Board of Park Commissioners

Board of Park Commissioners Meeting Minutes of July 8, 2019 Call to Order: Mrs. Galka called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. followed by the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll Call: Commissioners in attendance: Mrs. Galka, Mrs. Sills, and Mr. Kara. Also present: School Board Representative Mr. Rogers, Common Council representative Mr. Huddlestun, Park Board Secretary Ms. Montes, and Park Director Mrs. Goodpaster. Absent Mr. Wengel Approval of Agenda: Mrs. Goodpaster asked to add an item to the agenda under new business: Hobart Pop Warner. Motion by Mr. Kara to approve the agenda as presented with the addition, Seconded by Mrs. Sills. All aye, motion carried. (3-0) Approval of Minutes: Motion by Mrs. Sills to accept the minutes as presented, seconded by Mr. Kara. All aye, motion carried. (3-0) Approval of Register of Claims: Mrs. Galka questioned claims in regards to the computer for splash pad, memorial bench, irrigation, LaPorte County Nursery and the receipt books. Mrs. Goodpaster explained that the computer for splash pad completely broke down and it was out the warranty period. She explained that the memorial bench was a donation to the Parks Department and will be placed on the LakeFront. She also stated that Thomas Irrigation was part of the Community Center and Center of 2nd street irrigation which includes the start-up and backflow. LaPorte Nursery was a replacement of a donation tree. Also, she explained that the receipt books are ordered twice a year and they are used in the office throughout the year and for the pool as well. We order through Big Mouth in which is what the whole City orders from. Deb Longer added that the Park employees are running around all over the place and can take a receipt book with them. The receipt books are also numbered because of the State Board of Accounts, so the Park Department keeps a copy, customer receives a copy and Clerk Treasures receives a copy as well. Motion by Mrs. Sills to accept the register of claims as presented, Seconded by Mr. Kara. All aye, motion carried. (3-0) Correspondence: Nothing under correspondence Director Report: Mrs. Goodpaster mentioned that she got a new car a 2014 Chevy Equinox. She thanked the Board for approving the car. Mrs. Goodpaster stated that Board of Work is all in for the bike trial. She will provide them a map of the trail, get with the city attorney and write up a MOU for Park Board and Board of Works and start moving forward. There isn’t a date for usage of the bike trail yet, because there is still some work that needs to be done and signage that needs to go up. Also, as soon as the MOU is written and everything is done accordingly, the bike trail should be opened up to the public. Mrs. Goodpaster stated that the 4th of July went really well even with the new route. Fireworks were great and clean-up was done the following day. She has decided that next year she will get the community involved in the clean-up; it will be our second community clean-up of the year. Mrs. Goodpaster stated that she is now getting ready for the up following events: Dive-In at the pool, more teen pool parties and finally focus on the master plan. Her goal is to have it done and signed by the end of the year. Plan Commission Report: Nothing under Plan Commission. Common Council Report: Mr. Huddlestun applauded Mrs. Lopez, Mrs. Goodpaster and the Parks Department for all the hard work on the 4th of July and all the hours that are put into the event and the following clean-up day. Mrs. Goodpaster stated that even though it’s a long day, she is happy to put in the hours and work because she loves to see people happy and enjoying themselves. She also stated that even though there is always room for improvements, she is happy and satisfied with the turn out overall. School Board Report: Mr. Rogers stated that school free lunch program is going really well; they feed about 600 a day. Veterans Elementary at Mundell and the pool is right on schedule and the school hired an aquatics instructor. Mr. Rogers also thanked Mrs. Goodpaster for all the hard work that was put in on the 4th of July and is looking forward for more events in the future to come. Mrs. Goodpaster announced that the school also does the swim program in the summer and what a great program that is. She is very thankful for training our life guards and they do such a phenomenal job. Old Business: Nothing to report under old business New Business: Barrington Ridge Playground: The Mayor received an email from a concerned citizen that lives in Barrington Ridge in which her granddaughter has gotten splinters using the park at Barrington. Mrs. Goodpaster stated that we have 19 parks that have some sort of playgrounds feature. Parks playground inspectors have gone around the parks and taken pictures of the all the playgrounds for an evaluation. The Barrington playground has been pieced together from time to time and it is no longer safe for use. Mrs. Goodpaster had a meeting with a playground company and they offered a really great deal for a playground structure. Discussion followed regarding price and playground structure. Mrs. Goodpaster stated that she expressed her concerns to the Mayor and he agreed to pay for the whole amount of the play ground structure as long as Parks pay for the taxes, freight, surfacing and installation. The overall amount would be Mayor paying 27,887.00 and Parks Department paying 24,915.03 bringing the final total for a new playground total of 52,802.03. Parks cut would come from playground bond money and since it’s under the 52,802.03 we are able to purchase it without going out for an RFP. However, for this deal this play ground structure has to be purchased by July 24, 2019. Mrs. Goodpaster is asking to use some of the bond money to make this happen by August. Motion by Mrs. Sills to grant approval for the installation of the new playground in Barrington Ridge not to exceed 25,000 from the bond proceeds, Seconded by Mr. Kara. All aye, motion carried. (3-0) Mrs. Goodpaster also mentioned that she would like to find more deals for the playgrounds where Parks doesn’t have to go through a RFP. She states that Parks spends a lot of money hiring a firm to create a package and it doesn’t satisfy the needs of the parks. She would like to find more deals, have more control and be able to split it up so it can be paid with bond money. She believes we can get more structures in more parks and have more control over what is needed. Hobart Pool Building: The Hobart Community Pool is owned and operated by the Hobart Parks Department and has served as the community’s public swimming pool facility for many decades. Mrs. Goodpaster along with Mayor Snedecor has talked about putting a destination playground at the Hobart Pool and Mayor has allocated funds towards this project. As part of a larger planning effort for the parks system, the Parks Department wishes to renovate, update and modernize the existing main pool house building and concession stand. The planning effort for the pool house renovation generated the following goals and priorities: retain the exciting CMU masonry portion of the exciting pool house structure, although the wood framed portions are to be demolished, provide new modern toilet room and changing facilities which will be gender neutral to the maximum extent possible, provide new modern concession stand for the vendor, improve the functionality of the facility particularly for the staff, update and improve the appearance of the facility and finally bringing the facility into compliance with appliance of the facility. The rough order of magnitude construction cost for the project is estimated to be approximately $450,000-500,000. Mrs. Goodpaster explains that the cost would have to go down by doing some changes to the renovation planning. Discussion followed in regards to changes to the pre-design narrative and where the money for the renovation would come from. Her plan is that she can start doing some of the demo once pool closes in the fall and have this project done by pool opening of next year. Mrs. Goodpaster is asking permission to staring moving forward with early proposals. Motion by Mr. Kara to allow the Park Superintendent to move forward with gathering RFPs for the Hobart Pool building, Seconded by Mrs. Sills. All aye, motion carried. (3-0) Lakefront Gate: Mrs. Goodpaster finally got the quote for the pedestrian gate. The distributed drawing shows a gate to match existing railing and exciting masonry column, existing concrete wall; gate opens 180 degrees with childproof lockable latch and self closing hinges. Cost for the gate is $4,620.00. Park Board commissioners agree that the cost is very high for a gate and to have local companies come up with a quote. Motion by Mrs. Sills to reject the Lakefront bid and direct the Park Superintendent for other solutions to the problem, Seconded by Mr. Kara. All aye, motion carried. (3-0) Hobart Pop Warner Practice: Hobart Pop Warner lost their practice fields. They would practice at Mundell during the month of July and August. They have reached out to and asked if they can use Brickie Bowl as their practice fields. Mrs. Goodpaster expressed that it would be a unique place for the little Brickies to practice since it holds a lot of great history. It wouldn’t require any maintenance by Park employees nor will it disrupt the Parks normal schedule. Also Pop Warner carries their own insurance. Motion by Mrs. Sills to allow Pop Warner practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays until the first week of August without cost, Seconded by Mr. Kara. All aye, motion carried. (3-0) ANNOUNCEMENTS: There were no announcements  ADJOURNMENT: Motion to adjourn by Mrs. Sills, seconded by Mr. Kara. All aye, motion carried. 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