Park Board Minutes 2008 05-22-08 Aftwo
Yorkville Parks & Recreation Department
Administration & Recreation Office
201 W. Hydraulic Street Yorkville, IL 60560 630.553.4357
Park Board Agenda
Thursday, May 22, 2008
7:00 p.m. - Park Board Meeting
Administration & Recreation Office
Call to order: Chris Rollins called Meeting to order at 7:03p.m.
Roll Call: Chris Rollins-Yes; Debbie Horaz-Yes; Sedgwick-Yes; & Vickie
Coveny-Yes
Introduction of Guests, City Officials and Staff:
Joe Plocher, Ward 2 Alderman, City Council Liaison to Park Board
Director of Parks and Recreation - Dave Mogle
Superintendent of Recreation - Sue Swithin (arrived 7:50 pm)
Park Designer - Laura Haake
Public Comment:
None
Presentations:
None
Annroval of Minutes:
Minutes - Regular Park Board Meeting - May 8, 2008
Chris Rollins asked for a motion to approve the Park Board minutes of
May 8th. 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
Chris Rollins asked for a motion to approve the cash analysis and bills
list as submitted. Vickie Coveny made the motion and Kelly Sedgwick
seconded the motion. The motion was approved by roll call: Rollins-
Yes; Sedgwick; Horaz-Yes; & Coveny-Yes
Old Business:
HOOVER Agreement Update
Dave Mogle stated that since the last Board Meeting he had conveyed
to the Forest Preserve District that they did not wish to drop any
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features in the current version however they were willing to move the
locations of certain features, within reason, around.
Chris Rollins felt that they needed to see a plan from them and until
they did there was no real productive approach on their part. The Park
Board discussed and felt it was necessary to get a plan for the Forest
Preserve District and to find out what their particular objections were.
Rollins made a point that the more we make design changes the more
it's costing us. Laura Haake noted that we really need to see a design
plan from them even if it's preliminary. The board discussed joint sight
improvements and that they must agree on land portions before any
more changes their plan should be made. Haake stated that they could
get out and survey the land if Jason agreed. She also noted she would
like to know what specs they are giving their designer so she had
something to work off of. Rollins felt that Haake should go ahead and
contact their design consultant. He felt they should take our drawings
and attach GPS reality to it.
Kelly Sedgwick suggested that the boards get together to go over each
of their plans and stated that we need to be working together because
we really can't react to something we don't have plans for. Mogle
noted that the Forest Preserve District will be meeting next week, June
4th, and they should know more then. He invited all who could attend.
Rec Center Update
Sue Swithin reported on the following: She updated the schedule of
fees, the City Attorney was approving the contract, and she put
together a waiver form with a questionnaire with physical ability
questions.
She also noted that the membership meetings went well. She said
some seniors were concerned about prices and classes however most
people were happy. She noted that non-resident prices went up and
some non-residents were concerned however Rollins stated that there
were probably not enough non-residents concerned to make a big
impact. Swithin noted that we've had some very happy people and
she is pleased with that. She felt that most people would be happy.
Swithin also noted that she was interviewing 25 people most of those
to be instructors and part time employees and said that Amanda
Walker would be the facility coordinator. She also reported she had
inspectors come in to look at signage.
Swithin stated that she had gotten some estimates on new flooring
and would expect that to be done in July and August. Also the pool
rehab would take place in the fall but noted she had vendors and
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contractors coming in and giving estimates. She also stated that she
was getting Rec Trac training in June.
Rec Center Phone System Quote
Sue Swithin said that she needed a new phone system and was
looking for approval on Rec Center upgrades. She said that the system
they are looking at is the same one they have now and they will be
able to work with one another. She said that there would be room to
grow with the upgrade and they would be able to add on an extension
module later if needed. She said the Cat5 network is done and the
server will hold the Rec Trac system. She said there is a lot of
technology to be up and running but it should be done by the end of
June. She was even looking at getting the club closed down for a day
during the July 4th weekend to change over the system.
Rollins felt that closing the club down for a day would be a good idea
to get make sure everything was up and running smoothly! Rollins
asked for a motion to approve the phone upgrade for the Rec Center
not to exceed $5,190.00 from the 2007/2008 budget. Vickie made the
motion and Kelly seconded the motion. The motion was approved by
roll call: Rollins-Yes; Sedgwick; Horaz-Yes; & Coveny-Yes
New Business:
Park and Facility Rental Policy Revision
Dave Mogle noted that he would like to table this until he was able to
talk to other departments on what their costs would be. The board
agreed that we should do our research on what it would really cost us
to allow festival type events in our parks.
Park Naming Policy Discussion
Dave Mogle was looking for direction from staff and noted that there
were 17 parks that need names. There are three development grants
in the works now he said and they should get signs soon. He noted
that the current naming policy is real restrictive. He felt that we should
broaden it and felt that names could come from a unique geographical
area, be a historical aspect, theme, landowner or someone connected
to recreation somehow. He thought we could look at the features of a
park for a name and even get some ideas from the public giving them
some kind of criteria. Chris Rollins felt that we shouldn't name parks
after landowners unless they donated the land. He likes all the other
ideas other than the landowner. He didn't think that some traditional
landowners name should be on a park unless there was some kind of
historical aspect behind it.
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Deb Horaz brought up that she doesn't like the name of the Yorkville
Junior Women's Club on the sign. Mogle said that they want their
name established in stone at the park and we don't want them to walk
away because they are willing to help maintain the park.
Rollins argues that the name is not so bad however Sedgwick
suggested that they maybe put a name of a woman who helped found
the Yorkville Women's Club. Mogle said that he'd get with Scott and
talk to them.
Rollins stated that the naming policy has really helped us from getting
parks with bad names however now we have a lot of parks that need
names, which is actually a good problem to have.
Special Recreation Program Reimbursement
David Mogle stated that the reimbursement policy says that we will
pay the resident rate of a certain group of programs that the Fox
Valley special recreation offers. We will pay the non-resident rates for
our residents to participate in our programs but it excluded certain
programs that were real expensive. In the past United Way has
stepped in and funded the money to pay for Yorkville residents that
couldn't pay the non-resident camp fee.
Mogle noted that there was one family with three special needs
children, Yorkville residents, who couldn't afford the transportation
fees for their children to go to camp. The transportation for the three
children for the summer was $1,100.00. Mogle said that he bumped
the scholarship budget up to almost $7,000 because he predicted that
the United Way wouldn't be able to front funds again this year. He said
it doesn't go against our policy because it doesn't say anything about
transportation and he wanted the Board's blessing to take on the
transportation fee for this family.
After discussion the Board felt that once we do this we'd have to do it
for other families.
Mogle said that he would like to get some kind of sponsor to support
these kids so they could go to camp.
Sue Swithin felt that in the future that the cost of transportation
should be in the cost of the camp.
The Board agreed that they didn't see an issue in going to other
businesses to see if they wanted to contribute to this cause. They felt
that if United Way was not going to come up with the funds then we
need to ask another organization to step in and take over the
obligation.
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City Integrated Transportation Plan
Dave Mogle reported that the Park and Recreation Department has
been invited to participate in the selection committee for a consultant
to advise the city on a program that will evaluate city trails and
downtown pedestrian corridors. He noted that Scott Sleezer will be the
department representative for this committee.
It is a funding source of a grant the city received. He stated that the
first step is to get a base idea so we know what to do with our
downtown area. He said the first meeting will be May 291h and that
they would be interviewing consultants and get one on board. Right
now this is informational only.
Reports:
Directors Report
1. Mogle noted that we got another grant for $50,000.00 for the
wooded area across from FE Wheaton to do a pavilion and
nature woodchip trail. He said it was a federal grant that they
applied for last year.
2. Mogle stated that he talked to the Mayor today and she does
have an individual in mind to come on board for the Park Board
his name is Garrett Gillette. He will be at the next meeting.
3. Mogle also noted that the Mayor asked him to get the Board's
input on getting someone to be a school board liaison. He said
that is a board position and needed a board vote. Horaz noted
that they would have to change the ordinance on that. Rollins
said they don't want to fill the position but it's an invaluable
position to have filled. He felt that there are too many joint
school board decisions to be made and that position should be
filled. Rollins said that he would help draft a letter and get the
board members contacted directly.
4. Mogle noted that Deb Horaz is leaving the Green Committee and
the Mayor wanted to know if there were anyone else interested
in sitting in on the meetings. Horaz said they were held on
Monday's twice a month for two hours at a time. Vickie said she
would check her schedule and expressed some interest.
Additional Business:
Kelly Sedgwick noted that he had been talking to the Mud Slingers and
Scott Sleezer about the BMX track. They said that they needed help on
the track on Saturday May 31St to relay the track and get it smoothed
out. He said that they would be looking for volunteers with rakes.
Mogle said that he'd get that in their press release that they were
looking for volunteers.
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Adjournment:
Chris Rollins asked for a motion to adjourn the Park Board Meeting at
11:30. Deb Horaz made the motion and Kelly Sedgwick seconded the
motion. The motion was unanimously approved by voice vote.
Next Meeting: June 12, 2008
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By:
Jamie Cheatham
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