09-23-26 Open Space Board of Trustees Meeting

The City of Boulder's Open Space Board of Trustees held a special meeting on September 23, 2026, primarily to review and recommend the 2027 budget for the Open Space and Mountain Parks Department. The discussion focused heavily on concerns about the transparency and increasing costs related to the city's cost allocation plan, which accounts for over 12% of the department's budget. Public commenters and trustees expressed frustration over the lack of clarity on what services are funded through cost allocation and its impact on staffing and wildfire mitigation efforts. Despite these concerns, the board voted to recommend the capital improvement project (CIP) budget and the operating budget to the city council, with some trustees voting against the operating budget due to unresolved cost allocation issues. The board also passed a motion to formally convey their concerns about the budget process and cost allocation transparency to the city council, requesting earlier and more meaningful participation in future budget cycles and clearer information on cost drivers and services funded.