For more information about the Marengo Park District Foundation or to make a donation or gift contact our Director, Dr. Dan Bertrand at dbertrand@marengoparkdistrict.org or call 815-568-5126.
Overview
The Marengo Park Foundation distributes funds to support recreational programs and park projects for the Marengo Park District. Financial support in the form of a memorial gift or commemorative gift can also be made for things ranging from updating/ renovation of a room, planting a tree, buying a park bench/picnic table or paying for a special project. Financial contributions of any amount are greatly appreciated.
Mission
The mission of the Marengo Park Foundation is to aid the Marengo Park District in the collection of funds through donations, estate gifts, community events and sponsorships and to redistribute the funds for the enrichment of park and recreation programs and services.
History
The Foundation was originally established in 2012 as a not-for-profit corporation to help benefit the Marengo Park District residents. It was reestablished in April of 2022. The Park Foundation is an IRS 501(c)(3) organization. The Foundation Board of Trustees consists of six members who are appointed by Park District Board of Commissioners. The current Trustees are Aimee Ritter, Amy Thiede, Julie Jennett, Vera Rimnac, Hollie DeRose and Colleen Helfers.
The Community Foundation for McHenry County
The Marengo Park District Foundation has partnered with The Community Foundation for McHenry County (CFMC) for our charitable giving. The CFMC is governed by a Board of Directors and has full-time staff with extensive knowledge of community issues and needs. The CFMC has over 20 year’s experience in McHenry County providing philanthropic services to agencies like the Marengo Park District. These services include: investing and managing donated funds and acquiring the highest yields possible by pooling donated funds. Additionally, CFMC is able to accept a wide variety of assets and can facilitate complex forms of giving such as stocks, property, life insurance and any other contribution of monetary value. CFMC handles all the administrative work of charitable giving by filing annual tax reports and providing due and compliance with laws and IRS regulations. The CFMC will help market and promote park district projects to solicit funds.
PARK DISTRICT INFORMATION
The Marengo Park District is a municipal government agency established for the purpose of providing recreational parks, facilities and programs for the community. The Park District is governed by five elected commissioners- President, Marty Mohr; Vice-President, Veronica Kearney; Treasurer, Donnie Bottcher; Secretary, Bryan Neubold and Commissioner Josh Ruffner. The boundaries of the park district are the same as the City of Marengo.
Park Properties
The Park District has four parks, the largest of which is Indian Oaks Park with 40 acres including 5 shelters, 4 softball fields (1 lighted), par course, sand volleyball and numerous soccer fields, in addition to a disc golf course and nature trail. There are three neighborhood parks- Renwick, Brookside Meadows and Ridge Parks.
Financial Information
The park district has a total Equalized Assessed Valuation of $149,185,503 with a total tax rate of $0.238 per $100 of assessed evaluation. The parks portion of the annual tax bill is approximately $79 per year on a home valued at $100,000.
PLANNED GIVING
Today’s planned gifts truly are the gifts that keep on giving. When given to the Marengo Park District Foundation, a planned gift can have ripple effects that touch thousands of lives
| The park district’s primary source of revenue is property taxes. The park’s biggest challenge is limited property tax revenue due to its small property tax base, while having increasing expenses and maintenance costs. The park district boundaries mirror those of the City of Marengo and exclude all of the surrounding area where most of our participants live. We collect approximately $350,000 in tax dollars each year which must cover the costs of our programs, payroll, utilities and care and maintenance of our parks and buildings. Additionally, we collected about $100,000 in fees for programs, fitness center and activities each year. At the present time the park district has a fund | |||||||
| Park Staff The park district has 1 full-time employee who serves as the Recreation Supervisor. The park district has 9 part-time employees including the Director, Building and Grounds Supervisor, Front Desk Manager and other support staff. In the summer the park may employ up to 3 additional part-time staff to assist with mowing and caring for the grounds. What about the pool? The park district pool has been closed since 2014 due to it losing over $30,000/year and needing $60,000 to $100,000 in repairs. Maintaining and operating the pool became too cost prohibitive to continue to operate it. Due to the park district’s limited tax base and other revenue sources, it is not feasible to operate and maintain the pool. | |||||||
| WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT THE FOUNDATION MONETARY DONATIONS When we say “A gift of any size will make a difference” we truly mean it. Whether your gift is $5, $25 or $125, your gift will help the District continue to be a resource for you and our fellow community members. You can make an impact! Individuals or companies that make donations to the foundation can be assured the money will go to a park or facility improvement. Donations may be earmarked for a specific program. Other cash donations will go toward current project needs. The foundation board receives a list of capital improvements needed from the park district board of commissioners and staff. The Foundation Board will then determine how the money is spent. SCHOLARSHIPS Help us make our recreation, fitness and fine arts programs available to everyone with a gift to our Scholarship Fund! Your gift to the Scholarship Fund makes our vision of serving our entire community a reality by making our programs accessible and affordable for all regardless of income. Park District staff administers the scholarship program which includes an application and demonstration of financial need. COMMEMORATIVE GIFTS Make a gift to the Foundation to celebrate a special occasion, such as the wedding, anniversary or birthday for a friend or loved one. When you make a commemorative gift, you just provide the name of the person(s) being honored, as well as the address where we can notify them about your gift. The Foundation will send a letter notifying them that you have made a gift in their honor. DEDICATIONS If you would like to make a donation in your name or the name of someone special for a specific purpose, we can memorialize your donation by putting a plaque on the donated gift. Dedicated items could be a special project, renovation of a room or facility, shelter or softball field, or as simple as a bench for $1,000, a tree for $500 or a picnic table for $1,000. MEMORIALS Memorial gifts ensure a person’s legacy will endure forever. Anyone may contribute to a memorial fund following the death of a loved one. A memorial gift offers you a thoughtful way to not only affirm your values and support of the park, but also to recognize that these values were shared by the individual being honored. When you make a memorial gift, the Foundation will notify the person of your choosing that you have made an undisclosed gift in their name. If you would like to make a memorial gift in someone special’s name, it can be earmarked for a specific project or purpose such as the renovation of a room, shelter, softball field, and the facility will be recognized with their name. | |||||||
PLANNED GIVING
Deciding whether to establish a planned gift and who to support is a difficult task. We are here to help and can work with you to tailor a plan that allows your gift to support your favorite part of the Park District, whether that’s parks, trails, or one of our facilities and programs. YOUR intent will lead the way!
- To make a planned gift simply name the Marengo Park District Foundation as beneficiary and designate the Foundation to receive all or a percentage of a gift.
- Since the Marengo Park District Foundation has a 501(c)(3) status, all gifts are tax deductible.
What Are the Tax Benefits of a Planned Gift?
- Your planned gift can help ensure the future health of the Park District.
- Planned gifts offer substantial tax savings to donors.
- Giving a planned gift allows part of the estate to avoid the probate process.
- Planning for the financial needs of a spouse or loved one, provides inheritances for your heirs at a reduced tax cost, diversifying investment portfolio.
- Through a Charitable Gift Annuity, you establish a meaningful gift to the Marengo Park District Foundation while providing yourself with income.
By including the Marengo Park District Foundation in your future plans, you are ensuring we are able to use your gift to continue to serve our community in the ways that you loved during your lifetime.
MEMORIALS OR DEDICATIONS TOWARDS SPECIFIC PROJECTS – These projects can be completed for the cost below and the area, shelter, road, parking lot or room will be dedicated in the name of the desired individual with the area renamed in their memory for 20 years.
| Project | Description of Needs | Est. Cost |
| Pool Area- Repurpose to Amphitheatre and Sand Volleyball | Fill in the pool and cover the area with a hard permanent surface, add a raised stage with sound shell, new concession equipment, new bathrooms and showers, Exterior building up-dated, install 3 sand volleyball courts, landscaping, light and sound equipment, | $350,000 |
| Softball Field | New poles (6) and lights (24), new infield, bleachers (4), scoreboard | $150,000 |
| Tennis Courts | Resurface in asphalt, paint and enclose with fencing, replace lights | $80,000 |
| Fitness Center | New carpet and paint, Replace HVAC, vinyl on equipment, new equipment | $60,000 |
| Main Parking lot | Resurface and paint | $55,000 |
| Dance Room | Replace HVAC, windows and metal door, New light fixtures | $15,000 |
| Main Floor Bathrooms | New stalls, paint, up-date sink and toilets | $10,000 |
| Lower Parking lot | Resurface and paint | $30,000 |
| Roadway through park | Resurface road throughout the park | $275,000 |
| Multi-purpose room | New water fountain, up-date bathroom, replace HVAC, | $10,000 |
| Nature Center | New carpet and ceiling tiles, replace HVAC, replace deck flooring and glass in deck doors, remove elevator, new large smart TV | $30,000 |
| Art/Crafts Room | Replace water fountain and metal doors, paint and up-date bathrooms | $10,000 |
| Pool Parking Lot | Resurface and paint | $40,000 |
| Conference rooms/Offices | Paint, new carpet, water fountain, replace windows, up-date office furniture | $25,000 |
| TOTAL | $740,000 |
Marengo Park District 