Nampa Parks director outlines master-plan goals, large Midway Park request and cemetery bid plan

Cody Swander, director of Nampa Parks and Recreation, delivered the department’s annual update to the City Council, outlining four master-plan goals and a slate of FY27 capital requests that include a large package for Midway Park and a request to solicit bids for a cemetery Scattering Garden. Swander said the department balances maintenance, programming and capital work while trying to keep tax subsidy low.

Swander summarized the master plan’s priorities as: improving efficiency; maintaining and upgrading facilities and amenities; improving program and service delivery; and increasing financial opportunities. "We have 4 broad based goals from our parks and rec master plan that drive our thinking and shape our priorities," Swander said, adding that the department is using asset-management software and a new GIS dashboard to track assets and work orders.

On staffing and operations, Swander told the council that the department relies heavily on part-time and seasonal employees—about 84% of positions—to save labor costs, citing roughly $23,500 saved per hire versus a full-time benefited employee. He said the department currently has about 65 full-time employees and uses seasonal staff and volunteers to extend capacity.

Swander identified a gap in project-management capacity for construction projects. "Our department would greatly benefit from having a project manager access to a project manager position … 80,000 plus per year easily, on that type of position," he said, urging either an in-department hire or a repurposed senior position to centralize construction oversight and reduce third-party contracting and reliance on other departments.

On capital requests, Swander walked the council through several items: replacement of aging equipment and vehicles, irrigation system upgrades (including a third year of funding for West Park irrigation), a Rose Garden gazebo replacement timed for Lakeview Park’s 100th anniversary, and impact-fee projects. He said the Midway Park phase 3 and 4 request is listed at $7,000,000 (for summary work, turf fields, lighting and associated construction) and that some Orr Pathway construction funds are planned as a grant that may be reimbursed in FY28.

Swander also outlined cemetery projects at Koehler Lawn, including progression of a Scattering Garden design and a plan to bring a "request to go to bid" before council on May 18. He provided a three-year capital request profile for the Scattering Garden and identified $478,004.83 as the three-year request cycle figure with an additional $30,000 for asphalt repairs.

Recreation operations and facilities were also covered. Swander said the Harvard Rec Center serves more than half a million visits annually and faces space constraints as Nampa grows; he described a $250,000 FY27 request to locate and repair a lap-pool leak and a concept design for a possible expansion. Swander said a recent grant will fund about 175 swimming lessons annually for the next five years.

On golf operations, Tony Blasius, the department’s golf manager (introduced in the presentation), described in-house renovations at Centennial and Ridgecrest since the city purchase and a projected beginning FY27 golf fund balance of about $3,000,000. Blasius and Swander proposed a training facility with golf simulators at Ridgecrest, with a $150,000 design request, noting Ridgecrest’s greater capacity to host multiple simulators compared with Centennial.

Councilmembers questioned the department on fees, credit-card processing costs and whether nonresidents should be charged different rates. Jennifer Ayala, Parks business manager, said credit-card fees are built into posted charges and represent a very small percentage of revenue. Councilmembers pressed whether property-tax dollars subsidize golf courses or the rec center; staff said those operations do not currently receive tax subsidy and are intended to be self-funded, though half of the golf acquisition was paid from fund balance and the other half was financed internally and is being repaid.

Councilmembers also asked for more detail on deferred maintenance; Swander said staff has a five-year capital look-ahead but had not yet totaled all deferred-maintenance items and agreed to follow up. Multiple councilmembers praised recent projects (Midway, Optimus Park, irrigation upgrades) and staff efforts.

Swander closed by thanking the council and the Parks team; the council moved, seconded and adjourned the meeting by voice vote.

What comes next: Swander said he will return on May 18 with a request to go to bid for the Scattering Garden. Council members requested additional follow-up materials including the golf-fee comparison spreadsheet staff uses and a more detailed deferred-maintenance tally ahead of budget deliberations.