By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
This past year, Wood County Park District built a staircase into an old stone quarry, constructed boardwalks in two nature preserves, repaired a park ravaged by an ice jam, and moved 110-ton one-room school.
But there is more work to be done – more than $1 million in capital improvements next year. The money will be spent on items like new restrooms, trail surfaces, playground equipment and an archery range.
On Tuesday, the park board approved the district’s 2017 operating budget totaling $4,733,909. Among the larger capital improvement projects in the budget are:
- $160,000 for new restrooms at William Henry Harrison Park.
- $72,000 for roof replacement of the Otsego Park Stone Hall.
- $46,500 for an archery range and parking at the Wood County Historical Center.
- $108,650 for surface treatment on the Slippery Elm Trail.
- $59,000 for parking lot construction at Baldwin Woods.
- $60,000 for field tiling at Carter Historic Farm.
- $171,000 for parking lot and driveway at Bradner Preserve.
- $30,000 for playground equipment at Cedar Creeks Park.
- $10,000 for trail construction at W.W. Knight Preserve.
The biggest investment will be made in Bradner Preserve, totaling $338,000. The plans call for the asphalt parking lot and driveway, rules signs, boardwalk construction, site lighting, interpretive center furnishings, garage/picnic shelter conversion, greenhouse/porch renovation, large grill and trash cans.
The equipment costs increased a bit in next year’s budget. In the adventure programming area, costs will be incurred for the new archery range supplies ($3,850), the river kayak and canoe program ($15,000) and rappelling supplies ($2,500).
Increases are also seen in the salaries, with raises approved earlier this year by the park district board. The staff salaries totaled $1,175,083 in 2016, and will be bumped up to $1,297,994 for 2017.
The budget also calls for the addition of part-time staff, including a seasonal adventure position, a part-time naturalist, and a part-time farm specialist.
The total estimated revenue for 2017 is $7,128,324. That revenue includes $4,154,926 in a beginning balance for the year, $2,839,231 from the 1-mill tax levy, and $134,167 from donations, fees, rentals and interest revenue.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the park board discussed the use of funds from the ODOT Roadway Fund Pavement Preservation Project. The park district has $47,207 left in the fund, which will be used next year to pave areas in the W.W. Knight Nature Preserve, the Portage Road parking lot for the Slippery Elm Trail, and William Henry Harrison Park. The money not used in 2017 will be carried over till the next year.
The board also went into executive session to discuss land acquisition, but took no action.
In other business, the board also appointed Tim Gaddie to be the park district’s representative on the Wood County Historical Society Board.
