Parks Tacoma director resigns as agency deals with budget woes
Parks Tacoma’s executive director Shon Sylvia resigned from his post effective April 29, according to the agency.
Neither Parks Tacoma’s press release nor Sylvia’s email to parks staff stated a reason for his departure, but his resignation comes as Parks Tacoma contends with its second budget deficit in two years, about $3 million that he said will likely result in cuts to positions and reduced offerings for some of the agency’s programming. Sylvia told The News Tribune earlier this month that the deficit was partially the result of insufficient oversight of the agency’s changing revenue sources – which resulted in lost revenue that Parks Tacoma forgot to account for when developing the current budget.
Sylvia has served as Parks Tacoma’s executive director since 2017 and has worked at Parks Tacoma since 1997, according to the agency’s website. According to his employment agreement with Parks Tacoma as updated in 2023, Sylvia was earning a base salary of $254,000 annually.
Sylvia did not immediately return a request for comment from The News Tribune.
“We are grateful for Shon’s deep and longstanding commitment to serving the people of Tacoma,” Park Board president Matt Mauer said in a news release. “He brought a dynamic, collaborative spirit to enhancing the well-being of our community, and we wish him well in his next chapter.”
Gwen Voelpel, who has served as interim director of business administration and planning for Parks Tacoma since March, will serve as interim executive director, according to a release from Parks Tacoma.
Sylvia will serve as a “special adviser” to Parks Tacoma through the month of June. In an email to parks staff, Sylvia said he’ll also be traveling to Portugal with his wife.
The announcement of his resignation comes one day after voters cast ballots on a $155 million bond measure to fund redevelopment or replacement projects for Tacoma’s parks system. The measure was passing according to Tuesday night’s results.
“Moments like this—when the community so strongly affirms its belief in us—make the timing feel right, as I reflect on all we’ve accomplished together and look ahead with a sense of pride and possibility,” Sylvia wrote in his email.
