Park Board Minutes 2017 05-18-17APPROVED 10/12/17
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Yorkville Parks and Recreation Department
Special Park Board Meeting
Thursday, May 18, 2017
6:30 p.m.
Parks Maintenance Building
185 Wolf Street, Yorkville, IL
Call to Order: Deb Horaz called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
Roll Call: Deb Horaz ‐ yes; Mark Dilday – yes; Amy Cesich – no; Dan Lane – yes; Gene Wilberg –
yes; Sash Dumanovic – no.
Introduction of City Official and Staff:
Tim Evans – Director of Parks and Recreation
Scott Sleezer – Superintendent of Parks
Shay Remus – Superintendent of Recreation
Ken Koch ‐ Alderman
Other Guests: None.
Public Comment: None.
Approval of Minutes: The minutes from March 16, 2017 were approved. Motion by Dan Lane and
seconded by Mark Dilday.
Bills Review:
Bill List – April 13, 2017 and May 11, 2017 – Informational purposes.
Budget Report – February, March and April 2017 ‐ Informational purposes.
Old Business:
Riverfront Park and Bristol Bay Grant Update and Discussion – Tim said that he wanted to update the
board on Bristol Bay. The city has bids going out on the skate park and the bids will come back in June.
The city is working with Go For It Sports on the easement agreement for access to our parking lot. The
city is working on the sled hill and that is going out for bid. Once the bid is complete, the city staff can
begin working on the things the city will be completing.
The sled hill will be narrow and long, so that it is nice looking and there can be landscaping on the sides
it will be 13ft tall, so not massive. Tim said Bristol Bay has to be done by next June. Tim said the city got
a one year extension for Riverfront Park. The board asked about doing a ground breaking for the skate
park. Dan said he would like the board to go over and look at the location. Scott said that looking at a
map would be easier to see where things will be located.
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New Business:
Riverfront Park Playground Update – The city administrator did a memo about the contaminated soil at
Riverfront Park. There are two soil testings in the packet so the board can see where the testing was
held. After multiple options, it was a recommendation that the city should go with the original proposal
for $360,000 to remove the dirt around the playground area. They will put a concrete layer down 6ft
down and put clean soil in and then a park built on top of it.
There was a discussion about how deep the concrete will be and how the park will be built. Dan asked if
the city ever found out why this area was contaminated. Scott said there has not been an answer for
that. Scott said after previously working down at Riverfront for the last 26 years, he has never smelled
that smell. Scott said that in the report it states all contaminants in the soil.
The board discussed where the park will be located and why. The board asked if the city cleans this out,
can this come back. Tim said that the city doesn’t know. Scott said that is why it will be covered with
concrete. Deb said there is not a guarantee this could come back and this will be a playground. Gene
said that these experts are stating that if the soil is dug out and filled with concrete, it will be taken care
of.
The board looked at the test results and areas and discussed them. There are rumors that there were
fuel tanks there, but there is not a way to really know. Dan said that if this is capsulated it should be
fine. Tim said this issue has been on Facebook and it has been in the paper, so it is public knowledge.
Ken asked if the concrete can be thicker instead of more dirt. The board discussed how the concrete
barrier works.
Tim said there were three options presented to the city. The city thought that putting a concrete barrier
would be the best option. The board asked about the process in doing this. Scott said they are
professionals and know what they are doing. Gene said that the city took proper actions to have this
taken care of professionally and recommending the actions that will protect our community in the
future. The city is doing the right thing.
Tim said that new dirt will be brought in after the barrier is put in. The city thinks that this is the moral
and ethical thing to do at this time. Tim said that the city is not sure if this can come back, there is not a
way to know that. Scott said that he does not think this is coming from somewhere else and this should
take care of it.
Tim said for funding the city will look at different options and accounts. Tim said that it will come out of
79 budgets this year. Tim said that situation has to be resolved for the community. Some money will
come from parks, since it is our park. The board discussed budgets and where the funding will come
from. Tim said that this is the moral and ethical thing to do, so the city will find the money for it.
Tim said it will be 30 to 60 days before the project is done and the playground should be put in in
October. Scott said the concrete barrier and new soil will be clean. The board agrees that this must be
done it is the right thing to do. The board recommends moving forward with this project.
Yorkville Youth Tackle Football Agreement – Tim said the last few years YYTF uses our space and pays
the city to use the space. This is the same agreement and it has gone well the last couple years and
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there have not been any issues. Scott said YYTF have been good tenants and not torn up the grass. YYTF
has been very respectful and taken good care of things.
Motion made to approve the YYTF Agreement by Mark Dilday and seconded by Dan Lane. Motion
unanimously approved.
Reports:
Parks – There have been a few repairs to parks this past week. Scott said that the city has been working
with the Cub Scouts and they mulched Whispering Meadows and put 80 yards of mulch in there. The
Cub Scouts did a wonderful job. Scott said it is so nice to see things like that in the community that is
serious work.
Scott said they have been doing a lot of work at Town Square Park taking out picnic tables and putting
tables the city bought from Raging Waves in there. Scott said seasonal staff will start soon, which will
help get more things done.
Recreation – Preschool had graduation last week. This is the first time since the three year old program
began that the city had to increase enrollment. Shay said the morning is full for the 4 year old program
and the afternoon will get filled up as well. Ready Set Go registration began May 1st and that will be 40
kids. The basketball ended and it was a great season and we are looking at next year because we
continue to grow.
We are talking about trying to do a high school intermural league for kids that don’t make high school
team. Spring Soccer is at Bristol Bay and this Saturday is the last day and the weather was great this
year. In the fall Yorkville will break away from Oswego, since our numbers have grown enough. Softball
we are breaking into divisions on Tuesday and Thursday nights.
Special events are going well and are successful. Concessions are up and running and going very well we
hit our budget. Catalog was delivered first week of May and there is a nice trend of people registering
online. Advertisements ‐ there were 22 businesses in our catalog for summer this year most were paid
and some we partner with to showcase what we have, which brought in over $10,000 which covers a lot
of the catalog for summer.
Additional Business: The city took ownership of the downtown bank, which will be used for classes and
recreation can expand fitness classes. The building is perfect for the city to use and we will use it
until the alderman kick us out of there. The city should have it for a couple years and expand our
fitness program.
Adjournment: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:36 p.m.. Motion by
Mark Dilday and seconded by Dan Lane. Meeting adjourned.
Minutes Respectfully Submitted by:
Lisa Godwin
Minute Taker