Park Board Minutes 2016 02-11-16 special meetingPage 1 of 3
Yorkville Parks and Recreation Department
Park Board Special Meeting
Parks Maintenance Building
185 Wolf Street
6:30 p.m.
February 11, 2016
Call to Order: Amy Cesich called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
Roll Call: Deb Horaz ‐ no; Mark Dilday – yes; Amy Cesich – yes; Dan Lane – yes; Matt Konecki – no;
Gene Wilberg – yes; Sash Dumanovic ‐ yes.
Introduction of City Official and Staff:
Tim Evans – Director of Parks and Recreation
Scott Sleezer – Superintendent of Parks
Shay Remus – Superintendent of Recreation
Joel Frieders & Ken Koch – Alderman
Other Guests: None.
Public Comment: None.
Presentation: None.
Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the January 14, 2016 meeting were approved. Motion by Dan
Lane seconded by Mark Dilday. Minutes approved.
Bills Review:
Bills List – February 11, 2016 – Board discussed and asked questions. Informational.
Budget Report – December 2015 – Informational purpose.
Old Business:
2016 Youth Baseball Field Usage Agreement – Tim said he made the changes the board requested. The
association is responsible to return anything in the same condition as it was found. Tim said it was
added that Beecher is not available during Hometown Days. Tim said that the city will meet with the
association and discuss all of these items.
Mark Dilday motioned to accept the 2016 Youth Baseball Field Usage Agreement seconded by Sash
Dumanovic. Motion unanimously passes.
New Business:
Bristol Bay 65 Grant – One Year Extension Agreement – The grant ends June 30th and the city requested
an extension. Amy asked if there was a fee to extend. Tim said no there is not. The board discussed
some land that there are fees on. Tim said he thinks the city should go another year and if a year from
APPROVED 3/10/16
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now, there is not a budget deal, the board needs to seriously discuss future plans. The board discussed
what will happen if the grants are suspended. The board discussed how much money is being spent by
the city while waiting on these grants. The board discussed how long the city should keep paying for it.
Tim suggests to go another year and then re‐evaluate.
The board discussed if the city is penalized if the state suspends the grants. Tim said there is not a
guarantee that would happen. The board discussed the park plans regarding the railroad tracks and
how much space is needed for the playground. The city can do the playground without the agreement
with the railroad there would just not be parking.
Amy asked if the city could ever own that easement. Tim said no the railroad will not ever do that. Tim
said it is $6,000 a year to have access to that railroad space. Ken said the city tried to get easement
space before and they will not do it. Tim said they are protected by the federal government. The board
discussed the future dealing with the easement and how often that railroad is used. Sash asked about
public access rights along rivers and buffers that are public access before railroads were put in.
Tim said he can look into it. Scott said define public access. We have public access just not for vehicles.
The board discussed the flood plain and the park. Tim said city council will not approve another year
without having more answers to these questions. Tim said other communities are moving forward and
hoping this will be reversed in the future.
Motion to approve the Bristol Bay 65 Grant one year extension agreement. Dan Lane motioned and
Sash Dumanovic seconded. Unanimously approved.
Board Member Attendance Discussion – Postponed until Deb Horaz can be in attendance. Tim said that
there cannot be a policy set on this, but all Deb has to do is let the Mayor know that a certain person is
not working out. The Mayor is the one that appoints someone.
Amy said that she doesn’t think there has been an issue with this lately. Tim said Deb just wants to
discuss it with everyone. The board discussed that the Mayor appoints someone and then if the board
members don’t get along can the president decide to remove that person. The board discussed the
political aspect to the board members. Amy said she believes that this is strictly an attendance issue.
Dan said that this has not been an issue for a long time.
Tim said that this item will be brought back in March.
Reports:
Recreation – Tim said that he and Scott went to a conference and talked to our playground
manufacturer and they will give a discount if the city pays upfront. Canoe Copia is coming up. Amy said
the city rents a table and it promotes Yorkville’s chute at a booth at Canoe Copia. Amy pointed out that
Yorkville’s Whitewater chute is the only one in Illinois and it is free and a huge asset to our community.
Tim said there will be a tree bench ceremony with three trees at riverfront park and a boy scout will put
in a stone wall with brick for an eagle scout project. The wall will be in June and the trees will be in
April. Tim said February 29th or March 7th there will be a ribbon cutting for the free library around 5 p.m.
at the ARC Building. Tim said the garden was approved by city council and it will be up and running this
summer.
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Parks – Scott said parks have been assisting public works quite a bit. Scott said the city rented a
machine to get rid of invasive species. Scott said they have been to many areas in the city and getting
into the woods and pulverizing it. Scott said the machine worked well and it would have taken a lot
more time. The machine shreds things so we don’t have to haul anything away. It is called a brush
grinder.
Scott said soccer and baseball are coming up and they are getting prepared for those. Shay said the
preschool open house was January 20th and 5 people registered and this early that is the most the city
has had.
Basketball is doing very well. Registration for youth baseball tournaments is going and we already have
60 teams double from this time last year. Tim said that the catalog has been expanded to Plano. Soccer
‐ the city is up 30 kids from last year. Tim said the city is partnering with Plano to use gyms and fields
there. Special events ‐ most of them are finalized there are around 25 events.
Shay said she has begun working on sponsorships and she has been receiving responses. Catalog ads
have secured over $9,000 for the summer and over $12,000 for the year. Tim said they are partnering
with the library for the catalog. Tim said that online registration is booming and over 50% are
registering that way, which helps in the office.
Additional Business: Sash wanted to thank Scott Tim and Shay for showing him around several parks.
Sash said it really helped him get his barring. Gene said he was amazed at how many parks
there are in Yorkville. The board talked about encouraging the kids in Yorkville to visit every
park in Yorkville this summer.
Amy asked about a possible fundraiser for Riverfront playground. Amy said that is the number one
question that she gets is about Riverfront Park. Tim said the problem with fundraising is it is
hard to do. Scott said when it comes to the city the businesses are tight because they pay taxes.
Gene asked about a citizen group that raised money. Scott said that is what it would take.
Tim said the city is so short staffed there is not time for fundraising. Tim said an event could raise
money. Scott said the city needs about $70,000 to get the park done. Tim said it puts a burden
on the city staff. Tim said there can be a fund set up that would go directly to the park. Tim said
the city could manage the budget well and get the money to do the park. It is $80,000 for all
equipment but there is $15,000 in the Riverfront Foundation Fund.
The board discussed doing bricks with names and including people to have civic pride. Tim said the staff
is maxed out and to get anyone involved when the city is involved we don’t get much help. Amy
said she has people that are willing to donate and she doesn’t know what to tell them. Tim said
he will ask and let the board know. Tim hopes to come to the March meeting with something
regarding the park to get the park in this year.
Adjournment: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:50 p.m. Motion by Dan
Lane seconded by Sash Dumanovic. Meeting adjourned.
Minutes Respectfully Submitted by:
Lisa Godwin
Minute Taker