Moses Lake 2027 proposed parks budget includes expense cuts

MOSES LAKE — The process to shift operations of the Larson Recreation Center to an outside organization and implement a new funding model for the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center is underway, but the transitions won't happen for a couple years.  

The preliminary 2027 budget for the city's Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services includes the goal of shifting those services, along with the rec center ice rink, by 2029. Mayor Dustin Swartz said making those changes is still the city's goal, in the face of rising costs and uncertain funding. 

"We're still in the process – we haven't made any decisions yet. Our plan gives us some time to get that transition done," Swartz said. "That is the direction we're certainly moving." 

As part of the move to cut costs, business hours for the Surf 'n Slide water park will change, with the pool opening at noon daily rather than 11 a.m. The 2027 budget proposal estimated that would save about $70,000.  

The proposed budget also includes money to replace one of the pool's main heating units. The other was replaced this year.  

For 2027, most rec center programs will continue with few changes, Swartz said. 

"We still provide a lot of the programming we were providing for the coming year," he said.  

The proposed changes are the result of the city's fiscal sustainability process, prompted by two years of deficits in the city's general fund. The budget was balanced by using money from the city's general fund, but an evaluation of the city's budget and spending showed continuing deficits that would eventually drain the city's reserves.  

City officials and Moses Lake City Council members spent about two months in the spring reviewing city finances and deciding what the city could pay for and what it could shift to different operating and funding models.  

The rec center, museum and ice rink were identified as services that could be funded in other ways. City officials have advertised for proposals for an outside organization to operate the rec center. The proposal for the museum, Swartz said, is to convert it to a 501(c)(3), with a separate board and fundraising paying for most operations.  

"This would match the structure of almost every other museum in the state," Swartz said.  

In his opinion, Swartz said, a separate funding source would provide some stability for the museum at a time when costs are continuing to rise.  

"There are a lot of opportunities in this restructuring," he said. 

As part of its effort to cut expenses, the parks department left two positions unfilled when employees left, according to the 2027 budget proposal. The parks department will survey city property to identify what it called "underutilized landscape areas" that could be transferred to other operators or reduced in size, according to the budget proposal. 

The city has special revenue funds for specific activities, with the money for them coming from alternate sources. One is the lodging tax, which is paid by people using the city's hotels and motels. A 15.5% decrease in the lodging tax fund is projected in the 2027 budget. 

Among the projects proposed for 2027 are renovations at the Larson and Lauzier playfields, additional improvements to the city's BMX track and the design phase of a project to replace the shallow end features at the water park. 

Another special fund supports public arts and is funded by a 1% tax on any capital project costing more than $75,000, when the project is substantially complete. For 2027 its budget also is projected to show a 15% decrease.  

Proposed 2027 projects include adding a sixth concert to the summer concert schedule and paying part of the cost of new signage at the entrances to Moses Lake.