Though there was no quorum, members of the El Dorado-Union County Recreation Complex Board held a lengthy discussion Friday about the proposed 2020 budget.
Board chairman Greg Harrison and board member, Phillip Lansdell, reviewed the budget proposal during a specially called meeting.
The budget was submitted by Scott McMurry — athletic director for the Boys and Girls Club of El Dorado, who manages the complex and its concessions, per contracts for services with the city of El Dorado.
The proposed budget was due to County Judge Mike Loftin’s office by 4 p.m. Friday.
Due to the lack of a quorum for the special meeting, no vote was taken on the proposed budget, which totaled $226,904.66.
Harrison, also a member of the Union County Quorum Court, said the complex board, along with other county department heads, has been asked to attend the quorum court’s Finance Committee meeting on Oct. 10 to discuss proposed budgets that have been submitted to the county for 2020.
The proposed 2020 budget for the complex is up from 2019 budget of $222,590.11.
The city of El Dorado and Union County each contribute to the annual operating budget of the complex.
In 2016, the county voted against splitting with the city any budget overages that may occur at the complex during the year but will continue to share with the city pro rata expenses that fall within the budget.
Harrison said the proposed budget for 2020 represents a 3 percent increase in the CPI (cost performance index), excluding pay for complex employees, one full-time and two part-time.
He explained that the quorum court makes decisions about pay scales for county employees.
Harrison said the average, annual income for the complex has been $12,000 - $14,000 within the past three years.
This year, revenue has hiked up to $30,000, due in large part to concessions being managed by the boys and girls club.
Per the contract for services with the city of El Dorado, the club is to pay 15 percent of gross revenue in concession sales to the complex.
Harrison then pointed to an ongoing improvement and expansion plan that will include new youth soccer fields, the completion of two youth softball fields and two new youth fields, one for baseball and the other for softball.
That phase of the two-phase project is expected to be completed next year.
With the additional fields, Harrison said revenue projections for 2020 have shot up to $220,000.
Phase two calls for a college baseball field, a baseball field for 16-to-18-year-olds and an expansion of the parking lot.
Phase one is being funded by $2.6 million from the El Dorado Works tax, one-cent sales tax that is aimed at economic development, municipal infrastructure and quality-of-life improvements for the community.
Harrison and Lansdell noted that the master improvement plan will allow for more tournaments, larger tournaments and a better space for area youth to hone their athletic talent.
Both also said the improved facility will draw more people to town, with Lansdell noting that families tend to travel for youth sports.
“It’s giving the kids more to do and we need to do stuff for the kids. When you take care of the kids, the adults will follow,” Lansdell said.
Lansdell inquired about three budget line items, including dues and membership, training and education and meals and lodging.
Money that had been appropriated for each budget for 2019 was $500, $250 and $500, respectively, with $95, $95, and $500 in actual expenditures.
Harrison and McMurry said they were not sure about the line items and would look into the matter in preparation of the next regularly scheduled complex board meeting on Oct. 4 and for the quorum court Finance Committee meeting on Oct. 10.
Tia Lyons may be contacted at 870-862-6611 or [email protected].