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Victor Garofalo has become a fixture at Park and Recreation Commission meetings over the last year. Sudbury’s Assistant Town Manager and Finance Director is involved in multiple capital projects for the Park and Recreation Department, including improvements to the SMILE playground at Haskell Field. He has also spent much of the last year producing financial reports spanning many Town departments that increase transparency and provide additional context for residents.
While many projects were discussed during the Monday, March 23 meeting of the Park and Recreation Commission, Garofalo first presented his overview of the budget and finances of the department. It’s the most detailed view of Park and Recreation revenues and expenses that has been presented in recent years.
The presentation simultaneously shows a department that has modest financial support from the Town’s operating budget, and some challenges to overcome with revenue generating programs and fees. Garofalo’s full presentation is embedded below.
The key highlights include:
1 – The current financial model for recreation services is under pressure because operating costs continue to rise while existing fees do not fully recover those expenses. To ensure long-term sustainability, the Town aims to modernize (increase) its fee structures and programming models. This initiative may include hiring a consultant to review costs and recovery levels to better align revenue with service delivery. It may also involve smaller, but more frequent fee increases to ensure cost recovery keeps pace.
2 – The Atkinson Pool is considered a vital community asset, but it currently operates with a lean, reactive staffing structure and limited programming that hinders revenue growth. The Town plans to emulate the operational model of Concord’s Beede Swim Facility by:
- Expanding programming to include various swim lessons, water aerobics, and specialty classes to increase participation and revenue.
- Establishing a dedicated aquatics management and organized lifeguard supervision model.
3 – Some comparable Towns are recovering indirect costs from their recreation funds when Town staff and resources are used to support their recreation departments.
While the report was generally well received, Park and Recreation Commissioners applied some pressure about privatizing field maintenance, which is currently handled by the Department of Public Works (DPW). Garofalo was firm in stating the Town is not looking to privatize that function, though commissioners asserted that they have authority over the Field Enterprise Fund that pays for nearly half of the Parks and Grounds division salaries within the DPW.
There was also some frustration about the manner in which recent fee increases were rolled out. While everyone seemed to agree that fees needed to be increased, the Park and Recreation Commission wanted to have a role in the process before decisions were made.
The focus on Park and Recreation Commission authority was a theme throughout the meeting. Check back this week for further coverage of their discussion regarding the proposed Haskell Field Solar Canopy.
