Mark May, identifying himself as an Austin resident in District 5, used public comment time on Feb. 19, 2025, to urge the Audit and Finance Committee to audit nonprofit partners that operate park programs and events.

May said the Parks and Recreation Department has outsourced many functions to nonprofits and that the city has waived or not billed more than $1 million in fees to the Trail of Lights from 2020 through 2023 while the Trail reported a $1.4 million profit in that period. He asked the committee to review what the city gives privately versus what the public receives.

May alleged specific contract violations by the Trail of Lights: charging more than the contract-allowed maximum general admission fee (he cited a $5 contract maximum and admissions charged at more than $10), charging parking rates above a stated $25 cap (he said a $31 charge occurred) and charging admission on nights that the contract allows only half to be ticketed. He also said the nonprofit paid $2.3 million in salaries in a year and increased financial assets substantially while parks received smaller festival grants and park-improvement dollars.

May requested an audit to determine whether the value the city concedes (fee waivers and other support) is matched by benefits to parks and the public. He said his figures were based on public records, nonprofit websites and IRS filings.

Committee members did not take formal action on the public comment; the committee then moved to agenda items.