Article Contributed on: 5/7/2008 9:15:01 AM
Foothills Park & Recreation District's ballot issue asking voters to increase the mill-levy rate failed to pass by a margin of 54.3% percent to 45.7% percent. The actual vote count was 8,163 opposed and 6,867 in favor. As required by State law, the election was conducted by a mailed ballot.
Lori Hoffner, departing Foothills Board Chair, said the 3 mills increase would have funded a number of capital repairs, including replacing unsafe playground equipment and helped pay for increases in fuel and utility costs as well as other increased operation expenses. The 3 mills increase would have cost the owners of a home valued at $300,000 an extra $6 a month. Foothills has not had a mill levy increase since 2001 and Hoffner said without these additional funds the District will be faced with serious budget challenges and will begin service level reductions in mid 2008.
Also on the ballot were six candidates who had nominated themselves for three Board of Director positions. The winners,
Terri Maulik,
Jill Nunes, and
Keith C. Sutton will be sworn in at the May 13 Board meeting to begin serving their four-year terms. Current Foothills Board members Walt Frankland and Janet Shangraw will serve two more years on their current terms. Outgoing Board members are Hoffner, Michael Whetstone and Rick Woodward each of whom were term limited. The first board meeting for the newly assembled Board of Directors will be held on Tuesday, May 13 at 7 p.m. at the Peak Community & Wellness Center (6612 S. Ward St.).
Foothills Park & Recreation District receives about 70 percent of its current revenues from fees, admissions and rentals and about 30 percent from taxes. Tax revenues help support parks and trails, while programs such as golf, cultural arts and fitness classes and a range of services are either self-supporting or help support other program areas, Hoffner said.