New management is needed at the park district | Letter to the Editor

Published 11:35 am Tuesday, March 5, 2013

The park district board has mismanaged the fields project.

At any point in time, an effective project manager will be capable of reporting the estimated completion date, cost to date, forecasted final cost and specifics of cost variances. At present the project is at least 50 percent over budget, and there is no forecasted final cost for completion, let alone a schedule.

Of equal concern is the observed disdain for the recent audit findings. The purpose of an audit is to ensure effective internal controls are in place, that financial and fixed assets are properly protected. Those controls have been found to be weak or absent, and certain members of the board, as well as the rehired project manager, have set aside the concerns documented in the audit.

I fully agree with Jack Churchill’s letter to the editor (“Board needs a well-qualified manager,” Feb. 27). It is time “to change the pipers.” Required are significant improvements in board/management credentials, transparency of process and regular project schedule and cost reporting for the fields project and overall park district operations. Until this is cleaned up, all park facilities will continue to suffer and user group participation and donations to the fields project will not materialize. Fix it now.

— Jan Stephens