Village Board Rejects Paulus Park Master Plan Improvements

The four trustees present at Monday’s Village Board meeting voted unanimously against funding close to $1 million in improvements at Paulus Park.

Those improvements would have included nature trails, a fishing dock and boat launch, an amphitheatre, pavilion, and new playground equipment, among many other amenities.

But the trustees – who included Tom Poynton, Rich Sustich, Jeff Halen and Jonathan Sprawka – concurred that the move was premature and the price tag was too great. Trustees Dana Rzeznik and Mark Ernst were absent and excused, and Mayor Suzanne Branding was not required to vote because of the undivided decision.

Norris Design estimated the project’s cost at $986,640. The firm was hired to create a complete Open Space and Recreation Master Plan for all of Lake Zurich.

Part of the issue trustees had with approving the plan is that the final Open Space and Recreation Master Plan is not yet complete. 

“While there are strong merits to this plan, I think we should consider a step back, because the master plan has not been concluded; I have not seen the full recommendation for park maintenance,” said Sprawka.

Norris Design is expected to complete the final plan in July. 

The Parks and Recreation Department was made aware in May of a $400,000 Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development grant available to put toward the cost of improvements.

Norris Design also was hired to complete the application for the matching grant, provided by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The deadline for the grant application is July 1.

“We have had focus groups and public meetings prior to learning on May 5 that the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development grant would be offered by IDNR,” said Mike Perkins, parks and recreation director.

Perkins said there have been two public meetings since he learned the grant was being offered, and Norris Design was able to complete the master plan for Paulus Park and a cost estimate to present to the board before the grant deadline.

Trustees also had strong concerns about potentially depleting the park maintenance fund if the state-funded grant was not awarded.

“Maybe I am missing the numbers, but a project close to $1 million, which includes playground equipment and installation costing $150,000?” asked Trustee Sustich. “How will we be able fund improvements in other parks for the entire village?”

The park maintenance fund has slightly more than $850,000 in it, with $80,000 coming in annually that can be used for park improvements, as long as they qualify for handicap accessibility.

Whether or not the grant is approved for the village, the application to IDNR must confirm that the village can fund the entire amount.

In the packet included for supplemental information about how the costs would be covered, Perkins stated, “The village has the ability to levy additional SRA Tax Levy funds up to .04 cents on the (equalized assessed valuation), which is over $250,000 and would provide an additional $70,000-plus fund to be used for the SRA Tax Levy appropriate projects.”

That didn’t go over well with trustees.

“I can’t make heads or tails on where the money is coming from, and it looks as if a tax increase could be proposed, which is not a wise choice,” said Poynton.

“The village has the ability to levy additional funds? Is the suggestion to increase the tax levy to make up the funds we would be short on?” Sustich said.

The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board were responsible for bringing the request to the village board for a vote.

“Our focus groups told us that amphitheaters, and special events such as 'Battle of the Bands' for teens and concerts in the park for the older generation, were wanted by our residents,” said Dawn Brazier, advisory board chair.

Brazier went on to say that if the village is going to make improvements, at least some of those suggested would generate revenue, like the amphitheatre and pavilion for special events, which people would pay to use.  

In the end, the four trustees were unconvinced and each voted down the proposed improvements and allocating funds for the project.

“I would like to see it tabled until a completed master plan is with us and maybe we’ll make more on the interest in the bank in the meantime,” said Poynton.