Doug Bailey announced his retirement as chair of the park's Foundation board last week. It was effective immediately.

Doug Bailey, chairman of the Wilson Brewer Park Foundation Board, announced last week that he was stepping down immediately from his duties for personal and family reasons.

The announcement came as the board held its final meeting of 2025 Wednesday in the basement of the historic Illinois Central Railroad Depot.

Bailey has been chairman for the entire 18-month existence of the Foundation board, which assumed planning and daily operations responsibilities from the City of Webster City in July 2024. Under his oversight, annual funding by Hamilton County and Webster City has begun flowing to the park, rebuilding of the first Hamilton County Courthouse has been completed, ADA accessible ramps at Mulberry Center Church were built, and the Depot has seen upgrading of its bathrooms, and painting of the exterior.

Throughout the year, the board has hosted a number of family-centered events at the park, including Fall Fest, Christmas in the City, and an Easter Egg hunt. These events have brought a large number of visitors to the park, many for the first time.

But frustrated at the slow pace of progress on a number of ongoing projects, the board discussed hiring a part-time employee or independent contractor to coordinate work at the park. No decision was made, and the matter will be held over for discussion at next month’s meeting.

Treasurer Tamiann Parrott presented a 2026 budget for the board’s consideration. Based on historical cost data collected in 2025, it includes $190,000 for capital projects in 2026. Most of this will go toward replacing the platform that once surrounded the depot, and restoration of the Illinois Central caboose.

The exterior of the caboose, whose metal body is slowly deteriorating, will be sand-blasted, primed and painted. Once stabilized, restoration of the caboose interior can proceed.

Parrott told the board the balance of the Foundation’s endowment stood at $1.2 million at the end of November 2025. The endowment, underwritten with a $1 million gift from the Dean Bowden family, will sustain the park in perpetuity, but only after its assets are allowed to grow for five years.

During these years, the City of Webster City and Hamilton County are each contributing $50,000 per year to continue restoration of the six historic buildings on the museum campus, and support operations.

The board thanked the City of Webster City for timely snow removal on the museum campus, Saturday December 6, which allowed the Christmas in the City celebration to proceed as planned, despite a 6-inch snowfall. A total of 188 visitors visited the park, most of them to see Santa in one of the restored log cabins. Many compliments were received on the Santa’s toy shop display in the cabins, and live music at Mulberry Center Church.

The board gave approval for another year of history talks at Mulberry Center Church. These popular events, held on summer Saturday afternoons, are arranged by church Coordinator Carolynn Miller, and have steadily drawn visitors to the park.

The park reopens to visitors May 1, 2026.