Residents may see less park programming, including cultural events and after-school spaces, as soon as October, as the Long Beach Parks, Recreation, and Marine (PRM) Department attempts to reduce its 2027 budget by $2.8 million.
The PRM Department is responsible for maintaining 81 playgrounds, 12 dog parks, 10 skate parks, seven community centers, six teen centers, six senior centers and five golf courses, as well as the city’s 28,000 trees and 2,800 recreation classes. Long Beach Animal Care Services also falls under this department.
Director Stephen P. Scott shared his plan for reducing the department’s budget at Tuesday’s hearing, which was by far the most attended by residents over the last few weeks. Between the Library, Arts, and Culture and PRM Department budgets, residents showed great concern at the free, essential services they stand to lose.
Scott said he tried to make the cuts with “an eye towards equity,” so they don’t impact any one area of the city more than others. These cuts include 28 full-time city workers, ending two after-school programs, shutting down a teen center and more.
Mayor Rex Richardson’s recommendations, which are not finalized, would restore eight jobs, the teen center, the Be S.A.F.E. program and more at roughly $389,339.
Of the city workers expected to be let go, about 19 are Recreation Leader Specialist positions, which are part-time, seasonal non-career positions. Since these are part-time positions, they are not counted as one employee on paper. The actual number of impacted Recreation Leader Specialist staff members who may be fired is over 100, according to Scott. Many of these workers are students and young adults.
“Whether they’re working 10 hours a week or 25, these individuals are critical to supporting all facets of our seasonal recreational programming,” Scott said. “These staff reduction proposals are very difficult for our department.”
Items italicized may be restored with Mayor Rex Richardson’s budget recommendations, which are not yet finalized.
Programs
- Homeland Cultural Center classes will go from four a month to two a month ($25,000)
- Lincoln Park will get its programming hours cut from six hours a day to three hours a day ($141,398)
- Reducing the City’s management fee to 7% at Rancho Alamitos and Rancho Los Cerritos ($65,800)
- Eliminating a recreation assistant position ($107,528)
Youth-Specific Programs
- Reducing Be S.A.F.E. program hours from three per evening to two per evening at 11 sites ($191,164)
- The City will end its participation in the district’s WRAP (Winners Reaching Amazing Potential) program ($703,804)
- Closing down teen center at Chavez Park ($71,681)
- Ending summer swim program at Jordan and Millikan high schools ($50,298)
- Ending after-school program at Stearns Champion Park ($43,763)
- Ending DeForest Park after-school program ($46,020)
Scott said the City’s role in WRAP, an after-school program in the Long Beach Unified School District, will likely be replaced by a different provider. The City would have to shut down six after-school programs at various parks to keep its partnership with WRAP, Scott said.
The teen center at Chavez Park was chosen for elimination since it’s not near a high school like the other teen centers in the city, according to Scott. He also said the participation numbers at the Stearns Champion Park weren’t high enough “to justify the continued investment” in its after-school program. The park’s summer day camp will continue.
Park Maintenance Reductions
- Reducing weed abatement services by $230,000
- Reducing park landscaping services by $50,000
- Park tree trimming cycle will go from seven to eight years ($41,000)
Scott said the PRM Department is working on a pilot program to explore different ways of managing weeds at city parks, while reducing the use of traditional herbicide applications.
“We can have the best programs in the world, but if people believe that our parks are unsafe and unkempt because of lack of maintenance, then the programs will not be successful,” Scott said.
Facilities Maintenance Reductions
- Reducing the maintenance materials and supplies budget by $208,082
- Eliminating a vacant power equipment repair mechanic position ($102,959)
“These maintenance cuts are not specific to any particular park, program or district, but reduce our ability to respond to occurrences of vandalism and address urgent repairs citywide,” Scott said.
The department is also letting go of nine employees on its administrative side.
Echoing what other department heads have said in the last few weeks, the PRM Department has experienced an uptick in the cost of services they provide. Rising costs of medical care equipment and services have presented a challenge to Animal Care Services, and the cost of water has increased, impacting the department’s ability to care for trees.
