Parks & Recreation updates: rising program attendance, soccer camp miscommunication and facility concerns

A staff member reported that midweek programs are seeing increased turnout, from about 79 attendees in one week to 112 the next, and outlined rotating food trucks and upcoming activities including beach volleyball and a puppeteer performance.

Committee members raised operational concerns about a privately run soccer camp led by an organizer named Jamie. Several members said parents received inconsistent information about hours and pricing and noted a lack of a promised welcome email. One committee member said Jamie "is hard to pin down," and the body discussed recruiting high‑school volunteers or running the program directly through the rec department in future sessions to improve organization.

Facility issues included an assessment of the main basketball court, which several members described as caving in with substructure problems. Short‑term fixes discussed included filling crevices with blacktop patch and applying driveway sealant to extend usable life; longer‑term relocation to a lower site would require grant funding. Staff also flagged a substantial quote for portable restroom service (example quote read: $300 for a handicap unit and $200 for a standard unit, totaling $500 monthly for four units) and cautioned that state of the budget may not support recurring contracts without adjustments.

Committee action items: staff will explore recruiting high‑school volunteers for camps, seek additional porta‑potty quotes, and bring options for patching versus relocating the basketball court to a future meeting.