Park Board Minutes 2009 06-11-09 Yorkville Parks & Recreation Department
Administration Office
201 W. Hydraulic St Yorkville, IL 60560
Park Board Agenda
Thursday, June 11, 2009
7:00 p.m.—Park Board Meeting
Administration and Recreation Office
Call to Order: Ken Koch called the meeting to order at 7:35 pm.
Roll Call:Ken Koch-Yes,Debbie Horaz-Yes, Kelly Sedgwick-Yes, and Vickie Coveny-Yes
Introduction of Guests.City Officials and Staff:
Interim Director of Parks and Recreation—Bart Olson
Superintendent of Recreation—Sue Swithin
Superintendent of Parks—Scott Sleezer
Park Designer—Laura Haake
City Council Liaison to Park Board,Alderwoman Diane Teeling
Mayor Valarie Burd
Paul Burd
Alderman Gary Golinski(arrived 8:00 pm)
Public Comment:
None
Presentations:
None
Approval of Minutes:
Minutes—Special Park Board Meeting—May 20,2009*
Ken Koch asked for a motion to approve the May 28e Park Board Meeting. Kelly Sedgwick made the
motion and Vickie Coveny seconded the motion.The motion was unanimously approved by voice vote.
Minutes—Park Board Meeting—May 28,2009*
Ken Koch asked for a motion to approve the May 281h Park Board Meeting. Deb Horaz made the motion
and Kelly Sedgwick seconded the motion.The motion was unanimously approved by voice vote.
Bills Review:
Cash Analysis&Bill List*
Ken Koch asked about revenues from the REC Center. He wanted to know when the new fee structure
would take effect. Sue Swithin said that it would kick in June 11th.Bart Olson explained that some of the
numbers might be a little bit off because at the beginning of the fiscal year they had not yet audited last
fiscal year. He said the budget report was run at the end of May. He explained that they approved May's
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lease payment in April's meeting and in May the Board approved June's lease payment. He went onto
explain that when they run the budget on June Pt they show two months worth of lease payments.So
there is$35,000 on the lease line item but really got one month's worth of rent.
Vickie Coveny would like to see prepaid expenses.Mayor Burd said that it is difficult to follow the
municipal accounting system.She said that they are going to try and rectify the problem and get more
accurate reports.
Vickie Coveny said she would also like to get a break down of salaries on the budget report.
Ken asked Sue if she had a forecast revenue report on REC Center funds and membership fees.Sue said
that she and Bart were working on getting reports that would show when bills are coming due month to
month and reports on memberships and when they expire and which ones will carry them through.
Vickie also wanted to see reports on how activities such as the preschool were run at the center as well.
Ken Koch asked for a motion to approve the Cash Analysis &Bill List.Kelly Sedgwick made the motion
and Vickie Coveny seconded the motion. Roll call vote:Ken Koch-Yes, Debbie Horaz-Yes, Kelly
Sedgwick-Yes,and Vickie Coveny-Yes
Old Business:
Park Naming Policy*
Bart Olson noted that Chris Rollins had submitted several different park naming policies from other
organizations. Olson said Rollins felt our policy stacked up pretty well to the other ones he had
submitted.
Kelly Sedgwick brought up the monetary aspect of donating to a park to have one named after a person.
He felt that if a person put 51% towards the building of a park they would be entitled to have the park
named after them.
Laura Haake noted that the money donated should be put towards the development of the park and not
after it had been developed.She said there should be some verbiage in our policy on that.
Deb Horaz said she would get to everyone the Park Naming Policy for the City of Whitewater. She felt
that there were some very good points in their policy that the Board should consider.
The Board agreed they would like Rollins to be present when they make the final decision and that they
needed more time on the putting together the final policy.
Swithin suggested that everyone go through the policies and highlight what they liked and email those to
Bart.Bart said that he would put everyone's request together for the next meeting.
Tour of park sites
Bart Olson asked the Board for a consensus on a day and time everyone could get together to do park
sight tours.
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There was some discussion that there should be directions on how to get to the parks on the website.
Olson said he would talk to the IT department.
The Board suggested and agreed that they receive,via email, a list of the three parks they would talk
about next meeting and everyone could go out and see the park at their own leisure before the meeting.
Bart agreed and suggested they do sight tours of the following three parks before the next meeting:
Bristol Bay Park A,Regional Park in Bristol Bay,and Grand Reserve Regional Park—Bridge Park.
Bart said he would follow up with maps for everyone.
OSLAD Grant Applications"
1) Bristol Bay (development)
Bart Olson said not a whole lot had changed on this one and it was the same system and grant program
that they applied for last year. He explained that this year they changed around the features they applied
for. He said it would not make sense to do land cash for this because of the grant program it would make
sense to do cash.
Olson said the main question is where they would get land cash money because currently land cash was
in the hole however they do have four or five grant reimbursements that will probably be reimbursed by
this time next year. He said that he analyzed the numbers and he thought the cash flow would be there
to be able to meet the invoices as they come in without issues over the next couple of years. He said that
right now in the budget they did not have the money. He reminded the Board that it would probably be
a year before the grant would be approved and then they would have two years to complete the park.
Olson said that this is the best funded grant program in the state and if they got the grant this would be a
very good way of extending their dollars.
Scott Sleezer said if we wait we miss a grant cycle.He explained that the bulk of the expense of this park
was pavement. He explained that the soccer fields were already out there and they really needed the
parking.He said he gets complaints all the time that people have to walk so far from parking lots. Sleezer
noted that at some point they would have to develop this park and the features that they applied for
would go further than what they would like to apply for River Front.
The Board went over the pros and cons and they made the recommendation not to spend land cash on
this despite their interest in wanting to see the park come to fruition they are thinking about being fiscally
responsible.
For the record:
Ken Koch—did not give recommendation
Deb Horaz—did not give recommendation
Kelly Sedgwick—did not give recommendation
Vickie Coveny—did not give recommendation
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Bart said he would take the recommendation not to spend land cash on this to the City Council.
2)Bollweg(acquisition)
Bart Olson said that after speaking with the grant writer they took off the designation for the nature
museum on the concept plan.He felt that we would still be a strong candidate for the grant and we could
always add it later.
He said that this grant would be on the City Council agenda June 23,d for consideration.He said he was
looking for the Boards approval to submit the application or not to.He said for the application they only
needed a letter of recommendation.
Deb HOraz wanted to know how this would go with the appraisal now when we apply for the grant and
how we would purchase if we were not getting the money until 2010.Bart explained that we would
apply for the grant and before the grant application all we would need is a letter of opinion which a step
below an appraisal.He explained the process and that the owner has been informed of the grant
application process and the possible pitfalls.
Ken Koch asked if the owner did not agree on the price what would happen.Bart explained that they
would tell the IDNR and they would not hold it against them because they were looking to do a land
match and were not looking to do cash.
Olson said that the parcel boundary on the CorLands property would be 29 acres out of 89 for a land
match.Koch asked how they would decide what acres they would use towards the land match.Olson
said that the Board would recommend the acres and the City Council would have to approve it.
Alderman Gary Golinski asked if there were time lines for improvements if the grant was approved.
Olson said they would have to start improvements within three years.Mayor Burd said that we have to
show that there were plans for the property and that they were just not purchasing the property.
Alderman Golinski wanted to know what kind of maintenance it would take to keep up the property.
Scott Sleezer said it would not need as much maintenance as an active park would because most of it
would stay natural.Horaz noted that there was not a whole lot to mow.
Alderman Golinski wanted to know if the city could sell this later if they used grant money to buy.
Sleezer said that he believed there was some kind of time line before the City could sell.
Deb Horaz and Kelly Sedgwick said they were in favor for the project if they could get the right price.
Vickie Coveny said she too is positive if it is purchased for the right price.
Olson said the next step was to get a recommendation pending the correct price.If the appraisal comes in
lower than his selling price. He said that no more than$750,000 will be spent.The board agreed to go
forward with the grant application as long as the Bollweg property is appraised at less than$750,000 and
the property owners agrees to sell the property for$750,000 or less,the City would be able to purchase
the property with state funds.
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New Business:
Strategic Planning—discussion
Bart Olson wanted the Boards recommendation on how they felt about a strategic planning meeting.
Deb Horaz felt this should be a yearly event.
Olson and Horaz felt it could be an open session meeting where the public could come in.The Board
agreed that early November would be a good time to have a strategic planning meeting.
Riverfront Park concept plan
Laura Haake presented three concept plans of Riverfront Park.She pointed out where possible trails and
bridges could be built.
A) Option A: Haake pointed out on her diagram that there was an access point at each end,which
does not show on the diagram in the packets.She said there is a path would run parallel to
Hydraulic Street.Sleezer said that they might do a boat launch with the IDNR Grant.
B) Option B:Haake pointed out had less parking and more green space and the trail was closer to
the river.She noted the sidewalk would be along the road.
C) Option C:Haake showed that there was no parking by the canoe chute and Hydraulic Street
taken out.The closest parking for the canoe chute would be at Mill Street where they could rent a
cart at a cart store,which would bring in some more revenue Haake pointed out.
Deb Horaz felt that the shelters for music were a good idea.
Haake said right now they are just thinking about what kind of layout they would like.She said that a
pedestrian bridge had not been decided on yet.She said depending on where it would be at there might
have to be a ramp built for it.She noted she was waiting on the engineers and IDNR to give them
direction.
Haake said that they needed to have a public meeting and find out what they would like to see in 2020
however now they needed to have a concept plan.She said the first step is to hold a public meeting and
get public comment.
Sue Swithin said that she needs to think about the now such as her preschool and the parking lot and a
playground for them.She agreed that they need to think long term but they also need to think of the now.
She wanted to make sure that their current needs were met and make sure they were accommodated for
until they were done away with.
Haake said that they would get a plan and take it to the public, take it to council, and make as many
changes as needed.
Reports:
Director's Report
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1) Blackberry Creek Trail Grant Closeout:Bart Olson said that the total project came in just under
$260,000 and they should be getting that back in the next couple of months.
2) Future Agenda Items:Olson said that the Fox Hill Naming Request would be pushed off until
they finalized the Parks Naming Policy.
Recreation Report
Sue Swithin asked the Board to read the report at their leisure.She said they had completed their
spring programming and the numbers were the final numbers. She asked the Board to ask her questions
if they had any.
Parks Report
None
Additional Business:
Scott Sleezer said that Shay was contacted by a boy who wanted to do build dugouts for field 5 at Beecher
as his Eagle Scout project. Sleezer told him it was a very nice gift and asked him if he would be interested
in building them at Beecher 1 and he agreed.Sleezer offered support,shovels and rakes and said it was a
real ambitious Eagle Scout project and it would mean a lot to them to have this done. He felt like they
should allow the project to take place and the Board agreed.
Executive Session:
No executive session this meeting.
Adioumment•
Ken Koch asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting at 11:15 pm. Deb Horaz made the motion and Kelly
Sedgwick seconded the motion.The motion was unanimously approved by voice vote.
Next meetine•
Thursday,June 25,2009
*Items needing
Board approval or recommendation
Minutes Respectfully Submitted by:
Jamie Cheatham
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