Merced Recreation & Parks Commission Meeting – June 23, 2025
Merced Recreation & Parks Commission Meeting – June 23, 2025
The Recreation and Parks Commission of Merced, California, met on Monday, June 23, 2025, at 5:30 PM in the City Council Chamber. The meeting included approval of minutes, a detailed departmental update from Director Chris Jensen, public comment, and commissioner comments. The meeting adjourned at 6:28 PM.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes (May 27, 2025): The minutes were approved with a clarification requested by a commissioner regarding the cleaning fee for the Merced Senior Community Center, Club 67 Monthly Dances. The motion specified that the rental fee would be the monthly rate but the cleaning fee would be the standard charge. Motion passed unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Ron Radney (Merced Senior Citizens Inc.): Expressed appreciation for Director Jensen's communication about the planned move of Parks and Community Services to the senior center. Stated excitement about the move and suggested that the department explore sponsorships or nominal fees to cover fixed costs of free programs to buffer against future budget cuts.
Discussion Items
- Parks and Community Services Department Updates (Director Chris Jensen): The director provided a comprehensive update covering:
- Budget Reductions: Summer camp was cut (now offered free by Merced City School District at four sites); Stick to Fitness sports clinics and community reservations of the block party trailer were eliminated. One full-time outdoor recreation coordinator position and 15% of part-time employment budget were cut. The $25,000 McCombs Youth Center lease reimbursement was eliminated; other service agreements were reduced by 33% (from $7,000 to $5,500 per facility).
- Additions: Plans to move the Parks office to the Merced Senior Community Center to reduce overhead, generate revenue, and address security concerns (timeline: December 2025). A $180,000 contract with Merced City School District (pending board vote) would fund free programs for district students. A private donor is expected to cover the zookeeper position for several years (to be considered by City Council on July 7). A three-year lease with Turf Tank for automated field line painting. A new part-time recreation field worker ($24,000) for the regional sports complex. $750,000 for Joe Herb Sports Fields renovation (ADA, safety, infrastructure).
- Aquatics Program: 300 families enrolled; $65 per person fee reduced to $25 per family via Central Valley Opportunity Fund donation. Recreation swim is Fridays and Saturdays ($2 entry). Security issues with break-ins; director requested community help to keep pools safe when closed.
- Junior Giants: Serving ~340 students; Challenger League for special needs children launched. First pitch event on June 25.
- Capital Projects: Regional Sports Complex (CP42) phase two nearly complete (pickleball, futsal, fields, inclusive playground); soft opening fall 2025, grand opening spring 2026. Design underway for General Ving Pau Park, Stephen Leonard Youth Center renovation, Bob Hart Square. New projects: Joe Herb fields renovation, Farrens Park disc golf parking expansion, Applegate Park basketball court renovation.
- High-Speed Rail: Planning continues despite federal funding uncertainty; city remains committed to facility investments.
- PROS Plan (Parks Master Plan): Community engagement ongoing; early findings show disparity in trail systems (North Merced) vs. community centers (South Merced). Presentation to commission expected in 1–2 months.
- Zoo Sign: Replaced thanks to community donations and pro bono work from Sign Guys of Merced.
- Sponsorship Discussion: Following public comment, commissioners discussed the possibility of corporate sponsorships for programs. Director Jensen noted existing efforts and plans to develop a sponsorship packet, which a commissioner requested be added to a future agenda. The department is also working on a formal sponsorship acceptance policy.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar: Approved with clarification.
- Future Agenda Request: Commissioner requested an update on the sponsorship packet for the next meeting; the request was accepted.
- No votes taken on reports or business items (informational only).
- Meeting adjourned at 6:28 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Welcome is five thirty-four to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, please. And to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God. Indivisible liberty and justice for all. State law prohibits the commission from acting at this meeting on any matter raised during the public comment period. The chair may propose a further limit to the time available for all speakers at the discretion of the Commission. In order to accommodate as many speakers as possible, members of the public who wish to speak on a matter that is listed on the agenda will be called upon to speak during discussion of that item. I currently have zero requests to speak forms from the audience members wishing to speak on any items not listed on the agenda. Agenda item E, consent calendar. Yeah, go ahead to E1. E1 adoption of recreation and parks commission minutes from May 27, 2025. For the minutes for the last meeting, do I have a motion to approve? I have motion to approve the minutes. Second. I second really quick. I hate to do this, but before we take a vote, could we um take a look at the report on the use of the co-sponsored rate for Merced Senior Community Center, Club 67 Monthly Dances? Um I just wanted to make a recommendation that we clarify the commission asked for the rental fee to be the monthly rate, but that the cleaning fee would be the straight charge. Just in case this ever gets called by the renter. Yep. Okay. So we would just need a motion to adopt the minutes with the clarification on that item that the cleaning fee would be the standard charge. So based on the new information, do we have a motion to approve? I motion to approve the revised minutes regarding the cleaning fee of the community center. The senior community center. Yep. Do you need them to vote? Yeah. I don't I don't have my oh my god. Okay. There you go. Cool. Thank you. Okay, motion passes. I think agenda item F reports. I'm still waiting for that. Yeah, it's up there. There we go. Good evening, Commission. Uh Commissioner Weetron and Commission Chris Jensen, Parks and Community Services Director, giving you a monthly update for this month of June on where we're at with our programs and our projects and services. I'm sorry about the fine print, but we had several things to note from our specific budget that was adopted that I wanted to share with you and the public today. Number one, uh reductions that were made. This year we looked at cutting several of our camps that were strictly supported by the general fund or did not meet their cost recovery requirement for us to continue offering. Um those camps were summer camp, stick to fitness sports clinics and community reservations of our block party trailer. Uh outside of summer camp, everything else was free of charge to the community. Um and it was really essential that we look at what programs were covering their costs, which ones were highly attended, which were not in competition or undermining other services like wise services that were already offered in the community. And it was really essential that we look at what programs were covering their costs, which ones were highly attended, which were not in competition or undermining other services like wise services that were already offered in the community. And so for summer camp, we had Merced City School District that we collaborated with to consider some grant proposal or contract proposals I'll share with you in just a little bit. In lieu of offering the summer camp program, which is a direct expense to our department budget. And we retain or recuperate very little of that expense. Summer camp is being offered by MERSAD City School District at four different sites this summer. It's completely free.
openpublica.com