Wellington expects surplus sales-surtax revenue; staff to seek budget amendment, aquatics complex timeline updated

A staff member told the Village of Wellington Parks & Recreation Advisory Board on Feb. 21 that the village has collected $950,020 in sales surtax revenue so far this fiscal year on a $550,000 budget and will ask the Village Council in April to amend the budget to reflect additional revenue.

The staff member said the extra funds result from Palm Beach County allowing municipalities to receive additional surtax revenue through the end of fiscal year 2025. The surtax program, the staff member said, is scheduled to end by the earlier of Dec. 31, 2026, or upon the receipt of approximately $38,800,000.

Those receipts will be used, the staff member said, to replenish general-fund amounts that were used to pay for the new aquatics complex because “the intention was for the majority of the aquatics complex to be built using sales surtax funds.” The staff member said a budget amendment is expected to be submitted to council in April.

Why it matters: council budgeted $550,000 for surtax receipts this year; the reported intake and the village’s plan to repurpose surtax revenue to reimburse the general fund are likely to affect capital accounting and the timing of other projects.

Key figures and project status The staff member reported that since the surtax inception Wellington has collected $40.4 million in surtax revenues and earned $1.8 million in investment income. The staff member said the village’s only current surtax-era expenditures are for the aquatics complex and ongoing projects including South Shore Community Park.

On construction timing, the staff member said the aquatics complex is “well underway” and that crews were on site the previous Thursday. The staff member said the village is currently anticipating an opening in December 2025. A different attendee said, however, that “Aquatics were expecting September,” reflecting a discrepancy in reported timelines during the meeting; the board did not adopt a formal revised date.

South Shore Community Park remains closed while turf and landscaping grow in and final paving and fencing are finished, the staff member said. The staff member said the village anticipates opening the renovated park in May. The staff member added that basketball hoops and other fixtures will be reinstalled as the site finishes.

Sale of Kpark and related development The staff member said there are two purchase-and-sale agreements for an approximately 70-acre site referred to in the meeting as “Kpark.” One agreement covers the eastern, commercial portion along State Road 7 and is being advanced with a developer identified in the meeting as Ross Group for a mixed-use project. The west portion is under agreement with an entity described in the meeting as Education in Motion for a school. The staff member said approvals and development phases are expected to take roughly 12 to 24 months and that neither zoning approvals nor final uses are complete.

The staff member said any proceeds from a sale of Kpark would be handled separately and that the village has not made any specific commitments about how sale proceeds, if realized, would be used.

What the board asked and staff responded to Board members asked how much village money has been used for the aquatics complex. The staff member said they would confirm and provide exact figures at a future meeting; the staff member estimated that “around 15-ish million” had been used from various general-fund sources but said the precise number would be confirmed.

On financing for the Sports Academy tied to the athletic center, the staff member said that project was funded primarily through a bond issuance and that the village’s general-fund contribution to that element was to complete South Shore Park site preparation.

Ending note The staff member closed the update by inviting board members to tour the aquatics and athletics sites; staff offered to coordinate group or individual visits.