Parks & Recreation budget kept flat; Hayford Park grant needed to complete Charles Land Preserve project

Parks and Recreation Director Brad Rainey presented the department’s FY 2026–27 budget at the March 23 Edmond City Council workshop, telling council staff kept the Parks & Rec general fund portions flat as asked and that the department’s mix of general fund, fees and a dedicated park tax sustains operations.

Rainey said national benchmarking submitted to the National Recreation and Park Association shows Edmond ranks high in acres of parkland per 1,000 residents and that the city’s operating and maintenance cost per acre is lower than many peers. ‘‘We’re offering a lot of acres of parkland and a very efficient operation and maintenance of those acres,’’ Rainey said.

Park tax and finances: Rainey said the permanent 1/8‑cent park tax produces about $3 million in annual revenue; the park tax and other special revenue funds permit some capital work while most day‑to‑day maintenance is funded from the general fund. He said some fund balances were built up during COVID and have been used for one‑time investments; the park tax and interfund transfers are used to support Arcadia Lake operations where direct revenue does not fully cover costs.

Hayford/Charles Land Preserve: Rainey identified the Hayford Park (Charles Land Preserve) estimate at roughly $1.6 million and told council staff are waiting on an $800,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant that would enable the city to proceed and to fund maintenance over a number of years.

Council questions: Council members asked for staff to reconcile different line items across the general fund and CIP spreadsheets (to clarify the apparent $4.4M vs $4.5M parks lines) and requested a followup on which portions of the $4.5M CIP total have already passed through the CIP board. Staff agreed to report back with itemized figures.

Next steps: With no major pushback, Rainey concluded the presentation and turned to the next agenda item. Council asked staff to provide the CIP board status for the $4.5M park CIP amount and to work offline with council members on analytic details requested.

Ending: The Parks & Recreation presentation did not include any formal votes; council asked for follow‑up clarification on CIP passage and fund‑balance detail.