With the board president calling it a “very regrettable situation” the Trenton Park Board announced on Wednesday evening that the city’s aquatic center will not open on Memorial Day weekend due to COVID-19 concerns and the guidelines the board would be required to follow.
The board was holding its first meeting since the pandemic shut down the city’s parks in March. Board President Duane Helmandollar said that under current health guidelines from both the state of Missouri and the Grundy County Health Department, the Trenton Family Aquatic Center would only be allowed to operate at 25 percent capacity if it opened on Memorial Day weekend as is the traditional start of the season. Even with a reduced number of swimmers, the number of lifeguards needed each session is about 15, so it would not be at all cost effective to open. It is likely additional personnel would also need to be on site to handle disinfection duties and to be sure social distancing is maintained. Helmandollar explained that even in the best years the aquatic center does not make a profit, but the loss this year would be exceptional.
“The citizens are paying for it so we take the hit, but we can’t take that big of a hit,” he said, noting that so far only 15 certified lifeguards have applied for positions at the aquatic center with about 30 needed.
Helmandollar said that if the guidelines are eased in time, the pool could have a shortened season. However, if it can’t be open by June 15, it would not open at all for the 2020 season.
The board also approved the 2020-21 budget, which included revenues and expenditures involved in operating the aquatic center. Two budgets had been prepared, one with the pool operating and one without. Helmandollar suggested approving the one that includes the pool opening this year because it would be the one with the highest expenditures and wouldn’t require any amendments should the board be able to offer a shortened season.
The approved budget shows revenues of $535,100 and total expenditures of $570,777.91 for a deficit of $35,677.91. As of Dec. 31, 2019 the department had a fund balance of $303,415.
If the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect park operations and activities, the budget would be far from accurate. The cost to operate the pool was listed at $127,066.50. That number includes part-time wages, overtime, FICA, worker’s compensation, supplies, credit card expense, concessions, equipment repair and maintenance, utilities, insurance and equipment. Added to an aquatic center payment of $142,796, the expenditures for the pool would total $269,862.50. If the pool doesn’t operate this year, only insurance and the payment would be expended for a total of $145,946 and the overall budget would see a surplus of $21,238.59.
In addition, the approved budget includes ball park user fees in the amount of $3,000 and concession stand proceeds of $9,200. It also includes summer ball expenses of $4,000. None of that would be realized without a ball season, which has been cancelled for teams participating in the Green Hills Recreation Association.
The approved budget contains few frills. On the revenue side, the majority of funding comes from the one-half cent sales tax, which is budgeted at $350,000 and is a $5,000 increase over last year’s budgeted amount. Another $91,000 would come from ad valorem taxes and $56,000 was included from pool receipts. Concessions from the pool department were budgeted at $11,000 and ball park concessions, as mentioned earlier, were listed at $9,200. Other revenue sources include rental of park facilities, interest income and the sale of equipment.
On the expenditure side, the biggest expense, other than the aquatic center payment, is labor, which is around $84,000 for the two full-time employees. Both Park Superintendent Jason Shuler and Assistant Manager David Shockley were given a 50-cent per hour increase in salary, the same amount approved for other city employees in April. Capital expenditures are estimated at $47,637 and utilities are estimated at $26,000. Other large expenditures include $18,000 each for supplies and equipment repairs and maintenance and $12,500 budgeted for a Dixie Chopper mower.
In discussing other expenditures, Shuler presented a plan for a project that would replace concrete at the east and west entrances to the parking lot at Burleigh Grimes Field and replace asphalt on other areas of that parking lot. Shuler said the Trenton Street Department will sell the asphalt at cost and will provide labor and equipment to install it. Improvements will also be made to the north and west entrances to the Upper Moberly Park shelter house located off Tower Street. The total for all those projects is listed at $12,667.86, with those funds being included in capital projects.
Other categories of expenditure in the capital projects line item include the aquatic center (security cameras, replacement of down spout), $2,100; Moberly Park (construction of two pickleball courts and several smaller projects), $14,170; shop building (new metal for roof and sides, concrete the parking area and insulating the roof on the new addition), $13,145; Gladys Grimes Park at Lake Trenton (replace flag pole, paint basketball goals and add new cable nets), $1,565; and Van Meter Park (adding dirt and fixing the infield area on the ball field and installing a border around the playground), $3,500. It was noted that this list of items is plugged in as “time fillers” as department personnel are able to get to them. Some of the funding had already been allocated prior to the 2020-21 budget.
Also discussed, but not budgeted, was painting the aquatic center, with Helmandollar saying that TFAC Manager Emily Kasinger would be asked to clean the pool so that it can be opened, if possible, or painted, if it’s not possible to operate it this summer.
Shuler updated the board on his activities, including continuing work on the ADA playground and working on the new discus area. He said a drainage issue at Gladys Grimes Park has been fixed, with the area worked and seeded. He also announced that the Scott Roy family has donated a tree that was planted at Moberly Park. Board member Gary Schuett commended park staff for taking good care of the trees that have been planted in the parks, noting that only three of those that were recently planted were lost.
The board is scheduled to hold its next regular meeting on Wednesday, June 3.
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