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Illinois Association of Parks Districts
ANNUAL REPORT 1972 By Eugene Berghoff, Executive Vice-President It is my pleasure to report to the directors, officers and membership that your organization is in excellent condition at the conclusion of my first full year as Executive Vice President. The year 1973 appears more fruitful. The greatest danger I foresee is ourselves. We can forestall advancement by self imposing limitations on our own abilities and imagination. We should not look for the minor imperfections nor create suspicion or establish positions that divide us, but review our accomplishments and devise programs to excel our present goals. The office administration with the cooperation of our staff has improved. All inquiries and communications have been promptly answered or have been referred to the proper official for consideration. I have personally traveled 25,400 miles within Illinois, visiting districts, conferring with board members on a variety of problems and conducting regional meetings and representing your Association at a number of functions including the legislature. We assisted Robert A. Stuart, our legal and legislative representatives, in conducting several special meetings where state legislators were present to get them better acquainted with our problems. To me the highlight of 1972 was the defeat of the Property Tax Freeze Act. I certainly want to express our appreciation for all of the assistance and cooperation that we received from our membership. The 1972 Annual Joint Conference broke all existing records. A total of 1,668 commissioners, staff, students, guests and exhibitors attended. We had 66 paid exhibitors and 21 educational exhibitors. With your continued support a new record will be established at the 1973 meeting, to be held at the Arlington Park Towers, Arlington Heights, Illinois, on November 15-18. A total of 196 districts paid membership dues in 1972. Our key to success is a continuing increase in our membership. Everyone is on the membership committee, so contact those districts in your area who are not members. Your group health and life insurance program is being utilized by 27 districts covering 362 employees. The next enrollment period is February—April 30, 1973. The request for assistance and services from our membership has increased considerably and I anticipate this trend to continue. Therefore, in order to meet these needs and absorb the increased inflation or cost of operation and to maintain a growth factor we must devise new or increase present sources of revenue. The Illinois Parks and Recreation Magazine has provided one of our best sources of communication and has a circulation of 2,896. It has been acclaimed by many state and national officials as the best publication of its kind. Your Association has entered into a new agreement with the Illinois Park and Recreation Society, whereby we will jointly sponsor the conference and magazine. Any loss or profit after expenses will be assumed equally. Each organization will operate financially independent of the other. As a result of action taken at our 1972 Business Meeting the Constitution was amended to provide regular membership to conservation and forest preserve districts. I welcome these new units and urge them all to acquire membership and take an active part in our progress. Where are we going? I believe your Association will continue to grow. We have the best system for controlling and administering local park systems and I feel assured that with your united effort and participation this can be retained. If you want to provide "BETTER PARKS FOR MORE PEOPLE," every member, committee, and member of the board of directors must work together with the Association's staff and explore every possibility for improvement. ARBOR DAY The Illinois Association of Parks Districts strongly recommends that each park board use Arbor Day, April 27 as an opportunity to meet with local, state or federal legislators in a program for the beautification of parks.
If properly used, Arbor Day can provide a unique nature education experience with many additional benefits:
Illinois Parks and Recreation 10 March/April, 1973 |
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