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Parks and Recreation committee recommends using park-development funds to complete Houston Park; board approves
Summary
Bids for Houston Park work came in higher than budgeted; staff presented three options and the Parks and Recreation committee recommended using $125,000 from the park-development fund to complete the project under the current scope; the Village Board approved the recommendation and staff will return with a budget amendment.
Bid results for the Houston Park project exceeded initial estimates and the Parks and Recreation Committee recommended using restricted and unrestricted park-development fund balances to cover the shortfall; the Village Board approved the committee’s recommendation to use $125,000 from the park development fund and instructed staff to bring a formal budget amendment.
Parks and Recreation members explained the project was originally budgeted across two fiscal years to combine scope and realize economies of scale. Strand’s opinion of probable cost (OPC) showed a possible cost as high as $418,000, while the lowest bid received was $321,336. Staff presented three options: (A) use $125,000 from park development funds to complete the project as bid; (B) re-engineer scope to match existing budget, which would incur additional consulting costs; or (C) delay and rebid in 2026.
Parks and Recreation recommended option A; board discussion made clear that approving option A would require a subsequent budget amendment to increase expenses and allocate park-development funds to the project. Finance and parks staff noted the park development fund had a balance that could support the allocation while leaving other restricted balances intact—for example, some funds reserved for Westlawn and Shady Grove remain restricted to those parks.
A board member moved to approve option A, another board member seconded, and the motion carried on a voice vote; staff will return with a formal budget amendment reflecting the change.
Why it matters: Using park-development fees accelerates construction and avoids further price escalation, but reduces fund balances available for other future park projects; the choice reflects a trade-off between timing and reserve conservation.
Looking ahead: Staff will prepare a budget amendment to formalize the transfer of funds and will report on remaining restricted balances and the schedule for Houston Park completion.
