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Home My WebLink AboutMinutes - 02/09/2026City of Tigard Park & Recreation Advisory Board Minutes THE PURPOSE OF THE PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD IS TO ADVISE AND ADVOCATE FOR PARK AND RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR A GROWING TIGARD. PARK & RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD MINUTES – FEBRUARY 09, 2026 DRAFT City of Tigard | 13125 SW Hall Blvd., Tigard, OR 97223 | 503-639-4171 | www.tigard-or.gov | Page 1 of 4 MEETING DATE: February 09, 2026, 6:00 PM MEETING LOCATION: In-Person at Tigard Public Works (8777 SW Burnham St.) Virtual via MS Teams Comments/questions should be sent prior to the meeting to Rick Gruen, staff liaison: rickg@tigard-or.gov 1. Call to Order and Roll Call The meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM by Chair Ellen Brown. Roll Call Members Present: Ellen Brown (Chair), Joleine Sigler (Vice Chair), Ken Barker, Skip Haak, Lori Rasor, James Essenberg, Denise Stephens Alternates Present: Candi Cornils, Veronica Johnson Council Liaison Excused: Councilor Faraz Ghoddusi Council Liaison Present: Councilor Heather Robbins Staff Present: Rick Gruen (Parks, Recreation, and Green Infrastructure Manager), Martin McKnight (Parks Supervisor), Kaitlyn Leaf (Recreation Coordinator), Melissa Heine (Recreation Administrative Specialist II/Recorder), Joe Barrett (Public Works Business Manager) Others Present: Chris Garstek 2. Approval of Minutes The minutes from January 12, 2026, were reviewed. Motion: A motion was made by Joleine Sigler to approve the minutes. Ken Barker seconded. Vote: Motion carried unanimously. 3. Comments from the Audience Chris Garstek raised concerns regarding Summerlake Park. Requested accountability and data on the Geese Guys program, specifically regarding declining goose numbers vs. increasing duck populations, egg-coating activity, and the deterioration of islands due to nutria. Staff agreed to provide a response to Chris at a later date. 4. Tigard Parks and Recreation Budget The Public Works Dept. is currently navigating a "scissor effect," where expenditures (growing at 5– 6%) are outpacing property tax revenue (restricted to 3–4% growth). This has led to a critical PARK & RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD MINUTES – FEBRUARY 09, 2026 DRAFT City of Tigard | 13125 SW Hall Blvd., Tigard, OR 97223 | 503-639-4171 | www.tigard-or.gov | Page 2 of 4 erosion of stability: • General Fund Erosion: Historically, the General Fund contributed $2.6M (50% of operations). This has dropped to $2.1M (36%). • Depleted Reserves: With reserves virtually non-existent, the department is projected to "start hemorrhaging money" by fiscal year 2028 without a new funding solution. • The 10% Challenge: A city-wide mandate for a 10% reduction in General Fund support requires Parks to cut $210,000 for the upcoming fiscal year. Staff identified specific cuts required to meet the $210,000 reduction goal: • Elimination of seasonal maintenance crews and recreation aides. • Forced cancellation of shelter reservations, summer camps, and special events. • Members noted that shifting from proactive to "reactive" maintenance leads to higher deferred costs. Proactive care, such as root repair or Park Ranger presence, helps reduce high cost trail replacement and vandalism costs. • Rick Gruen noted that summer hiring begins now; waiting until the May budget committee decides on cuts will effectively end seasonal operations for the year. There are four primary pathways to be discussed at the March 17th Council session: Model Mechanism Impact on Residents Full PARF Funding 100% of operations moved to Parks & Rec Fee. Monthly fee increases from $9.38 to $19.80. 85/15 Split 85% funded by PARF; 15% ($850k) by General Fund. Monthly fee increases to approx. $17.00. Operating Levy 5-year voter-approved tax for operations. High risk; subject to voter fatigue. GF Restoration Return to historic subsidy levels ($2.6M+). Requires cuts to other services (Police/Public Works). Councilor Robbins clarified that Transient Lodging Tax (TLT) is currently restricted by state law to tourism-related capital (e.g., ball fields) and cannot fund operations. Additionally, tripling shelter fees would only net $100k, failing to bridge the multi-million dollar gap while pricing out residents. Chair Brown emphasized that Parks must be defined as a core service. It is illogical to cut Parks at the same rate as non-essential services while simultaneously facing pressure of adding new park acreage to the inventory. The Chair and Rick Gruen are developing a PRAB presentation for the March 17th meeting to highlight accomplishments and advocacy for parks as a core service to the community. PARK & RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD MINUTES – FEBRUARY 09, 2026 DRAFT City of Tigard | 13125 SW Hall Blvd., Tigard, OR 97223 | 503-639-4171 | www.tigard-or.gov | Page 3 of 4 5. Public Works Department Communication Update Public Works Community Engagement Coordinator, Jessica Love, provided information on upcoming Public Works programs and activities of interest to the Park and Recreation Advisory Board. • Library express services are open at City Hall (Fri–Sun) during the 3-month HVAC renovation. • McDonald St. Project: Open house on March 11. Design includes roundabouts to lower crash rates. • A bond measure for a new joint Police/Public Works facility ($156/year for average homeowner) will likely be referred to the May ballot. 6. Parks and Recreation Manager Update Parks, Recreation and Green Infrastructure Manager, Rick Gruen, provided updates on park related policies, programs, and projects of interest. • Steve Street: Comp plan amendment recommended by Planning Commission; heading to Council March 3. • Accessible Dock (Cook Family Park): Construction begins July 1. Boat ramp stays open, but parking will be severely limited making it necessary to close the lower parking lot during construction. • Dirksen Pump Station (Clean Water Services): CWS wants to place a pump station at Dirksen. Rick suggested leveraging this for park benefits (e.g., ball field improvements, nature play upgrades). 7. Recreation Update Update, overview, and future Recreation offerings from Kaitlyn Leaf, Recreation Program Coordinator. • Programs: Toddler programs (Wiggle & Giggle) are thriving. "Baby & Me" is shifting to "Tiny Tots & Grown-ups" (ages 1–3) based on feedback. • Events: Movie in the Park voting opens tomorrow, February 10. The Annual Egg Hunt (April 4) will feature a new "Quiet Egg Hunt" for a less stimulating environment. 8. Parks Update Projects and operations update from Parks Supervisor, Martin McKnight. • Trails: Pothole and root repairs on Fano Creek Trail; wood chips added to Sunrise trails. • Recruitment: Currently recruiting for seasonal crews and the Park Ranger. 9. Advocacy Items PARK & RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD MINUTES – FEBRUARY 09, 2026 DRAFT City of Tigard | 13125 SW Hall Blvd., Tigard, OR 97223 | 503-639-4171 | www.tigard-or.gov | Page 4 of 4 Parking lot from prior PRAB meetings for further discussion: • Park policy/rules - trail safety; drone use • Park policy - maintaining the integrity and existing footprint of parks; protect park assets from being monetized to outside interest/uses • Support for Trail System funding strategy • Support for Park Ranger position 10. Non-Agenda Items No additional non-agenda items. 11. Adjourn Motion: A motion was made by Joleine Sigler to adjourn the meeting. James Essenberg seconded. Time: The meeting adjourned at 7:23 PM. Upcoming Meetings: • PRAB Meeting: Monday, March 09, 5:00 PM, Dirksen Nature Park (CWS Pump Station Meeting) • City Council/PRAB Annual Meeting – Tuesday, March 17, 2026 Submitted by Melissa Heine, Recorder Signature: Attestation by Ellen Brown, Chair Signature: Approval Date: Wet signature minutes on file with PRAB Recorder. File location: I:\PW\1-PUBLIC WORKS ADMIN\Meetings (PRAB & IWB)\PRAB\2026\2-Feb\Minutes\PRAB Minutes 260209- DRAFT.docx