Three Rivers Park District Board Calls Public Meeting to Discuss 2013 Budget

The Three Rivers Park District Board of Commissioners has scheduled a public hearing about the 2013 general fund budget and operating levy. The public hearing will take place at 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15, at the Three Rivers Park District Administrative Center—3000 Xenium Lane N., Plymouth.

Lake Minnetonka Regional Park and Gale Woods Farm are just two of the properties managed by the Three Rivers Park District.

In September, the Board of Commissioners made a commitment to decrease the Park District’s operating levy in 2013 by $750,000 compared to the 2012 level. The proposed operating levy for 2013 is $28,017,787. The levy to make payments on Park District-issued bonds is $12,262,261, for a total property tax levy in 2013 of $40,280,048. This is the same amount that was levied in 2012.

Use of the Three Rivers system has been steadily increasing each year, and Commissioners noted that the increasing popularity of Park District facilities shows the public continues to view Three Rivers parks and trails as inviting, safe and fun. The Board has prioritized maintaining Three Rivers Park District’s high quality standards for facilities and programming even when confronted by funding challenges.

Three Rivers Park District’s proposed 2013 general fund budget is slightly more than $34 million; of that amount, approximately 81 percent is funded by the property tax levy. The proposed budget will be available on the Park District’s website beginning on Nov. 13; visit www.ThreeRiversParks.org for more information.

Following the public hearing, the Three Rivers Board will consider adopting the 2013 general fund budget at its regular meeting on November 15. The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners is expected to review Three Rivers Park District’s general fund budget in late November or early December, and the Park District Board will consider approval of the final 2012 property tax levy on Dec. 20.