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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PARK COMMISSION MEETING <br />Tuesday, September 4, 2018 <br />6:30 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />Page 2 of 6 <br /> <br />3. 2019 BUDGET AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN PROPOSALS <br /> <br />Edwards reviewed the draft 2019 Parks Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Plan. The Park <br />Operating Budget is for the routine maintenance and minor improvements at city-owned parks. The <br />current operating budget as presented represents a 26 percent increase and the golf course operating <br />budget as presents represents a 23 percent increase. A large majority of the increases reflects an error that <br />has been corrected from last year’s budget. <br /> <br />As it relates to the Parks Operating Budget, Edwards indicated he moved some items around in the budget <br />to see whether the seasonal employee could be employed for a longer period of time. <br /> <br />Johnson asked what the Park Commission would gain and/or lose from the changes. <br /> <br />Edwards stated the benefit would be that the seasonal employee would be around longer to perform work <br />but the Park Commission would lose around $5,000 for some miscellaneous improvements, such as a <br />park bench. Edwards noted he gathered input from the City Council, the Park Commission and residents <br />that indicated they would like additional attention paid to the parks, which was the reason for the changes. <br /> <br />Meyer asked if the City has someone who is in charge of checking on the parks every day. <br /> <br />Edwards indicated they do not and that they attempt to check on the parks once a week. <br /> <br />Johnson noted all of the money set aside for the 2018 initiatives has not been spent and asked whether <br />that money could be rolled over into 2019. <br /> <br />Edwards stated generally the money from the General Fund is rolled over as a lump sum and not as <br />individual line items and that any money left over in 2018 could be rolled over into 2019 at the discretion <br />of the City Council. <br /> <br />Johnson asked whether the Park Commission has spent $5,000 of the $15,000. <br /> <br />Edwards indicated that is correct. <br /> <br />Johnson asked whether the Park Commission can still spend that money. <br /> <br />Edwards stated they can, and as they get to the end of each fiscal year, Staff makes some <br />recommendations on what can be purchased with the money. <br /> <br />Johnson suggested the Park Commissioners come to the next meeting with some suggestions for items <br />that could be purchased. <br /> <br />Mayor Walsh stated if the Park Commission has money left over at the end of the year, he would <br />encourage them to just make a note to the City Council to let them know that the Park Commission would <br />like to carry the extra money over to the next year rather than making any rushed decisions on spending <br />the money. <br /> <br />Edwards noted the City Council will do a preliminary approval this month on the overall budget and the <br />final budget approval will be in December.