Batavia Illinois – The 5th Ward

Consent Agenda & Correspondence

The board swiftly handled routine administrative, financial, and regulatory items to maintain continuous district operations, alongside acknowledging positive community and business correspondence.

• The board unanimously approved the consent agenda, which included previous meeting minutes, paid expenditures, the investment summary, the income statement, and purchases.
• The consent agenda also approved Ordinance Number 432 for the disposal of surplus property, the Windmill City Festival financial summary, and Resolutions 323 and 324 designating Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act officers.
• The board received correspondence featuring an advertisement from Barco Products highlighting a district fitness supervisor and her dog, as well as a donation letter from the Batavia Parks Foundation regarding installed bike racks.
• There were no matters presented by the public during the guest matters portion of the agenda.

Hall Quarry Beach Annual Report

Park district leadership delivered a comprehensive post-season review of the Hall Quarry Beach operations to inform the board of financial metrics, attendance data, and future programming concepts for the 2027 season.

• The facility was open for 74 of the 79 scheduled days between May 23 and August 9, resulting in 15,263 total daily admission attendees and $232,073 in daily admission revenue.
• The district sold 2,155 season passes across three sales periods, generating $133,862 in revenue.
• Facility rentals proved successful, with 16 after-hours rentals and 54 party deck rentals generating $14,105—an increase of almost $3,000 from the 2025 season.
• The facility scored four-star ratings on two unannounced safety audits by StutterGuard Elite, and a three-star rating on a day that coincided with a real-life emergency where district managers successfully performed life-saving measures, earning high praise from local paramedics, firefighters, and the Mayor.
• Marketing efforts drove significant web traffic, accounting for 25% of all views on the district’s main website, and successfully leveraged nostalgia-based social media posts using archives from the Batavia Depot Museum.
• Partnerships with the Batavia Public Library summer reading program successfully brought over 200 participants into the facility for a free evening and redeemed 155 buy-one-get-one passes for middle school students.
• Looking toward 2027, staff proposed increasing the non-resident daily admission rate by $1, adding new concession options like a fountain machine and fryer, and introducing a high-energy foam cannon party.

Upcoming Programming & Department Updates

Recreation and administrative staff provided updates on seasonal events, program registrations, and recent hires to ensure the board is apprised of community engagement initiatives and staffing changes.

• The board welcomed a new Creative Communication Specialist and a new Executive Assistant who brings ten years of public service experience from the King County clerk’s office.
• Staff highlighted upcoming events, including a Black Friday gift card sale returning on November 23 and the Celebration of Lights on November 30 at the Batavia Riverwalk.
• The recreation department noted high enrollment in winter basketball, with over 80 children in the first-grade league alone.
• Staff reported on successful adult programming, including sold-out museum crawl bus tours and active adult pop-up trips to Joliet State Prison and a Utica fall festival.
• The board acknowledged the winners of the Halloween house decorating contest, located at residential homes on Douglas Road and Savannah Court.

Finance, Infrastructure & Master Planning

The board reviewed impending financial resolutions, ongoing park renovations, and administrative policies to ensure fiscal responsibility and prepare for long-term strategic growth.

• Staff reported that permitting for Fox Trail Park is nearing completion, with heavy lifting expected this year and landscaping to follow in the spring.
• The board expects to approve the estimated property tax resolution next month, requesting an approximate 4.2% increase, with final approval slated for December 4.
• A public hearing regarding the issuance of bonds is scheduled for next month, with the actual issuance anticipated in February 2027.
• The district is reviewing new registration software, comparing their current system (Rectrack) with a new vendor (Rectechnologies) that utilizes embedded AI capabilities.
• The Fox River Trail will be temporarily closed from Laurelwood Park to the Fabian Parkway Bridge starting November 7 to complete an asphalt paving project before winter.
• The district is working with Next Practice Partners on a strategic master plan, which will be presented to the board in draft form next month for feedback.

New Business & Ordinances

The board evaluated new asset management strategies and formalized property agreements to maintain district infrastructure and clarify administrative governance.

• The board held a first reading for a master equity lease agreement with Enterprise Fleet Management, which would allow the district to strategically lease and replace vehicles at their discretion without multi-year minimum commitments.
• The board reviewed the Selective Administrative Governance and Personnel Financial Policies, requesting a clarification that the “three-fourths majority” required for emergency expenditures explicitly means four out of five board members.
• The board unanimously approved Ordinance Number 431, officially accepting the transfer of the Peace Bridge ramp from the City of Batavia and establishing a permanent maintenance agreement.
• The board subsequently entered an executive session to discuss land acquisition.

Type	Name
Government & Civic Entities	Batavia Park District, City of Batavia, King County, Tannum Park District
Private Companies & Contractors	Barco Products, StutterGuard Elite, Groupon, Enterprise Fleet Management, Next Practice Partners, Rectrack, Rectechnologies
Non-Profits, Programs & Community Groups	Batavia Parks Foundation, Batavia Community Band, Camp Sensational, Peace Out Batavia Mural Project
Educational & Cultural Institutions	Batavia Public Library, Batavia Depot Museum, Batavia High School
Parks, Facilities & Landmarks	Hall Quarry Beach (Hawthorne Beach), Batavia Riverwalk, Callahan Community Center, Joliet State Prison, Fox Trail Park, Fiddler Farm, Laurelwood Park, Fabian Parkway Bridge, Big Woods Park, Peace Bridge

By: Jim Fahrenbach

Batavia Park District Advances Enterprise Fleet Overhaul & Park Upgrades