Olander Park has $48,000 surplus for last year

Sylvania park started 2014 with a $200K surplus

1/28/2014

Olander Park System began 2014 with a cash reserve of $204,000, according to revenue reports from the Lucas County Auditor.

That amount includes a positive cash balance of about $48,000 from the 2013 year end budget. The park’s commissioners reviewed the report at Tuesday night’s meeting.

The county auditor's office is the official bookkeeper for the multi-park system, which has five parks under its umbrella. Although the cash balance has not been earmarked for certain projects, the park system is currently undergoing an expansion, recently adding 40 acres to Sylvan Prairie Park, 8601 Brint Rd. The property, located north of Timberstone Junior High School, was formerly owned by the Sylvania School District.

Officials also reviewed the budget for 2014, which showed $127,000 in grants going toward the 40-acre land, which was purchased for $600,000, and covered almost entirely by grants. 

The 2014 budget is a little more than $1 million and was approved in December, does not have significant changes, officials said. About $900,000 of the revenue comes from property taxes. It also includes a $427,000 grant from the Clean Ohio Fund and $57,000 from state NatureWorks program.

There was a decrease in salary expenses, from about $35,000 to $12,000 because of the elimination of a naturalist position.

In turn the park will use outside parties to run many of its weekly programs instead of an in-house naturalist. Expenses for park programming is up $9,000 this year, but costs for the programming and a naturalist are down $14,000.

The 2014 budget for motor vehicles more than doubled to $80,000 after the park district replaced three trucks in its fleet. The vehicles are used for snow plowing, hauling dirt, trash removal, and other park maintenance services.

Contact Natalie Trusso Cafarello at: 419-206-0356, or ntrusso@theblade.com, or on Twitter @natalietrusso.