Completion of the KeWash trail, an ending general balance of $491,000 to start the next fiscal year, and management of some 2,500 acres made fiscal 2022 a very productive year for the Washington …
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Completion of the KeWash trail, an ending general balance of $491,000 to start the next fiscal year, and management of some 2,500 acres made fiscal 2022 a very productive year for the Washington County Conservation Board (WCCB). In his report to the board Tuesday, Executive Director Zach Rozmus outlined how careful financial management completed the KeWash Trail this year, bringing it in $50,000 under budget. The project also was greatly assisted by federal, state and Washington County Riverboat Foundation (WCRF) grants. The latter provided a total of $100,000 in grants and the federal sources, $317,000.
Private donations to the WCCB provided both funds and land that added 103 aces to the WCCB’s wildlife area. The addition is expected to be open for public access this fall. The
WCCB also received an annual grant from REAP in the amount of $12,000, which also was used for the KeWash Trail. Rozmus explained that during the completion of the trail, efforts were made to hold down costs to provide the final funds for the trail.
But the real record is the $7200 in camping fees from Marr Park in Ainsworth.
“That’s a lot for a $20 per night camping fee,” said Rozmus, indicating the park’s popularity; especially since some major improvements were made there in the last year.
Other revenues, including cropland rental fees, netted $588,000 “which exceeded our expectations.” All revenues from the park are reinvested in the park, he stressed.
As for attendance at the Conservation Education Center in Marr Park, attendance was “about 10,000” although he noted not everyone who came in may have been counted.
“The tally is to give a good idea of our traffic,” he said. Of that approximately 10,000 participants, the majority were school age youth.
He also said, “There were lots of rentals” of WCCB facilities, especially at Marr Park “during the graduation season.” In fact, the facility had its highest rental numbers ever.
The WCCB also will aid with managing some of the public green areas in Kalona’s developing Southtown area that has a small lake and beach, as well as planned trails.
The report also included figures in all areas of the WCCB management for the last three years.
