Swelling upkeep costs, pay raises and new debt threaten to put the Fairfax County Park Authority in the red, according to a recent report that details a “bleak” outlook for a major source of park funds.
The agency that oversees more than 23,000 acres of parks — about 9 percent of the land in the county — is on track to see expenses that “will soon begin exceeding revenue,” a draft of the Park Authority strategic plan indicated. The Authority has a $35 million revenue fund.
Since the Park Authority is required to keep a balanced budget, the trend could require cost cuts to prevent a shortfall, said spokeswoman Judy Pedersen. Agency staff refused, however, to speculate on what form any possible cuts could take.
“It’s our job not to let the trend take it into the red,” said Miriam Morrison, director of administration for the Park Authority. “It’s our job to look for ways to avoid that.”
The draft plan cites increased costs for employee compensation, utilities and maintenance for aging facilities. Also a factor is the new debt for the Laurel Hill Golf Club, a municipal course opened on the site of a former D.C. prison in the southern part of the county.
“Much of the growth in expenses results from county policies and economic factors that are not easily controlled by staff,” the report said.
Morrison called the use of the term “bleak” in the strategic plan “a poor choice of words,” however, and said it may be removed from future versions.
The report comes amid concern over flattened revenues from a slowing housing market. Departments have been instructed not to plan any program expansions for fiscal year 2008 because of the drop in real estate tax revenue growth.
Lee District Supervisor Dana Kauffman said he meets quarterly with Park Authority officials who “haven’t raised any concerns yet” over the revenue fund.
That fund accounts for about half of the agency’s budget, along with a yearly county appropriation of comparable size.
“Ithink we’ve got our work cut out for us to look at what the possible solutions are,” said Morrison.
