Formal committee work on a proposed 1-percent city sales tax for the Williston Parks and Recreation District is being pushed back to the start of a new year.

"We got a bunch of people who want to help us out, but they are so busy during November and December," parks director Darin Krueger told the Williston Park Board during its regular monthly meeting Tuesday evening.

"So we will start meeting in January," Krueger said.

The park district's proposal is to ask district patrons to approve the sales tax once the Williston Public School District's 1-percent sales tax expires. The school district tax ends when its bonds are paid for its new middle school and other improvements that its patrons approved as a package.

The park district is pursuing the sales tax to meet needed improvements throughout all of its facilities. The park district's plan also is to eliminate part or all of its property tax levy if the sales tax is approved. Park board President Larry Grondahl suggested the committee meet with city officials to establish the appropriate timelines to go before the Williston City Commission to formally request the tax proposal.

In a related matter, Krueger told the park board the park district's finances are improved over last year at this time.

"We're $107,000 ahead of last year in revenue in cash balance," he said. "Projecting out, I feel a lot better than I did last year."

Krueger said as long as revenues and memberships for fall and winter leagues come in, the park district should make it comfortably financially to end the year.

"My stress level isn't what it was...a month ago," Krueger said.

Meanwhile, it appears hopes for a winter skiing facility at Spring Lake Park north of the city is now dead. Krueger said he has not heard anything from the Dakota Winter Park promoters since they received the park board's revised approval for a lease.

The facility had been proposed by Shannon Burns, his father, Dennis Hilton, and Steve and Kristine Kemp.

The group's proposal included downhill tubing, snow boarding and skiing. The proposed area involved about 3 acres on the park's north side northwest of the swimming area.

The proposal involved drawing water from the adjacent lake for a snow gun that would make snow to cover the slopes.

At it's regular monthly September meeting, the park board approved a five-year lease for the Dakota Winter Park group to assist it in obtaining financing. The park district has not heard from the organizers since.

"No calls, no e-mails. I'm guessing it's a no go," Krueger told the board Tuesday.

"It's unfortunate because it was a great idea," Grondahl said. "I'm just surprised we didn't hear back from them."