Austin Recreation Centers Face Financial Scrutiny Following Audit Findings

The Office of the City Auditor has conducted an audit that has revealed critical deficiencies in the Austin Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) regarding fee collection and rental practices at six community recreation centers. The audit, which was released on Tuesday, underscores inconsistent fee charges and the failure to collect deposits, which raises concerns about the financial administration of these facilities.

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The audit concentrated on the rentals at the Austin Recreation Center, Dittmar Recreation Center, Gustavo "Gus" L. Garcia Recreation Center, Montopolis Recreation and Community Center, Northwest Recreation Center, and South Austin Recreation Center from January to July 2023. The report revealed that nearly 95% of the 215 rentals analyzed lacked the required deposit, as indicated by the data entered into the RecTrac booking system. This is an alarming statistic.

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For example, the Austin Recreation Center reported that no deposits were collected for its 161 reservations during the six-month audit period. Furthermore, there were numerous instances of inaccurate fee charges, such as the incorrect charging of a $200 deposit for alcohol-related events in lieu of the required $400 deposit. This error resulted in an estimated undercharge of $3,799.

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A significant issue was the identification of a total of $24,867 in delinquent rental fees. One frequent customer was responsible for nearly $23,600 of this debt, which was accumulated through 105 rentals at the Austin Recreation Center. Certain expenses are from 2022.

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These results are the result of prior examinations of PARD's management practices, which included a distinct incident in which a recreation center manager hosted a birthday party without the necessary reservations or payments. This incident prompted additional inquiries into the department's operational integrity.

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