Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Parks board approves budget
Request up $740,000 over ’18 as Fayetteville plans projects
FAYETTEVILLE — Parks operations will be a little more ambitious than last year.
The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board approved a budget of nearly $6.7 million for next year. That’s up about $740,000 from this year’s $5.9 million budget.
The majority, about $3.1 million or 63 percent, is dedicated to personnel costs. That’s not usually what grabs the most attention though, Parks Director Connie Edmonston said.
“What interests people the most probably are our capital projects,” she said.
Among the projects slated for next year are the preliminary steps for a campsite at Lake Sequoyah, stream restoration maintenance at Gulley and Sweetbriar parks, artificial turf at Gary Hampton field and a green parking lot at Kessler Mountain Regional Park.
Further development of the parks master plan, including drafting a report and getting feedback, also will happen next year. Additionally, the restrooms at Gulley, Finger, Walker, Wilson and Lake Fayetteville parks will get an overhaul.
Revenue for parks is derived from three funds — the parks development fund, the city’s general fund and a portion of the sales tax capital fund, Chief Financial Officer Paul Becker said. The parks development fund is made up mostly of revenue from the city’s 2 percent hotel, motel and restaurant sales tax, half of which goes to parks. The other half goes toward tourism.
The development fund is about $3.8 million. Another $2.5 million comes from the general fund. Additionally, next year $372,000 will be allocated from the sales tax capital fund. That brings the total parks budget to about $6.7 million.
Expenses are divided between operations and capital projects. The proposed operational budget for next year is about $5 million, and nearly $1.7 million is dedicated to projects.
The increased total amount over this year can be attributed to a rise in HMR revenue available and use of reserves from the parks development fund, Becker said. The preliminary parks budget anticipates about $232,000 more in HMR dollars than what was budgeted for this year.
Ted Jack, park planning superintendent, said staff is working on what exactly to do with the Lake Sequoyah campsite next year. The department is looking at hiring a consultant who would figure out what would make sense at the location, he said.
Staff members already recommended $800,000 for camping at Lake Sequoyah in the list of projects for a potential bond renewal next year. That list is a separate endeavor from the annual budget. City administrators hope to pose a renewal of the existing one-penny sales tax
The staff recommendation included in the bond proposal for Lake Sequoyah would cover a primitive campground, Jack said.
“Assuming that makes it into the bond package and the bond passes, we will need to schedule projects,” he said. “There will likely be other higher priority projects so I would expect it not to start right away.”
The $18,000 included in the proposed 2019 budget for stream restoration would go for maintenance of Niokaska Creek at Gulley and Sweetbriar parks. The figure represents the city’s commitment for a grant it received in 2014 from the Watershed Conservation Resource Center, Edmonston said.
The Beaver Watershed Alliance is spearheading a project to install a green parking lot at Kessler Mountain Regional Park. The city was awarded a grant last summer from the alliance, and the $58,000 included in the parks sales tax capital budget is to meet the grant match requirement.
Total cost of the project is $300,000. The lot will have 52 spots and feature permeable pavement, a bioswale with native plants and educational signs on the benefits of low-impact development.
Parks board member J.L. Jennings said any project that fosters an enthusiasm for the outdoors is a good one.
“I’m really excited about all of them, to be honest with you,” he said. “I think they’re going to give us some improvements we really need to keep our parks competitive.”
Jennings works at the Athletics Department of the
University of Arkansas. He said he’s known student athletes who have come to the city from a metropolitan area and discovered the outdoors for the first time. Adding a campsite to Lake Sequoyah may invoke a lifelong love of the outdoors in someone who never experienced it before, he said.
“It’s those types of stories that make campsite improvements more relevant,” Jennings said.
Jennings also noted the need for parking at Kessler Mountain and expressed excitement at being able to read a draft of the new parks master plan next year.
The City Council will hold its annual budget discussion 8 a.m. Saturday at City Hall.