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Park Board Minutes 2005 09-26-05 UNITED CITY OF YORKVILLE YORKVILLE PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT BOARD MEETING Parks & Recreation Administrative offices Riverfront Building Monday, September 26, 2005 MINUTES CALL TO ORDER. Meeting was called to order by Chris Rollins at 7 : 00 p .m. ROLL CALL . Chris Rollins, Ken Koch, Heather Fiala, and Tammy Smock GUESTS/CITY OFFICIALS/STAFF: Laura Brown, Park and Recreation Director Scott Sleezer, Superintendent of Parks Allecia Vermillion, Beacon News PUBLIC COMMENTS : None APPROVAL OF MINUTES . There was a correction on page 10 of the September 12, 2005 minutes—The Park Board had recommended no park land in Aspen Ridge (not Autumn Ridge) . j i Minutes from the September 12, 2005 board meeting were approved on motion by Ken Koch and seconded by Tammy Smock. The motion was unanimously approved. BILLS REVIEW: Cash Analysis & Bills List Laura Brown wanted to clarify that on page 10 the $40. 92 for tolls for the pet parade were actually for tolls and program expenses for the pet parade. Tolls were actually only $ 3 . 00 and the balance was for supplies . Fox Valley Special Recreation was reimbursed for the non-resident as discussed at the last meeting. An approved copy of the policy was provided to be put in the policy manual. Heather Fiala motioned to approve the bills list and was seconded by Ken Koch. Roll call vote: Chris Rollins—Yes, Ken Koch—Yes, Heather Fiala—Yes, Tammy Smock— Yes. The motion was unanimously approved. 1 i DEVELOPMENT The sewer lines and the water lines are in at the regional park. One of the fields is totally groomed with the other two to follow, which will include fall seeding. There were a few minor changes to the parking lot. Regarding upcoming baseball, Ken Koch informed Laura Brown that someone will be contacting her about the priorities of the age groups and possibly purchasing a portable mound. Gilbert Park is done. Sunflower and Cannonball parks are under construction. There was an issue with Rice Park. Children are throwing rocks from the stone wall that is around the sand. Scott Sleezer indicated that he will have someone look at it and see what they can do so that these rocks do not get moved. OLD BUSINESS : Seniors Arrangement/Space Status Update There was no additional information at this time. on Update Establishing a Park DistrictlOpen Forum P g Laura Brown had drafted an informational sheet informing the public about the Open Forum that was to discuss the possibility of becoming a park district. She made a few changes to the draft. The first bullet will now be, "Do you want Park and Recreation Services expanded? The third bullet will be, "How does the issues and discussion at the City Council meeting about forming a park district affect you and the community? " The sixth bullet will be, "When and should Yorkville get a public pool and aquatic center?" And the final bullet will be a discussion about community awareness and venues for park and recreation services. Residents of Yorkville, people who have participated in programs or are in the school district, and partners and stakeholders in the Community will be notified about this forum. It will also be in The Record and The Beacon News . Laura Brown will make the revisions and will notify the Board of the place and the Thursday in October that is available. Update on Parks 1 PW Maintenance Facility There is no update at this time NEW BUSINESS : Park Naming Applications /Requests There is a policy that in order for a park to be named after a person, this person must have resided in Yorkville or have had a significant contribution to Yorkville. We received three applications for naming the parks . Two of the applications will be denied because the people did not reside in or contribute to Yorkville. Laura Brown will request more information on the third application as the application did not provide much detail about the person' s life. 2 II i Park Board Meeting Dates (Fiala) Heather Fiala proposed changing the night of the Board meetings and meeting monthly instead of bimonthly. There was a concern that the Board meetings may become too lengthy if they met monthly, although canceling a meeting if there is not much on the agenda would be considered. They are considering changing the meeting to Thursdays, but they will need to ask the Board members that are not present. At the next Board meeting Laura Brown will give the Board a Thursday schedule to approve, and they will reexamine the question of a second meeting on an as needed basis . i REPORTS Director Report Last Saturday Laura Brown presented at the Illinois Municipal League on Park and Recreation. It was well attended. Laura Brown also wanted to bring to the Board ' s attention the Economics Research Associates Report on the benefits of parks. This covers some of the issues that some of the Aldermen were having on why we should have parks and the value of them. This study, which was done by the Illinois Association of Park Districts (IAPD), will be a great tool to use as a reference, including on establishing a park district. Parks Scott Sleezer notified the Board that they let go of the person who was handling the ' baseball fields. He was in his one year probation period and they felt it would be in the City' s best interest to let him go . They have a seasonal person who will help out until Christmas . To fill the position, they will be looking for someone with laboring experience and they will train him. The quality of the baseball fields is very good and there is a standard on how we want to keep them. In fact, people have asked why Parks does not maintain the schools ' fields . Two people from Park and Recreation have attended playground safety school and have taken the certification tests and as a result, we have identified some issues that needed to be corrected. In addition, two Park employees and one Recreation employee will be going to NRPA in October in San Antonio . Scott Sleezer will be finishing his second year at a maintenance school in Colorado . And Sue Swithin will be finishing her final year at PDF, a professional development school: This is a good opportunity for the people and the City reaps the benefits of this education, too, with a high quality of work and the condition of the parks. IPRA is having their annual conference the third week in January at the Hilton on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The City will pay for the Board to attend this if they are interested. This would be a great opportunity for Board members to meet other Board members . ADDITIONAL BUSINESS None 3 i i I CORRESPONDENCE: Miscellaneous Correspondence Articles are in the packets to read. i ADJOURNMENT : The meeting adjourned at 7 :47 p.m. following the motion by Heather Fiala and seconded by Ken Koch. The motion was unanimously approved. Respectfully Submitted, Jeanne Arbet Minute Taker I I i 4 ATTENDANCE Yorkville Parks & Recreation Department Board Meeting Monday, September 26, 2005 Please Sian In GUESTS/CITY OFFICIALS/STAFF: Laura Brown, Parks and Recreation Director Scott Sleezer, Superintendent of Parks Allecia Vermillion, Beacon News i i I BOARD MEMBERS : i Eh Heather Fiala ❑ Alderman Paul James Ken Koch ❑ Richard Korinek Chris Rollins Tammy Smock ❑ Van Truman I