Special Meeting called for January 4

The Glen Ellyn Park District Board is holding a special meeting to discuss the executive director search on January 4, 2011. The agenda for this meeting is online.

The Board will be meeting in closed session for the majority of the meeting. There are no agenda items for open session.

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!

Candidates for April 5, 2011 Glen Ellyn Park District Election

Yesterday was the last day for candidates to file for the April 5, 2011 election. There are three seats up for reelection. Commissioners Bill Dallman and Sandy Minogue are not seeking reelection.

The candidates are:

Catherine A. Galvin
Edward P. Hess (incumbent)
Don "Stuff" Stuffelbeam
Hugh Johnson
Kathy Cornell
Gary Mayo
Richard Dunn

December 21 Meeting: 2011 Budget Vote

The agenda and packet for the Glen Ellyn Park District December 21, 2010 meeting are online. This is a regular meeting.

The Board will vote on the 2011 budget after an executive session at the beginning of the meeting.

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 Director Retires

Director Cory Atwell announced his retirement to the Board after 17 years of service. His last day with the park district is January 14, 2011. The Board hired a search firm to find a new executive director for the park district at a special meeting on Dec. 13, 2010.

Glen Ellyn parks chief resigns

Park District hires search firm to fill director seat

December 7 Meeting: Paddle and Capital Budget 2011

The agenda and packet for the Glen Ellyn Park District December 2, 2010 meeting are online. This is a workshop meeting.

The Board will consider installing used platform tennis courts at Maryknoll park because there were no qualified bids to construct new courts.

The Board will also continue to discuss the proposed 2011 budget, which is not available online. The Board is planning on discussing capital projects for 2011.

The Board also met on November 16, but I didn't have a chance to post a blog before the meeting. The agenda and packet for that meeting are online. We also held a special meeting on November 30 in executive session.

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!

November Workshop Meeting Canceled

The Glen Ellyn Park District workshop meeting for November 2, 2010 is canceled.

The agenda for this meeting was the 2011 budget. The next Glen Ellyn Park District Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 16 at 7:00 p.m. at the Spring Avenue Recreation Center.

October Meeting: Paddle Vote and 2011 Budget

The agenda and packet for the Glen Ellyn Park District October 19, 2010 meeting are online. This is a regular meeting.

The Board will most likely vote on whether to approve the $350,000 party room and court expansion for platform tennis. The current legal agreement allows the private platform tennis club to sell liquor at Maryknoll Park on the three nights a week that they have exclusive use of the party room. This project will cost the Glen Ellyn Park District $200,000 to construct.

The Board will also continue to discuss the proposed 2011 budget, which is not available online.

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!

UPDATE: Glen Ellyn Park District overbudget; no financial reporting reform

The Board learned at the October 5 meeting that our 2010 budget is projected to be overspent by $600,000. Staff could not fully account for the overspending or explain why this money was spent without Board approval. The figures revealing the overspending were buried in our Proposed 2011 Budget information (not available online). The Board was not aware of the problem until I questioned staff at the meeting.

The Board only receives detailed budget or projected spending information once a year- when we discuss the next year's budget. At our September 21 meeting the Board voted down my proposed financial reporting reforms in a 4-3 vote. My motion would have required quarterly detailed budget reports to the Board.

The financial reform motion would have also required that:

• the vendor name be listed for all voucher requests. GEPD voucher lists for payment require Board approval each month but all payments charged to our credit card show the name of the credit card rather than the name of the vendor to which the payment was made. We typically charge over $30,000 to the credit card each month. The only way to figure the name of the vendor is to call the finance director. The Board voted not to receive this information.

• whenever any unexpected financial activity occurs, such as funds that are over budget or revenues or expenses are charged to an incorrect account, the Board will receive notification. The Board voted not to receive this information.

• our monthly budget reports show expenditures and revenues for the month, as currently provided, and also the total amount of money available in the fund. The Board voted to not receive this information.
  

October Meeting: Paddle and 2011 Budget

The agenda and packet for the October 5, 2010 meeting are online. This is a workshop meeting.

The Board will continue discussion on whether to approve the $350,000 party room and court expansion for platform tennis. Platform tennis is now requiring that the GEPD acquire a liquor license for the party room as part of this project. This project will cost the GEPD $200,000 to construct.

The Board will also begin discussion of the proposed 2011 budget, which is not available online.

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!

September Meeting: Platform tennis expansion for $350,000

The agenda and packet for the Glen Ellyn Park District September 21, 2010 meeting are online. This is a regular meeting.

At this meeting the Glen Ellyn Platform Tennis Club is presenting a request that the GEPD construct two additional courts and a party room for $350,000. The paddle group is in the process of raising money for this project and is asking the Glen Ellyn Park District to contribute $200,000 to this project.

Also at this meeting, the Board will vote on the changes to financial reporting that I have proposed. These changes will allow the Board and the public to have more information about Glen Ellyn Park District expenditures and the overall financial health of the park district.

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!