Jackson’s Parks and Recreation is being folded into other city departments

• Chief Administrative Officer Pieter Teeuwissen has brushed aside community concerns about the parks and recreation department having fewer activities for Jackson’s residents.

The Jackson City Council voted last week to eliminate the Parks and Recreation Department to reduce an estimated $23 million deficit, folding it into two other city departments.

The shuttering would save the city approximately $143,000 in salaries and benefits.

Council members stressed Monday morning that Parks and Recreation employees still have positions but now report to the Department of Public Works and the Department of Human and Cultural Services.

The city approved the plan by a 6-1 vote, with Councilwoman Tina Clay casting the lone dissenting vote.

“I agree with the thought of combining departments, but I really think Parks and Recs could stay as a department,” Clay said, suggesting the city start a program to help college students interested in park and recreational leadership.

Chief Administrative Officer Pieter Teeuwissen said the savings will come from not filling the director and deputy director positions, which are currently vacant. Additional savings are expected to come from eliminating overlapping administrative and operational functions.

Teeuwissen brushed aside community concerns about the parks and recreation department having fewer activities for Jackson’s residents.

“It’s important for the public to know we are still committed to our parks and recreation here in the city and that no positions that either mow grass, maintain parks, or provide recreational activities to our youth, none of those positions are being cut,” he said.

His words did not settle Mavis Pope’s concerns about summer activities geared towards Jackson’s youth. The 64-year-old grandmother of seven said her “grandbabies” attend several youth activities sponsored by the department while school is out.

“I don’t understand it. Those people say we must do something about youth violence, but they go and do this,” she said, looking at City Hall and shaking her head Monday morning. “Makes no damn sense.”

Her 14-year-old grandson, Stephan, attends summer basketball camps sponsored by Jackson’s Park and Recreation Department. He said many of his friends attend the camps.

Mayor John Horhn, along with other city officials, said that eliminating the department does not mean the capital city is erasing its park system. That drew a laugh from councilman Kenneth Stokes.

“So, for people who are saying that we’re getting rid of the parks in the city of Jackson, absolutely not a true statement?” Stokes asked Tweeusissen during last week’s City Council meeting.

“That is an untrue statement,” Teeuwissen replied. “We are not getting rid of parks.”

The administrator continued by saying the city will continue to operate three of the four pools, summer youth programs, and renovate infrastructure at city parks.

The ordinance will go into effect in the middle of June.

According to a 2025 audit, the city’s debt has been growing over years of mismanagement coupled with citizens not paying property taxes and the city not collecting water bills amid increased expenditures while collections declined.