Summary of June 2 board meeting
The June 2 meeting of the Bend Park & Recreation District Board of Directors was a full business session, including budget approval, naming a new facility, and the executive director’s evaluation among other topics. A video recording is available.
Name selected for new facility
The board of directors reviewed a proposal to name a new operations and office facility currently under development that was purchased from the City of Bend. The Naming Committee recommended the name “Park Operations and Development” following public and staff input efforts. The board unanimously approved the motion and appreciated the staff and public input in the process.
BPRD staff including park stewards, park services and planning and development will move into the facility this summer and fall.
Sawyer Park project
Next, the board reviewed the Sawyer Park Asset Replacement Project, which includes adding a new restroom, shelter, pathways and parking improvements. Staff recommended and the board approved awarding the construction contract to the lowest bidder, 2KG Contractors, Inc., to move the project forward and within budget. Work should be completed next spring.
Future neighborhood park
The board also approved Resolution No. 2026-06, authorizing an amendment to purchase approximately three acres of Pinebrook common area for a future neighborhood park in SW Bend. The agreement includes additional land needed for a future roadway while maintaining the approved purchase price parameters.
Vehicle leasing consideration
An operational topic was a proposed vehicle leasing agreement with Enterprise Fleet Management. Staff recommended transitioning from owning vehicles to a leasing model to reduce long-term costs, improve fleet reliability, and create more predictable budgeting. The board voted 3-1 (Owens opposed; Schoen absent).
Chair Owens expressed concerns about changing from ownership to leasing and stressed the importance of approaching it cautiously.
Capital Improvement Plan
The board reviewed long-range financial planning through Resolution No. 2026-07, adopting the district’s Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan (2027–2031), which outlines planned investments in parks, trails and facilities. The first year of the CIP is included in the fiscal budget for 2026-27.
The board pointed out a change needed to sources of funding for the Juniper pool cover project. As such, the resolution was amended before unanimous approval.
Budget public hearing and approval
The meeting also included a public hearing on the proposed 2026–27 budget, followed by adoption of the budget and imposing tax rates through Resolutions No. 2026-08 and 2026-09. The budget details are available.
Executive director’s evaluation
Finally, the board reviewed and approved the executive director’s annual performance evaluation, recognizing strong leadership and progress toward district goals. The executive director’s compensation will include a cost-of-living adjustment and merit increase aligned with compensation adjustments approved in the budget for other BPRD staff members.
The board members appreciated the effort and leadership by Michelle Healy over the past year. They also expressed interest in reviewing the evaluation process in future discussions.
The next board meeting is June 16.
