The Macomb Park Board discussed the recent Illinois Association of Park Districts/ Illinois Park and Recreation Conference at its district meeting last Wednesday.
'To see so many of our park district family at the annual meetings was joyful to me,' said Board President Neil Armstrong.
Armstrong was involved with sessions on parliamentary procedure and on creating conference sessions. Superintendent of Support Services Stephen Druse told the park board that he focused on conference sessions dealing with naturalism and sustainability.
'Macomb could seek recognition as a national dark sky area in the battle against light pollution,' Druse said. 'We can see a lot of the night sky here.'
Park Director Blake Severs noted the IAPD/IPRA was a great team-building experience for Macomb’s district. Severs attended sessions on work flow and time management, and Armstrong noted he would like to see staff and board members go a day early to hold an annual pre-conference.
'This is one of the best state conferences I've ever seen,' Commissioner John Hemingway said. 'It's just a good show. Junior commissioners especially should go.'
In other business, commissioners examined a draft budget for their 2026 calendar year. They can then vote to move their March board meeting from March 17 to March 24 and vote on the budget then. The Board then voted to adopt an amending ordinance regulating financial controls. Due to state changes, competitive bidding thresholds were raised to $30,000 for labor and $60,000 for parts and materials.
The park board also voted to approve a Board electronic communication policy which allows personal devices to be substituted or for the district to retire older units. The board also approved an amendment by Hemingway to issue a copy of the policy to each employee.
Treasurer Phil Weiss reported that the district's consolidated project report totaled $537,018 at the end of January, and that the general fund totaled $318,617. Weiss said the district also received Internal Revenue Service solar energy credits totaling $148,760 for solar energy uses on three of its properties.
Severs announced that a plaque honoring the late Valencia Pettigrew is ready to be installed at the Patton Park basketball courts next month. He also said the next 'Get Hooked' crochet class would be held March 11 and that the McDonough County Special Recreation Association 'Bowling Buddies' activity has concluded and that work will begin on the Special Olympics.
