Committee recommends approval of multiple Parks & Recreation budgets, including golf course and Winter Island

The Salem City Committee on Administration and Finance on June 8 recommended approval of several fiscal year 2027 operating budgets for Parks & Recreation, advancing personnel and expenditures lines that will go to the full council for final consideration.

The committee voted to recommend approval of the golf course personnel budget ($439,030) and expenditures budget ($319,777), the Witch House personnel ($262,671) and expenditures ($118,853) budgets, the Pioneer Village expenditures budget ($32,080), Winter Island personnel ($249,845) and expenditures ($93,975), Charter Street and other parks administration lines. Each motion was moved, seconded and carried with five hands shown in the committee.

Parks staff described routine maintenance and program details that underlie the line items. Paul Lever, a parks staffer credited by multiple councilors for the course’s condition, told the committee the city’s public course draws praise: “Our public golf course looks almost better than most private courses,” he said, crediting staff effort for the condition and playability.

Councilors asked detailed questions about utility metering and costs, concession revenues, projected increases in electricity tied to electric charging for carts, and capital repairs such as sand-trap work. Staff said water usage for irrigation is metered separately and that concession revenue currently does not flow directly into the course budget. On other items, staff said pool contract costs are set by procurement and that pool receipts are recorded to a receipts-reserved account.

Procedural votes were handled serially as each department section was discussed. For each motion the chair asked for those in favor, observed five hands and declared the matter carried. The committee then moved on to the next departmental presentation or related capital item.

The committee adjourned after completing the scheduled budget recommendations. The votes carried at the committee level now advance into the broader council process for final budget adoption.