Politics & Government

Wentzville Board Asks for More Discussion on Parks Funding

What is the plan to pay back a "significant" amount of money that was supposed to be earmarked for bond payments?

Last month, members of the Wentzville Board of Aldermen were surprised to find out that money generated from the 1/2 cent parks sales tax was not being kept in a separate fund.

READ MORE: Aldermen Left 'Flabbergasted' Over Parks Fund Snafu

On Wednesday night, the board asked for further discussion of the subject after approving a contract to outsource the city's pool management services and being asked to approve a $22,000 transfer from the general fund to cover those costs.

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City Administrator Mike McDowell confirmed to the board that before the 2010 tax was passed, the city had transferred money from the general fund to cover parks operations.

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Ward 3 Alderman Rick Stokes said he understood the shortfall.

"It either comes from the general fund, or we cut programs," he said.

The only other funding for parks comes from a dedicated property tax, and from income from the Parks programs, McDowell said.

"The Progress Park Pool largely supports itself. Maybe not to the penny . . . but pretty doggone close. Those revenues go in the park fund," he said.

But those revenues plus Wentzville's long-standing Parks property tax is not enough to cover all of the Park Department's operating expenses, and money was transferred from the general fund to cover the shortfall.

Once the parks sales tax passed and began generating income, McDowell said, the previous finance director deposited the revenue in the Parks fund and began using the money to cover Parks operations.

The board expressed concern that if that was to keep happening, the city would not have the money to make bond payments for new parks construction or cover shortfalls like the ones expected to be incurred with Splash Station.

READ MORE: Board Considers Options After Splash Station Overruns Top $190K

McDowell said it would take at least a month to gather figures for what has been taken from the sales tax fund. Ward 2 Alderman Chris Gard suggested that the board consider a "payment plan" to return that money to the sales tax fund, which has been separated from the Parks operating fund at the board's request.

Stokes request that the board have a "substantial" discussion about parks funding, and the item was added to the June 12 agenda.


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