Joliet Park District cuts staff, Dickinson takes buyout

The Joliet Park District board this week approved a voluntary separation agreement for former Councilman Don Dickinson, a park district employee who is among seven who may take such buyouts in a continued staff reduction.

Dickinson’s separation agreement was one of two approved by the board on Monday, and five other employees are considering taking the buyout, said Executive Director Brad Staab.

“It’s a way to streamline our staff,” Staab said. “We offer two months severance if they want it.”

The two months worth of severance pay is the only feature of the buyout, which may be offered again in 2021.

“It depends on how things play out,” Staab said.

The park district continues to adjust to the impact of COVID-19 and pandemic restrictions, not knowing if 2021 will be a return to normal activity or not. At times in 2020, the park district was forced to close golf courses and athletic centers. Programs were reduced.

The park district started 2021 with 63 employees, already down one from the year before, according to information provided by finance director Lisa Banovetz.

The bigger reduction has been in part-time staff, which is down from 293 at the start of 2020 to 139.

The park board on Monday also approved a $17.5 million operating budget for 2021, which is balanced.

The park district in 2021 again does not plan to open Splash Station Waterpark, which was closed in 2020, Banovetz said.

“The future status of Splash Station beyond calendar year 2021 is unknown at this point,” Banovetz said in email.

But most cost reductions have been in personnel, she said.

Board President Sue Gulas noted that the park district consolidated some top administrative positions as people left in recent years.

John Ekstrom is director of parks and golf grounds, taking on duties formerly split between previous directors Larry Burich, who left for a position in Portland, Oregon, and Ted Brodeur, who took a buyout package and became chief executive officer for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties.

Dickinson had worked for the park district for about 20 years, Staab said. He was in his first term as a Joliet councilman when he resigned in November after previously announcing he would not seek re-election in April.