Zionsville Board of Park and Recreation

Summary Minutes of the Meeting of the Zionsville Park and Recreation Board January 14, 2015 The Zionsville Board of Park and Recreation met Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at 7:02 PM. The meeting took place at the town hall meeting room. Steve Bullington, Phil Howard, George Abel, Manda Clevenger, and Dorothy Hitchins were present. Also present were Matt Dickey, Superintendent and Roger Burrus, Park Board attorney. Mr. Bullington re-welcomed Dorothy to the park board for a full, 4-year term. Beginning of Year Actions Mr. Burrus accepted the gavel to conduct the election for President. Mr. Howard made a motion to elect Steve Bullington as President. Ms. Hitchins seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Mr. Bullington then opened the floor for Vice President. Manda Clevenger nominated Dorothy Hitchins. Phil Howard seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Mr. Howard made a motion to appoint Manda Clevenger as Park Board Secretary, with Matt Dickey as back up. Ms. Hitchins seconded. The motion passed unanimously. Mr. Abel made a motion to confirm the Park Board’s normal, 2nd Wed of the month, meeting schedule for 2015. Mr. Howard seconded. During discussion it was pointed out due to the Veterans Day Town Holiday, the November meeting would be one day later t han normal and held on Thursday, November 12th. The motion passed unanimously. Ms. Hitchins moved to retain Mr. Roger Burrus as Board attorney, per the contract Mr. Burrus had distributed to the Board, and authorizing the Park Board President to sign the contract for services. Mr. Abel seconded. The motion passed unanimously. Dorothy Hitchins made a motion to appoint Phil Howard as the allotted appointment from the Park Board to the Town Council’s Pathways Advisory Committee. Manda Clevenger seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Minutes Phil Howard made a motion to approve the December 10, 2014 regular board meeting minutes as presented. Manda Clevenger seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Mr. Howard made a motion to approve the December 10, 2014 Executive meeting minutes as presented. Ms. Hitchins seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Public Comments/Presentations None 1 Staff Reports The reports from the Superintendent of Parks & Recreation, the Park Naturalist, and the Assistant Superintendent for Maintenance Services were part of the Park Board packet and available for review. Mr. Dickey began the summary of his written report by highlighting a draft of the annual report for the park department, with each division also providing a separate document. Mr. Dickey also reported the draft contracts to review the Starkey Bridge came in and are under review by Attorney Burrus. Matt also discussed the ramp down into Starkey Park and the earlier Park Board discussion as to if it had been assessed recently. Mr. Dickey stated that due to the ability allowed by the state to shift moneys around from various line items (and utilized by the Town of Zionsville twice a year), the department was able to shift various , and often smaller, remnants in several line items and conglomerate them into a sum that could cover such an assessment. It was also mentioned that while they were onsite they could also perform some limited survey work right in the 100-foot bridge area that will be useful when time to consider how the trail link between the Rail-Trail and Zionsville Road might cope with the up and down elevation change right there in the bridge area. New Business Mr. Dickey began by discussing an estimate for work on the Rail-Trail. There are a couple of areas on both ends of the Oak Street Tunnel where water tends to pool and is causing some challenges for the trail stability. The rough estimate is $8,500 to correct these drainage issues on the north with up to $1,500 for grading/seeding work on the south. There would likely be times when the trail needs to be closed to get the work done. Mr. Howard made a motion to approve the bid by Dorsey Excavating to do the Rail-Trail grading and drainage improvements and authorizing the park board president to sign. Mr. Abel seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Mr. Bullington next spoke about the Nature Center, his meeting with the School Superintendent, and the apparent need to relocate this facility. He noted that he and Matt met with representatives of the Sugarbush HOA about the possibility of purchasing a home there immediately adjacent to Starkey Park and converting that into the Park’s nature center. Mr. Bullington asked the Board if they should engage the services of two appraisals in anticipation of a purchase. The earliest this item could go to the Town Council is at their March meeting. Steve has already had preliminary conversations with Ed Mitro, Council President Jeff Papa, and Council Vice-President Elizabeth Hopper to keep them in the loop. Mr. Bullington noted the Sugar Bush property seems to be the most viable option at this time and that the HOA President seemed receptive to the use. Mr. Howard made a motion to move forward with gathering separate appraisals from Bob Gore and Jason Tillema, in an amount not to exceed $1,500 total. Mr. Abel seconded and the motion passed unanimously. 2 Old Business None Citizen Advisory Committee Reports Land Resources – Phil Howard. Phil noted his advisory group has not yet met. The Town Council’s Pathways Committee has met however and is moving forward with Bicycle Friendly Community application – due February 11th. He also noted the Dow AgroCyclists are interested in doing the bicycle challenge again this year. Discussions are to start the challenge in mid-May. Finance/ Funding – Dorothy Hitchins. The Finance committee is in the process of evaluating best practices for fundraisers. Tuxedo Brothers was mentioned as a potential to help raise funds. Communications –Manda Clevenger. Manda will send out a press release regarding the change in the Recreation Grant program. Recreation –Steve Bullington. Steve asked for a motion to open funds for the Recreation Grants and to designate an amount for grants. Last year, there were two awards, for about $1,000 and $2,500 respectively. Steve’s recommendation is to make up to $5,000 available for 2015’s recreation grant. Mr. Howard so moved. Ms. Clevenger seconded and the motion passed unanimously. The Park Board then discussed giving moneys only as reimbursements. The original program had allowed either reimbursement or bills being submitted and paid by the Department. However, this called into question some entities potentially conflicting with the Town’s non-profit tax-exempt status. Also when audited at some future date, the Town could have paid for building supplies, and/or equipment, that then would appear on paper that they should “own” and yet none of that would be on the premises of Town properties. This discussion did not focus around that this might be “wrong”, but could very well make future audits and the required tracking for the Town much more difficult. By sticking only to reimbursement, this makes the grant recipient much more responsible for the appropriate use of the funds and the Park Board has chance of a grantee straying from the program’s allowable precepts. Mr. Howard made the motion to change the forms to be reimbursement only. Ms. Hitchins seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Incorporating these changes could affect the date of advertising the grant program, but there would still be plenty of time before the Board’s desired initial-round application submission date of April 1st, 2015. Also as a part of the Recreation-Line Item Funds conversation, there was specific discussion of $1,000 for Zion Nature Center Speakers fund (as it comes from the same general recreation line-item). While there was no specific motion to earmark this money in 2015, there appeared to be an overall consensus among the members to try and protect this same amount of money for that same type of use. As a part of that particular discussion, Steve Bullington did mention to the Board that that this $1,000 had been being given to the Friends of Zion Nature Center who then would turn around through the efforts of the Naturalist and schedule the talks and pay for them with the funds granted for this purpose from the Park Board. President Bullington recommended to the Board that this process be streamlined and that the Board continues to earmark this $1000 in 2015, but that if it is utilized, Mindy Murdock, as Park Naturalist could just schedule and pay for the talks herself as she sees fit. No Park Board member demurred so it appears there was board consensus and in the absence of any direction to the contrary, this $1,000 3 will be so earmarked for such a use and Mr. Bullington’s suggestion will become the 2015 trial approach. Mr. Bullington also reported on a school teacher’s interest to build an observatory in the old Union Elementary School. According to the report, the School Superintendent had apparently suggested this teacher inquire as to the Parks Board interest level in partnering with this teacher (it is unclear as to if the School itself would be contributing any actual dollars, should this get momentum). Mr. Bullington should get additional details from the teacher later and if such arrive, will at that point bring information back to the Board. Facilities–George Abel. The committee continues to visit park sites and collect data on all the facilities. Their next meeting is scheduled for January 21st. Other Board Related Items None Claims Mr. Dickey noted there are two batches of claims. One includes the usual and customary items; the second reflects items those that were authorized and able to be paid up to the late in the year (2014) per the long-standing process for all Town Departments and the pertinent Town Council Ordinance. No action is required on the second portion of claims, it is informational only. Phil Howard made a motion to approve the regularly submitted claims. Dorothy Hitchins seconded and the motion passed unanimously. The meeting was then adjourned upon a motion made by Ms. Hitchins and seconded by Mr. Howard. The next regular Park Board meeting is scheduled for February 11, 2015 at 7PM, at the Town Hall’s Beverly Harves Room. ______________________________ ____________________________ Manda Clevenger, Secretary Steve Bullington, President 4