Henry County council tables Memorial Park fund consolidation pending levy research

Councilor Kade proposed an ordinance that would abolish the Memorial Park rental fund (1117) and move those receipts into the park fund (1179) to simplify bookkeeping and reduce duplicated line items.

Council members questioned whether combining funds would alter the park levy split or require an additional appropriation; several members recalled different historical treatments of the rental receipts (some said the money previously reverted to county general, others said the park retained the receipts).

After discussion about the accounting and potential effect on the tax levy, a councilor moved to table the ordinance until staff could research the original treatment and the levy implications; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote (reported as six in favor, one opposed). Joel and Paige were asked to analyze the tax-levy implications and report back to the council.

The council did not change fund policy in the meeting and directed staff to return with clarifying documentation about prior practice, how an appropriation would work, and whether budgeting the receipts in 1179 would change the levy calculation.

Next steps: staff will confirm which fund previously received rental revenue, whether the fund is non-reverting, and the precise budget/tax-levy consequences before the council revisits the ordinance.