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Bismarck Park Board Candidates Discuss District Finances
Candidates running for Bismarck Park Board share optimistic but mixed opinions about the state of the Park District’s finances ahead of the June election.
Russ Hanson, executive vice president of Associated General Contractors of North Dakota, Kate Herzog, director of operations for Bismarck’s Downtown Business Association, Jennifer Odell, communications officer for the state Department of Public Instruction, and Paula Redmann, retired relations manager Bismarck’s community parks and recreation districts are competing for two open seats on the five-member Park Board.
Odell is the only starter. She was appointed to her position in January 2023 following the resignation of Wayne Munson, who resigned from the board at the end of 2022 following his election to the Burleigh County Commission. Odell’s seat and Andrew Jordan’s seat are up for grabs this year. Jordan is not seeking another term.
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Park Board commissioners serve four-year terms. They are compensated with an annual salary of $2,600. The start date is July 1st.
The Park District oversees public parks, trails, recreational programs and services. Its annual budget has fluctuated over the past five years, from about $25 million to $32 million. The district’s 2024 budget is approximately $26 million.
The district faces a $32 million debt that could be paid off by 2038 if no additional debt is scheduled in the future, according to district officials. The last time the district scheduled debt was in 2023, as part of financing for the $16.6 million VFW Sports Center expansion, which was financed in part with $10 million in bonds. The district does not plan to issue any additional debt during 2024.
The district’s largest source of funding is property taxes, which accounted for 49% of the budget in 2023. Bismarck residents sent 12.6% of their 2024 property taxes to the district. The remainder of the budget is financed through fees and charges, along with investment income. These cover 48% and 3% of the budget, respectively, according to the district.
Russ Hanson
OFFERED
Russ Hanson
Hanson said the Park District has a significant budget that requires commissioners to focus on balancing wants and needs along with the accessibility of district services.
Hanson said debt relief is something he would be interested in exploring, but that the Park Board needs to “have a say in the citizens who use the facilities and services.” He said residents he spoke to expressed a desire for more accessibility, affordability and safety and security in the district.
“In doing that, we look at the resources and what the citizens want, and we represent them in what they tell us as park commissioners,” he said.
Hanson said reducing budgets is a difficult task, especially with current inflation, salaries and other costs. Therefore, he does not believe that reducing property taxes is a realistic solution. He added that he plans to manage taxpayers’ money and represent residents’ interests with an open mind.
“We need to focus on the fact that people want to have the activities and services that political subdivisions, like parks, offer,” he said.
Kate Herzog
OFFERED
Kate Herzog
Herzog said he has had many conversations with voters, many of them addressing the use of sales tax for future facilities and maintenance of current facilities. She believes the district will have to find other paths due to a June ballot measure in Burleigh County seeking to increase sales tax and a proposed measure in Bismarck seeking to do the same that is still collecting signatures.
“I think this well could be tapped here in the near future,” she said.
Herzog said voters also expressed facility needs, especially indoor facility needs. She would like to see the district respond to these needs through public-private partnerships rather than utilizing the district’s fiscal capacity.
Herzog believes the district can reduce expenses by creating a more competitive bidding system. She said information about project bids should be easily accessible to the private sector, similar to how the city of Bismarck manages project bids.
“We don’t need to create mills or anything like that,” she said. “I think we can be functional as a district if we are a little more competitive with our bidding system.”
Herzog believes the biggest problem for the district in the future will be managing growth within the budget it has. She said the facilities and programs are being well utilized and that future facilities should fit within the current budget.
Bismarck Parks and Recreation District Board Member Jennifer Odell
OFFERED
Jennifer Odel
Odell said the district is in good financial shape, operating on a balanced budget. She cited a recent district audit that revealed no significant problems, although some projects were more expensive than anticipated.
“We do a really good job of staying within the parameters we set for ourselves every year,” she said.
Odell believes the district should strike a balance between spending on facilities and cutting spending to reduce debt. She said the debt the district carries is usually incorporated into the annual budget plan. Moving forward, Odell would like to see improvements to district fund facilities with “grant opportunities, partner appointment opportunities and public-private partner type opportunities” rather than at taxpayer expense.
“We try very hard to do what’s right for the taxpayer,” she said. “We continue to downsize our plant and haven’t added to it in over a decade.”
Odell said it’s important for voters to remember the economic impact the facility has on the community, which she said is about $33 million a year.
Paula Redman
OFFERED
Paula Redman
Redmann believes the Park District is in “great financial shape,” adding that 2023 was a good year for the district and that the financial future is bright.
“The board has done an excellent job working with staff, and the Park District has a track record of presenting a balanced budget year after year,” she said.
When it comes to reducing district debt, Redmann said the board should look at the entire district and assess the needs of the community, rather than simply reducing spending on facilities. She said it’s too early to discuss whether the district should spend more on facilities or cut spending. Currently, three district facilities are slated for a facilities master plan, she said, adding that she would need to see the results of those plans before making any decisions.
Redmann said the facilities master plan can also show the council potential partnerships and grant opportunities for future projects.
When it comes to property taxes, Redmann said Bismarck residents get a good deal on the facilities and programs available based on what they actually pay. She said the amount of property taxes Bismarck residents pay that goes to the district is already the smallest share, and their property taxes actually decreased last year.
“The Park District does a great job of looking year after year at what the taxpayer’s responsibility is,” she said.
Overall, Redmann said it is difficult to determine the return on investment of park services, but she feels the Park District offers a “wonderful benefit” and a “great investment for Bismarck.”
“It certainly adds a wonderful quality of life,” she said.