Parks and Recreation seeks roughly $100,000 to continue public‑restroom pilot, proposes permanent park ranger and other budget changes

Parks and Recreation Director (staff) told the Bangor City Council during a May 13 budget workshop that staff had discovered a $143,900 revenue line that had been omitted from the proposed budget and that the department is requesting additional operating funds—about $98,000—to continue and more frequently service a pilot public‑restroom program.

The director said the pilot originally funded six portable restroom units, of which four are deployed and two remain in storage. "We paid for 6 to be built," the director said, adding the two in storage incur no ongoing cost until deployed. Staff cited FY25 restroom cleaning and repair costs of approximately $159,000 and said pressures from vandalism, damaged dispensers and debris have driven the request to increase contracted cleaning frequency.

Council members pressed for outcomes data and operational details. One councilor asked for evidence that public restrooms reduced public urination and related nuisances; another asked how many restrooms are currently in service. The director confirmed there are four deployed units and said the pilot continues to be monitored at Cascade Park and other sites. On cleaning levels, the director said the current budget assumes contractor cleaning "6 days a week" with supplemental checks by city staff.

Separately, the department proposed staffing changes to improve coverage and program delivery. Staff said they want to transition a seasonal park ranger to a permanent position to provide year‑round presence and move a part‑time recreation coordinator to a permanent role to manage several large programs now handled by temporary staff. The director described the park ranger program as "very popular" and said retaining a permanent ranger would help with winter coverage and trail management.

The department also outlined a range of capital priorities the council will consider during budget deliberations. Those include resurfacing Panko Aquatic Center (original surface from 2004), lighting and drainage improvements at Union Street Complex, replacement of aging HVAC units and clubhouse roof work, and replacement of aging maintenance equipment and vehicles. The director said the department averages about 14,000 visits at Panko and 1,400 at Deakin Pool in summer months and stressed timing constraints for some projects (for example, pool resurfacing has a tight fall window).

Councilors suggested asking for additional data ahead of final votes, including measures of whether the public‑restroom pilot reduced downtown impacts, anecdotal service requests, and a clearer accounting of where ambassador or downtown‑partnership cleaning responsibilities overlap with city expenses. The director said staff will return with more detail and that the $143,900 revenue correction will be reflected in the final GRAMA materials to be reviewed in June.

The workshop closed with staff agreeing to provide the additional data and to bring the restroom topic back to a future governance/operations workshop for more extensive discussion.