Parks committee: bleachers need repair at Tom Prince Park
By LeAnn R. Ralph
COLFAX — After a spectator fell through the bleachers at Tom Prince Memorial Park this summer, bleacher repair has become a priority for the Colfax Village Board’s parks committee.
If the Colfax Softball Association knows far enough in advance, volunteers can be rounded up to do the work of repairing the bleachers, said Jeff Prince, president of the softball association, at the parks committee meeting September 16.
Replacement boards for the bleachers at the ball park would cost about $1,200, said Jackie Ponto, administrator-clerk-treasurer.
The benches, foot boards, back rests and railings should all be replaced, she said.
At some point, Prince noted, the softball association would like to update the dug-outs at the ball field.
“But for now, we’re more concerned about the bleachers. We do not want anyone to get hurt,” he said.
Committee members wondered about cost-sharing for the materials.
The Colfax Softball Association pays half of certain expenses at the ball field, such as utilities.
“If they’re willing to supply the labor, then the village should supply the materials,” said Mike Buchner, village trustee and a member of the parks committee.
“That’s a fair trade,” Ponto commented.
Rand Bates, director of public works, will be in charge of purchasing the materials for the bleacher repairs.
Budgets
The parks committee also reviewed proposed budgets for both parks and the cemetery.
The proposed parks budget for 2014 is a little over $46,000 and includes $8,000 for capital outlay for the designated fund.
The park equipment fund received $8,000 this year as well, and according to a report Ponto distributed to committee members, the balance in the park equipment fund currently is a little over $27,000.
Other expenses for the 2014 parks budget include about $15,000 in wages and benefits; $2,000 for small equipment; $1,000 for oil and gasoline; $4,000 for electricity; $2,500 for equipment repairs and maintenance; and $3,000 for repairs and maintenance for buildings and grounds.
Designated funds also include $6,100 for park tables; $19,300 for playground equipment; and nearly $17,000 for a park mower.
The proposed cemetery budget for 2014 is nearly $24,000 and includes about $12,000 for wages and benefits; $1,000 for gasoline and oil; $2,000 for equipment repairs; $4,500 for outside services that would include work related to the cemetery addition; and $500 for capital outlay for the designated fund for the cemetery.
According to the report, the cemetery equipment designated fund currently has nearly $3,100, and the cemetery designated fund, which also received $500 this year, has $1,363.
Other designated funds
In addition to the parks and cemetery designated funds, other designated fund balances include:
• $11,781 for equipment for the clerk-treasurer.
• $10,304 for a generator.
• $7,350 for a police squad car.
• $1,854 for the animal shelter.
• $89,789 for street equipment (which received $10,000 in allocations for 2013).
• $21,326 for Highway 40 engineering.
• $10,306 for the library (which received $5,000 in allocations for 2013).
• $118,930 for street improvements.
• $3,229 for holiday decorations.
• $165,279 for village hall improvements (which received $10,000 in allocations for 2013).
The total balance in designated funds is a little over a half a million dollars at $514,114.