Quincy Park Board approves $7.17 million budget

QUINCY — The Quincy Park District Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a $7.17 million fiscal 2022 budget Wednesday night.

The figure represents a decrease of just under $185,000 from the FY 2021 budget and reflects a deficit of about $1.32 million, the result of planned spending of revenues and fund reserves to pay for capital projects or a planned decrease in the fund’s reserves due to excess money, according to the board.

The operational budget, which was presented to the board and the public at the November meeting for review, establishes the board’s authorized spending limits for the district.

“(The budget) accounts for unanticipated expenditures,” said Roger Leenerts, president of the board.

The board also discussed surveys pertaining to Art Keller Marina and Westview Golf Course.

There were 48 recent survey responses to questions dealing with the marina and among the highlights of the marina survey were:

• 43.7 percent found the marina a “good” value for the money, and 33.3 percent said it was “average”.
• A combined 65.9 percent of respondents felt customer service at the marina was “excellent” or “good”.
• A combined 64.9 percent of respondents said the condition of the dock was either “average” or “good”.

The board also noted that $30,000 a year is budgeted for dredging. The district permits only mechanical dredging and is no authority to dredge outside the marina. The board said the marina was sprayed for spiders once a month tis year, but will be sprayed twice per month in 2022. The docks will also be powerwashed monthly, rather than annually.The marina fell about $26,000 shy of meeting its budget this year.

Rome Frericks, executive director of the district, said the offseason goal was to increase the number of slip rentals by about 20, which would go a long way toward balancing the marina budget.

“Hopefully word of mouth (about) improved customer service” will help bring additional rentals, Frericks said.

Commissioner Jeff Steinkamp suggested considering helping develop a “Friends of the Marina” organization to spur added interest in the site. In addition, several commissioners also liked the idea of the district sponsoring social functions at the marina to drum up more interest in slip rentals.

The Westview survey showed that:

• 63.1 percent of course users were 31 and older, with 30.1 percent of respondents being 60 and older.
• 67.9 percent of those who use Westview say they play 75 percent of their golf at the course.
• 84.3 percent felt they received “good” to “excellent” value for their money.
• 88.2 percent rated the service they received “good” to “excellent”.
• 94 percent praised the condition of the course as “excellent” or “good”.

Director of Golf David Morgan said more than 900 surveys were sent out and 103 people responded.

“There’s always room for improvement,” he said.

Looking at 2022, the board said $8,000 has been budgeted for cart-path improvements at Westview and Refreshment Services Pepsi will be delivering new machines for on-course use.

In other action, the board:

• Approved an annual salary of $91,000 for Frericks, who has held the position since September 2014 when he was hired at $69,000 per year. Frericks, 44, has been with the Park District for 16 years and is the ninth executive director since the position was established in 1955.
• Heard a report from Director of Parks Matt Higley that said sidewalk repair work had been completed at Madison Park.
• Discussed the idea of having food trucks in some of the parks in 2022.