OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Syracuse Parks Department Budget Hearing - April 22, 2026

Public Meetings — Wednesday, April 22, 2026
BodySyracuse, New York
SessionPublic Meetings
DateWednesday, April 22, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 58:05

Transcript — Verbatim
3:43

It's going.

3:44

We're ready.

3:45

Well, we got one minute.

3:48

Okay, yeah.

3:53

Okay.

4:20

Councillor Matos, Kevin Henry, Zaicha Bird, and I don't know you.

4:29

So afternoon.

4:32

Good afternoon.

4:33

Morning.

4:46

Could you give us an overview of your budget, please?

4:49

Yes, I can.

4:50

So I would start with good afternoon, counselors, and happy Earth Day.

5:00

So we are the Department of Syracuse Parks Recks and Youth Programs.

5:06

Parks are essential to every neighborhood, age group, and all abilities.

5:10

Parks provides quality of life for many residents in the city.

5:14

We're a growing department as we work to increase trails, new playgrounds, new parks, cooling centers, and continuously renovating pools in our age structures.

5:26

We oversee um 1,255 acres of city-owned property, and 16 acres of vacant city-owned property.

5:36

These include 53 structures, eight outdoor pools, three indoor pools, 44 parks with playgrounds, two new e-sports centers, and 15 miles of trails, just to name a few.

5:50

We are comprised of four in the budget departments, which is admin grounds rec and dog shelter, but we're more than that.

5:59

We're administration, we're grounds, we're forestry, we're youth rec, senior rec, planning, golf, ice, arts and crafts, dog shelter, senior rec, special events, and adult rec.

6:16

Um, we employ 116 full-time positions, including the dog shelter staff.

6:23

We currently have three Surah positions, more than 365 part-time recreation employees received the paycheck in 2020, and 25 part-time ground employees received the uh paycheck through the tent line.

6:41

Um we operate with a dedicated supportive staff, partnerships with nonprofit organizations, park associations, and friends of parks, as well as the hundreds of residents that chip in every day to watch over, clean, and enjoy the city of Syracuse Parks and Recks and Parks, excuse me, in green spaces as well as programming.

7:04

So that's my opening.

7:06

Let's go.

7:08

So we'll jump in to budget, and Sam is always here to assist me.

7:13

This is our finance um, I call him my finance officer for parks, but he is our money go-to person.

7:21

Um so we'll start with the cover page, which oversees um positions, and I can walk you through some of the position changes and updates that we've made over the last year.

7:35

What?

7:40

Switch seats about this word with me.

7:53

All right, I believe the hearing is begun.

7:55

Yes, call the order.

7:58

Thank you.

7:59

So starting with the admin the administration line, um, the changes that in or I'll let Sam jump in in a minute.

8:08

Um, there's a few changes we made um on the admin line.

8:13

So the public information officer used to lie within recreation.

8:16

We moved them over to admin, which made more sense for us.

8:21

Um the landscape architect two is currently vacant, but we have a plan for that, and we're working on it.

8:28

Um the land tech um support specialists is now in City Hall, so that um was vacated out of parks.

8:40

And then we have two vacant positions.

8:42

Um, and I'll cover all three of these actually.

8:45

Administrative assistant, administrative aid are currently vacant but posted.

8:49

We're hiring for those.

8:51

Are they funded?

8:52

They are they're in the they're in our current budget.

8:55

The clerk too, our hope is to abolish clerk two in so that we can cover the um administrative aid.

9:01

We have a clerk to currently.

9:04

Um we really need the administrative aid.

9:07

So we would abolish the clerk two, the administrative assistant position.

9:12

Our hope is to fill with someone that can do kind of double duty, work part-time within the main office, and then assist grounds because they have no admin support other than the commissioner's um secretary.

9:29

So you say Sam is your go-to person.

9:32

Sam, yes.

9:33

Okay, because I have a question on page one for you.

9:38

Can you speak on the microphone so we can all hear anything?

9:44

All righty, on page 145.

9:46

We're looking at professional services going from 265 dollars to 100,000.

9:55

Um, so that's the projected.

10:00

This current fiscal year we're budgeted for 100,000 and um we actually I think this was the that projected was put together a few months ago.

10:07

We actually says proposed, it doesn't say projected.

10:11

It's proposed and actual.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Parks and Recreation█████████████████████████████████████████████69%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████8%
Procurement████6%
Youth Programs███5%
Technology and Innovation███5%
Procedural██3%
Arts And Culture█2%
Community Engagement█2%
Summary of Proceedings

Syracuse Parks Department Budget Hearing - April 22, 2026

This meeting was a budget hearing for the Syracuse Department of Parks, Recreation, and Youth Programs, held on Earth Day, April 22, 2026. The commissioner and staff presented the proposed budget to the Common Council, answered questions about operations, staffing, capital projects, and community concerns.

Opening Remarks

  • Commissioner provided an overview: The department oversees 1,255 acres of city-owned property, 53 structures, 8 outdoor pools, 3 indoor pools, 44 parks with playgrounds, 2 new e-sports centers, 15 miles of trails, and manages 35,000 street trees and 10,000 park trees.
  • Staffing: 116 full-time employees (including 6 dog shelter staff), 3 SURAH positions, more than 365 part-time recreation employees, and 25 part-time grounds employees.

Budget Discussion

  • Professional Services (Page 145): Budgeted at $100,000 for FY26, up from $265 (likely a typo in transcript; actual adopted was $100,000). Only $6,000 spent this year due to coverage by capital funds, but that capital source is not available next year.
  • Uniforms (Page 147): Increased from $61 to $50 (transcript ambiguous; staff explained previous year was under-budgeted, increase covers protective gear for grounds and dog shelter staff).
  • Grant offsets: Department pursues grants to expand scope, not to offset budget. Annual grant of ~$18,000 supports recreation programs.

Staffing and Positions

  • Public Information Officer: Moved from recreation to administration.
  • Landscape Architect II: Currently vacant; plan to fill.
  • Clerk II: Proposed to be abolished to fund an Administrative Aid position.
  • SURAH Positions: Three positions (Forestry Mike Wolf, Public Art Coordinator, Special Assistant to grounds supervisor). The city aims to move off the SURAH line, but no immediate plan. Public Art Coordinator is vacant pending job description rewrite.

Parks and Programs

  • Youth Programs: No expansion in this budget. Commissioner stated a fully functioning teen summer program would require ~$150,000. Current programs serve ages 7–18.
  • Security: No parks security budget; relies on police and hires night security for pools. Commissioner expressed desire for park rangers but lacks funding.
  • Mowing Contracts: Seven new contractors (up from four), total cost ~$850,000 for 30 mowings per season. At least two are city residents; one is from Buffalo but mows only one site.
  • Cemeteries: Myrtle Hill, Rose Hill, Oakwood, and smaller ones managed; Rose Hill getting a gateway project.
  • Greenhouse Project: New design approved by Landmark Preservation Board; working on historic roof structure; plans for educational programming.
  • Elmwood Park Gazebo: Design ongoing; community engagement within 45 days; bid expected winter for spring construction.
  • McKinley Brighton Soccer Field: Discussions with community about expansion; pavilion already funded.
  • Southwest Community Center Pool: Parts delivered for repair; pool will not open this summer due to heat and ventilation issues; indoor pool closed last summer as well.
  • Geddis Street Playlot: Currently a natural play area with logs; commissioner aims to create a sunflower lot; limited accessibility and illegal dumping issues.
  • Internal Flame Project (Clinton Square): Solar-powered design constrained by site complexities; further discussions needed.
  • First Ward Park Sidewalk Repair: Estimate $880,000 for full replacement; plan to ask council for funding.

Trees and Forestry

  • Steve Harris (City Arborist): Department coordinates with DPW on sidewalk repairs; uses structural soil (tree tunnels) under new sidewalks to prevent root heaving. Inspects 1,500 trees annually; removes unhealthy trees. In-house crew handles emergencies, contracts out about two-thirds of work. Operating budget for tree work is $1.1 million (reduced over time).
  • Community Grid: Forestry involved in design review; criticized DOT’s recent plantings on embankments without coordination. Councilor urged better communication.
  • Private Property Trees: Ordinance allows citing hazardous trees; process under review with Corporation Counsel. Boundary tree issues are complex.
  • Retaining Wall on 345 West Newell: Large stumps holding wall; responsibility unclear; referred to higher authorities.

Revenue and Payments

  • Revenue Sources: Concessions, park/pavilion rentals, ice rink fees, golf memberships, event rentals, bandwagon rental, PNR fee (all inclusive).
  • Payment Technology: Contactless payments not compatible with RecDesk software; devices returned; exploring alternatives. Commissioner expressed frustration.

Public Comments

  • No separate public comment period; councilors raised constituent issues throughout.

Key Outcomes

  • No formal votes were taken on the budget; the hearing concluded with a motion to end and a second.
  • Councilors expressed appreciation for the parks department and its staff.
  • Next steps: Council will consider budget; parks will continue capital projects as listed; forestry will meet with Corporation Council regarding private tree inspections; greenhouse and other projects will proceed with planning.

Meeting Transcript

It's going. We're ready. Well, we got one minute. Okay, yeah. Okay. Councillor Matos, Kevin Henry, Zaicha Bird, and I don't know you. So afternoon. Good afternoon. Morning. Could you give us an overview of your budget, please? Yes, I can. So I would start with good afternoon, counselors, and happy Earth Day. So we are the Department of Syracuse Parks Recks and Youth Programs. Parks are essential to every neighborhood, age group, and all abilities. Parks provides quality of life for many residents in the city. We're a growing department as we work to increase trails, new playgrounds, new parks, cooling centers, and continuously renovating pools in our age structures. We oversee um 1,255 acres of city-owned property, and 16 acres of vacant city-owned property. These include 53 structures, eight outdoor pools, three indoor pools, 44 parks with playgrounds, two new e-sports centers, and 15 miles of trails, just to name a few. We are comprised of four in the budget departments, which is admin grounds rec and dog shelter, but we're more than that. We're administration, we're grounds, we're forestry, we're youth rec, senior rec, planning, golf, ice, arts and crafts, dog shelter, senior rec, special events, and adult rec. Um, we employ 116 full-time positions, including the dog shelter staff. We currently have three Surah positions, more than 365 part-time recreation employees received the paycheck in 2020, and 25 part-time ground employees received the uh paycheck through the tent line. Um we operate with a dedicated supportive staff, partnerships with nonprofit organizations, park associations, and friends of parks, as well as the hundreds of residents that chip in every day to watch over, clean, and enjoy the city of Syracuse Parks and Recks and Parks, excuse me, in green spaces as well as programming. So that's my opening. Let's go. So we'll jump in to budget, and Sam is always here to assist me. This is our finance um, I call him my finance officer for parks, but he is our money go-to person. Um so we'll start with the cover page, which oversees um positions, and I can walk you through some of the position changes and updates that we've made over the last year. What? Switch seats about this word with me. All right, I believe the hearing is begun. Yes, call the order. Thank you. So starting with the admin the administration line, um, the changes that in or I'll let Sam jump in in a minute. Um, there's a few changes we made um on the admin line. So the public information officer used to lie within recreation. We moved them over to admin, which made more sense for us. Um the landscape architect two is currently vacant, but we have a plan for that, and we're working on it. Um the land tech um support specialists is now in City Hall, so that um was vacated out of parks. And then we have two vacant positions. Um, and I'll cover all three of these actually. Administrative assistant, administrative aid are currently vacant but posted. We're hiring for those. Are they funded? They are they're in the they're in our current budget. The clerk too, our hope is to abolish clerk two in so that we can cover the um administrative aid. We have a clerk to currently. Um we really need the administrative aid. So we would abolish the clerk two, the administrative assistant position. Our hope is to fill with someone that can do kind of double duty, work part-time within the main office, and then assist grounds because they have no admin support other than the commissioner's um secretary.

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