The Jefferson City Parks and Recreation Commission approved a $645,852 supplemental appropriation within the Park Fund Tuesday to pay for various amenities and features.
The commission set aside $75,000 from the appropriation to pay for construction of a greenway connector project at County Park.
While the commission set aside $75,000 for that project, commissioners reviewed a $48,508 contract with Sam Gaines Concrete Inc. on Tuesday to build 500-600 feet of trail to connect Fairground Acres to County Park. Some commissioners said while they like the idea of connecting the trail, they wanted to speak with Cole County about cost-sharing the project before voting on the contract, putting the project on hold.
The city's Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department hopes to purchase about five solar benches for $24,850. The benches will be powered by sunlight and allow people to charge their electronics. The department would place them at various locations, with at least one at The Linc, Parks Department Director Todd Spalding said.
The department wants to use a chunk of the supplemental appropriation - $210,323 - to pay Lincoln University for fitness equipment at The Linc. About $1,500 of the appropriation will go toward The Linc elevator maintenance agreement and $8,000 for security cameras at the facility. Around $5,000 of the supplemental appropriation will pay for two cubicles, additional shelving and other furniture and equipment at The Linc.
The commission also set aside $22,200 of that supplemental appropriation for information technology services from Huber & Associates. Spalding said the company will look at the parks' software and how they can improve and market their online websites and programs.
The department plans to use $2,500 of the supplemental appropriation to pay for Memorial Pool Party Pad expenses.
About $296,479 of that supplemental appropriation will replace funds transferred from other accounts to pay Warner Nease Bost Architects for the Parks Master Plan, High 5 Communications for marketing services, for Vivion and Cosmo fields renovations, and for miscellaneous professional services.
The Parks Department had over $4.65 million in its fund balance at the end of the 2017 fiscal year. Earlier this year, the commission approved $220,285 in reappropriations and $268,105 for Community Park design documents.
Between these and the $645,852 supplemental appropriation, that brings the Parks Department's fund balance to over $3.5 million. It must maintain a minimum of 10 percent of budgeted expenses in its fund balance - $737,702 - leaving over $2.78 million in its unassigned fund balance.