Parks, Property & Streets Committee Meeting

1 PARKS, PROPERTY & STREETS COMMITTEE MINUTES 2 MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2025 (SPECIAL MEETING) 3 (Approved) 4 5 1. Call Meeting to Order and Roll Call 6 Chair Louise Howson called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. 7 Committee Members Present: Committee Chair Louise Howson and members Jerry Ahrens, Denise 8 Bhirdo, Nate Bell, and Mike Laszkiewicz. 9 Staff Members Present: Village Administrator Julie Schmelzer, Parks & Streets Department Director 10 Erik Linczmaier, and Administrative Assistant Sarah Bertges 11 Others Present: (None) 12 13 2. Approve Agenda 14 Motion by Bell, second by Bhirdo, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried unanimously. 15 16 3. Walking Tour 17 The committee met at the gazebo at Waterfront Park and proceeded to discuss the following items. Unless 18 noted, all directives were by consensus: 19 • Gazebo counter and benches – Schmelzer updated the committee that the counter and benches 20 had not been built because the contractor was told by someone he had to clean up every night and 21 could not leave his materials in the park. She also explained there was $12,388.34 left for the 22 project, and Municipal Reimbursement Funds may be needed to complete the project. By 23 consensus the committee elected to proceed with the project, noting structures should be erected 24 as shown below: 25 26 • Binocular Viewers by Tower Optical – Schmelzer explained the committee previously heard a 27 proposal to erect stand-up, and ADA, binocular viewers. Members supported the idea provided 28 the village owned, not leased them, and, purchased the versions which did not require coin 29 operation. A slab will be need to be installed to mount the binoculars. A request would be made 30 to the Finance Committee to use Municipal Reimbursement Funds. Schmelzer is to proceed with 31 the order, and the final location, west of the fire pit, is to be approved at a later date. 32 • Historic signage – The Historical Society is to proceed with the design and obtaining an estimate 33 for the sign, which is to be mounted in stone. Schmelzer is to request a bid from the company 34 installing the gazebo and benches, if the stone base is not provided by the sign maker. A request 35 would be made to the Finance Committee to use Municipal Reimbursement Funds. The final 36 location, in the vicinity of the fire pit, is to be approved at a later date.  Minutes of the June 16, 2025 Special Meeting of the Parks, Property & Streets Committee – Approved 1 • Landscaping – There were a lot of weeds in the flower beds, and by one group of shrubs, a 2 substantial amount of ivy. Staff needs to pull the weeds/ivy. Howson is to contact Joy from the 3 local nursery to see if she would agree to maintain the beds. At Marina Park the center group of 4 landscaping, and the landscaping immediately north of it, are to be removed and planted with 5 grass. 6 • Marina restroom sign – Needs to be revised to make it clear they are for public use, not just marina 7 customers. 8 • Little Library – The committee agreed the Grutzmacher Little Library should be located south of 9 the hedge, south of the Grutzmacher and Kane benches. 10 • Trees – There was much discussion about the tree planted about two years ago that is south of the 11 village hall. Bhirdo advocated that the tree should be removed and planted south of the 12 Grutzmacher and Kane benches. Eventually there was a motion by Bell to keep the tree and install 13 two benches under it, second by Laszkiewicz, but the motion failed: Aye -2 (Bell, Laszkiewicz); Nay 14 -3 (Ahrens, Bhirdo, Howson). There was then a motion by Laszkiewicz to keep the tree in its current 15 location, remove the shrubbery, and add two benches, second by Bell. Motion carried 5-1: Aye – 16 Ahrens, Bell, Howson, Laszkiewicz; Naye -Bhirdo. Consensus to plant more trees - and diversify 17 them – in the area north of the village hall. The committee proceeded to the area near the 18 restrooms. Motion by Bhirdo, second by Howson, that the birch on the south side of the new 19 asphalt path south of the restrooms is to be removed and a balsam fir tree planted. Motion carried 20 all ayes with Bell voting nay. More trees need to be planted in the park and staff is to contact the 21 DNR to make sure the village is diversifying its species; staff is to incorporate autumn blaze maples 22 periodically. Trees are to be planted along the shore between the pavilion and west lot line; staff 23 is to plant at least a red maple and an autumn blaze maple to add more color in the park. 24 • Post Office light – Staff is to tilt the light down so it doesn’t shine towards the beach and does not 25 illuminate more than the back of the building. 26 • Asphalt – Staff is to contact Pigeon Asphalt to repair the dip in the new asphalt near Highway 42. 27 • eBike Shed – Committee members noted the shed had been erected, although it had not yet been 28 approved. It was nestled in the trees along the shore, near the Yacht Club. Concern was raised 29 over Yacht Club owners looking out from their decks and seeing the shed. Motion by Bhirdo, 30 second by Howson, the shed is to be relocated south of all trees, between the sidewalk and west 31 lot line, and cedars be planted to screen the shed from view. The village is to plant the trees. 32 Motion carried unanimously. The location would need approval of the Plan Commission. There is 33 to be no electric provided to the shed. 34 • Misc. – Frontier is to be contacted to straighten out their utility boxes. Benches to be power 35 washed with Wet and Forget to return them to a lighter color. Research a robo mower. 36 37 4. Matters to be Placed on a Future Agenda or Referred to a Committee, Official or Employee: 38 Walking tours to be scheduled for the Sports Complex and Pebble Beach. Other items are as noted above. 39 40 5. Next Meeting 41 The next regular meeting of the Parks, Property & Streets Committee has been scheduled for 1:00 P.M. 42 on Monday, July 7, 2025. 43 44 6. Adjourn 45 Motion by Bhirdo, second by Howson, to adjourn. Motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned 46 at 3:23 p.m. 47 Notes by Sarah Bertges, Administrative Assistant/Minutes by Julie Schmelzer, Village Administrator -2-