Park Board Minutes 2013 10-10-13APPROVED 11/14/13
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Yorkville Parks and Recreation Department
City Hall
800 Game Farm Road
October 10, 2013 at 6:00 p.m.
Call to Order: Deb Horaz called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m.
Roll Call: Deb Horaz – yes; Kelly Sedgwick – no; Seaver Tarulis – yes; Mark Dilday – no; Amy Cesich
– yes; Dan Lane – yes; Matt Konecki – yes.
Introduction of City Official and Staff:
Tim Evans – Superintendent of Recreation
Scott Sleezer – Superintendent of Parks
Chris Funkhouser – Alderman Ward 3
Gary Golinski ‐ Mayor
Other Guests: Iris Cooney – Sense of Samadhi
Public Comment: None.
Presentation: None.
Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the September 26, 2013 minutes were approved. Motion to
approve the minutes was made by Matt Konecki and seconded by Dan Lane.
Bills Review:
August 22, 2013 – These are the bills missing from last meeting. The board had a couple questions on a
few items. Matt asked if the city makes mulch for playgrounds and Scott said no, it has to be a certain
kind that the city purchases to absorb shock when kids fall.
October 10, 2013 – Dan has a question about cedar tables. Scott said they were for Bridge Park. Dan
asked about a turf purchase. Tim said it was for a portable pitching mound.
Old Business:
Hometown Days – Financial Report – Tim said this report was presented to city council this week. Tim
said the staff recommendation to combine Hometown Days and July 4th is not going to happen. Tim said
the city did lose a small amount of money this year on Hometown Days. Two whole days were lost, due
to weather and the city is only $500 short, which shows the strength of this festival and with good
weather it is profitable.
Tim said this shows the 4th of July numbers going into next year, so the committee can decide what they
are going to do with that event. Tim said the city is already reaching out to the bands etc. to move
forward on Hometown Days. Mayor Golinski said that most of the council does not want to combine
the two festivals.
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The council wants to see both festivals separate to keep Hometown Days going strong. Amy asked
about how the 4th will be funded. Mayor Golinski said the city has never spent money on July 4th. Tim
said the 4th is $10,000 short right now. The city does give Porto lets and barricades for the 4th event.
Tim said last year it was February before things got going. The committee has more time this year to
plan for this event this year and begin raising funds.
Deb asked if the committee is short, will the fireworks happen. Tim said if they are short, it will probably
be the end of it. Tim said the contract has to be signed early to do fireworks, so the committee will be
on the hook. Tim said the committee can decide on just doing a parade or combining with Oswego. Tim
said he doesn’t think that will save money to combine.
Deb asked about combining and how that works. Tim said there has not been discussion on that yet.
Tim said the committee wants to make this happen. Mayor Golinski said a concern of city council is that
people come from all over for Hometown Days and they will not come here for a 4th of July festival. Tim
is optimistic that the city can keep both and so is Mayor Golinski.
Tim said that he would hate to see things like the 4th of July go and there is time to fundraise now for
this. Tim said the community knows this is not a city event now and they will be willing to help more.
Dan said he sees both sides and what bothers him is that park board spent a lot of time discussing this at
the last meeting and everyone thought it was a good idea. Dan said other people think it is a good idea
too. As an advisory committee, Dan said we are not listened to ‐ the school board agrees, police agree.
Dan said why should he be on this board because he is wasting his time.
Dan said four people negate all the feelings of the people here. Dan asked Mr. Funkhouser, why he
thinks his ego is so big that he can supersede all of us. Chris Funkhouser said the school district doesn’t
want us to interfere with anything they do at any time. He said they would like to have our building
vacated, so it is not in the middle of their campus. It is the school districts way or no way. We are an
inconvenience to them.
In the police department, there are 12 extra officers hired for those nights specifically for eight to 12
hours and staff time is not accounted for in the profitability of the event. Hometown Days has been
Yorkville’s event for years and the city moved it from downtown to the current location because it
wouldn’t work down there and people come from all over to attend the Hometown Days.
The July 4th event the city helped one year with this. All of the alderman answer to the residents to gage
what we can or cannot do. No one wants to get rid of the 4th, but combining them creates some
problems in order to accommodate things and handle the logistics. The thought is to keep Hometown
Days as the city’s mainstay. The city knows how to run that and make a profit.
Alderman Funkhouser said the community needs to come out and support the 4th private entities run
things better than the city can. Alderman Funkhouser said it is not about an ego at all. This is looking
out for what the community can or cannot do. Dan Lane said in other words our board is not, you four
are looking out for them more than we are. Alderman Funkhouser said the purpose of the boards are to
make recommendations and they might not always fall in the same order as the city council sees fit. The
REC Center was a dollars and cents issue, which is a hard problem to deal with as to what we can afford
to stay in the black not the red and not burden them with additional taxes for this type of event.
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Deb said that Hometown Days is getting harder because it is getting bigger. Dan said who is going to
staff that. They have to work both events now without any staff and I don’t see the alderman out there
helping out. Dan said at least pay staff to run the event. Dan said look at Oswego how they run things.
Alderman Funkhouser said that they have a separate taxing body for those things.
Alderman Funkhouser said that we do have a small staff and it is true we are shorthanded, but that is all
budgetary as to what the city can accommodate. The extra events the staff are paid overtime, some are
not and yes it is a burden to them. Deb said the city cannot keep cutting staff and do all the city wants
to do. Dan said it is a lot to ask of the staff.
Alderman Funkhouser said to cut the events and it relieves the burden of the staff. Tim said he will give
the board updates as things move forward.
New Business: (Items out of order)
Park Rental Waiver Request – Sense of Samadhi – The board discussed if they had previously granted a
waiver for them in the past. Amy thought that they asked for one before and it was not granted. Scott
said he believes Amy is correct. Scott said they were bringing in other vendors and it was more of a fair
so there was booth charges and money being raised for another non‐profit it was at Riverfront Park.
Scott said the decision was based on the unknown and they were not sure how many people would
attend. Scott said this year we were not going to waive the fee. Iris, from Sense of Samadhi, said if you
read the memo it points out that there was a $2,000 deficit for the event. Iris said I Speak for the Trees,
a Charity asked that the yoga studio put an event on to raise money. Culvers is doing the same thing
they wanted yoga in the park so they requested a fee waiver for I Speak for the Trees. If they come up
with $5,000, then it would go to pay for the trees that the city is removing and it is a non‐profit money
for the trees.
The Sense of Samadhi organization is actually staffing the vent for free setting up an taking down the
event 100% of donations go for I Speak for the Trees that is doing multiple fundraising events in
Yorkville. Iris said a for profit business should not get a fee waiver she brought to light the Men
Physically Fit and other organizations and it seems there is not consistency because the city is growing
and developing the procedures.
Iris said in our opinion, other businesses that received fee waivers had very similar set ups and business
models and their business models are for profit and they had signage and made money, so we are
asking for things to be looked at once again, so that the city has the information to make the
appropriate decision.
Scott said it is not a staff decision to waive fees and we have not waived fees for anyone. Iris said there
are some. Deb said city council did that. Scott said from staff, we have to uphold policy and if council
does that it is up to them. Scott said the staff does not waive fees. Tim said the staff never does. Scott
said they uphold the policy.
Scott said she needs to ask the alderman. Deb said the board votes on it here and then council decides.
Iris said it is a wonderful event that speaks to the community. Scott said we uphold policy and not
decide if something is good or bad. Tim said there are things where the city is a partner and shares in
the profit sometimes.
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Iris asked if she answered the questions related to the events. Amy stated why she would be in favor of
a rental fee for this particular thing or waiving it all together because it is going back into the community
and helping the community not about a profit of a business, which there is nothing wrong with, I don’t
want to penalize businesses for doing well.
Amy said she looked at it and I have seen Jen promoting the I Speak for the Trees group and is very
passionate for this and she gives back to the food pantry. Amy said in the past, the board did not want
to set a precedence so we usually say no. Amy said this is different because it gives back to the
community.
Amy said she would like to waive it. Tim said this one is different than the other festival. Tim said just
vote on this request here. Scott said the board needs to be aware that this is something Tim and I did
quite often where people wanted to promote businesses or make money. Scott said there was a man
that came in and started selling paintings and he let him know there are rules to follow for selling things
in the park. Scott said he agrees with Amy because the money is coming back to the town it is
purchasing trees for residents that had trees cut down in their yard.
Scott said we follow the policy and talk to board or city council. Dan asked Iris if they are selling goods.
Iris said the tree thing is people coming and doing yoga and putting $10 in a basket for the trees. Terry
was asked and put the application through as a business and now we understand she should have done
it as I Speak for the Trees. Iris said it was not obvious how these decisions are being made. Iris gave
examples of other festivals and things in the past and there was confusion and mis information and
wondering where to go and who to ask. Iris said it was confusion.
Iris said there were fees that came up. Scott said at Riverfront there are fees. Deb said that is on the
form and there is a 5% charge to the city. Iris said why are others getting benefits, why can’t we for a
fitness festival for good things. Iris said there was a loss incurred by a company that sponsored it.
Companies need to help do things and the city should not deter companies to help the community.
Iris said she understands that the city should not be taken advantage of either. Scott said the idea of
River City Roasters and Foxy’s Ice cream doing things is the city was trying to get businesses down there
because of the location and drawing interest to the riverfront. Scott said that is why and Tim said they
are a partner with the city and the city gets 5% of their earnings. Iris said a partnership would be a good
idea a 50‐50.
Matt said why don’t we partner with this idea it is a good one. Scott said we have to be careful because
we get a lot of requests for those things. Matt said this is for the trees for the residents. Mayor Golinski
said waive the fee and move on. Tim said right now all the board can vote on is the fee for now.
Iris said she just wants to make sure all people are treated the same. Deb said that is why there is a
policy. Dan said there are individual situations. Iris asked what to re‐submit for the yoga festivals and
how to gather information to understand the fee waivers in the past. Scott said those things should be
on the website.
Iris asked what things were sponsored or partnered with the city. Tim said for Iris to email him and go
over things. Iris said we want to hold a festival and not lose $2000. Deb asked the board to vote. A
motion to waive the fees for the park for Sense of Samadhi. Motion made by Amy seconded by Matt.
Deb – no; Seaver – yes; Dan – yes; Matt – yes; Amy – yes. Motion passed.
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Farmers Market – Ideas – Tim said staff did meet with Oswego to find out what it will take to make this
happen. Tim said he will get more information, but by January, a decision needs to be made. Dan said
the location now is not good.
Amy thought we were looking at Riverfront. The board discussed different areas and the fact there is
construction. Scott said Riverfront as long as people know where it is located. It doesn’t have to be
obvious. Tim said when this was set up years ago it was inexpensive and no staff time for people to sell.
Tim said there was some big farm vendors, but they don’t sell anything.
Tim said the city can put things into this but it has to get the community involved. Tim said no one
comes back because they don’t make money. Matt asked how to promote it. Oswego has a dedicated
person to run it to organize it and advertise it. They are a park district. Tim said he will investigate it but
the big issue is does the city want to spend money on this and staff to make this happen. Tim said we
can bring this back with more information.
Dan asked about the city supporting it. Alderman Funkhouser said the EEC has discussed it and Joel
wants it. There is a business owner in town looking for an opportunity with something like this but that
is a private interest and an alderman wanting to support it. Tim said he will get him involved. Alderman
Funkhouser said Home Depot might jump in on something like this to help the community.
Scott said Aurora does theirs in the stores lot to get people to come to their businesses. The board
discussed that idea. Tim said someone staff wise has to dedicate their time or an alderman volunteer
time.
FY 14 Budget Amendment for Land‐Cash for Cannonball Ridge Park – Deb said the board needs to vote
on this. Scott said the city received money from developers a few years ago and the work has been
done and we saved money doing the work ourselves so there is some money that might be transferred
to land cash.
Cannonball Park has extra 5 acres added to it by design. Scott said through funding that came from
Kendall Marketplace, we were able to do a baseball field with a few things still needed to finish it. To
make the field usable, it needs a backstop and benches. The money would be transferred next year
anyway, but if we can move this money sooner it can be ready for spring instead of waiting another
year.
The board reviewed the amendment. Scott said it is not another park just adding to this park. Scott said
he wants to amend this so that the city can finish construction this year before baseball. Scott said this
is the right way to spend this money. Deb said to finish it. Motion to approve the amendment for land
cash for Cannonball Ridge Park made by Seaver and seconded by Dan. Deb –yes; Seaver – yes; Dan –
yes; Matt – yes; Amy – yes.
Reports:
Recreation Report – Tim said soccer is ending Saturday. Softball is still going. Basketball over 250 kids
have signed up. Tim said Tyler is doing well and Tim said he wants to get him to a meeting so everyone
can meet him. Scott said they need someone to run a tractor for the 25th.
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Tim said there are several events coming up that the city can use help running. Tim said the special
events for next year are being planned. Tim said he met with Chris and finalized the Ribs on a River date
for next year. Tim said he will have a list in the next month or two with all the events.
Parks Report – Scott said the parks were all fertilized and weed killer was applied and the staff did all
the work. The staff did the field at Cannonball Park. Scott said at Clark Park all the work was done by
staff and it should be done by the end of the month. Scott said the big day of serving this weekend and
he is a project chairperson and Yorkville got 2 projects all the posts downtown will be painted black.
Hillside Nursing Home is getting work done.
All over the county there is a lot of work to be done. 396 kids are coming to volunteer their time to help
this weekend. Scott said it is a great thing they are doing. Scott said we are getting ready for fall and
keeping an eye on the upcoming events and getting Christmas lights up etc. Alderman Funkhouser said
all the fixtures down town will be black in a certain zone.
Scott said the next step on our grant application and we have to do a three minute presentation in
Springfield. Scott said it is Friday the 18th at 2:00 p.m. it is literally a three minute time limit. Deb asked
about the cities chance. Scott said the next round is a good sign. Scott said it great and we need to
think about what we want to submit for next year and think about it now.
Deb said would that have to be an executive session because she wants the alderman to attend.
Alderman Funkhouser said for Bristol 65 the thought from residents is possibly underlining a skate park
with an ice rink that can be removed from the concrete skate structure and considering a multi season
structure.
Scott said he would like to see a permanent skate park like Oswego. Scott said we have had semi‐
permanent structures. Alderman Funkhouser said it has to be the top level of the structures to be able
to do that. Scott said they are not usually in a rink format. Alderman Funkhouser said like an old kidney
bean pool with structures into it and a ramp in and out of it with different walls. It is a pool with
amenities to it.
Scott said some districts have done that with parking lots. Alderman Funkhouser said it is just an idea as
you are all as a park board planning. Alderman Funkhouser said he has been talking with a private entity
that is looking for a program they can help with. One thing that struggled is the community gardens
north of Home Depot. He said there is an organization that is interested to organize and help with it.
Alderman Funkhouser said he has people who would like to help with that, but here is a land swap on
that property and we will not have access to some land for years. There are some logistics and we need
to get it out there and start talking about it. Amy said so it is a considerable investment that might not
stay. Alderman Funkhouswer said yes, so we can look at other facilities.
Scott said the biggest issue is Ann was good at having a third party to handle the rules because the city
does not have the manpower to run. These are garden plots that can be rented for residents. Last year
it did not get going. Scott said Grand Reserve B has a community garden plan for that park site. Scott
said he has some good ideas for the future that the board would like to hear.
Alderman Funkhouser said he would like to push this forward and get it working. If it has to move in a
year, it is not the worst. Scott said it is the week to week management of it that is the hard part.
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Alderman Funkhouser said regarding land‐cash he would like the board to reconsider the land‐cash
appraisals that have been sent. There are a lot of reasons to look at it he said. Alderman Funkhouser
said reasons to bring it down for development purposes.
Deb said the board looks at it long term and council looks at it today. Alderman Funkhouser said no, in
the last five years land‐cash is very minimal. Oswego is not receiving development fees for land‐cash. If
we consider reducing it, it can bring in more to fund the park board and do more. It is not a short term
issue, it is a long term. Deb said that is crazy isn’t it. The board discussed if the school board is aware
and been talked to. Alderman Funkhouser said that is being worked on.
Deb asked off setting it by acre by unit. Alderman Funkhouser said it can be lump sum or distribute the
difference. Alderman Funkhouser said he would like the park board to consider it. He would like to see
EDC and park board start discussion on this. The board discussed how the appraisals are done. They
stay in Yorkville and are spread out and they calculate a lot of different factors on the report and what
the actual value is on the property.
Additional Business: Tim said he met with YYBSA and an email was sent out from Wes Davey. Tim said
the purpose for the meeting was for the board to hear their point of view and hear some issues they
had. We met with them and communicated our points of view. They want us to look at some of the
fees that were passed and adjust them and other issues with field maintenance. Their big thing was the
fees.
The city raised the fees to what the travel teams pay and they asked if there was room to negotiate that.
Deb said she told them it was passed by park board and city council. Deb said she told them the city is
not changing it. Dan agreed. Tim said they talked about the Legion situation and how that played out.
Deb said they were complaining about concessions and how the bathrooms are not open and Wes has a
key. YYBSA claimed what was said in the minutes was false about the tournament. Deb said they are
playing games. Tim said this is up to the board to decide. Tim said the other things talked about were
scheduling and how YYBSA thinks they should be in charge.
Dan said he is dropping the circus idea because there is not support on the board and he won’t have the
city council support. Alderman Funkhouser said there was a settlement agreement after council the
other night which will pay for half of the 4th of July.
Adjournment: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:46 p.m. Motion was
made by Amy and seconded by Matt.
Minutes Respectfully Submitted by:
Lisa Godwin
Minute Taker
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Attachment for Park Board 10/ 10/ 13 Minutes
Park Rental Waiver Request — Sense of Samadhi
Retbuffal Memorandum
TO: Yorkville Park Board
FROM : Tairi Kearns , Owner, Sense of Samadhi , Metaphysically Fit Festival Planning
Committee
DATE : October 10 , 2013
SUBJECT: Fee Waiver Request process — past, present and future
Summary
This rebuttal is a request for fair consideration for past and future events . Our goal is to identify
the systems in place and the criteria that the city uses when waiving fees and partnering with
organizations . It is our belief that requests and information have not been provided to the
correct person(s) . This should rectify that or at least start that exchange .
Background
Tairi Kearns is a licensed clinical mental health therapist providing therapy to Yorkville and
surrounding area children , couples and families. She is a 13 year resident of Yorkville and has
four children . Tairi opened Sense of Samadhi as a complimentary service to her existing
therapy business to provide a non pharmaceutical approach to healing . Following an organic
approach of physical , mental , emotional health there is not one person who has ever been
turned away. There are free events weekly that provide food donations to the food bank. Year
to date local charitable donations from Tairi are in excess of $ 1 , 300 (only charitable not festival
related) .
I Speak for the Trees — Jennifer Slepicka asked for Tairi 's assistance in fund raising . The sole
purpose of this organization is to assist the City of Yorkville in replacing diseased trees . The
event calls on the Sense of Samadhi members to donate for trees.
Metaphysically Fit Festival — This past festival was year two : There was a loss in excess of
$2000 — much due to fee surprises . Sense of Samadhi organizes this festival on behalf of many
local residents . This provides the City of Yorkville with an event attendance in excess of 400
from all over this area to congregate, educate and participate in a day full of Yoga , Music, Art,
Organic Food and alternative therapies .
Re uttal
The recommendation to refuse the fee waiver for a fundraiser for tree replacement in The City of j
Yorkville was based on the request coming from a for profit local business . This event on
Monday is being delivered at the request of " I Speak for the Trees" and all proceeds go to
purchase trees . All expenses will be absorbed by Sense of Samadhi (the set up, take down
and staffing of this event) . 100% of all donations go to the charity.
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Rebuttal Continued
This recommendation to refuse noted that $ 1 , 300 was paid for at the Metaphysically Fit Festival .
Our business funds and facilitates this grass roots effort so that it can occur. It is not meant to j
be a for profit event.
Argument
We are being measured in a way that is not intuitive to us. We have attended many functions
in the City where the fees have been waived , adjusted or shared via sponsorship . All these
events are organized and funded by for profit organizations . All organizations had signage,
promoted their businesses and made profit. Two for profit music production companies , a
brewery and possibly others we are not aware of held events where their fees were absorbed
(detail unknown to us at this time) . Three for profit business renting from the City of Yorkville
are provided waivers in multiple formats.
Past requests for assistance met with confusion and misdirection and this was explained to us
by the city as being a learning curve at the city level . There was admittedly no agreed upon
criteria. In looking through past meeting minutes we do not see these waivers on agenda items
but know they did happen as we attended all events and talked to organizers.
Recommendation
We are asking that a fair and equitable amount of the last festival fees be returned . We ask
that this coming Monday's event be sponsored by the City and next years' festival fees be
waived .
We are asking for the same consideration as the above noted for profit business based on the
value that all these events bring to the City.
I am sure that the City wants to support a multicultural and diversified population with events
that speak to all . We would be happy to provide a more detailed argument should you need
one . To do so we would need all the details referenced above and we could create a matrix to
see if there are any differences between any of these for profit businesses .
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