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Council reviews June financial report; sales tax up, water-park attendance mixed, wastewater design funds on schedule
Summary
City staff presented June financials showing sales and compensating use tax up versus last year, updates on the wastewater treatment plant design project and related spending deadlines, and water-park attendance and revenue breakdowns through June; staff will continue to monitor use tax and facility metrics.
City staff presented the June financial report to the Tonganoxie City Council on July 21, reporting that total city sales-tax remittances were up 6.9% compared with the previous year and that compensating use tax accounted for most of that increase.
The June report also described the wastewater treatment plant design project: staff said wastewater funds are committed and encumbered for the design and that the city is coordinating with partners and Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) to spend the funds by the end of next year, which staff identified as the deadline for using the funds.
The council received a multi-page summary of the water park's May and June operations. Staff reported the month-of-June admittance totaled "over 8,500" people but noted some day-to-day variance (for example, June 30 showed a low daily admittance figure in the report). Staff said May and June attendance trailed the prior year in part because of weather and facility downtime; May was described as "a really slow month in 2025." Councilmember discussion noted that July historically is typically stronger than June and the city will continue to monitor seasonal trends.
On revenue composition, staff said season-pass sales account for roughly 42% of water-park revenue to date, with day passes and rentals also contributing and concessions representing a smaller portion. Staff also reported that swimming-lesson registrants include a substantial share of nonlocal participants: 37% of registrants were not from the city's primary ZIP code (66086). The report listed nearby communities that purchased lessons, including Basehor, Leavenworth and Linwood; registrations also came from more distant communities such as Kansas City, KCK, Perry and Lawrence.
Staff provided breakdowns of admission types and concession sales (the report named nachos, pretzels and ice cream sandwiches among top concession items). Staff noted group memberships were down year-over-year through June and said they will monitor whether that trend continues as the season progresses.
Ending: Staff said they will continue to track compensating use tax and water-park metrics and will bring future updates and any council action items back to the council as needed.
