The Emporia Recreation Commission will see a 14 percent increase in its budget for the 2024 fiscal year.
During the ERC’s monthly meeting Monday evening, Rec Director Tom McEvoy presented the budget which totals more than $6.2 million, a roughly $900,000 increase over fiscal 2023. Budgetary increases have been commonplace this year, however, McEvoy says unlike other agencies, the ERC’s increased budget is unrelated to inflationary pressures.
Plans are to update both Whittier Park and the Debauge Family Sports Complex and add a t-ball field at Santa Fe Park. As part of this agenda item Monday, commissioners also voted to approve a notice to exceed the revenue neutral rate for fiscal 2024.
Separately Monday, Assistant Director of REC Operations Amanda Gutierrez delivered the latest report from the Future Funding Task Force which has been charged with developing plans to help fund either the construction of a new facility or updates to the current rec center. Gutierrez says Monday’s discussion centered on creating a public needs assessment that will aid in those efforts.
Word on when the assessment will be made available is currently pending. In terms of areas such as funding options, potential locations and other preliminary matters, Gutierrez says those discussions are still in the early stages.
She says the process is slow-moving at this time and it needs to be that way to ensure the ERC delivers a satisfactory product regardless of the final decision. The task force is scheduled to next convene in July.
Monday also marked the final ERC meeting for longtime member and commission President Dave Harding. Harding has been a member of the commission for more than a decade and says it has been a “great experience.”
In other business Monday, commissioners unanimously approved a GolfZone simulator, held conversations on fitness room flooring, a dehumidification unit for the Lee Beran Recreation Center’s indoor pool and the possibility of creating two new outdoor maintenance positions for the upcoming fiscal year.
The commission will next convene in July for its monthly meeting.
