Sticking to a strategy they endorsed in October, the Board of Commissioners on December 1 approved a flat tax levy for the 2012-2013 fiscal year. The park district will ask taxpayers for $6.39 million, equal to the amount from last year.
According to Administrative Services Director Deb Utecht, the park board reduced the tax levy in 2009 and continued with a flat tax levy for 2010 and 2011. , commissioners cited the limping economy as a reason to keep the levy at the same level again.
Utecht said the board will begin the work of planning how to spend this money next year, including a meeting in January to look at capital projects for next year. One project that will continue in 2012 is a major upgrade to McCollum Park, the district's largest and most-used facility. This work includes the addition of a concession stand in the south baseball area, the construction of a new picnic shelter and an expanded parking lot.
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Other projects may include the renovation of the parking lot at and the pavilion at .
Along with big projects and everyday maintenance, ongoing classes and special events, the district will also be selecting a new administrator in 2012. Dan Cermak will retire from the park district in May after 34 years of service.
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During his tenure, the district saw the creation of the natural area and the William F. Sherman Jr. Interpretive Center, significant upgrades at the golf club and the building of the recreation and fitness center. Cermak was with the park district when McCollum Park was originally created in the early 1980s.
The board has hired Peter Murphy and the Illinois Association of Park Districts to lead the search for Cermak's successor, which is expected to take four to five months.
