Parks board reviews options to change parks JPA funding, governance
On Feb. 24, the Teton County/Jackson Parks & Recreation Advisory Board took up a funding/governance assessment for the joint parks department, outlining alternative cost-sharing splits and potential governance revisions ahead of elected-board negotiations later this spring.
The Teton County/Jackson Parks & Recreation Advisory Board’s Feb. 24 agenda included an action item on “Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) Funding & Governance,” part of a broader effort by the Town of Jackson and Teton County to revisit how the joint Parks & Recreation department is financed and overseen. The board’s packet links the review to upcoming negotiations between the two elected bodies. (Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Agenda)
Background laid out for the elected boards earlier this winter shows the department is currently operating under a phased-in funding MOU shifting toward a 62% county / 38% town split by FY2028. Staff also provided a cost-of-service analysis that, for FY2026 net operating costs (~$4.7 million), would imply different splits depending on methodology — including a “jurisdictional cost of service” approach that would move more of the operating share to the Town of Jackson (56% town / 44% county in the staff report). (Joint Meeting Staff Report and Presentation regarding Parks and Recreation Joint Powers Agreement Review)
The analysis also flagged the capital implications: staff estimated a proposed FY27–31 capital program of about $19.878 million, with each jurisdiction’s contribution varying substantially depending on whether capital is split by geography (infrastructure located in town vs. county) versus a single ratio applied across projects. (Agenda for Joint Meeting on Parks and Recreation Joint Powers Funding Assessment)
Next steps, per the Feb. 2 joint briefing, are for the town council and county commission to develop their positions separately and return for joint negotiations in March or April — setting the stage for potential amendments to the Parks & Recreation JPA before the current agreement expires. (Joint Meeting Staff Report and Presentation regarding Parks and Recreation Joint Powers Agreement Review)