Friday, August 4, 2006

Rec District sets budget for fiscal 2006-2007


By MEGAN THOMAS
Express Staff Writer

The Blaine County Recreation District board of directors has set its budget at $2.35 million for the coming 2006-2007 fiscal year. With a recreational road map in place, the district plans to take a hard look at operating expenses over the coming year. Under the microscope are the HUB Youth Center and the needs of the community in relation to the Blaine County Aquatic Center pool, located near the Community Campus in Hailey.

"I think the HUB is something the public takes for granted," board member Leslie Fairbrother said.

Direction to examine the public's needs in relation to facilities came Thursday, Aug. 3, with a presentation by Executive Director Wally Morgus of a "zero-based" budget. The board, except absent member Mark Gilbreath, voted to approve the funding plan. The budget is slightly higher than the $2.18 million budget approved for the 2005-2006 year.

The district's largest expenditures come from payroll, maintenance of the North Valley Trails and Wood River Trails and programs.

To balance expenditures, the district anticipates $900,200 from Blaine County property taxes in the upcoming fiscal year—$37,101 over the previous year's tax revenue. The remaining revenue sources will come privately through donations and fund-raising efforts, coupled with fees charged by the district for facilities and programs.

"We purposely set a fairly aggressive revenue budget, particularly for fund raising, challenging ourselves to achieve those revenue levels. Despite its aggressive nature, the fund-raising budget is really just a throwback to levels we were achieving in the early 2000s," Morgus said.

The budget projects $550,000 in fund-raising revenue, through special events and donations. The district anticipates additional special-event revenue through a proposed Nordic season pass, which would offer access to both Sun Valley Co. trails and the district's North Valley Trails.

"My concern is we are increasing our (fund-raising) expectations to cover operation costs ... Do we have flexibility in our operations to cut back, if we don't make those goals?" Board President Tim Hamilton said.

Morgus said the fund-raising expectations do offer flexibility to cover operation expenses. Increased expenditures also come from the rising price of gasoline. The budget projects a 50 percent increase in fuel costs. The snow cat grooming machines use approximately 5 gallons of fuel per hour to operate, which totals $40 per hour for the driver and fuel, to groom the North Valley Trails.




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