This week's headlines

Several matters concerning Orchard City Park were discussed by the town's trustees during a February work session.The town's park, along with its road system, are two expensive priorities that don't get money from Orchard City's domestic water utility.

Parks and roads projects are funded by state money and by the town's general fund. Sources of general fund money include county sales tax receipts, state gasoline tax payments, and minerals lease and severance tax distributions. They have been declining sources of revenue in recent years.

As a result, trustees have sharpened their budget pencils and try to account for as much staff time as possible in the water fund.

Mayor Don Suppes captured the essence of the situation when he remarked, "Anything subsidized by the general fund is the Achilles' Heel of this town."

He said that three projects alone have "pretty well spent" a $5,000 allocation this year for park maintenance projects. The projects are rework to lower the ten-foot-high roofs of the new mini pavilions to a cozier feeling eight-foot-height; improvements to the flag pole intended to prevent a repeat of the American Flag theft that occurred last Columbus Day; and, installation of a drain line.

The town's agreement with the Field of Dreams organization was also discussed. Some trustees feel charges to the youth sports Field of Dreams program need to be raised. The town's agreement with Field of Dreams provides access to the their account ledgers. But that provision hasn't been carried out and trustees want to see the Field of Dreams' last year accounts before deciding on its agreement with the organization this year.

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