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3 County Rec Sites Face Cuts In Hours

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By JULIA FERRANTE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 7, 2008

Three Pasco County recreation centers may shut down early Saturdays and close Sundays as officials look for ways to reduce costs.

Parks and Recreation Director Rick Buckman plans to ask the county commission on Tuesday to consider limiting hours at the Holiday Recreation Complex, Land O' Lakes Recreation Complex and Veterans Memorial Park to 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays. The buildings would be closed on Sundays.

"We will adjust to an eight-hour day on Saturdays, depending on whether we have a program going on," he said. "If we have a softball program running, it takes a staff member to run it."

The schedule adjustments, to take effect June 22, are estimated to save about $20,000 in operating costs and about $96,000 in staffing expenses, Buckman said. The recreation centers are now open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 8 p.m. Sundays. The centers typically are not busy Saturday nights and Sundays.

The county commission is slated to consider the changes at a meeting starting at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the historic Pasco County Courthouse, 37918 Meridian Ave. in Dade City.
County leaders are looking for ways to reduce costs in light of state mandated property tax cuts and a constitutional amendment that allows bigger tax breaks for full-time residents. Officials must slash an estimated $22 million from the $1.2 billion budget. Most of the reductions must come from the $161.5 million portion supported by property taxes.

The parks and recreation department is funded primarily with property tax revenue. Buckman noted. Some costs are offset by fees, which generate about $400,000 per year, but that money goes into an account that is not necessarily available for parks and recreation. Fee increases are planned, but they will not be enough to cover expenses.
County Administrator John Gallagher last summer ordered a partial hiring freeze. This year, he asked department heads to freeze salaries and cut at least 10 percent from their spending plans for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.

The parks and recreation department also was asked to come up with an additional 5 percent in reductions. About 20 full-time positions are vacant, Buckman said. Some of the jobs may be eliminated. Others may be converted to part time, although Buckman said it is more difficult to attract and retain part-time workers.

Layoffs have not been ruled out.

"It appears we certainly will lose positions," Buckman said. "As for layoffs, that's not in the books right now. That's not a goal."

Pasco officials have put off expanding some parks, such as the Wesley Chapel District Park, where a recreation center/hurricane shelter and aquatics facility are planned, because they do not have the money to pay workers' salaries. Construction is paid for with building impact fee proceeds.

"We're not planning, at the moment, to build that building," Buckman said of the aquatics center. "The main reason is we're cutting back operations. ...A decision will be made as the budget picture becomes more clear and we find out what's going to be happening next year, because there is talk of more cuts next year."

Officials still are looking for land to build a new park in the Trinity area, although development of the park would come later when money is available to hire staff and pay operating costs, Gallagher has said.

At the same time, residents are clamoring for more ball fields, trails, dog parks, skate parks and boating access, Buckman said.

"Amendment 1 didn't affect all government services," Buckman said. "It affected services paid for with property taxes, like parks, libraries, community services and transportation. It doesn't affect utilities. In general, the people that call us didn't have a real clear picture on the effects of their vote, and we're still trying to figure out the effects."

Reporter Julia Ferrante can be reached at (813) 948-4220 or jferrante@tampatrib.com.

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