Villa Park parks director outlines programs, budget pressures and possible 5% fee increase

Timothy Howe, Villa Park’s parks and recreation director, told the Committee of the Whole on July 13 that his department is tracking operations, programming and new revenue streams as it works to stabilize costs for the new Villa Park Rec Center (VPRC).

Howe, who said he will mark his first year with the village next week, highlighted programming for youth, adults and seniors, partnerships with nearby park districts and community organizations, and facility maintenance responsibilities. “We are committed to transparency, communication, excellence in public service, being good stewards of community resources,” Howe said, adding: “We have a great staff. I always brag that we’re small but mighty.”

Why it matters: The VPRC is a major new operating cost for the village. Howe said the center was previously accounted for in pool accounts, which obscured its true expenses; staff moved the center into the recreation budget to better reflect revenues and costs and said a full year of data for 2027 will give a more accurate picture.

Numbers and proposed changes: Howe provided several operational figures and early revenue measures. He said the department employs about 185 people (seasonal staffing varies), manages 13 parks and six facilities, and reported roughly 1,660 fitness memberships and 476 season pool passes sold so far this year. The department has collected about $16,000 in sponsorship advertising revenue “as of 6:30,” he said, and the presentation showed roughly $1.2 million in recreation revenue for calendar year 2025 versus about $706,000 so far in 2026. As an example, Howe modeled a blanket 5% increase across program and membership fees and said, “We would generate an additional roughly $52,000” — language he framed as illustrative rather than a formal proposal.

Questions from trustees and next steps: Trustees pressed for more complete financial detail. Trustee Josie Kumar asked whether the slides reflected only revenues and requested corresponding cost figures so the board can evaluate net program performance. “What is our cost for that side? I don’t see that, and that has to kinda match up,” Kumar said, noting the importance of knowing operating and maintenance costs for the VPRC, and asking about kitchen fixtures and long‑term maintenance of rental spaces.

Howe responded that staff have created an Excel summary tool that breaks down revenues, expenses, indirect cost (listed at 20%) and profit margin for each program. He said the department will use the tool to identify programs running at a deficit and apply minimum enrollment thresholds — for example, one slide tied a minimum of seven participants to the viability of a class.

Operations and outreach: Howe described steps to boost use and revenue, including expanded facility rental marketing, birthday‑party packages, a party trailer rental, corporate membership outreach, free fitness orientations, and partnerships with local businesses for cooking classes. He credited staff for outreach gains — the department launched a parks and rec Instagram and a monthly e‑newsletter that he said has about 9,000 subscribers and an open rate of roughly 39%.

Parking and development timing: The manager told the board a nearby union development is expected to add public covered parking (the manager estimated about 94 covered spaces) and that additional lot extension work is planned toward the mall area, though a start date was not specified. The manager predicted membership increases as phases of the nearby development reach occupancy in 2027–28.

What was not resolved: The board did not adopt any fee changes or formal budget amendments at the meeting. Howe and staff will return with more detailed cost and budget figures for the VPRC and program‑level expense data for further review.

The committee adjourned following the presentation and a brief public‑comment check, with no public speakers recorded.