Park Maintenance

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   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 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 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.

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Vivian Moon Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Council Joined: May 16 2008 Location: Middletown, Ohi Status: Offline Points: 4187	Post Options Post Reply Quote Vivian Moon Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Park Maintenance 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 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 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.

VietVet Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Council Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008	Post Options Post Reply Quote VietVet Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply 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.

409 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Mar 27 2009 Status: Offline Points: 1014	Post Options Post Reply Quote 409 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jul 16 2012 at 8:03am


Vivian Moon Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Council Joined: May 16 2008 Location: Middletown, Ohi Status: Offline Points: 4187	Post Options Post Reply Quote Vivian Moon Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply 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.

acclaro Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jul 01 2009 Status: Offline Points: 1878	Post Options Post Reply Quote acclaro Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Aug 03 2012 at 8:32am
	The $50,000 wasted on the special election in August would have helped repave the courts.
	'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill

Vivian Moon Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Council Joined: May 16 2008 Location: Middletown, Ohi Status: Offline Points: 4187	Post Options Post Reply Quote Vivian Moon Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Aug 03 2012 at 9:14am
	Acclaro The SUNSET SINK & SWIM Fund had about $18,000 left which may be paying for project.

rowan10 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Outsider Joined: Jul 19 2012 Location: U.K Status: Offline Points: 5	Post Options Post Reply Quote rowan10 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Sep 13 2012 at 6:18am
	No you are doing good.. Good Luck.. Landscapeing Virginia