Park & Recreation Board

AGENDA MINUTES OF PARKS & RECREATION BOARD MEETING Monday, September 12th, 2022 City Hall 2nd Floor Conference Room– 7pm Present: Dan Moran, Dian Christensen-Hills, Aaron Paden, Connie Giese, Nate Schwanke, Nick Hansen, and Jody Sanders. 1. Call to Order: Meeting was called to order at 7:00pm by Chairman Moran. The agenda displayed at City Hall, 400 E Military and was distributed to the Park Board, Mayor and City Council on September 8th, 2022 and is open to the public. The open meeting law is posted continually for public inspection. 2. Roll Call: Roll Call showed members Giese, Moran, Paden, and Christensen-Hills present. Absent: Giese and Washburn. City Administrator Sanders present as guest. 3. Open Meeting Law posted for public review. 4. Reading of the Parks & Recreation Board Minutes, August 1st, 2022. Christensen-Hills moved to suspend the reading since the board has read them, seconded by Paden, to suspend the reading of August 1st minutes. Motion carried. 5. Schwanke opened discussion about Rebels baseball organization. Schwanke discussed the Rebels organization came to P&R for a possible use of Ronin baseball field for their organization. Rebels is a 501-3c organization and was looking for a dedicated field for their 4 teams. Hansen discussed the Rebels would like a lease with P&R and P&R was open to pursue. Discussion from board had a concern of Rebels charging someone to practice or play. Hansen discussed that they are only looking for rights to practice and play their games at Ronin and won’t have rights to charge other teams to play. 6. Hansen opened discussion of the John park fountain. Hansen discussed that the donor that paid for the utilities and fountain was done with their agreement. The monthly cost is about $250 in utilities. Hansen discussed the maintenance moving forward will be part of the P&R budget. Discussion between board members mentioned possibly running the fountain Memorial Day- Labor Day and asking Friends in the Park to help fund those monthly costs. Board discussed and suggested once the fountain failed P&R could remove the fountain. 7. Recreation Report – Schwanke *Summer Recreation report: Schwanke provided update of recreation programs that are finishing up. Schwanke discussed planning for new fall and winter recreation programs. Schwanke discussed that P&R has visited with nighthawks and there was a possible interest in having nighthawks bring in youth baseball from parks and rec to nighthawk organization. Discussion from the board is they had concerns at costs if nighthawks attained youth baseball  from P&R and what new programs would P&R bring to replace that void. Schwanke mentioned bringing in special events and other recreation programs. Discussion from board they would like to see what programs or ideas would be available. P&R will get them a list of ideas and programs first of the year. 8. Director Report- Hansen *Auditorium project: Hansen provided an update on library moving over to the Auditorium. Hansen discussed IT need more storage room for library network. Hansen discussed that IT will install security cameras in the auditorium. IT will use the library’s old cameras and place them in the auditorium. The cameras will be left after the renovation of the library for security for auditorium. *Parks Update- Hansen discussed M&E repaired 7 playgrounds in 7 parks. Hanssen discussed using them as annual maintenance if needed. Hansen discussed we have a major issue with the rubber base at Johnson Park playground. Hansen discussed that Create Sites will be out in Fall to repair the surface. P&R went out an placed a 3 inch pad around the feature. Hansen discussed if that doesn’t work before Creative Sites gets there in the Fall they’ll remove the feature. Hansen discussed that Friends in the Park purchased an expansion swing and P&R will install at Clemmons park. Hansen discussed rawhide creek trail has started down Somers and North part of Clemmons park. He mentioned he’s had a handful of calls about why the construction crews are cutting down trees. Hansen discussed that tree city application is due in September and are looking to become a tree city again. *Forestry update Hansen discussed P&R will be getting 20 free trees in September with the help of NE arboretum, Friends in the park, and Community foundation. P&R will place the trees in 5 parks and place a post with the name tag of the tree. P&R will have Friends and the Chamber come out with local media and have a recognition for the help of Friends and Community Foundation wants the trees have been planted. Hansen discussed a forestry worker completed is first class with two more to go to become a certified arborist. *Open Positions: Hansen discussed they are fully staffed for maintenance II & III positions. He mentioned they have a full-time Senior Office Associate open. *Civic Recreation Software: Hansen discussed P&R department header will go live September 15th. P&R, IT, and Finance has chosen a gateway and merchant to be compliant with the new software. Hansen discussed devices will be order so we can test run everything before going live. *Capital Improvement Plan: Hansen discussed CIP projects that are finishing up. Hansen discussed sand blasting and painting was finishing up, irrigation at Johnson field, new lockers for Ronin pool, and Davenport shelter went out for rebid. 9. Next Meeting – Monday, October 3rd, 2022, 7pm, City Hall 2nd Floor Conference Room.  10. Adjournment- Motion was made by Giese, seconded by Paden to adjourn. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 7:51pm. Respectfully submitted, Nicholas Hansen, Secretary I, the undersigned, the Secretary for the Parks and Recreation Board, Fremont, Nebraska, hereby certify that all of the subjects included in the attached proceedings were contained in the notice of said meeting of September 12th,2022 kept continually current and available for public inspection at the Parks & Recreation Office; that such subjects were contained in said notice for at least twenty-four hours prior to said meeting; that the minutes of the Park Board of the Parks and Recreation Department, Fremont, Nebraska were in written form and available for public inspection prior to the next convened meeting of said body. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of September, 2022. Nicholas Hansen, Director of Parks & Recreation September 12th, 2022