Several projects within the Albert Lea Parks and Recreation Department will probably have to be postponed in 2011 — though they have already been postponed previous years — as city leaders anticipate another tight budget year.

Albert Lea Parks and Recreation Director Jay Hutchison said the department’s proposed 2011 budget is $2.438 million.

This is $166,000 more than the 2010 budget; however, much of that can be attributed to increases in health insurance for the department’s employees and increases in utility rates, Hutchison said.

Of that increase, $50,000 is also proposed to gel-coat the slide at the city pool, and about $14,000 is proposed to put down agricultural lime on Snyder Fields. Money that was proposed for tree removal and replacing trees may instead be allotted toward tuck-pointing and repairing the pool bathhouse, which Hutchison said is developing into a safety issue.

“It’s just tough because you have to make decisions and you have to set priorities,” Hutchison said. “The trouble is we have a lot of needs and we have a tight budget, so you have to decide what’s most important.”

Many of the projects that are making the budget aren’t classified as “fun,” he said; rather, they involve maintenance or public safety concerns.

“We’re down to a bare bones taking care of the stuff that could be a public safety issue,” he noted.

In 2010, the budget breakdown has been as follows:

• Recreation: $424,180
• City pool: $181,750
• Senior Center: $94,485
• City Arena: $503,870
• Civic theater: $28,800
• Parks: $942,500
• Trees: $96,450

During a workshop last week in front of members of the Albert Lea City Council, Hutchison explained some of the items that were removed from the 2011 department budget request.

In the arena that includes replacing the bleachers, which is estimated to cost $350,000, skate flooring for $5,500, tile between the buildings for $5,000, a geothermal cooling tower for $55,000 and a geothermal system controls for an estimated $18,500.

Of these items, the geothermal cooling tower needs to be addressed as soon as possible, Hutchison said, and the bleacher replacement will need to be addressed in the next couple of years.

He said he didn’t know if the bleachers would be able to be recertified in 2012.

At the city pool, items removed from the request include the parking lot for $70,000, replacing diving boards for $7,000 and upgrading the locker system for $7,000. The tuck-point and repair of the bathhouse structure were initially removed from the list.

In the parks, items on the chopping block included replacing the roof at the Eberhardt Park building for $6,000, repairing the lower Edgewater parking area for $70,000, repairing the Morin Park basketball court for $15,000, upgrading playground equipment at Edgewater Park for $40,000 and at other parks for $25,000.

This is not the first time some of these budget requests have been postponed to another year.

The presentation was made in front of the council as the council members and city staff are in the process of preparing the annual budget.