Park Board Minutes 2005 05-09-05 Page 1 of 5
Yorkville Parks and Recreation Department
Board Meeting
May 9, 2005
CALL TO ORDER
Vice President Ken Koch called the meeting to order at 7 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Ken Koch, Richard Korinek, Van Truman and Tammy Smock. Q
Absent Heather Fiala and Alderman Paul James.
President Chris Rollins arrived at 7:05 p.m.
GUESTS/CITY OFFICIALS/STAFF
Laura Brown, Executive Director
PUBL IC COMMENTS
None
APPROVAL OF BILLS
Smock made a motion to approve the April 25, 2005 minutes. Truman seconded the
motion. The motion was unanimously approved by voice vote.
BILLS REVIEW
Brown said there are two additional hand-written checks from the golf outing held the
previous week. The checks were for $8,279.84 and $9,822.12. Brown said although the
final figures aren't in yet, she estimates the golf outing will net about $22,000. The goal
was $18,000.
The cash analysis and bills list were approved as submitted with the addition of the two
checks. Komiek made the motion and Koch seconded it. Korinek, Koch, Truman, Rollins
and Smock voted yes in a roll call vote.
OLD BUSINESS
*Senior Service Ad-Hoc meeting update
Brown said the Senior Services is interested in relocating, even temporarily, to the
Beecher Center. The matter will now go to the City Council for further discussion.
In all, five Parks Department programs this summer will be affected by the Senior
Services relocating. Four programs can be relocated to a church. The Parks Department is
still looking into the cost of relocating the programs.
Brown said there would be some growing pains, but ultimately the Recreation
Department is moving in the direction of having its own building. Koch asked what the
long-term plans would be. Brown said the Park and Recreation Department 's long-term
goals would be to have its own community building. It would make sense, she added, for
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a senior center to be combined with it. Ideally, the Park and Recreation Department
could find a building for sale where a gymnasium could be added to it, she said.
For now, combining the two senior centers, the one formerly at Countryside and the one
at Beecher, into one center will be a test to see if the two groups can cohabitate.
Rollins added there are a lot of features at the Beecher Center that might make it better
suited to seniors. It' s a single story building with fairly limited parking and access, he
said.
However, he said his major concern is the budget and how soon the Park and Recreation
Department can find more permanent space for it' s other programs.
*2005-06 Budget Status
Brown said the City Council approved the 2005-06 Parks Department budget. She said
there was discussion over master' s degree allocations within the budget. Rather than
having the courses approved automatically, she said some aldermen wanted staff to get
approval on a class-by-class basis.
Brown also said the position for a park planner passed. A planner will be hired in
September after a community development person is hired. The park planner will fall
under the community development position and that person will be supervised by the
City Council. So, for right now, she said the position is in a holding pattern.
Although, Brown won't be involved in the interview process or the supervision of the
park planner, the Parks Department should still have some say in the matter because
funds will be coming from the land-cash fund.
In the meantime, Brown said the position for a part-time recreation person was added.
That position- will be a 20-hour per week job. Also, a 20-hour per week receptionist
position was added. Also, salaries for the department heads were approved, she said.
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NEW BUSINESS
* Summary of Town Meeting — Rivers Edge Park H / concept design and
recommendation
Brown said seven residents attended the meeting. On a whole, they seem fine with the
plan. More of the discussion centered on other ideas such as a labyrinth. Someone
suggested the labyrinth be located at Crawford Park.
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The Parks Department also will identify the planting areas in the park on the landscaping
plan. The Parks Department will supply the materials and the homeowner' s association
will plant and tend to the plantings.
With the Park Board' s permission, she said she' d like to move forward in the design and
go out for bids. The Park Board gave a unanimous recommendation to the plan and to
seek bids.
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Whispering Meadows Park Design/OSLAD Grant
This park is located west of Route 47 where Kimball Hill Homes is doing its big
development. The property includes a 12-acre park and a 15 -acre school site. Brown said
the boundary line for the school site isn't completely set. However, she said she' s
assuming the Parks Department and the grade school can share parking.
Because the roe is located near railroad tracks the ark will have a railroad theme.
property m' � p
The shelter will look like a depot, there will be a mini-train as a playground feature and
the entry arch will look like one in a depot. A climbing border around the playground
area will give the park a canyon feel, Brown added .
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The park also will feature a baseball field and two small soccer fields. One of the
elements Brown really likes is the BMX bike track. It' s a feature desperately needed for
the teenagers, she said. Rollins said he' s curious to learn what the public thinks about a
BMA track. He, for one, said it' s a- nice feature. Brown said the City Council liked the
idea.
There also will be a paved trail along the whole park with a trail that leads to the Rob
Roy Creek trail.
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Brown said the Parks Department is seeking a $350, 000 OSLAD grant to help fund the
park. The remaining $350, 000 would be funded by the city, she said.
Rollins said he' d like to make sure the School Board is in agreement with the plans,
particularly about where to locate the parking lot. He said he' d like the parking lot to be
useful for both the schools and the parks. Brown said that fortunately City Planner Mike
Schoppe works for the city and the School District and he would know if the two sides
weren't on the same page.
Rollins said overall the concept for the park looks great.
Park Naming Application from Rotary Club for Park E
Brown said the Rotary Club would like to adopt Park E and name it Rotary Park. She said
there is some merit to having community groups adopt parks. She asked, however, for the
group to have a least one annual event at the park so that there is some sense of
ownership along with the name.
Truman said he doesn't want to get into the habit of putting a price tag on such a thing.
But Rollins said he liked like to see the group have an attachment to the park rather than
in name only.
The Park Board agreed to bring the matter to the City Council with a recommendation for
approval.
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Election of Park Board Officers
Korinek made a motion to re-elect all current officers in their current positions. Smock
seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously approved by a voice vote. Rollins
was re-elected president, Koch was re-elected vice president and Fiala was re-elected
secretary.
Park Tour Dates
After discussion on which parks to visit and how to shorten the tour, the tour was
tentatively set for June 11 .
Park Liaisons
Brown asked if the Park Board members wanted to make any changes to the parks they
area assigned to . A few trades were made, but most of the park liaison assignments
remained the same.
City Council Rotation Schedule
Brown said the City Council suggested Park Board members come to City Council
meetings on a regular basis. She said the council suggested the Park Board should be
more visible.
Koch said he wouldn't mind going if there' s a park issue on the agenda, but he said he
doesn't want to attend the meetings on a regular basis. Also, he said that ideally it would
be better to attend the Committee of the Whole meetings where the issues are discussed
in further detail. Truman said he too would make an effort to attend a meeting if
necessary.
In an unrelated matter, Rollins asked if the school board was going to reappoint a liaison
to the Park Board folio- ing the resignation of Bob Pilmer. Brown said Mayor Art
Prochaska has contacted the School District about whether the district wants to reappoint
a liaison. She' ll report back when she knows what the decision is.
REPORTS
Director' s Report
Brown went over the director' s report included in the board packet. She also pointed out
to the Park Board that minute taker Judy Rice has resigned. Rollins suggested the Park
Board draft a letter of appreciation to Rice for her services.
She said the Youth Baseball agreement is going well. She said it has been requested that
the Parks Department reserve one diamond for the traveling team. Rollins said it' s a good
idea to designate a field for that use.
Correspondence
Brown highlighted some of the emails and other correspondences, which are provided in
the board packet.
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Truman made a motion to adjourn. Koch seconded the motion. The meeting adjourned at
8 : 50 p .m.
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Minutes respectfully submitted by Dina Gipe
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