Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 14, 1991 TAG: 9103150739
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BETSY BIESENBACH/ SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
But even if they have no concrete figures yet, every area recreation director expects to feel the nationwide budget crunch in some way.
Gary Fenton, Roanoke's director of parks, recreation and grounds maintenance, has developed contingency plans for three possible scenarios: an allocation equal to the 1990-1991 budget; a 3 percent cut, and a 5 percent cut.
Roanoke's recreation department is completely subsidized by the city from money collected through local taxes. Although bonds are occasionally issued for special projects, fees charged for activities cover materials only. When budget problems are statewide, he said, the city shifts its funds to other departments.
In addition, money for parks and grounds maintenance, which includes mowing median strips and dead-animal removal, also comes out of Fenton's budget. Of the $2,962,000 allocated to his department last year, only $1,263,000 went toward parks and recreation.
"Budget cuts are never fun," Fenton said, but by using "creative solutions," no programs are expected to be dropped.
Some of these measures were implemented this year, Fenton said, after he was asked to make cuts in the budget.
One of the biggest money savings for next year will be in salaries. Fenton said no city employees will get merit raises next year, and the number of seasonal employees may be reduced. Some employees are upset, he said, but they know "it's not the end of the world," and it's better than losing jobs.
If there is something good that will come out of the budget cuts, he said, it will be more efficient operation. Instead of paying an employee to open a neighborhood center for one meeting, several meetings will now be scheduled in the same place, even though it may not be as convenient for citizens.
Citizens also will be asked to cover more of the costs of a program, but Fenton hopes to spread the added expense around by bringing more people in.
"If you get enough people to have the program, the fee will not be too high," he said.
If the cuts are particularly deep, Fenton said, the city may have to change the hours at the swimming pools. Opening at 12:30 p.m. rather than noon and closing at 6:30 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. would save several thousand dollars, he said.
Stephen Carpenter, director of Roanoke County's Parks and Recreation Department, said "it's hard to tell" what his 1991-1992 budget will be like, because it will come out later this spring, but he said he doesn't expect any increases. "We know full well money is tight," he said.
But no matter how deep the cuts are, he said, no services will be dropped or ended. Fees charged for activities in the county cover most of the cost. Carpenter said his total budget this year was $2.1 million, $1.1 million of which went toward parks maintenance. But this year's activity fees are expected to bring $345,000 back into the general fund.
Charlie Hammersley, Salem's director of parks and recreation, has not seen his next year's budget yet, but "it's not going to be a good year for capital improvements," he said.
by CNB