Chicago Park District parks budget requests This page is presented by the Parks Committee of the Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference and its website in www.hydepark.org. Committee Chair Gary Ossewaarde. Join HPKCC and support our work.

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Chicago Park District Release of 2020 Proposed Budget & Public Budget Hearing - gen. Wednesday, ist wek in December. December 5th
The Chicago Park District has released the 2019 Budget recommendations<https://assets.chicagoparkdistrict.com/s3fs-public/documents/page/2019%20Budget%20Recommendations.pdf> document. To review your park's budget and to see the whole document, visit the park district's Budget and Management webpage<https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/about-us/departments/budget-and-management>. The Chicago Park District will have their public budget hearing<https://chicagoparkdistrict.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx> on the proposed budget on Wednesday, December 5th at 11:30am at the Park District's Administration Building, 8th floor, 541 N. Fairbanks, Chicago, Illinois 60611. The deadline to sign up to speak is by 4pm on Monday, December 3rd. The Board of Commissioners will vote on the budget at their monthly meeting, scheduled for December 12th (see details below). If you do not see your park's budget page or have questions, please reach out to Friends of the Parks at (312) 857-2757 ext. 7

What the proposed 2020 budget contains

2019 Park District Budget Hearing December 4, 11:30 am. Final Vote December 11.

Notice and Agenda

The PUBLIC (BUDGET) HEARING of the Chicago Park District will held on Wednesday, December 4, 2019 in the 8th floor Board Room of the Administration Building at 541 North Fairbanks Court., Chicago, IL 60611 at 11:30 AM.

Please click on the Legistar link to view the agenda and meeting details. Also, please register to receive automatic notices when an agenda has been posted to our legislative web portal. Last, if you no longer wish to receive this email please notify the Office of the Secretary.

Legistar Link

https://chicagoparkdistrict.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

Sign-Up To Speak Procedures

Those interested in addressing the Board of Commissioners may do so by signing up to speak through our dedicated email. Please see the link below. Members of the public will have the opportunity to address the Board and have their concerns heard during the “People in the Parks,” section of the meeting. The Chicago Park District has allotted 30 minutes for speakers to address the Board of Commissioners. Those unable to speak due to the time limit may address their concerns to the Board in writing. Sign-up is on a first come first serve basis and opens Friday morning before the meeting and closes at 4PM Monday before the meeting. You may also upload materials you wish to submit to the Board . Do not have an email? Sign up via telephone at (312) 742-4299. Sign-up is open to the public and must be received no later than 4:00 PM on the Monday prior to the meeting. In-person sign-up will take place the Monday before the Meeting from 1:00-4:00 PM on the 3rd floor at the Administration Building at 541 N. Fairbanks Court. Those addressing the Board are limited to 2 minutes. Click here to read our public participation rules.

Online Sign-Up can be made via email at signuptospeak@chicagoparkdistrict.com. Registrants must submit the following:

· Name

· Contact information

· Relevant Title or Park Affiliation

· Issue they wish to address

Supporting documents can be attached to the email for submission to the Board of Commissioners

Telephone Sign-Up can be made at (312) 742-4299. Registrants must submit the following via telephone:

· Name

· Contact information

· Relevant Title or Park Affiliation

· Issue they wish to address

Please leave the above requested information after the recording.

In-person Sign-Up can be made the Monday prior to the meeting on the 3rd Floor of the Administration Building at 541 N. Fairbanks Court, Chicago, IL. 60611 from 1:00-4:00 PM.

The complete 2019 board meeting schedule<https://chicagoparkdistrict.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx> is posted on the Park District website. You can speak on behalf of your park or parks issue by signing up<https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/get-involved/speaking-board-commissioner-meetings> by 4pm the MONDAY before. The December meeting is Wednesday, December 12th at 11:30am at the Park District's Administration Building, 8th floor, 541 N. Fairbanks, Chicago, Illinois 60611. Check the District's website<https://chicagoparkdistrict.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx> to confirm the meeting time, location and agenda. NOTE: The Park District has changed the deadline for signing-up to speak for the People in the Parks section. It was changed from the day before the meeting and is now the Monday before the meeting. The time remains 4pm.

Share your budget ideas and concerns or submit written comments only through the dedicated budget webmin form by clicking on the link below.
http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/departments/finance/budget-and-management/

About the 2020 CPD budget

The proposed budget is $487M, 5% higher than last year's. There is a small tax increase in the small proportion of tax bills of the whole bill property owners receive. c$3.99 on a $262,000 property value, generating a total e of $5M or about 1%.
We have been informed there are no cuts in program (or as far as we know staff or maintenance) for Jackson Park.
Program fees stay the same and continue variation for different community demographics and $3M in discounts and scholarships. Afters school programming is increased, as is sports programming- particularly a new partnership with the U.S. Soccer Foundation and a new teen apprenticeship initiative with After School Matters including in powerboat training. Perhaps Jackson and the yacht clubs can utilize some of these new initiatives. New sports facilities include Adams-Medill Park and huge new track and field at Gately Stadium (expected go bring in new revenue).
Managed assets such as Soldier Field will bring in more revenue (Chicago Fire) as will increased harbor fees $3-5 per stall), park permit rental fees. (We will have to see whether new harbor fees may be problematical for Jakcson Park, where there are accusations boaters are being pushed to other harbors or priced outside the system and where conditions including getting boats in and out harbors are are acknowledged in the Framework Plan to be less than ideal.) The permits have a new 3-tiered system-- off season vs. peak and and by demand for location. Prices are steeply increased for performance and festival venues- to as much as $450,000. (There are such occsional uses in Jackson and nearby parks; cultual centers wil have to be looked at one by one). The top fee for commercial filming is nearly doubled to $10,000- it has not gone up for several years.
Parking fees go up at the most prime locations, and there are length cost adjustments due to increased state take.
Staff. 11 full time positions are cut, mainly in a joint sports program with CPS.
Pension payments go up (partly funded by TIF surplus outpay) to $33M, but not nearly enough to ramp from 32% to eventual full funding to prevent pension bankruptcy c2026- CPD is asking a change from the state.
Salary increases go up by $6M, largely to cover substantial equity pay increases in the most recent labor contracts-- our rec. leaders will now make $15 an hour and attendants receive a 28% increase. Employees will now pay an additional 1.5 of salary into their healthcare over the next 3 years. GMO

Thoughts on the proposed 2019 park district budget. By Gary Ossewaarde, Jackson Park Advisory Council (from JPAC Newsletter Deecember 2018).

CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT PROPOSED 2019 BUDGET- by Gary Ossewaarde BUDGET HEARING IS ON DECEMBER 5, WEDNESDAY, 11:30 AM AT 541 N. FAIRBANKS 8TH FLOOR.
Check at the CPD website regarding signing up to speak-- as the rules are a little relaxed vs. for regular meetings. The number of hearings and their convenience has decreased over the years. Also, there have been complaints that a committee for ongoing review of spending for equity was recently removed from the PD Code of Conduct. A couple months ago the PD put out statistics they say shows that spending is equitably spread throughout the city (though not necessarily park to park), and announced an open door procedure to bring perceived needs and inequities directly to the Board. This writer has served on various committees and boards that looked at equity issues among parks and found that it is very hard to have a representative enough presence of the many PACs and parks to avoid squeaky wheel syndrome while taking account of the impact of major capital projects and that youth often have to travel very far to find the program they need, and so to and make solid recommendations. Still, something could be set up, perhaps starting with Area sectors.

Highlights. The $464 million total is up nearly a half percent without a property tax increase. (The portion or total assessment going to parks has dropped over 15 years from 7.9 percent to 4.9, the PD says.) However, summer ($292 for 6 weeks) and other camp fees will increase as much as 8 percent—but the district continues to have ability-to-pay tiered pricing as well as free scholarships and accommodations for DCFS and other families. The PD has figures that show registration is very high and has doubled overall over the past 8 years. However, we notice that not all programs or all parks have equally high sign up. (If you know of programs not on the Jackson Park schedule that you think would be successful and want JPAC to seek for our park, please let us know.) The PD continually reassigns resources for expected demand or to staff new parks/programs. Overall 27 full time but vacant recreation positions are cut. The park district says new large facilities are money generators that pay for scholarship positions in other parks. Increased this year are some programs that are high priority to JPAC—Natural Resources, Outdoor and Environmental Education, and the Youth Sailing Program. The sailing program (which is at Jackson and Montrose) will be expanded and have more high school teams. More Nature Play Spaces are opening: JPAC continues to propose one or more here. We do try to think holistically so are pleased to see, for example Gately track and Big Marsh projects proceed. and look while putting in for strategic improvements in Jackson such as the improved track and fields, Iowa building and at LaRabida as well as our ongoing top priority of fieldhouse.
The August 2018 Newsletter (pp. 5-6) ran an article on beach, waters and lifeguard issues. We will be watching any impact of a shift of hours (many not actually worked, PD says) from lakefront lifeguard hours to the very much smaller but increasingly popular aquatic coaching staff (adding two positions in 2019). Learning swimming is a highly important skill for kid, and a requirement for sailing. But there is concern that beaches be staffed during times people are most likely to enter the water. Also important is work planned in harbors including Jackson Park- gate and dock replacement at the Outer Harbor. This is underwritten by $8 million in bonds. Some say the PD bond debt remains high. We understand that the PD is attempting to assemble funds for repairs to collapsing historic bastion walls at the end of Promontory Drive by LaRabida.

Notable in the 2017 budget: No property tax increase. Program fees go up about a dollar per hour (financial assistance and free scholarships ocntinue)/ Parking goes up $.25 per hour- most by beaches and harbors will be $2 per hour, the increase behind MSI would go up between x25 and $1. Harbor fees go up about 2 percent (nonresident sucharge at 31st is waived). Go Run is in more parks. A joint program with CPS will bring sports to more middle school kids. Capital projects continue. Various pension special payments are made.

Tips for councils to protect your park from budget cuts- Friends of the Parks 2009

Broaden the team of park friendly supporters - the issue is quality of life for citizens in the community.

Publicly post your.. meetings and expand outreach so more people and elected officials will care.
Prepare a brocure stating activities and special events.
Attend LSC, PTA, Beat meetings and share what's happening in the park. Note there is an "Adopt-A-Park" program.
Host beat and district area council meetngs at the park (note-they won't now that parks charge); get to know officers and police commanders.
Host bi-annual open houses with the supervisors, and or a walk-through. Document the park ahead of time or with officials, get officials in the park.
Issue media alerts about programs and elections. Know the media.
Testify at park board meeting and budget hearings, city council committee meetings.
Invite Friends of the Parks to meetings share ideas.