The Village of Hanover Park Board on May 1 voted to waive up to $60,000 in water-related fees to help the Hanover Park Park District fill and operate the Safari Springs Aquatic Center for the 2025 summer season.

The waiver, approved after discussion and a roll-call vote, covers water use for the pool season outlined by the park district’s cover letter as May 1 through Aug. 31, 2025. The measure passed on a 6-1 vote; Trustee Kunkel cast the lone no vote.

The board’s vote came after Steve, executive director of the Hanover Park Park District, told trustees that the pool runs a persistent operating deficit driven by labor and chemical costs. “This $60,000 is a huge help for us to continue to try to keep this pool going as long as we possibly can,” he said, adding the park district had deficits of $187,000 in 2023, $200,000 in 2024 and an estimated $215,000 for 2025.

Steve told trustees he expects the full pool fill itself to cost about $30,000 this year, with the remainder covering routine evaporation and possible extra fills if repairs are needed. He said the pool typically loses about 1,200 to 2,000 gallons per day to evaporation and that normal seasonal water usage for the facility is roughly $30,000 to $40,000. The park district also reported prior one-time leakage costs that have reached as high as about $100,000 in the past.

Trustees pressed for more structure around the arrangement. Trustee Gutierrez asked whether the village and park district should formalize the regular assistance so residents can better understand the exchange of services; she said, “If this process then be formalized … so that we’re not doing this every year?” Village staff noted the park district submitted a written request that is included in the board packet and that the cover letter specifies the May 1–Aug. 31 season, which staff said could be interpreted to include routine refills for evaporation.

Trustees also raised budgeting and transparency questions. A staff speaker said that while the water assistance is reflected in the village’s budget numbers, it is not a separate line item and that any item above $25,000 must be brought to the board for approval. Several trustees urged exploring an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) or a documented trade—water in exchange for park-use or in-kind services—so residents can better see how village resources are used.

Park district officials said the pool would be the first programcut if the park district cannot sustain operations without additional funding. They described efforts to reduce costs, including in-house resurfacing and increased grant-seeking; the park district reported obtaining about $3 million in grants over the last three years.

Board action: trustees moved to remove a previously tabled item and then approved the waiver request. The board’s packet and the park district’s written request describe the waiver as covering water-related fees to fill and maintain the pool for the 2025 season (May 1–Aug. 31).

After the vote the board moved to an executive session on setting a sale price for village property and did not return to public session.

What’s next: The village’s waiver approval obligates staff to implement the fee relief for the park district this season. Trustees and park district representatives discussed the possibility of developing a formal IGA and said they will consider a longer-term funding strategy, including a possible tax-levy referendum to address the park district’s structural deficit.