photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

The new baseball diamond next to Perry-Lecompton High School is pictured on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.

Voters in the Perry-Lecompton school district will decide in November whether to create a joint recreation system funded by a one-mill property tax rate.

In the upcoming general election, a ballot question will ask voters to approve the creation of a joint recreation system involving the Perry-Lecompton school district and the cities of Perry and Lecompton. The system is proposed to be funded through a one-mill property tax levy. One mill is equal to $1 of tax per $1,000 of a property’s assessed value.

The money would be used to provide recreational opportunities for people of all ages. It would also establish a separate entity – referred to as the Recreation Commission – to oversee recreational activities and fund existing and future recreation programs and services across the school district and two cities.

Jessica Zullig, leader of the Perry Ball Association, said the area has so much potential for additional recreation opportunities, and this would be a good opportunity to build a community. Zullig has been leading the effort to establish the joint recreation system.

“A Recreation Commission would help with getting us out and building a community that used to be there 10, 20, 30 years ago, where you could see your neighbors and meet new people,” Zullig said.

The Recreation Commission would operate independently from the school district, Perry and Lecompton. The commission would make the day-to-day decisions and create an annual budget. The school board would only be responsible for approving the budget and adjusting the mill levy.

The Recreation Commission would include five members – one commissioner would be appointed from Lecompton, one from Perry, two from the school board, and one would be appointed by the four commissioners selected.

These commissioners would work together to establish policies, creating and maintaining budgets, overseeing recreational programs and facilities and ensuring recreation services meet the needs of residents throughout the school district.

While there are already several youth sports programs and some senior activities in the Perry-Lecompton area, Zullig said there are definitely some gaps she hopes could be addressed with the Recreation Commission.

Zullig said the adults who want to play sports, such as coed volleyball or softball, and even kids often travel outside of town to form teams and compete.

“We have a lot of kids that go to Topeka or Lawrence to play sports, or even Kansas City, and we’re small towns, so we need a lot of infrastructure that’s just not there,” Zullig said.

“Our adult leagues, most people get together with their other adult friends and go to another town. So there’s nothing for adults,” Zullig added.

In addition, Zullig said the new tax could make recreation more accessible and bring more affordable options for lower income families that may not be able to travel outside the area for recreation.

She also sees it as a way to support the area’s growth, bring Perry and Lecompton closer together, and give residents more opportunities to participate in activities close to home.

“Not only is it going to help our youth sports, it’s going to establish adult sports and it’s going to bolster our senior programs that we already have,” Zullig said. “It’s also going to help our businesses thrive, and it’s going to attract new businesses and people to our community.”

Zullig said the effort is about more than maintaining sports programs; she hopes it will expand opportunities for children and families across the community.

“The biggest thing is I want our current and future generations to have more opportunities than what were awarded to my generation when I was in school,” Zullig said.