The Trenton Park Board approved a deficit budget at its meeting Wednesday evening.
The 2019-2020 budget includes estimated total expenditures of $565,716 which is an increase of $12,951.84 from the 2018-2019 park budget. The estimated expenditures for this year include $292,660 for parks and $273,056 for the pool. Revenue is projected at $555,320 which is down by $2,520 from last year’s budget. The total estimated budget deficit for 2019-2020 is $10,396.
The budget includes employee raises of 75 cents per hour for part-time and 25 cents per hour for full-time employees. Park Superintendent Jason Shuler reported the part-time employee increase is due to the state minimum wage increase. He said part-time pool wages are estimated to go up by about $8,000 to $60,000. Part-time wages for the Park Department, itself, remains at $22,000.
The budget includes projects and repayment of the Ebbe Fund with a total projected cost of $32,515. The projects involve the pool as well as Moberly, Eastside, and Gladys Grimes parks. Moberly Park projects include pouring concrete and building two pickleball courts for an estimated cost of $12,120. Park Board President Duane Helmandollar said he would like the pickleball courts to be funded by the Frey account, which involves donations earmarked for tennis courts. He noted it has been difficult to get approval for more tennis courts in Trenton, and there has been a lot of interest in pickleball. Helmandollar wants to dedicate Frey account money to pickleball.
The park budget also includes the replacement of a lawnmower at an estimated cost of $11,500. Helmandollar said the board would seek bids for a mower when it came time.
The revenue for the department comes primarily from sales tax, and revenue is going down due to the lack of shopping in Trenton. He believes the budget is down to the “bare essentials” for park upkeep and keeping equipment up to date.
The Park Board approved a request from the Trenton Soccer Stars for use of the Old Griffin Field in May and June. Colleen Williams and Tona Crawford made the request. Williams said she expects about 120 Soccer Stars participants this season. They will play the first four Sundays in June. Park Superintendent Shuler said the Park Department could help set up markers for the group. Board member Gary Berry commented he thought the soccer goals could stand to be repainted. Williams said the goals are owned by Chillicothe and agreed with Berry. Crawford mentioned the goals may also need to be sandblasted.
Shuler reported the Boy Scouts will clean the pool before it opens for the season. He said batting cages are up at Moberly Park, and an electrical outlet has been set up to plug in equipment. The bathroom renovations at Burleigh Grimes are almost complete. Shuler plans for a breaker panel to be installed for the concession stand.
The Park Department has started mowing, mainly “to get rid of leaves.” The department’s snowplow is back from being repaired at Kansas City. Board member Gary Schuett reported he is looking into wrapping trees and said he will probably get another tree to plant for Arbor Day. He stated there were only about three days to prepare to write an $800 grant discussed at the March board meeting, and it could not be “done in a timely fashion,” but he will be ready for the grant next time.
Park Board President Helmandollar asked if all the trees were planted for the tree plan at Moberly Park. He said a woman approached him and would like to purchase a memorial tree. Schuett responded that all the trees are in place at Moberly Park, but room could be found for another one.