Urbana Park District adopts FY2026–27 budget, approves Perkins Road parking project and new policies

The Urbana Park District Board of Commissioners on July 14 unanimously approved the FY2026–27 combined budget and appropriation ordinance (Ordinance 2026‑04), taking the formal step required by state law to appropriate funds for the coming fiscal year. A commissioner moved to approve the ordinance and the board carried the motion by roll call.

The action followed staff presentations and the required public hearing on the ordinance; the board heard that the budget book had been available at the Darius E. Phoebus Administration Building and on the district website for at least 30 days. Staff noted some report visuals and a final release from an external accounting entity are pending until August 1 and that the appropriation ordinance — not the printed budget book itself — was the item requiring action at the meeting.

Also on the consent calendar, the board approved routine items including minutes, monthly departmental reports, acceptance of philanthropy gifts and authorization to enter a tenant lease for 2808 South Race Street.

In a separate construction vote, the board approved awarding the Perkins Road parking and accessible-trail work to Deuce Construction. Staff described a base bid for the access road and an alternate for the accessible parking lot; the project is supported in part by a $131,000 intergovernmental agreement with the sanitary district. The staff recommendation was to accept the base bid plus alternate 1; with a 10% contingency the board authorized a construction contract totaling $101,200 (construction amount with contingency) and specifically moved to approve the Perkins Road parking improvement project in the amount of $92,000 with a 10% contingency of $9,200. Staff said the district expects to complete associated in-house trail work and tentatively target a spring opening next year, depending on how construction proceeds.

The board also adopted a final social media policy prepared with legal review. The policy includes both public-facing rules and employee-facing expectations; a commissioner asked whether internal employee rules should instead live in an employee handbook, but staff recommended retaining both sections together to preserve transparency. The board moved to adopt the policy and approved it by roll call.

The board approved an amended Kickapoo Rail Trail intergovernmental agreement that staff said was already approved by partner agencies. The amendment removes a section of trail from the county’s construction scope where bids exceeded available funding and allows partners to continue fundraising for the missing link; staff reported the Champaign County Forest Preserve is pursuing an ITEP grant for that portion.

Operational updates included a capital-project briefing (KRT Trailhead near completion pending electrical hook-up), public EV-charging station conduit and bollard installations at multiple sites, masonry and gutter repairs at Carl Pavilion, and a new wireless scoreboard installation at AMBUCS ball field. Staff reported continued growth in health-and-wellness center memberships and scholarship distributions and highlighted recent community events such as Juneteenth and Jetty Rhodes Day.

Commissioners also discussed a recent billing issue tied to a tax-form filing for a district-owned property; staff stated the filing has been corrected with the assessor and a reimbursement request will be submitted to the Illinois Department of Revenue. The board heard about planned surveillance-camera work at several district facilities and a neighborhood engagement process tied to a proposed temporary skate park.

The meeting concluded after commissioners’ comments and the chair adjourned the session.

The district’s next study session is scheduled for Aug. 4 (Perkins Road tour), the next regular meeting is Aug. 11, and the board will continue to monitor budget-reporting visuals at future meetings.