Park Board Minutes 2012 11-15-12
APPROVED 12/13/12
Yorkville Park and Recreation Department
REC Center
202 E. Countryside Parkway
November 15, 2012 at 6:00 p.m.
Call to Order:
Deb Horaz called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m.
Roll Call:
Deb Horaz – yes; Kelly Sedgwick – yes; Seaver Tarulis – yes; Mark Dilday – yes; Amy
Cesich – yes; Dan Lane – yes; Matt Konecki – yes.
Introduction of City Officials and Staff:
Gary Golinski – Mayor
Laura Schraw – Director of Parks and Recreation
Tim Evans – Superintendent of Recreation
Scott Sleezer – Superintendent of Parks
Ken Koch – Alderman (arrived late)
Other Guests:
Tony Scott, Kendall County Record
Public Comment:
None.
Presentations:
None.
Approval of Minutes:
Minutes from the October 15, 2012 meeting were approved. Motion made by
Amy Cesich and seconded by Kelly Sedgwick. The minutes from the October 25, 2012 meeting were
approved. Motion made by Dan Lane and seconded by Seaver Tarulis.
Bill Review:
Dan asked about a fee for sports. Tim said it is a company that comes in and does soccer
and the city makes money on it, that is just a fee we pay for it. Matt asked about the Comed bill and
what it is for. Scott said there is a demand fee for the lights at Bridge Park. Amy asked about the field
paint. Scott said the city purchased it at Menards and that is the usual cost, and it is the cheapest cost.
Deb asked about the Riemenschneider Park repair. Scott said there was a repair on a pipe. Dan asked
about why the city purchases soap, garbage bags and windex from one company and then the laundry
soap, toilet paper and sanitizer from another company. Tim said there is different prices and the city goes
with the cheapest place for each item.
Dan asked about the River View Ford bill. Scott said he took the city truck into River View and
negotiated the labor rate down to $70.00 per hour. Scott said there will be more of those to come,
several other trucks need maintenance and the vehicles need to be safe. The bills list from November 1,
2012 was approved. Motion made by Mark Dilday and seconded by Amy Cesich. The bills list from
November 15, 2012 was approved. Motion made by Amy Cesich and seconded by Kelly Sedgwick.
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Old Business:
REC Center Referendum Results and Recommendations –
Laura said the referendum failed by 296
votes. Laura said in the packet she stated that the board needs to make a recommendation as to where
the board wants to go with the future parks and recreation program.
Mayor Golinski said the options are limited. There is not support from city council to go forward on the
purchase of the building and no support on another lease, so the options are limited. Deb asked if the
Walkers would come back with a different offer. Mayor Golinski said he doesn't think so and he thinks
that the city will have to walk away from the place, which will cost us more than keeping the place.
Amy asked what do the alderman say about the cost getting out of the building versus keeping it.
Mayor Golinski said they said the people have spoken and the referendum is basically a decision on
recreation. Mayor Golinski said people don't want the building, but we want programs, but that doesn't
make sense. Without the building, we can't have programming there is nothing else.
Dan said 296 votes is not a mandate. Dan said he thinks that the city council is spinning it to what they
want to do. Dan said as a park board, how do we feel, if we are the advisory board - what do we stand
for. Kelly said why do we have a park board, if city council ignores us all the time.
Mayor Golinski asked how many on the board were in front of city council stating these things. He said
Amy and Dan were there. Mayor Golinski said when we did the lease for this place city council was
packed to support this, push for the path we moved the meeting to the library to have room. In the last
few months, no one was there to advocate for this place.
Dan said he is in the REC Center everyday and I see the people and kids here and I am trying to push for
this. If we are the advisory board to them, I am assuming that as a board we are all for keeping this
building. Dan asked if the board is all for it and we need to stand before the council and state what we
think.
Amy said that during the Ad Hoc meetings several alderman were for it and thought it was the best way
to go. Amy said she feels that if we made this vote after those meetings, we wouldn't be having this
discussion. Amy said she thinks it was a cop out to put it on a referendum and now it lost by 296. The
board thought voting was a great turnout. Mayor Golinski said if you educated yourself you can see
that this is a no brainer, it is the best way to provide the programs.
Deb asked if this is going to be voted on. Mayor Golinski said no it is dead unless we get four alderman
that want it. Mayor Golinski said if the city would have bought this place, we would be in the black and
chip away at the $250,000 deficit. Mayor Golinski said that now the city has to come up with that
money right away and the lost revenues from people backing out and possibly another $100,000.
Deb said that there will be no recreation without this building. The city doesn't have any other places to
hold any programs. Mayor Golinski said the December catalog was supposed to be out already and it is
on hold. Deb asked what do the alderman think we should do. Mayor Golinski said there is not a plan
B.
Kelly said the city is going to lose the REC Center, the alderman will be voted out, and the park board
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will be stuck cleaning up. Kelly said how is the city going to attract people to move here without
programs. Kelly said the alderman are doing what their uneducated constituents want. Tim said the city
will have athletic leagues, preschool, special events and kiddie classes and what ever can be held in the
schools. The fitness and swimming is gone and open gym is gone. Deb said what are the kids going to
do now. Matt asked how to they not see it is not a good idea. Dan said that the alderman don't use it
and probably don't know where it is located.
Dan said he wants to know if everyone on the board is for the purchase of the REC Center. Dan asked
if the city makes money on the ball fields and parks. Scott said no. Dan said the city is not here to make
money. Deb said there is value without dollars sometimes. Scott said the parks and recreation is a
draw. Grant money builds new parks. Dan said the police and fire don't make any money, they are
services.
Matt asked how does a county seat not have a REC Center. Mayor Golinski said an argument I hear is
it is competing with private business. The board disagrees and many of those business people have
supported them. Dan said that it is not a health club, it is a community center. Dan asked if the park
board can have a joint meeting with the city council one on one. Mayor Golinski said he can arrange
that. Laura said there were three public hearings and there was supposed to be a vote, but then the
YMCA came in and the board lost their chance. Laura said if the board wants to state their opinion it is
time now.
Tim said whatever happens and if we have to leave the REC Center, it is not the end. The city has
strong sports leagues, strong special events, a preschool and we can rebuild this. Tim said we were in a
worse situation before. Tim said there will be a missing piece here, but we can survive. Mayor Golinski
said it will be more money for more services. Tim said it will not be more of a cost, there will not be as
many services. Tim said there will be sports leagues and preschool and tons of child development
classes, 5 K runs, basketball, softball, baseball, everything we do won't collapse.
Amy said there is still a cost to maintain parks and staff salaries. The REC Center brings in revenue to
help pay for that. Tim said that is not true it is all paid for out of the 79 budget, not the 80 budget. Tim
said all we lose is fitness classes, swimming and open gym. Dan said the REC Center does other classes
that we won't be able to offer. Tim said there will not be fitness classes, but others can be done at
another location.
Dan said he just wants to make sure that the kids have services. Tim said we can work with the schools.
Dan said good luck on that. Laura said because we use the schools late, we have a custodian cost to
pay. Tim said there is an outstanding staff that had a mess two years ago and have turned it all around
and giving surpluses to the city. There is a strong 79 staff with a good recreation department. Amy said
there are things this building houses, that we don't want to lose.
Tim said he has fought for this for two years and he understands. Amy said she wants to see what we
offered before the city owned this building. Tim said he has been here this entire time and he knows that
the city can still offer plenty of services. Laura said she will get the board the catalog made before the
city had the REC Center so they can see what the city offered.
Deb said she wants to have a meeting with city council. Dan said he wants to make sure that the entire
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board is on board to purchase this building. Deb asked all the board members if they want the building
or not and they answered - Deb said yes, Mark said yes, Amy said yes, Seaver said no, Dan said yes,
Matt said yes, Kelly said yes. Dan said that is a good thing to know.
Dan said he thinks the board needs to meet with them and get one last chance to purchase this building.
The board discussed the purchase price and the contract. The board discussed a five year period to see
if things work out agreement with the Walkers. Matt said young families need something in Yorkville,
they won't stay here. It is a big deal. Tim said if it is a lease it needs to be a longer lease like 10 years,
or it won't benefit the city.
Dan said that city council is not thinking in the future and they don't care what happens in 2020. Dan
said they have no vision. Mayor Golinski said when it was sold to the public it was supposed to break
even and it hasn't. Dan said the taxes go away and the deficit will go away. Mayor Golinski said a flier
was sent to every house in Yorkville, it was in the paper, what else could we do. Amy said the Mayor
said this is the best route. Deb asked if this is a personal vendetta with the owners. Mayor Golinski said
it could be yes.
Mayor Golinski said those same people are not screaming about the new high school expansion. The
board discussed a personal vendetta regarding the REC Center. Mayor Golinski said kids will be
hanging out on street corners. Deb said there is nothing for them to do. Mayor Golinski said before the
city took this over the REC Center, prices were double, there was nothing for kids to do here. Deb said
that city council doesn't see the future.
The board told the Mayor to schedule a joint meeting with city council. Mayor said he will arrange it.
Mayor Golinski said that he supports the REC Center because is it the most fiscally responsible decision.
Laura asked the board as the recommending body what is your recommendation. The board said to
purchase the building.
Dan asked if Beecher Center makes money. The Mayor said it costs the city money. Dan said no one
says anything about that. Kelly said the REC Center services more people. Deb said that is a great
example to bring up in the meeting. Kendall Area Transit we spend $35,000 per year to service 200
people. Deb said this is personal and not about the REC Center. The Mayor said that the city pays to
pick up leaves $12,000 per year for that, when the people could pick them up and bag them themselves.
Mayor said there are plenty of things that we could look at that are redundant services.
The board told Mayor Golinski to schedule a joint meeting with city council.
New Business:
Election of Officers –
Deb asked for the board suggestions. Amy said it has previously been done by
seniority. Kelly said that is the way it has been done, which makes Deb president, Kelly vice and Seaver
secretary. The board agreed to Deb Horaz as President, Kelly Sedgwick as Vice President and Seaver
Tarulis as secretary. The board approved the election as stated it was approved by roll call vote.
Motion was approved.
Hometown Days Festival 2012 Report and 2013 Music Schedule –
Tim said the final report on
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Hometown Days was a profit of $27,522 with one day of rain. The board was happy with that result.
Tim said there were four days of music with good bands and a good carnival and with better weather it
would have been more.
Tim said since he took over in 2007 the festival has not lost money. The board discussed booking a
national act. Tim said the city has shown that we are making money. Tim said he looked at the band
Night Ranger. Tim said on that night it will be a five dollar entrance fee. Scott said everyone that night
will be five dollars. Tim said that would only be Saturday after five. Tim said Thursday will still be
family night and only a couple bucks the other nights.
The board discussed the costs. Scott pointed out it is seven dollars to get in the Kendall County Fair.
Tim said that Night Ranger has a lot of songs and could be a big draw. The board discussed different
band options in their price range. Tim said the city would get insurance for that day. Tim said the city
will make money. Tim said that if the board approves this it still has to go to city council to sign off on
it.
The board took a roll call vote to have a national act at one night of Hometown Days Festival. The
board approved.
Athletic Refund Policy –
Tim said this is something the board discussed before with someone backing
out of a softball league. Tim said the policy didn't apply to athletic leagues only to classes. Tim said a
25% service charge would be appropriate, since the staff has costs in making schedules. Tim said this
will apply to the athletic leagues not classes. The board accepted the athletic policy changes.
2013 Meeting Schedule –
The board approved the 2013 meeting schedule.
Reports:
Directors Report -
The Athletic Field Policy was approved by City Council. Laura said the city has
had other baseball groups contact them. Laura said the Fury and the Sparks contacted the city. Laura
said that the city is taking all teams in order, but there are only so many fields. YYBSA and Reds have
precedence, so the city is trying to make this work and will bring something to the December meeting.
Tim said he thinks the city can accommodate everyone if we work it out. Tim said there are only so
many certain size fields. The board said to do the best they can. Laura said the board doesn't have to
approve any more teams other than the YYBSA or Reds. Tim said once the agreements are approved in
order, it is a fair system. The board agreed.
Laura and Scott presented in Springfield on the OSLAD grant and it went well.
Recreation Report –
Tim said that soccer and flag football ended a couple weeks ago. Basketball
season starts practices soon and basketball is up in numbers and growing. The preschool program is
going well the teacher has a great background and she is teaching the letters by how easy it is to draw
them not necessarily in order. Tim said parents have given great feedback with her.
Tim said the Halloween event went well and it has gotten bigger each year. Holiday Under the Stars will
have Santa, ice rink, and fireworks at 9 p.m. Tim said hopefully it will be a great turn out.
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Parks Report –
None.
Suspend Regular Meeting and go into Executive Session:
The regular meeting was suspended to go into executive session at 7:36 p.m. Motion made by Kelly
Sedgwick and seconded by Mark Dilday.
Regular Meeting Called to Order:
The regular meeting resumed at 8:01 p.m. Motion made by Kelly Sedgwick and seconded by Seaver
Tarulis.
Additional Business:
None.
Adjournment:
There being no further business, motion was made to adjourn at 8:01 p.m.
Minutes Respectfully Submitted by:
Lisa Godwin
Minute Taker
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