Arcadia may seek to share park, recreation expenses
City of Arcadia officials may soon seek contributions from townships to help cover the costs of city parks and recreation programs that township residents use.
“We need to come up with a formula for townships to pay part of these costs,” said Arcadia council member Jason Lockington last Wednesday. “I think a high percentage of the users come from outside the city. The city shouldn’t be responsible for 100 percent of the programs and park maintenance.”
Council member Paul Anderson said the city should consider township cost-sharing for parks and recreation similar to the process used by the Arcadia-Glencoe Fire Department and Arcadia Ambulance Service.
City officials are expected to draft a proposal to share with nearby townships.
The council agreed to end a line of credit opened to help the city cover costs for various flood control projects and is expected to consider whether to pay off other debts or invest money the state has freed up for the flood control work.
Pivotal to that decision will be whether the state Department of Natural Resources has attached requirements to the $14.6 million grant for the flood work. The DNR recently agreed that the city could use the grant money to help with cost overruns for a completed internal drainage project and with the design costs and other expenses for a more comprehensive U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ flood-control project.
“I’m an advocate for paying off debt,” said council member Kyle Myhre. Interest on city debt payments “has a significant effect on the tax levy.”
The city’s financial advisor, Sean Lentz, noted that the city is paying just 2.25 percent on some its debt, and it could invest the state money at a higher return.
“You could set this money aside and when you have a project in the future, you won’t have to borrow,” Lentz said.
Myhre noted that the annual interest the city is paying on roughly $2 million it borrowed to cover flood control work “could mean new positions for the city.”
Lockington said he would like to identify what projects city department heads might anticipate over the next two to three years before choosing between paying off debt or investing.
In other park-related actions, the council approved spending the balance of its federal COVID relief funds on new ball field bleachers and resurfacing Memorial Park roadways. In addition to the roughly $200,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act, the city will also use money set aside for positions that have been unfilled to finance the $242,184 repaving work. The Trempealeau County highway department was awarded the contract for the road work.
City operations manager Rollie Conrad said roads throughout Memorial Park could be closed while the resurfacing is underway.
In other action, the council:
• Endorsed Mayor Kevin Mayzek’s proclamation that July 19 be official Arbor Day in Arcadia. Among other attributes, trees “gladden the heart,” the proclamation reads.
• Heard that the city’s water, wastewater and electric utilities have a slightly below average return on rates measure and should perhaps consider rate reviews.
