Park Maintenance

Printed From: MiddletownUSA.com
Category: Middletown City Government
Forum Name: Engineering
Forum Description: City Engineering Department
URL: http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4668
Printed Date: Nov 24 2024 at 8:22am

Topic: Park Maintenance

Posted By: Vivian Moon
Subject: Park Maintenance
Date Posted: Jul 16 2012 at 5:35am

Maintenance consumes majority of parks department budgets

By Eric Robinette, Staff Writer 7:02 PM Sunday, July 15, 2012

Despite trimming their budgets due to the http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/middletown-news/maintenance-consumes-majority-of-parks-department-budgets-1405317.html## - recession , area parks departments are still spending the bulk of the parks’ budgets on maintenance.

In Hamilton, 84 percent of the parks’ $926,503 budget this year goes to maintenance issues,

said Richard Engle, Hamilton’s director of public works. The City of Middletown spends 91
percent of its $793,515 parks budget on maintenance according to Ron Phelps, Middletown’s
Public Works superintendent.

And maintenance becomes a trickier issue when storms like the one which came through ton

June 29.

“It is the responsibility of the parks department to clear storm damage from streets, parks,

and grounds,” Phelps said. “It impacts the Park budget with some overtime cost if it is a severe
storm such as the (June 29) event. In these type events the Parks Department is the first to
respond to call outs for trees blocking streets.”

Many http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/middletown-news/maintenance-consumes-majority-of-parks-department-budgets-1405317.html## - cities maintenance has been cut back in such a way that residents may not notice a major difference
— but like every city department, the parks division has had to learn to do more with less, said
Phelps,

“Our budget was reduced $50,000. It affected how much we do and how we’re able to spend

money,” Phelps said. “We had three seasonal workers, and those positions were eliminated.
That had an effect on maintaining the parks, care and watering of the trees.”

Although the parks budget in Hamilton increased $76,000 this year, the department as a

whole was folded into the public works department two years ago due to manage costs.

“Obviously that made bigger challenges in my position. We have a large park system with a lot

of acreage to deal with,” said Engle.

Hamilton has 1,250 acres between 52 parks, although 747 acres of that is what is maintained

by the parks department; the rest tends to be wooded areas, Engle said.

The next closest is Fairfield with 686 acres. Middletown maintains 328 acres.

Replies:

Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Jul 16 2012 at 6:27am

Just an observation on the numbers:

In Hamilton, 84 percent of the parks’ $926,503 budget this year goes to maintenance issues,

said Richard Engle, Hamilton’s director of public works. The City of Middletown spends 91
percent of its $793,515 parks budget on maintenance according to Ron Phelps, Middletown’s
Public Works superintendent.

Hamilton has 1,250 acres between 52 parks, although 747 acres of that is what is maintained

by the parks department; the rest tends to be wooded areas, Engle said.
The next closest is Fairfield with 686 acres. Middletown maintains 328 acres

Ok....Hamilton's budget- 84% to maint. of $926,503
      Middletown's budget- 91% to maint. of $793,515

      Hamilton acreage- 1250 acres total- 747 maintained
      Middletown acreage- acreage not reported- 328 maintained (less than half)

      Hamilton- 52 parks
      Middletown- not reported ( I believe less than Hamilton's by a significant number- not sure)

Conclusion:

Middletown spends a greater percentage of it's budget maintaining half the acreage that Hamilton does. Middletown's budget is close to 75% of Hamilton's budget. Not proportional in acreage maintained, budget allocation, number of parks to maintain, nor % of the budget. Something is ASKEW as Louis Black would say.

Posted By: 409
Date Posted: Jul 16 2012 at 8:03am

Posted By: Vivian Moon
Date Posted: Aug 03 2012 at 8:23am

City Manager’s

Weekly Briefing

July 31, 2012

Sunset Park Tennis Courts

We are having repair work done on the Sunset Park tennis courts, while we cannot afford to resurface the courts, we are filling cracks and restriping. The work is being done by a combination of city employees and a private contractor so that we can save funds.

Posted By: acclaro
Date Posted: Aug 03 2012 at 8:32am

The $50,000 wasted on the special election in August would have helped repave the courts.

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'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill

Posted By: Vivian Moon
Date Posted: Aug 03 2012 at 9:14am

Acclaro
The SUNSET SINK & SWIM Fund had about $18,000 left which may be paying for project.

Posted By: rowan10
Date Posted: Sep 13 2012 at 6:18am

No you are doing good..
Good Luck..
http://www.growlandscapes.net - Landscapeing Virginia

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