Park Board Minutes 2005 06-13-05 I
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APPROVED
UNITED CITY OF YORKVI LLE
YORKVILLE PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT BOARD MEETING
Parks & Recreation Administrative offices Riverfront Building
Monday, June 13, 2005
NIINUTES
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CALL TO ORDER:
Vice President Koch called the meeting to order at 7 :02 p.m.
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ROLL CALL:
Tammy Smock, Heather Fiala, Ken Koch, Alderman Paul James, and
Van Truman (arrived at 7:27p. m.)
GUESTS/CITY OFFICIALS/STAFF:
Laura Brown, Park and Recreation Director
Sue Swithin, Superintendent of Recreation
Alderman Dean Wolfer
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
None
APPROVAL OF ACUq UTES:
A change was made to the minutes dated May 23, 2005 on page 4. The sunken footings
were at Rice Park, not Fox Hill. The May 9, 2005, May 23, 2005, May 23, 2005
Sunflower Park Town Meeting, and June 11 , 2005 - Park Tour Minutes were approved on
motion by Tammy Smock and seconded by Heather Fiala. The motion was unanimously
approved.
BILLS REVIEW:
A duplicate check was requested because the vendor misplaced it. It is not a new
expenditure, just a replacement check. Heather Fiala motioned to approve the bills list
and seconded by Van Truman. The roll call vote passed unanimously.
OLD BUSINESS:
Senior Service AX hoc Meeting
Laura Brown is waiting for the*drawing proposals for the design reconstruction from
Harold Oliver. According to City Administrator Graff we are moving forward in
bringing an update to City Council on Tuesday. Right now we are status quo at keeping
operating as is.
Park Maintenance Building-Pinance options with Alternative Bonds
There was question on how the Park Maintenance Facility (possibly to be located at
Prairie Meadows) was going to be funded. Speer Financial assists with the City' s bond
funding, and they recommended alternate bonds with a 13 year retirement using land cash
as the revenue source. They can give a debt service schedule on how it can be done with
a revenue source of land cash. In addition, There is a letter from Attorney Kelly Kramer
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that there is a property owner who is interested in discussing the purchase of their
property if the city were to explore that option for the park maintenance facility. Heather
Fiala and Ken Koch were not comfortable using Land Cash to fund the facility. Van
Truman suggested having Traci come in to talk about what options are viable. Laura
Brown will have Traci attend the next meeting and put this on the agenda for the next
meeting to find out what all our options are. We would like to do this as a joint venture
with Public Works,
Park Tour Summary — Park Master Plan
Once a year a park master plan update is usually done following a park tour, but that will
be on hold in the event that a park planner is hired. That person will execute the update
instead of outsourcing that function. Laura Brown will update internally her master plan
to reflect any changes or additions that may come up so that there is one central plan. i
Whispering Meadows Park Design / OSLAD Grant status
Parks is on track with a filing deadline of July 1, 2005 which will be a grant amount of
$350,000. City Council has already approved it, and it is in the final stages, Laura
Brown is still waiting for the state on the selection of the bike path but the grant
administrator is very confident that we will get the bike path. Upcoming will be a
transportation enhancement grant which is a state funded grant through IDOT which is
for pedestrian travels—bike paths. The bike path will go from the north end of Grand
Reserve all the way to Morris using the ComEd easement, connecting us with the
Illinois/Michigan Bike Track. This will go through City Council first.
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NEW BUSDvFSS:
Bid Opening results for Gilbert Park
There were three bidders for the installation of Gilbert Park (JEM Morris, George' s
Landscaping, and Kenneth Company). Staff recommended JEM Morris with the
alternates added in the amount of $49,758 . Although we were over budget on the
equipment, by using JEM Morris we will be under budget on the installation which
brings us closer to budget. Alderman Paul James questioned that since we have so many
parks coming if we could get a discount from a company by doing a bulk bid. Laura
Brown replied that this is difficult because each of our parks and their install amenities
are so different. That idea would work if all the playgrounds were the same, which they
are not. Heather Fiala made a motion on using JEM Morris and which was seconded by
Tammy Smock. The roll call vote passed unanimously.
School District Board letter and memo from Director Brown
The Park Board talked about the letter that the superintendent sent indicating the intent to
discontinue the Intergovernmental Agreement between the Board of Education of
Yorkville and the City of Yorkville Parks Department. In her memo Laura Brown
indicated the need to proactively solve some of these problems and listed five suggestions
to remediate the problems. Tammy Smock indicated that she did not feel that this is the
proper time to drop the school liaison considering we are going into a lot of school type
parks.
Ken Koch asked Sue Swithin what problems have been encountered with the schools.
Sue Swithin explained last year' s situation when Superintendent Engler received a
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-- request for space at the same time the public received their catalog indicating the school' s
space being used. Although changing the class location was not an issue for Park and
Recreation as they feel it is easier to change a couple programs than to not get a catalog
out, Superintendent Engler did not feel good about this. Since this situation, a calendar
has been submitted way in advance to receive approval or denial before the catalog gets
submitted to the printer.
Van Truman indicated the need for school board representation at Parks and Recreation
meetings.
Park Naming Application for Sunflower lower Park
In order to be formal, at the last meeting Laura Brown was asked to fill out a Park
Naming Application for Sunflower Park. Laura needs approval so she can forward this to
City Council to have this approved. Unanimously, all were in favor.
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Teen Center Survey Results
A survey was taken at the High School and the Middle School to see what the teens want
if a facility were to open up. The final results were recorded and will be used in the
future.
In the fall Sue Swithin is looking into developing a Friday night program for Middle
School every other week or twice a month. This will replace the Wednesday night open
gym at the Middle School which had low participation due to it being on a school night.
Scope of Services for the Shoppe Design for Cannonball Ridge Park and Whispering
Meadows Park
The expenditures being taken out of Land Cash for planning services are very high.
However, the only two that could be delayed are Cannonball Ridge Park and Whispering
Meadows Park for a total of 76, 900. This year alone, $ 107,000 will be spent in planning
dollars. Paul James asked that if we delay it, would it put the grant into jeopardy. Laura
Brown indicated that the grant is already secured for Cannonball Ridge. Ken Koch stated
that when there is a subdivision that is 94% complete there is an obligation to proceed.
Van Truman made the motion that Laura Brown approve and enter into agreement with
Schoppe Design Associates, Inc. Heather Fiala seconded. The roll call vote passed
unanimously.
Cooperative Agreement for Parkview Christian Academy
Laura Brown is requesting approval to enter into agreement with Parkview Christian
Academy to use their facility for our program as a result of changes that will be occurring
at the Beecher Community Center with the relocation of the Senior Service Program to
where traditionally the "Kiddie Camp" is held. The school sites were not available for
the full duration of the program. The cost will be $ 1 , 620. Laura Brown' s memo is
asking City Council for approval and to authorize the allocation of General Fund
Contingency dollars to cover this un-budgeted expense. Heather Fiala motioned to send
this forward to City Council. Van Truman seconded the motion. The roll call vote
passed unanimously.
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Discussion about future Pool development or recreation community center—Funding
Options – referendum when, how
There was . a request for a fact sheet about why. Yorkville does not have a pool and the j
misconceptions that the YMCA is city owned, which it is not. The Park Board needs to
know what our direction is for a future pool/recreation community center. If we are to
use a referendum, it takes a year. If this is something we want to pursue, it must be
resident focused/volunteer focused (non-staff). Van Truman does believe that it needs to
be pursued. Laura Brown indicated to move forward a resident (non-staff) must write a
memo to City Council indicating the desire to move forward with a referendum. Laura
Brown suggested the first thing to do is study up on the referendum process and come
back with questions. Paul James thinks it is important to get feedback from the public.
Heather Fiala thinks that we need to have a town meeting this summer while it is on their
mind. Laura Brown indicated that in the referendum process it is important to educate
the public from the start the impact on how the funding works. This issue will be put
back on another agenda.
Van Truman asked about becoming a Park District. Laura Brown indicated that as a
Park District the only legal right it gives you is to levy separate checks. It does not give
you legal rights to the staff, equipment, land, or amenities. They still stay with the
municipalities unless the municipalities say they want to give them to you. Currently we
are showing that we are curving costs and really benefiting the city as a whole by having
those joint amenities with Public Works and sharing manpower and equipment. There
are some great benefits to that.
REPORTS:
Recreation Report
Sue Swithin presented the recreation report for the spring season. An intern was hired.
They are considering purchasing a blow up portable movie screen to own and we can rent
it out to groups.
Concession 2005 Status Report
Sue Swithin presented the Concession Report. She anticipates a good profit this year.
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ADDITIONAL BUSINESS:
Laura Brown received the soil analysis results. Three came back fine. Two came back
with a mulch substance. The soil engineer said that there is a pocket where the farmer
dumped his waste which is nine feet deep. This could not be anticipated. Ken Koch
indicated that we need to get something out to the residents of what is causing the delay.
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ADJOURNMENT:
The meeting adjourned at 8 : 55 p.m. following the motion by Heather Fiala and seconded.
by Tammy Smock,
Respectfiilly Submitted,
Jeanne Arbet
Minute Taker
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ATTENDANCE
Yorkville Parks & Recreation Department
Board Meeting
Monday, June 13, 2005
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Please Sinn In _
GUESTS/CITY OFFICIALS/STA + + : j
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Laura Brown, Parks and Recreation Director
Sue Swithin, Superintendent of Recreation
Alderman Dean Wolfer
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BOARD MEMBERS :
Heather Fiala
Alderman Paul James Ken Koch
❑ Richard Korinek ❑ Chris Rollins Tammy Smock
Van Truman (Arrived at 7:27 p. m)
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