Council splits parks department revenues

The Daily Inter Lake

The Kalispell City Council split its parks and recreations programs from its general fund Monday.

The split by a 9-0 vote is effective April 1.

This would not involve new taxes, but would split the city's current property-tax revenues into two streams.

Most would go to the general fund. The rest would go to Kalispell Parks and Recreation, which has been the biggest sacrificial lamb in the city's budget cuts.

"This doesn't increase the budget. It just creates two budgets out of the general fund," City Finance Director Amy Robertson said.

Parks and Recreation - unlike the rest of the departments served by the general fund - has some major income sources of its own.

Consequently, separating Parks and Recreation Department funds from the general fund - with some general-fund tax money also going to the department - is thought to be easier than trying the same concept with the police and fire departments.

Such a move would have Parks and Recreation mapping out its budget without having to compete with other departments. The police and fire departments are expected to fare better in avoiding general-fund cuts because of their lifesaving duties.

However, council member Hank Olson warned that if the general fund has to be trimmed in the future, the easiest place to cut - parks - would be gone from the general fund.