Marengo restructures city recreation program

MARENGO — The City of Marengo will take over management of the city’s recreational programs after it dissolves the Marengo Recreation Commission.

The Marengo City Council approved the first reading Wednesday of an ordinance that will dissolve the MRC, a commission that hasn’t met in years, according to commission members Adam Rabe and Ellen O’Rourke, the city’s mayor and financial manager.

The second and third readings of the ordinance are scheduled for subsequent council meetings. Residents may attend or contact city hall to express their support or criticism of the proposed plan.

When the MRC was created, the city didn’t fund the recreational programs, said Rabe. MRC was responsible for fundraising to support activities, which includes youth football, baseball and softball.

The city now pays a recreation director to manage the programs, so there’s no need for the MRC, said Rabe. “It’s not doing anything right now,” he said.

The initialism MRC will still be used by the city, but will stand for Marengo Recreation Club, under a plan explained during Wednesday’s city council meeting.

The city council will perform the duties of the former commission, said City Administrator Karla Marck, and will set the budget for the new MRC.

Recreation Director Ray Cooling retired this month after 21 years as recreation director. Tiffany Shine has been hired to succeed Cooling and approved of the proposal for Marengo Recreation Club, said Marck.