By DAVID TELLER
Staff Reporter
Cheney Parks and Recreation Department still continues to post promising numbers, despite deficiencies in their budget.
In the October program reports, the department showed almost $2,500 in revenue, despite significant losses in areas like swimming lessons.
In the 2007 summer aquatics report, pool director Chris Hoppe reported he increased expenses due to an increase in salaries.
Extra instructors were brought in to ensure the student instructor ratio.
In October, the department reported no participants, though there was a $1,112.35 expenditure for salaries.
The department made up for the added expenditure with the adult basketball program, which reported revenues of over $2,100. Both of the ECHO (Every Child Has Opportunities) programs at Salnave and Windsor elementary schools combined for revenues of over $1,500. Windsor reports 30 kids are enrolled in their ECHO program.
Over all, of the 18 programs reported on by the department, only eight showed a budget deficit.
In the October report of the recreation division, the department is over $15,000 above the allotted budget in part-time salaries. On the year, the department is almost $12,000 ahead in its overall yearly budget for 2007, making it $194 ahead of where the department was last year at this time.
In the aquatics division, Hoppe reported the pool had 5,670 swimmers, 727 more than last year despite the teen population decreasing by 840.
Elsewhere in the meeting, nine of the 17 youth commissioners attended the summer youth leadership retreat where they attended workshops on programming, marketing, and creating events that appeal to a wide range of people. They also participated in a mock city council meeting.
The youth commission plans to participate in cemetery clean-up, a tournament with the video game Halo, which is a futuristic battle game, and a winter dance at the Cheney Middle School.
In January, the youth commission has another video game tournament, this time, the game is “Madden.”
The winner will receive a Super Bowl party at the Cheney Hangout. In February and March the commission has dances planned for each month, including a Daddy/Daughter dance, and a sock hop.
Looking ahead to next year, Simmons said his vision for 2008 is to build on the programs of 2007 with a 30 percent increase in new programs. That is going to mean more resources.
Simmons said he would like to kick off a funding campaign to support funding a shuttle bus. He reported there is a joint foundation to help cities with such efforts. The park board was all in favor of a joint foundation plan.
In personnel issues, Commissioner Heidi Winegar was nominated and approved as the new park board chair.
Simmons recommended Craig Witt as a replacement for a recently vacated commission position.
David Teller can be reached at [email protected]
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