Page 134 - Fort Worth City Budget 2019

General Fund

The Golf and Athletics Division includes the Municipal Golf Fund and the General Fund Athletics facilities and
programs. Athletics includes Haws Athletics Center, Bertha Collins Sports Center, McLeland Tennis Center,
Athletics Maintenance, Adult Athletics Programs and portions of the CCPD Parks Community Policing Programs.
The Municipal Golf Fund is discussed in the Special Revenue Section.

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Victory Forest Community Center opened January 8, 2018, with an official dedication ceremony on March 3, 2018.

Recognition of the Fort Worth Heritage Tree, the Regional Champion Green Ash (Largest Green Ash Tree in the
Metroplex): in collaboration with the City of Fort Worth Forestry Section and the Texas Forest Service.

Tree City USA: Awarded to the City of Fort Worth, 38th consecutive year, from the National Arbor Day Foundation

Tree Growth Award: Awarded to the City of Fort Worth, 17th consecutive year, from the National Arbor Day
Foundation.

TripAdvisor 2018 Certificates of Excellence Awards for the Botanic Garden, Log Cabin Village and Nature Center
and Refuge. Additionally, the Log Cabin Village received the Hall of Fame designations for 5 consecutive
Certificates of Excellence awards.

FY2019 DISCUSSION
For FY2019 the department shifted formerly contracted litter services to in-house services for the Central District
Park Operations and the West District Park Operations, adding two new staff to fulfill the services. The expenses
related to the new positions will be offset by the savings of shifting the expense from an outside contractor to in-
house services.

The expense budget includes an increase in funding for city mowing, for previously committed enhanced mowing
services not funded in prior years and new contract rates.

HORIZON ISSUES
While park inventory continues to increase, the number of staff maintaining the park assets in Trades
Maintenance and Trades Construction was reduced by 5 positions in FY2010 and FY2011, and the work order
backlog averages 100 tickets. The Forestry section likewise had a reduction of 4 positions in FY2010 while
inventories grow. Backlogs cause work efforts of the crews to focus only on higher priority hazard abatements
and reduce the resources available for normal maintenance activities.

Additionally, as put forth in the 2015 Park, Recreation & Open Space Master Plan, goals include providing new
parkland and facilities to meet park, recreation and open space needs in developing and re-developing areas of
the city.

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