New Canaan Parks & Recreation outlines FY27 budget, recommends modest program fee stability

John Howe, director of Parks & Recreation, told the Board of Selectmen on Feb. 14 that the department’s FY27 operating budget reflects staff reorganizations and modest cost pressures but that staff do not recommend sweeping program fee increases.

Howe said recent staffing shifts include Jeff Manila joining parks maintenance from the highway department and Marcy Rand overseeing the Lapham Community Center. He told the board that salary and overtime costs are up roughly 3.2% overall and that pricing for grass seed and fertilizer has increased; the department is proposing a 7% budget allowance for turf products by bringing small-area fertilization in-house “We think we can do a better job in house, and we can save some money,” Howe said.

Why it matters: the department operates several enterprise-style activities (pools, wedding rentals, camps and programs) that produce revenue but historically transfer a $100,000 line back to town accounts. Board members debated whether to move more programs to enterprise accounting—so each program tracks revenues and capital—but several cautioned that strict silos could leave popular activities overfunded while others lack needed support.

Howe described the trade-offs in charging users: resurfacing Mead Park tennis courts could be covered only by a significant membership increase or much higher guest fees, so the department does not recommend doubling membership rates now. He summarized participation and revenue metrics that shape the budget: about 1,400 tennis participants, roughly 500 pickleball players, before-and-after-school programs with nearly 3,000 annual participants across the three elementary schools, summer-camp sessions (~145 per session), and wedding rentals bringing in about $200,000 last year (roughly 34 events).

The presentation also covered planned capital items: irrigation work at the high school (replacement of piping and sprinklers estimated at $300,000) and a $100,000 allowance for Sachs well improvements; two pickup trucks with plows as part of routine fleet replacement; an artificial-field vacuum sweeper (to maintain rubber infill); and AV upgrades for the Lapham Community Center and a new audio system for Waveny House. Howe said some projects were identified as “nice to have” and can be deferred.

On environmental health, Howe said the parks commission decided to stop routinely adding chlorine to the Gowanus pond and will instead increase post-rain testing to monitor runoff and bacteria; he noted the department tracks nitrogen application rates and employs licensed pesticide applicators for spot treatments.

The board asked staff to reconcile certain revenue/expense presentation items in the budget book (for example, the $100,000 transfer that appears differently on slides vs. the book). Howe said staff will reconcile figures and provide line-item details before final vote.

Next steps: staff will refine the presentation numbers, provide reconciled expense/revenue line items, and return with final budget language and capital prioritization for the board’s vote.