Parks Board

REGULAR MEETING OF THE LAFAYETTE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD 4:00 pm 10 February 2020 The City of Lafayette Parks and Recreation Board met in regular meeting, February 10, 2020 at 4:00pm at the Rush Pavilion in Columbian Park. The meeting was called to order by Park Board President Maurie Denney. Board members present were John Ragan, Pat Corey, and Dave Mecklenburg. Parks Superintendent Claudine Laufman, Parks Director of Operations Jon Miner, and Recording Secretary Carlynn Smith were present. Parks staff members present were Mike Perry, Tom Rankin, Neil Dale, Emily Butler, Samantha Haville, and Kurt Wolf. Upon motion by John Ragan, seconded by Dave Mecklenburg, and unanimously carried, minutes of the January 13, 2020 Parks Board meeting were approved. Upon motion by Pat Corey, seconded by Mr. Ragan, and unanimously carried, claims in the amount of $82,071.01 were approved. Superintendent’s Report:  Superintendent Laufman recognized Tom Rankin, Director of Parks Security, who is retiring after 40 years of service to the City of Lafayette. He served 27 years with LPD and 13 years with the Parks Department. Steve Moore, Director of Safety for the City of Lafayette, spoke of Tom’s dedication as a founding member of the Safety Committee to establishing, developing, and promoting a climate of safety throughout the City and presented Tom with a certificate of appreciation. Also present to congratulate and thank Tom for his years of service was Mayor Roswarski. Superintendent Laufman presented Tom with a gift from the Parks Department.  Director of Operations Jon Miner provided an update on construction at Loeb Stadium. Work is on schedule at this point in the project.  Zoo Director Neil Dale addressed progress on the penguin exhibit. Permanent heating and cooling systems are being installed. A large tent-like structure is in place to facilitate exterior rock work for the exhibit.  Superintendent Laufman reported that bids for the dredging portion of the Memorial Island project will be opened at the February 25 Board of Works meeting. Construction documents for the rest of the project are nearly complete and should go out for bid later this week.  McAllister Assistant Manager Emily Butler shared information about the Father/Daughter dance that will be held Saturday, February 15. Currently there are 123 daughters registered to attend. Carriage rides, dancing, crafts, and refreshments are included in the event. Scholarships are available.  Responding to questions that were asked by Board members at the last meeting, Marketing Manager Samantha Haville provided information about LPR’s presence on Park Board Meeting February 10, 2020 Page 1 of 2  social media: how many followers are there; where do they live; what posts are they most interested in, etc. She also noted that three marketing interns started last week. New Business:  Upon motion by Dave Mecklenburg, seconded by Pat Corey, and unanimously carried, the Board approved a request which will allow the release of the Request for Proposals to interested bidders for lease/use of Loeb Stadium. Mayor Roswarski addressed the Board and provided a possible timeline for the process. (See Attachment A.) Declaration of Surplus Property  Upon motion by Dave Mecklenburg, seconded by John Ragan, and unanimously carried, pieces of old playground equipment from Columbian Park were declared surplus property. (See Attachment B.) Communications:  Public: Mike Tharp, a member of the Hoosier Mountain Bike Association and Tippecanoe Mountain Bike Association, addressed the Board regarding their interest in promoting the sport and their efforts to clean and maintain current trails. Mayor Roswarski took the opportunity to respond with information regarding WREC’s future plans that include the creation of an additional sledding hill and bike trails. Contact information was exchanged to facilitate Mr. Tharp’s possible involvement in future planning. There being no further business to come before the Board, on motion by Pat Corey, seconded by Dave Mecklenburg, and unanimously carried, the meeting adjourned at 4:29 pm. _____________________________________ Maurie Denney, Park Board President _____________________________________ John Ragan, Secretary Pro Tem ______________________________________ Carlynn Smith, Recording Secretary Park Board Meeting February 10, 2020 Page 2 of 2