”We don’t expect a large change in behavior,” Lori Branderhorst, the director of parks, recreation and forestry in Fort Dodge, said Monday evening.

She presented a proposed budget to the City Council that cuts about $460,000 from current spending and eliminates one full-time position.

But even as the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department reduces its spending, it will be taking on the new mission of maintaining Fort Dodge Memorial Park Cemetery at Fifth Avenue South and 32nd Street. That site was essentially abandoned by its previous owner, and the city government ended up taking it over following a legal process called receivership.

”It is an additional expense,” said Jeff Nemmers, the city clerk and finance director. ”It is something we had to take.”

-Messenger file photo
Fort Dodge city government has taken over operations of Fort Dodge Memorial Park Cemetery, located at 3242 Fifth Ave. S. after the cemetery went through receivership.

The proposed parks and recreation budget for the fiscal year that will begin July 1 is $1,052,820.

That’s down from the current budget of $1,146,775.

The department generates revenue from fees charged for things like playing golf, signing up for recreation programs or getting into the Rosedale Rapids aquatics center to help pay for its operations.

Aquatic center

”It was a tough year,” Branderhorst said. ”We just did not have the traffic through the pool last year.”

The proposed budget for the aquatics center is $282,550.

Councilman Terry Moehnke asked if there is space at the aquatics center at 10th Avenue North and 32nd Street to build an indoor pool.

”I’m just not comfortable having an outdoor facility being our primary water feature,” he said.

Branderhorst said there is space available to the east of the current facility.

Councilman Kim Alstott said he agreed with Moehnke about the need for an indoor pool, and added that members of the public have told him they would like such a facility.

There are no plans at this time to build an indoor pool.

Budget categories

In Fort Dodge, the budget for parks and recreation is divided into multiple categories.

The proposed general fund budget for 2021-2022 is $1,052,820.

It is broken down into these categories:

• Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Complex: $374,300

• Rosedale Rapids Aquatics Center: $282,550

• Parks maintenance $212,880

• Citizens Central $112,250

• General recreation (sports leagues and activities): $82,315

• Fort Dodge Memorial Park Cemetery $47,250

• Oakland Cemetery $35,400

• Oleson park splash pad $18,125

• Trails maintenance $4,000

• Lakeside Municipal Golf Course, which is not part of the city’s general fund, has a separate budget of $486,270.