Increases in health and property insurance premiums along with utility rate increases, and operating supplies, all which are outpacing the standard consumer price levels, account for a 2.9% increase in the Estes Valley Recreation and Park District’s 2025 budget that was approved during the board meeting Tuesday night.
In all, EVRPD will operate with a budget totaling $10,264,659, of which $5,484,441 is dedicated to operating revenue.
Of the total budget, $1,797,526 of revenue is generated from general property taxes. Another $1,292,631 is provided through debt service property taxes as approved by voters in 2015 when $19.83 million in bonds were authorized to be paid over 20 years. Transfers from reserves, investment income, and intergovernmental revenue complete the revenue stream.
In the budget approved, recreation programs account for the largest amount of growth in operational expenses, with 9.2% growth.
On the flip side, income from participants and sponsors of those programs are expected to offset the cost by growing 10.5%. Recreation programs change by season, but current opportunities include youth basketball, youth gymnastics, girls basketball clinic, adult volleyball and adult indoor golf.
While marina revenue is expected to stay fairly static in 2025 with only a 1.5% increase, operational expenses are expected to increase 5.9%. Collection of Community Center fees are anticipated to rise by 8.6% while expenses are budgeted at a 5.1% increase. The primary operating expense line for the community center – 6.7% – is appropriated to personnel.
Golf fees, merchandise sales and concessions, and other income attributed to golf operations are not anticipated to grow while operating expenses are expected to increase 3.4%, primarily for utilities and fuel, operating supplies and repairs, and maintenance.
Camping and related revenues are expected to increase by about 3.4% in 2025 while expenses are projected to increase by only 1%. Total operating revenue attributed to the campgrounds is estimated to be about $1 million while expenses are expected to be about $641,000.
Capital improvements, scheduled to cost $1,987,465 across all EVRPD venues are planned to update operations. Largest expenditures will be at Stanley Park where it will cost an estimated $300,000 to replace playground equipment and $600,000 to construct new pickleball and basketball courts.
Marys Lake Campground improvements will focus on the pumphouse while the East Portal water and sewer infrastructure project planning and evaluation will continue. At the Community Center the projects will focus on safety and preventative maintenance.
A long-discussed new driving range fence will be installed at the 18-hole golf course while EVRPD plans to leverage cost sharing with the Bureau of Reclamation to replace a bridge at the Lake Estes 9-hole course. Improvements to the Lake Estes day use area include pontoon boat replacements and improvements to the parking management infrastructure.
Other capital improvements include lighting systems, sealing sidewalks, resurfacing parking lots, replacing restaurant furniture at the 18-hole golf course, investing in security cameras, purchasing kayak racks and other similar projects.
Based on research he has done, projected camping and golf income should be realistic, executive director Tom Carosello told the board.
“Things I am seeing nationwide project a 3 to 5% increase in golf and camping next year,” he said. Additionally, he noted, if revenue in camping begins to lag, the campgrounds could stay open until the end of September, a decision that would not need to be made until June or July. With golf, he said, there are “easy fixes to get some revenue if we don’t see things fall into place.”
Carosello surmised the district will soon have indicators for next summer’s income season.
“We usually see a trend, because we start opening up reservations for the campgrounds this month, so we will see if there’s a trend. We have the elasticity to adapt.”