Tulsa Parks is hosting a series of workshops meant to engage community members in the development of recreation program pricing.
"Tulsa Parks has engaged the services of GreenPlay, a nationally renowned parks and recreation management consulting firm to assist in developing a Department Cost Recovery Philosophy and Policy based on our community’s values for recreation programs and park services," the department says on its "Lets Talk Tulsa Parks" page. "This model... will assist us in developing a proactive and fiscally responsible process for program pricing."
In a public presentation on May 6, Greenplay consultant Teresa Jackson said Tulsa was spending fewer dollars per resident than similarly sized cities.
"They're spending about $34 per resident of Tulsa, but an agency of their size is typically spending more along the lines of $45 a person," Jackson said.
"We're seeing, at this juncture, a shortfall in their budget," Jackson said. "If they were to bring up that per capita spending, then they would be looking at a budget increase of somewhere around $4 million. Right now, their budget is aligning more with a community of 250,000 [residents], and there in Tulsa you've got over 400,000."
Greenplay found through surveying an increase in user fees was the least popular option for increasing parks spending, with naming sponsorships and tax increases significantly more popular.
More information on the budgeting workshops is available at the Tulsa Parks webpage.
