The agenda and packet for the Glen Ellyn Park District December 1, 2009 meeting are online. This is a workshop meeting where the Board will discuss the next ASC pay request, change orders for ASC and the 2010 budget.
Glen Ellyn Park District board meetings are always open to the public and are held in the board room at the Spring Avenue Recreation Center at 7:00 p.m. Please join us!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Nov. 17 Meeting Video
Video from the Glen Ellyn Park District November 17 meetings is online at Glen Ellyn Life.com. Special thanks to Erik Peterson for attending these meetings, taping them and posting them online.
November 17, Part One- Bulls/Sox Contract, Budget review
November 17, Part Two- Bulls/Sox Contract, Budget review
November 17, Part One- Bulls/Sox Contract, Budget review
November 17, Part Two- Bulls/Sox Contract, Budget review
Saturday, November 28, 2009
PD Staff Denies Request for Ackerman Financial Information
During the past several board meetings, I have been working to get a better understanding of the state of our finances, in particular as they relate to the construction of the Glen Ellyn Park District Ackerman Sports Complex (ASC).
My initial concern began when a financial report I requested showed the projected total cost for ASC at over $12 million. This contradicted a memo which I requested from Director Atwell stating that the total cost for the facility will be $10.45 million. Voters approved $7.4 million for ASC in 2006.
Our board packets also included a running total, compiled by staff, of the amount paid to contractors. When I added up the pay requests myself I found that this total was under-reported by $1 million on the memos to the Board.
Furthermore, we were previously receiving monthly affidavits in our board packets from the ASC construction management company, Professional Building Services, which summarized the contract amounts, change orders, and payments for each of the trades working on ASC. These affidavits have been missing from the board packets since May.
Due to these disturbing errors and omissions in accounting on this project, I requested two items from staff: a complete listing of expenditures on ASC to date, and the missing affidavits. Although I requested theses documents from staff in writing and at two board meetings, I have not received any of these documents to date.
There is no legal reason for keeping this documents from board members, or for that matter, the public. I plan to pursue this matter at our next Glen Ellyn Park District board meeting on Tuesday, December 1.
My initial concern began when a financial report I requested showed the projected total cost for ASC at over $12 million. This contradicted a memo which I requested from Director Atwell stating that the total cost for the facility will be $10.45 million. Voters approved $7.4 million for ASC in 2006.
Our board packets also included a running total, compiled by staff, of the amount paid to contractors. When I added up the pay requests myself I found that this total was under-reported by $1 million on the memos to the Board.
Furthermore, we were previously receiving monthly affidavits in our board packets from the ASC construction management company, Professional Building Services, which summarized the contract amounts, change orders, and payments for each of the trades working on ASC. These affidavits have been missing from the board packets since May.
Due to these disturbing errors and omissions in accounting on this project, I requested two items from staff: a complete listing of expenditures on ASC to date, and the missing affidavits. Although I requested theses documents from staff in writing and at two board meetings, I have not received any of these documents to date.
There is no legal reason for keeping this documents from board members, or for that matter, the public. I plan to pursue this matter at our next Glen Ellyn Park District board meeting on Tuesday, December 1.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
White Sox Rental Agreement Passes
The Glen Ellyn Park District Board voted 5 to 2 last night to pass the White Sox Rental Agreement. I voted against this agreement.
Early in the summer I expressed concerns about this contract in a blog post here. The original plan gave the Sox exclusive use of the space for $20,000 a year. My estimates showed that this rental amount would not even cover the annual costs for this space.
In response to my comments, the Glen Ellyn Park District did re-negotiate the Sox contract. The new version shows that the Glen Ellyn Park District may receive another $12,000 a year in revenue sharing, depending on the number of lessons the Sox sells. Because of the new negotiations, Glen Ellyn Park District residents will also receive a 5% discount on these programs and lessons.
The new contract also gives the Glen Ellyn Park District access to the batting cages four hours a week in exchange for the Sox receiving four hours of free access to half of the turf field. The version of the contract that were expected to vote on at our last meeting erroneously stated that the GEPD would pay the Sox for the four hours of batting cage access instead of exchanging cage/turf time. This would have resulted in the Glen Ellyn Park District paying the Sox more money for 4 hours of cage use per week than the Sox pays the Glen Ellyn Park District for the other 164 hours a week. I pointed out this problem at the last meeting and the new version of the contract has resolved this issue.
What hasn't been resolved is the fact that this is still a bad deal for the Park District. In order to recover our initial capital investment, the Glen Ellyn Park District would need to receive at least $75,000 in profit each year for 11 years. We are subsidizing a for-profit company and will never recover our initial capital investment. With the revised contract we will at least make a small profit over our operating costs. This is a small step in the right direction, but not enough. In the future we need to ensure that sufficient benefit to our community exists to justify capital projects before we undertake them.
Early in the summer I expressed concerns about this contract in a blog post here. The original plan gave the Sox exclusive use of the space for $20,000 a year. My estimates showed that this rental amount would not even cover the annual costs for this space.
In response to my comments, the Glen Ellyn Park District did re-negotiate the Sox contract. The new version shows that the Glen Ellyn Park District may receive another $12,000 a year in revenue sharing, depending on the number of lessons the Sox sells. Because of the new negotiations, Glen Ellyn Park District residents will also receive a 5% discount on these programs and lessons.
The new contract also gives the Glen Ellyn Park District access to the batting cages four hours a week in exchange for the Sox receiving four hours of free access to half of the turf field. The version of the contract that were expected to vote on at our last meeting erroneously stated that the GEPD would pay the Sox for the four hours of batting cage access instead of exchanging cage/turf time. This would have resulted in the Glen Ellyn Park District paying the Sox more money for 4 hours of cage use per week than the Sox pays the Glen Ellyn Park District for the other 164 hours a week. I pointed out this problem at the last meeting and the new version of the contract has resolved this issue.
What hasn't been resolved is the fact that this is still a bad deal for the Park District. In order to recover our initial capital investment, the Glen Ellyn Park District would need to receive at least $75,000 in profit each year for 11 years. We are subsidizing a for-profit company and will never recover our initial capital investment. With the revised contract we will at least make a small profit over our operating costs. This is a small step in the right direction, but not enough. In the future we need to ensure that sufficient benefit to our community exists to justify capital projects before we undertake them.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Budget Discussion and Sox Contract for November 17 Meeting
The agenda and packet for the Glen Ellyn Park District November 17, 2009 meeting are online. This is a regular meeting and the Board is expected to vote on the Bulls/Sox rental agreement at ASC, and continue to discuss the 2010 budget.
Glen Ellyn Park District board meetings are always open to the public and are held in the board room at the Spring Avenue Recreation Center at 7:00 p.m. Please join us!
Glen Ellyn Park District board meetings are always open to the public and are held in the board room at the Spring Avenue Recreation Center at 7:00 p.m. Please join us!
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Board President cancels Budget Meeting
The Glen Ellyn Park District Board President has canceled the November 9, 2009 Special Meeting in anticipation that there will not be quorum at the meeting.
The agenda for this meeting was the 2010 budget. The next Glen Ellyn Park District Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 17 at 7:00 p.m. at the Spring Avenue Recreation Center. The 2010 budget will be on the agenda for that meeting.
The agenda for this meeting was the 2010 budget. The next Glen Ellyn Park District Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 17 at 7:00 p.m. at the Spring Avenue Recreation Center. The 2010 budget will be on the agenda for that meeting.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Special Meeting for Budget- Monday, Nov. 9
The Glen Ellyn Park District Board will have a special meeting on Monday, November 9, 2009 in order to discuss the 2010 proposed budget. Commissioner Nephew and I called this meeting because the budget discussion for the Oct. 27 meeting was canceled. The special meeting will be held in the board room at the Spring Avenue Recreation Center at 7 p.m.
If you have any comments or suggestions about the budget, please attend the meeting and participate. The public is always welcome at board meetings and your input is appreciated.
If you have any comments or suggestions about the budget, please attend the meeting and participate. The public is always welcome at board meetings and your input is appreciated.
Video of October Meetings is Online
Video from the Glen Ellyn Park District October 6 and October 27 meetings is online at Glen Ellyn Life.com. Special thanks to Erik Peterson for attending these meetings, taping them and posting them online.
October 6- Turf at 87, Anima, Budget review
October 27- Anima, Sox Contract, Turf, Maryknoll Land Purchase from Forest Preserve, Platform Tennis expansion proposal
October 6- Turf at 87, Anima, Budget review
October 27- Anima, Sox Contract, Turf, Maryknoll Land Purchase from Forest Preserve, Platform Tennis expansion proposal
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
