Trenton denied additional park funds

MT. PLEASANT — Last week, the Henry County Board of Supervisors received a request from Trenton Township asking for increased county funding for their park by $150. After a brief conversation, the supervisors opted to maintain current funding and not grant the request.

Prices are rising everywhere for everyone. Trenton Township is seeing the increase in cost of living as with larger electric bills and other maintenance related expenses for the park in the center of the township.

“This park was deemed a public park available for use by all the citizens of Henry County. The supervisors agreed that the expense of maintaining the park should not fall solely on Trenton Township,” Supervisor Greg Moeller said as he read a letter from Trenton Township Clerk Terry Bane. “I'm writing to you to request additional funding for the maintenance of the public park in Trenton, Iowa.”

Henry County Auditor Shelly Barber confirmed that the county originally agreed to assist in funding the maintenance of the park when county conservation decided to no longer take care of it.

According to the Southeast Iowa Union article “County to fund Trenton Park upkeep,” the Henry County Supervisors agreed “to pitch in toward the upkeep of Trenton Park, committing up to $1,100 in their budget for fiscal 2009.”

“Historically, the trustees have picked up the costs of mowing and electrical service at the park,” the article states.

At that time, the trustees paid $850 for mowing and an estimated $150 for electricity.

According to the letter from Bane, one reason for requesting additional funds from the county came from a recently received notice of a proposed electric rate increase from Alliant Energy to take effect October 2024.

“The Trenton trustees are aware that it is proposed increased and is subject to change,” the letter said, “However, due to the timeline of the budget process with the county. We feel it would be in the best interest of the township to request funds now for the 2025 fiscal year.”

Bane stated that the current bill for the last 12 months has totaled $385.57 and a 20% increase would add $77.14 to that bill annually. Additional costs for upkeep the park include $1,175 per year for mowing.

“This fee has not been increased for several years and we feel it is only a matter of time before that goes up,” Bane stated in the letter to the supervisors. “I got an estimate of current mowing bids for comparable properties in the area. They were much higher than what we pay. If we have to rebid the mowing it might not work in our favor.”

According to Bane’s letter, the Trenton Trustees discussed increasing the mowing expense by an additional $75 per year, “to help with increased fuel expenses.”

“Our reasoning for this is to be proactive and entice the current mower to continue while we maintain a lower fee overall,” the letter said.

According to Moeller, the county already budgets $1,200 for Trenton Park upkeep. Barber stated they also pay for other expenses such as taking care of other expenses like tree removal, taking care of weather damage, and maintaining the roads.

“That has covered them in the past and at time they started asking for this money they weren’t allocating any of their township funds for it,” Barber said.

In consideration of the small amount requested, Barber stated that the additional needed funds could be levied from their township.

As the supervisors discussed, Barber further commented that very few people use the park from outside of Trenton Township.

“I can’t tell you when I’ve been in Trenton to the park or how many other residents who don't live in that area go to that park,” she said.

The Trenton Township park does, however, see quite a bit of activity, even if it is primarily attended by township residents.

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Every spring, the park is the location of an Easter Egg Hunt. Every summer, it is used for the Trenton Car Show. Every fall, the park is used to kick off trick-or-treating. Additionally, it is occasionally used to host outside church services.

The Trenton township park also contains playground equipment for public use and a veteran memorial.

“I think the township trustees should provide some of the funding to maintain that park if they want it to continue,” Barber said.

This raised concerns for potential other townships then coming to the county requesting similar funding for parks in their communities, as well.

“Luckily enough in Mt. Union when they unincorporated, someone bought the park separately and maintained it,” Barber commented. So, they maintain their own park or otherwise they’d be coming here asking for money and we’d have to pay because we give [Trenton] money.”

As the conversation wrapped, the supervisors agreed to continue with their current contribution of $1,200 but not fund the additional $150.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com