Park board reviews project statuses, flags $60,401 in funds to return

The Airway Heights Park Advisory Board on June 6 reviewed the status and remaining balances for multiple park projects and heard that $60,401.33 in project funds is slated to be returned to the Park Reserve Fund.

J.C. Kennedy, Parks & Recreation director, summarized expenditures and remaining balances for Landreth Park, Shorty Combs Park, Sunset Park restroom removal and the Airway Heights Recreation Complex (AHRC) ballfield fencing project. Kennedy said Landreth Park has $12,548.14 remaining and is listed complete; Shorty Combs shows $22,606.32 remaining and is listed complete; Sunset Park restroom removal has $17,046.87 remaining following invoices in 2023–24, and the AHRC ballfield fencing shows $8,200 still listed as remaining after a $1,800 2022 expenditure.

Kennedy told the board the $260,000 interfund transfer made Dec. 13, 2022, covered Shorty Combs ($200,000), Sunset Park restroom removal ($50,000) and AHRC ballfield fencing ($10,000). He said the department requested that the $8,200 remaining for the AHRC fencing be returned to the Park Reserve Fund on July 25, 2022, but that request has not yet been completed. The Spokane Parks Foundation had provided a $10,000 grant toward the AHRC fencing, which was returned because the project could not be completed amid the prevailing bidding climate.

On Sunset Park, Kennedy said the final invoice from Power City Electric for $13,650 needs to be transferred into the 2024 parks capital-expenditure line (076 Parks Capital Expenditure–Improvements) to cover the cost from this year's budget. Project records in the packet list Sunset Park as complete and show total expenditures of $32,953.13 across 2023–24.

Kennedy also reported the Highland Village site remains unaddressed on weed control since the previous meeting and staff are not yet in a position to accept that project. For Sunset Park shelter work, Kennedy said the department has billed the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) for the full $100,000 grant and the first phase is expected to wrap with reroofing of Shelters 2 and 3; replacement shelter #1 was expected to ship between July 25 and Aug. 2.

The board did not take separate votes on individual project fund returns during the meeting; procedural motions at the start and close of the meeting (agenda and minutes approval, and adjournment) were made and recorded in the minutes.

The board packet lists the four projects with amounts to be returned to the Park Reserve Fund by project (Landreth Park $12,548.14; Sunset Park restroom removal $17,046.87; AHRC ballfield fencing $8,200.00; Shorty Combs $22,606.32) totaling $60,401.33.