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SYRACUSE - After final discussions, the Syracuse Park Board approved the park and recreation department budget for 2001.
The budget must now be approved by the Syracuse Town Council at the July 3 or July 17 budget workshops.
Michael Hixenbaugh, park superintendent, will request a 2001 budget of $170,605, a 16.95 percent increase from the 2000 budget, which was $145,882. The 2001 final budget request is approximately $38,000 less than the park board initially proposed at the beginning of the budget discussions.
Much of the increase is because new funds were set up for the proposed community center.
The park board hopes to have a recreation supervisor for an annual salary of $25,000. The amount budgeted for 2001 is only $6,250. The board hopes to begin the supervisor in October 2001, so only a three-month salary is needed.
A part-time community center supervisor also is planned for $12,480 a year. The part-time supervisor would be responsible for the registration and supervision of activities as well as clerical duties during low activity periods.
Other expenses for the community center include uniforms, office supplies, maintenance supplies, program supplies, telephone, printing and advertising, NIPSCO and new equipment.
Bill Wight, park board president, said there is a view of the community center by some town board members and area residents that the center is strictly a rental facility, which it's not. The park and recreation department will have programs at the center year-round.
Jenny Lambright, park board member, asked why the board would want just a rental facility. "There's got to be a recreational facility and it's got to be organized," she said.
It's a park and recreation department, board member Nancy Duehmig said, not just a park department. As such, they should have recreational activities. The town and council must keep in mind it is a park and recreation community center, she said.
Regarding the overall budget, Duehmig told Hixenbaugh, "Mike, I'm very impressed with what you've got here." She thanked him for providing it before the meeting so they could carefully scrutinize the budget.
In other business, the board approved the purchase of playground equipment for Ward Park for $20,520. Hixenbaugh will get bids for a border for the park instead of paying $3,000 for the initially proposed park wood border.
