Park Board OKs 2011 Budget, Discusses Goose Kill On Area Lakes
Posted
Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
Warsaw Park Board approved a proposed budget for 2011 during its meeting Tuesday.
The board approved its non-reverting parks and recreation budget that is being proposed at $14,081 for 2011, a $650 increase from the 2010 budget of $13,431.
The increase in the budget accounts for new programming for a mother-son adventure program and increased funds for carriage rides due to increase in costs, according to Staci Thomas, Warsaw Parks Department activities director.
The non-reverting parks and recreation capital budget, funded from rentals from Nye Youth Cabin and the Fireman's Building, is being proposed for 2011 at $20,000. There currently is $36,000 in the budget for 2010.The funds for 2011 are to pave the parking lot at the Fireman's Building. The funds in the 2008 budget were used to renovate Center Lake Pavilion and to purchase furniture for the Boggs Building.
The proposed parks and recreation budget for 2011 is $1,813,408, which is $47,441 less than the current 2010 budget.
The decrease accounts for a projected decrease in utility costs for 2011 and the department does not plan to purchase any new trucks in 2011.
The city council still needs to review the budget proposals.
In other business Larry Plummer, parks director, informed the board that 154 geese were rounded up in Center and Pike lakes by parks department employees Monday and Tuesday.
The process was to cut down on the chance of the development of E-coli bacteria and the geese were transported away. This is done once a year at local lakes.
Dan Hampton, who serves as a city council liaison on the park board, said he has been talking with Mike Cox, Warsaw Police Department animal control officer, about updating the city's animal control ordinance to declare geese as a nuisance in the city.
They also met with Jon Cook, Department of Natural Resources, who informed Hampton and Cox that there is a procedure that can declare geese a nuisance and there could be a five-day goose kill on weekdays in September.
Hampton said if the city approves the goose kill, those wanting to participate in the kill may need to be trained.
The council has declared deer as being a nuisance and had a deer-reduction effort in the city limits.
Hampton was seeking direction from the park board on if they supported having a goose kill.
He said the geese could be donated to local organizations to feed the community.
Tammy Dalton, park board member, said anything the city can do to reduce the amount of geese should be pursued.
Plummer said he has heard other communities have opened up a time for a geese kill and said he supports the idea in Warsaw.
Park Board members Toby Sumpter, Jon Sadler, Dalton, and Steve Haines unanimously approved making a recommendation to the city council to allow a goose kill and identify the geese as being a nuisance.
Jon Garber, parks superintendent, informed the board that Medtronic donated $1,000 and will have 25 volunteers who will install a play area at Lucerne Park today.
Park Board President Bill Baldwin suggested the park board send a letter to Medtronic thanking them for their donation and volunteer efforts.
