Parks and Recreation advisory commission to schedule workshop to prioritize capital projects

The Oak Harbor Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission voted June 8 to schedule a special workshop to review and prioritize parks capital projects and equipment, the commission’s temporary chair announced.

The workshop motion instructs staff to coordinate possible dates and return a firm date at the commission’s next regular meeting. Commissioners said they want a focused session in July or August to allow ample time for recommendations to inform fall budget revenue projections and the mayor’s preliminary budget process.

Finance Manager Chaz Webster outlined the commission’s advisory role and the budget timeline the commission must work within: departments prepare budget requests over the summer, revenue projections and public hearings occur in August–September, the mayor’s proposed preliminary budget is released in October, and council review and adoption follow in November–December.

Commissioners raised specific priorities in the meeting packet, which lists roughly 18 projects the parks department is tracking, including pickleball courts, Smith Park and Catalina Park improvements, athletic-field renovations, security cameras, an inclusive playground, and a wetlands-trail feasibility study. Webster explained each project sheet contains a description, justification, development status, and cost/financing data that the commission should use to rank priorities.

There was procedural confusion during the vote about whether a motion to schedule a meeting required a specific date on the floor; commissioners resolved to finalize dates outside the meeting and return the scheduled date at the next meeting. The motion was recorded as approved with the date to be determined.

Next steps: staff will circulate a scheduling coordination (via email) and present the confirmed workshop date and agenda at the commission’s next regular meeting on July 13.