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Should the City of Carbondale and the Park District explore merging their operations?

 

FAQs 

 

Who put the Advisory Referendum on the ballot?

• On Dec. 11, 2018, The City Council voted to put the question to the public.

 

Why did they put the Referendum on the ballot?

• The City leases several parks to the Park District. Turley Park, Tatum Heights Park, and the Piles Fork Trail leases have expired. The City also leases Evergreen Park and its playing fields and parks at the SuperBlock to the Park District. (The Park District owns the land where the Splash Park is located.)

• The City Council is dissatisfied with the lack Park District maintenance of these parks. The Park District requested $150,000 from the City for maintenance. 

• The City Council decided to take over maintenance of Piles Fork Creek Trail. After several months of discussions with the Park District, Council has not decided whether to renew the leases on the other parks.

• Council members expressed interest in developing a Parks Department to manage parks operations.

 

Can the City take over Park District operations?

• According to Illinois’ leading municipal law firm, Ancel Glink, the Park District must remain in existence to levy taxes as long as there are outstanding bonds. However, the Park District can contract with the City to take over its day-to-day operations – financial management, maintenance, programming, etc.

 

Can the Park District dissolve and merge with the City?

• Yes. But the Illinois Constitution makes it difficult to do so if the boundaries of the Park District and the City are not identical, and if the Park District carries any bonded debt that is secured with property taxes.

• Any Park District property lying outside the Carbondale City Limits, at Park District request, would have to be annexed into the City.

• After Park District bonds are repaid (estimated 2027), the City Council and the Park District Board of Commissioners can place a binding referendum on the ballot to merge the Park District with the City. A majority of those voting must approve the merger and the dissolution of the Park District.

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What would happen with current Park District staff?

• The City Manager has stated that the City would be able to employ all current Park District staff if operations were to merge.

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What would be advantages of the City taking over Park District operations (while leaving the District Commissioners to levy taxes).

• There might be cost savings through eliminating duplication in financial management, equipment purchase and upkeep, event scheduling, and other areas.

• The City is beginning to develop park maintenance operations with Piles Fork Creek Trail, Founders Park, Downtown parks, and other areas that need more groundskeeping than the City has traditionally undertaken.

• Due to its larger size, the City has greater capacity to cover staffing shortages.

• Due to its larger size, the City can exercise greater financial oversight and eliminate inefficiencies due to inadequate software.

• The Park District has had great difficulty complying with Open Meetings laws regarding posting meetings, agenda, minutes, and budgets on-line, as well as staying updated with program offerings. The City has greater capacity to manage the legal requirements and other website management issues.

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What would be disadvantages of the City taking over Park District operations?

• The City may have more generous wages and benefits than the Park District, so potential savings due to duplication might not occur. 

• The Park District has incurred a large amount of deferred maintenance. Savings due to merging will not be adequate to cover needed investments. The City Council will therefore face the same issues as the Park District Board of Commissioners in making potentially unpopular decisions regarding programs and facilities.

• The Park District Board of Commissioners has more intimate, day-to-day knowledge of Park District operations than would be possible for the City Council. Would merger lead to a less responsive administration?

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Could the Park District retain a role in setting priorities for the park system?

• Since the Park District Commissioners would have to contract Park District operations to the City, it could potentially retain its ability to establish budget priorities. An inter-governmental agreement must be agreeable to both parties.

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The League of Women Voters of Jackson County has studied the issue. Their report is available here.

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