Parks board reviews 2027 maintenance fund priorities, approves $200 purchase for flag and solar light

At its June 11 meeting, the Kosciusko County Parks Department and Recreation Board reviewed the Parks & Rec donation fund and early items for the 2027 budget and approved a small procurement to replace a torn flag and add a solar light at Chenworth Bridge Park.

Alyssa (staff) reported that the donation fund account created for Chenworth Bridge Park was budgeted at $3,000 for the calendar year; she said about $700 had been expended to date for trailhead maintenance and port-a-pot services. Alyssa advised that because these are donation funds that carry over year-to-year, it is often easier to appropriate an estimate for the coming year rather than underbudget and request additional appropriations later.

Board members listed likely 2027 expenses they want to cover from the donation account, including mowing, port-a-pot service, and potential membership or conference travel (one absent board member had estimated roughly $2,250 for conference attendance and travel). Members also discussed a canoe/kayak launch improvement (county-only access) that could be included in a community-amenity grant; the group estimated gravel or shoreline work in the $8,000–$10,000 range and said they would pursue grant funding instead of budgeting the full cost from donations at this time.

Members reported that the OR/ORA Community Amenity program (referred to in the meeting with varying acronyms) will not pay for initial engineering to get a project started. The K21 Health Foundation told the group it would not cover initial engineering either but might fund other project expenses; that leaves a potential funding gap that the board said could be filled with donated funds or by asking the county commissioners for assistance.

On procurement, a board member moved to authorize use of current donation funds to buy one American flag and a solar light fixture for the Chenworth Bridge Park parking area (estimated at about $200). The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the meeting transcript.

Board members discussed a preliminary master-plan idea for park improvements — board members estimated a schematic or preliminary plan might be done for under $10,000 — but said they were not requesting funds for a master plan at this meeting. The board instructed staff to continue refining cost estimates and to bring a proposed 2027 budget back for formal approval in July.

The meeting adjourned after the budget and project updates.