District Planning & Finances
2021-22 Agency Accomplishments
- National Recreation & Park Association (NRPA) Gold Medal for Excellence Grand Plaque Recipient
- Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) $200,000 Grant – Grosse Pointe Park Tennis Courts
- DCEO $250,000 Grant – Laschen Park Playground
- DCEO $510,000 Grant – Lakeview Fitness Rooftop Dehumidification System
- Adoption of 5-Year Financial Forecast
- Laschen Park Tennis Courts and Pickleball Courts Renovation
- Park District Risk Management Agency (PDRMA) $1,750 Safety Grant – Safety Fencing
- Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agency (INCCRRA) $220,928 Child Care Grant
- United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Composting Initiative Recipient for Community Gardens
- Solar Rooftop Panel Annual Energy Savings – $4,000 (Produced savings to power 14 average sized homes)
- 10 additional community garden plots with an underground water line system.
Master Plan
The updated Parks & Recreation Master Plan was approved by the Board of Park Commissioners at its November 2018 Board meeting. The Master Plan addresses the needs of a growing community with limited resources and includes a comprehensive inventory of Park District properties and amenities, as well as recommendations for improvements (based on a comparative analysis of recreational and leisure amenities available to Vernon Hills residents as compared with similar communities and to national standards).
You may view a copy of the Vernon Hills Park District 2019-2023 Parks Master Plan on this website by clicking the link below. In addition, you may review a copy in person at the Sullivan Community Center.
Capital Improvement Plan
2023-2027 Capital Improvement Plan
Strategic Plan
2020 Strategic Plan Report Card
2021 Strategic Plan Report Card
Annual Report
2019 Community Survey Results
Community Survey Powerpoint Presentation – PDF
Financial Information
Annual Budget
All Park District programs, operations, capital improvements, and maintenance expenses are funded through a combination of revenue sources including property taxes, user fees & charges, grants, and donations. A budget is developed on an annual basis by the Superintendent of Finance & HR and the Executive Director, with input from staff, and is approved by the Park Board each year at the May, Park Board Meeting.
The annual budget provides the expected revenue and expenses by program and service that the agency anticipates spending within its fiscal year, which runs from June 1 through May 31. In accordance with Illinois State Law, the budget is made conveniently available for inspection 30 days prior to the May Board meeting at the District’s administrative office at the Sullivan Community Center at 635 N. Aspen Drive. A budget hearing is held in early May to provide an opportunity for public comment prior to the Board voting on the passage of the budget. Notice of this public hearing is published in a local newspaper no less than 7 days before the hearing.
Supplemental Budget Report FY22
Comprehensive Annual Financial Report
As required by Illinois Park District law, each year an independent agency is hired to audit the Park District’s financial statements and operating funds. The audit is a comprehensive financial analysis of the Park District’s operations and procedures when it comes to handling public finances.
Fiscal 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report
Fiscal 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report
Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting
The Vernon Hills Park District has received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association. This national award has been received for over 20 years.
Prevailing Wage
The Prevailing Wage Act requires contractors and subcontractors to pay laborers, workers and mechanics employed on public works construction projects no less than the general prevailing rate of wages (consisting of hourly cash wages plus fringe benefits) for work of a similar character in the county where the work is performed.
Please use the following link to find the Prevailing Wage Rate determinations by the Illinois Department of Labor for Lake County.
https://www2.illinois.gov/idol/Laws-Rules/CONMED/Pages/Rates.aspx
Employee Compensation
Total-Compensation-Package-2022
Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF)
The Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund serves almost 3,000 employers and has provided employees of local governments and school districts in Illinois (with the exception of the City of Chicago and Cook County) with a sound and efficient system for the payment of retirement, disability, and death benefits. The IMRF website provides a brief summary of IMRF benefits and the administration of those benefits.
IMRF Employer Cost and Participation Information Link