Park Board

Kendallville Park and Recreation Department 211 Iddings StreetKendallville, Indiana 46755 Phone (260)347-1064 BOARD MEETING MINUTES June 8, 2026 6:30PM Present: Tracy Tipton, President, Kevin Jansen, Vice President, Dave Button, Jen Blackman, Jeni Ekovich, Dennis Nartker, Dawn McGahen, Park Director, Brian Brennan, Grace Johnson, and Deb Haas Public Comments: Deb mentioned that someone is driving a remote-control boat on the lake. Minutes of the May 11, 2026, meeting was approved. (Jansen, Blackman) Claims were reviewed and approved as presented. (Jansen, Nartker) Directors Report: 1. Dawn asked the board to give her approval to sign legal documents regarding the purchase of the Rodman property. The board agreed. (Blackman, Button) 2. Water tests started and so far, the numbers have been good. 3. This past weekend was a free fishing weekend and the lake was busy. 4. Karl Wallace completed his Eagle Scout project and it turned out very nice. 5. Dawn asked the board to consider limiting water slides at the campground and pavilion rentals due to the cost of water and electricity and also liability. She will look into the extra cost associated with this. 6. The board was advised of concerns regarding the rental of Lion’s pavilion with campers set up all around it. Dawn will check with the campground coordinator for her concerns, suggestions. Maintenance Report: 1. Staff have been mowing and trimming and helped weed eat the cemetery. 2. Staff Installed the ropes and float on the east beach. 3. Employees Have been spraying weeds throughout the park and recreation complex. 4. Employees continue to work on and fix irrigation in the complex. 5. Workers set up the mobile stage for the Saturdays in the Park events. 6. Staff fixed an overhead barn door at the complex. 7. We are grooming the beaches weekly. 8. Tree commission and volunteers planted new trees. Recreation Report: 1. The Endurance Run was successful. There were several positive compliments and they are looking forward to returning next year. 2. The Jet Ski event returned for year number 2. We had food trucks, vendors, and a concert that was well attended. 3. Day camp has started and there are about the same number of campers this year. 4. Saturdays in the Park have been going nicely; we still have three more scheduled this summer. 5. Planning for July 4th is underway. We hope to have a few events for the public to celebrate America’s 250 th. Kendallville Outdoor Recreation Complex: 1. Tournaments are going well. Wahoo had to cancel their upcoming tournament due to lack of teams. 2. There have been issues with people arguing with Jason and harassing players. We will continue to monitor and if needed have the police intervene. Acceptance of Donations: (Jansen, Button) Eagle Scout Project- Sunset Prairie, Karl Wallace -Kendallville Rotary Club: $500.00 -The Dekko Foundation: $750.00 Board Input: Dennis inquired about the cabin rentals at the campground. Dawn told him they were rented a lot. He asked about Sunset Ball Diamonds and was told that KGSL is still using them. He also asked about day scholarships and was told that we do provide scholarships when needed. Tracy asked about the purchase of the shirt machine. It has been moved here and staff are working on getting it setup to be used. Dave mentioned how the park is being used a lot which creates more trash for the staff. Dave also recommended that Suzanne Handshoe be recognized as friend of the park for her continuous support. (Tipton, Button) Adjournment: 7:13pm (Jansen, Nartker)