a very difficult park to maintain because there's lots of broken up areas, hills, valleys, all kinds of stuff.

Uh, and it's it's beautiful.

Uh take a look at it.

Hopefully, you come right after they've done it because that's not looks great.

Secondly, the bad news, we've got two soccer fields where the goal area, because it's used so much, uh, are relatively like gravel, which is really dangerous because when you play soccer, you slide and it can cause injuries.

I've spoken to them about this, and they said they don't have the resources to take care of it.

I went to uh Bear Creek.

My kids grew up and played soccer at Bear Creek because I because they're heavily used also.

I went there yesterday, and I don't know what they do out there versus what they're not doing at our neighborhood center, but I didn't see the same problem.

So my thought is two things.

First of all, could we maybe put uh watering just on the goal are not for the whole field?

Just water the goalers since that's the area that's such a problem.

Uh secondly, uh Mario talked a lot about grants.

Could we maybe get a grant uh to take care of that, maybe a soccer foundation?

Uh, but that's just it's something that really I would like to see taken care of because the rest of the park is so so well maintained.

Then uh as far as direct questions on the budget, uh this is on the recreation and fitness.

Hopefully, this is a mistake.

It's on page 142 of the budget.

Uh, and they're showing number of soccer for success program this year's 90,000, and they're projecting it's they say not applicable for next year, which it scares me, particularly given the excitement uh surrounding the uh uh World Cup that's coming.

Uh and it's a great program, and we need to keep our youth busy, and that's one way to do it.

Secondly, regarding park development and renovation, everything's zero.

Uh so I don't know whether they don't have any plans for uh putting new parks in or renovations, but it's a question that I think needs to be addressed.

You mean on the performance measures?

Is it say NA?

Yeah.

Yeah, that's just because they're revising their performance measures and in the dollars are zero.

Uh yeah, oh no, it's staffing.

Uh no, dollars are zero too.

It they had 714,000 this year, and it's zero for next year.

So um, there was a budget for MRR.

It just was lessened.

This is park development, not maintenance.

So uh we'll we'll look into that.

And then just to close, uh I have never been to Lake Houston Park, but I read this today when I was going through.

What an amazing place.

And I think it's beautiful.

I definitely have to get there.

It's beautiful.

Maybe I'll check it out.

Maybe I'll have to do an overnight since it's so far from home, but there are cabins, but I can go there.

They're cabins there, and you're right about A-Leaf Park.

It's yeah, I was over there recently.

It's just swarming with people.

It's amazing, but good to know about the soccer fields.

Thanks, and we'll look into that number you were talking about.

And thank you, Doug, as always.

Okay, and now from Karina Blessed.

Thank you, Councilman and Woman.

I'm here to represent Fonde Park.

Fonde Park is not the Fonday community center that we have here at Sabine, but it is also named after Corinne Fonde, who was our first director of the parks and recreation, also uh contributed to the beginning of our lighting of a Christmas tree lighting.

She was a trailblazer, and her motto was recreation as a means of civic engagement.

So I'm here because I would like to advocate for more recreation.

As y'all know, it's a non-social, non-medical driver of health, and we need more equitable recreation activities in all of our parks.

Why do I say this?

So I live in Fondi neighborhood, and I have to drive on Saturdays to Levy Park.

Have you all been to Levy Park?

If you haven't, you have to go there and make sure that you play at the playground because it is beautiful.

So Levy Park has a robust recreation, um, scheduling offerings from yoga, Bollywood, and we would love to see that at our park or within walking distance from our community because a lot of people do not have the means to have a gym membership, and it would be great to activate Fonde Park as such.

Also, would like to ask for more staffing.

Please, please give some budget money, allocate some more budget money for staffing.

We are so blessed to have had our surface or enclosed parking lot.

We have a dog park at Fonde Park.

We're very blessed to have one.

And uh our gates are constantly closed in the morning.

So we have walkers that come and they park their cars on the grass right outside the brand new parking lot.

So the parking lot has gates, so we would like to make sure that our parks can be used because they're there for the public.

So if people cannot use the brand new parking lot, that's an issue.

Um, also we're getting a new playground, and uh we also just noticed that uh our track, our trail.

So we have uh a third of a mile beautiful trail that you can use at any time right across from Brace Bay.

So we have an absolutely stunning location and it's being redone.

We would like to advocate for more transparency and communication with the community, because when we have developments like that, when somebody shows up to walk and they're still showing up to walk, which is amazing, but the Crocrate is all broken up and they have to go around it.

So those are just some of the um of the asks that we have for friends of Fonde Park and Fonda Civic Club.

Thank you so much.

Thank you very much for coming.

We appreciate it.

Anyone else want to speak on the parks budget?

Okay, again, thank you to all of our parks department staff and leadership team.

We really appreciate all your hard work.

We will take a quick break for five or so minutes and then uh begin the Department of Neighborhoods presentation.

They answered your question,