NBPD Consolidation Feasibility Study

[Bonster]

For your reading pleasure:
I stumbled across this link regarding a Feasibility Study for the consolidation of the North and (South) Berwyn Park Districts.
It's a tough read for anyone who wants to attempt to make heads or tails of it.
You should probably copy the text to Word, Notepad, what have you to keep from going cross-eyed.

NBPD Consolidation Feasibility Study
http://nbpd4fun.org/Services_html/study.htm

[Northsideward5]

Here are just some of the conclusions.  Read it for yourself very interesting!  Thanks Mr. Bonster for locating this item.

Chapter Three: Conclusions and recommendations.
1. For the reasons described in the hypothetical budget and financial projections in Section 6 of Chapter Two, a consolidation is not recommended at this time. In order to make an argument for consolidation that is supported by financial data, drastically lower costs and significantly increased revenue would have to be exhibited.

2. For park district consolidation to become feasible, increased private investment in residential and commercial properties is required as a means of improving the tax base and absorbing a higher level of public taxation. As projected above, increases in the Berwyn-wide property tax to support a consolidation are sufficiently high as to cast doubts on the feasibility of consolidation. The point is timing, as it is in most policy decisions. The feasibility of consolidation will become more feasible in an economy where private capital growth and tax valuations are increasing. The recommendation is to revisit the issue when population growth has given the incentive for more multi-family housing construction, to replace some of the marginal business locations and zoning on the City's arterial streets.

3. A second factor alluded to earlier in this report are the reasons instigating this study. If it had been possible to show that tax efficiencies were possible and redundant costs could be cut in any significant degree through consolidation, the incentive to recommend a consolidation would definitely be present. Based on a close view of the management of both districts, that is simply not the case.
The guess is that the most disappointed or disagreeing party to the conclusions of this study will be some in elective and appointive positions with the City of Berwyn. The City might realize more than a $1/2 million is savings by divesting itself of the recreation function. Whether that is to give the taxpayers a break, or to invest in other responsibilities, the reality of that possibility is just not there. The people need good facilities and services. If the city were not to pay for them, then the park districts would have to incur the debt and increase their taxes beyond the allowable rates.

4. The Berwyn Park District and the North Berwyn Park District are operating in a satisfactory mode at the present time. There are no crises in policy making or management facing either district. Both are offering programs to their residents in a reasonably satisfactory manner. Neither has any reason to foresee major financial problems, at least in the short term. Residents of both districts are for the most part getting what they want for their tax dollars. Despite considerable newspaper research, no more than the usual low level of citizen griping was found. So except for the previously stated possible incentives for consolidation: lower taxes and improved services, there were no factors crying out for change! Change is difficult for government and for its citizens. For it to occur, it must be for a compelling reason, and those reasons were not found.

Somewhat in more detail:
5. The personnel policies of both park districts were reviewed in the preparation of this
report. It is recommended that the North Berwyn policy is more up-to-date and more inclusive of needed detail. It should be the basis of a human resources policy for the Berwyn Park District as well. This kind of coordinated upgrade would prepare for a future consolidation.

6. The City needs to implement a program cost accounting system, to determine the true cost of each of its activities. The lack of that knowledge leads unnecessarily to doubt as to the real or actual cost of programs; some of those doubts were expressed above. Feasibility of an eventual consolidation will depend upon more accurate and descriptive information than is now available.
The need for City-wide zoning code enforcement became glaring during this research, and especially in reaction to the multi-family use of single-family built units and zoned areas. As indicated elsewhere in this report, that enforcement would have a major positive impact on the economy and the quality of life in Berwyn. Having worked and consulted on such subjects for many years, it is difficult to find any justifiable political reason for not enforcing common zoning regulations.


Who was head of the Rec Committee back then on city council?

[java]

The need for City-wide zoning code enforcement became glaring during this research, and especially in reaction to the multi-family use of single-family built units and zoned areas. As indicated elsewhere in this report, that enforcement would have a major positive impact on the economy and the quality of life in Berwyn.

[Northsideward5]

Really too bad that this was not enforced.  Maybe more workers were needed to go out and inspect the buildings.

Who was in charge of that committee?

[Northsideward5]

If you go to that site, you will see that they really seem to praise the NBPD in alot of different areas.

2. For park district consolidation to become feasible, increased private investment in residential and commercial properties is required as a means of improving the tax base and absorbing a higher level of public taxation. As projected above, increases in the Berwyn-wide property tax to support a consolidation are sufficiently high as to cast doubts on the feasibility of consolidation. The point is timing, as it is in most policy decisions. The feasibility of consolidation will become more feasible in an economy where private capital growth and tax valuations are increasing. The recommendation is to revisit the issue when population growth has given the incentive for more multi-family housing construction, to replace some of the marginal business locations and zoning on the City's arterial streets.

Found the above interesting too....

Question? 

If this merger were to happen, will it create more patronage jobs?  Or just higher paid ones?

Nothing I hate more than lackeys getting jobs they may not be qualified for.

[Ted]

  The problems with these studies is that, IMHO, people who do the studies have an invested interest in keeping the status quo and therefore come up with excuses why NOT to do something rather than why do it.  Also, the studies tend to reflect short term thinking rather than what is in the best long term strategic interest of Berwyn.

  I use the school merger study done almost 20 years ago. The reasons given (e.g. south Berwyn has no middle schools and north Berwyn does; enrollment are declining, etc.) makes it seem like people were not looking at a long term picture and what would be best for the city as a whole long term.

  Ted

[Bonster]

4. The Berwyn Park District and the North Berwyn Park District are operating in a satisfactory mode at the present time. There are no crises in policy making or management facing either district.

LOL!