BY MATT MACKINDER
Clarkston News Staff Writer
Derek Smith, director of the Independence Township Parks, Recreation and Seniors (ITPRS) Department, presented the department’s 2018 annual report at the Feb. 19 Township Board meeting.
According to the report, special event attendance was 32,261; total number of park visitors in 2018, 61,318; and athletic field rental revenue for 2018, $34,736.50. There were 7,011 part-time/season park staff hours worked; 3,009 sports league participants; 1,413 senior services program participants; more than 10,000 rides provided by SMART buses for senior transportation; 4,584 seniors attending senior center pickleball Sessions; and 225 lunches served to veterans and their families during Independence Fest.
In addition, Smith said the Parks Division is expected to save more than $10,000 in future electric bills due to switching to LED lighting in the parks. In 2018, all interior lights at Bay Court and Clintonwood Parks were upgraded, as well as most of the exterior lights at Clintonwood.
More savings, as much as $12,000 per year, will come once all the old phone lines are replaced with cellular services, he said.
The old lines were costing the township about $240 per month; the cellular lines will be approximately $40 per month.
“Our revenues from 2014 to 2018 have gone up over $400,000,” said David McKee, DPW director. “Expenditures follow close behind that, also at around $400,000. The more programs we have and the more money we bring in, the more money we have to spend to maintain it.”
The percentage of net general fund support went down in 2018 by two percent, to 55 percent, McKee said.
“Most departments of our size and most departments across the country, to come in at 30-35 percent, is pretty good,” he said. “To have cost recovery of around 30-35 percent or even 40 percent, they’re holding parades. This wasn’t of my doing; this was set up this way before I got here. I’m just helping to maintain it, but at 55 percent, that’s something we can all be pretty proud of.”
Construction of new restrooms and a kitchen area at Brady Lodge began this past December with the new project being completed in time for the 2019 rental season. Recreation registrations increased from 9,832 in 2017 to 10,269 in 2018. Web registrations climbed from 1,620 in 2017 to 2,371 in 2018.