Zionsville Board of Park and Recreation

Summary Minutes of the Meeting of the Zionsville Park and Recreation Board March 8, 2017 The Zionsville Board of Park and Recreation met Wed., March 8, 2017 at 7:00 PM. The meeting took place at the town hall meeting room. Wayne Bivans, John Wollenburg, Tim Casady, & Jeff Edmondson were present. George Abel was absent. Also present were Matt Dickey, Park Department Superintendent & Roger Burrus, Park Board Attorney. Park Board Vice President, Jeff Edmondson chaired the meeting in the absence of Board President George Abel. Agenda/Meeting Tim Casady made a motion to approve the February 8, 2017 regular board meeting minutes as presented. Wayne Bivans seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Public Presentation/Comments Tricia McClellan from Rundel Ernstberger Associates (REA) gave a progress update on the Overley-Worman Park Conceptual Design Process. REA gathered comments they received from the public meetings, stakeholder meetings, from several comment cards, the Town’s website, and the project website (www.overley-wormanplan.com) and put together 3 draft conceptual scenarios. The main themes were connectivity; connecting Overley-Worman with the Big-4 Rail Trail, Starkey Park, and to the village in Zionsville, & extending the Big-4 Rail Trail southward. Recreational uses that were mentioned included a play area, trail head, restrooms, picnic areas, and shelters. Some commented on having multi-use off pavement trails; mountain bike trails, hiking trails, adventure play course, canoe/kayak use, and use of the pond. Preserving the woodlands, bringing some of the natural back and removing the invasives were also areas of comment. It was identified in Board discussion that the Overley-Worman Park should complement Starkey Park, not supplement it. With all this public input, REA has developed 3 unique conceptual designs. All of these designs include Mt. Bike routes, with trails, engage people with the creek and pond. The Park Board and public are invited to the March 9th Thursday night meeting to vet and detail these concepts into one approach. The first draft of this will be available sometime in April and the final concept will be completed in May. Staff Reports Superintendent Matt Dickey asked the Park Board to discuss a question asked by the developer about access to the Overley-Worman Park before it is finished. Mr. Dickey asked do we allow access or not before the park officially opens because the park will take some time to finish and the Parks hasn’t officially received this property donation yet from Vonterra. Park Board Attorney, Roger Burrus suggested to analyze the risks and it would be the Parks duty to warn the public of these in regards to undeveloped land. In conclusion, the Parks Board decided that the Overley-Worman Park will not be opened until it is finished. Mr. Dickey informed the Park Board that the garden plot sign-up is tomorrow (3/9/17) morning starting at 8AM at the Town Hall. Each garden plot is 20 by 20 foot and the cost is $25. Sign-ups are always the day after the March board meeting. Some gardeners use their harvest to donate to the local food bank and most for their own personal use. Target date to plant is scheduled Monday, May 15th, weather permitting. Mr. Dickey updated the Park Board on a couple of items with the Golf Course. One is that they do have a couple of employment opportunities; one would be working in the Pro Shop and the other is working outside with general mowing. These have been posted on our Town website. The second item to discuss concerning the golf course is the possibility of another league. Mr. Dickey mentioned that an individual approached the deputy mayor and asked about starting a league at the golf course. As of now, the golf course has 4 leagues, two in mornings and two in the evenings on Monday through Thursday. Mr. Dickey discussed this with the golf course manager, Mr. Scott Barson, and they are trying to see where and when the golf course could place another league. Friday mornings are a possibility. He asked the Park Board if they would like to weigh in on this. The Park Board decided that the golf manager, Mr. Barson, should have considerable input on such a decision. Superintendent Dickey wanted the Park Board to know that the Parks maintenance has been working hard on cutting down dead and dying Ash trees along the rail trail. As of now they have cut down 32 trees between Eagle Creek and Starkey Road. Mr. Dickey stated that the maintenance staff are done cutting down trees for now as they move back on more traditional maintenance tasks. In reference to this, a homeowner met with Matt Dickey with a concern on his property along the rail corridor. Four Ash trees were cut down on his side of the Parks Rail Trail property and this homeowner would like for the Parks Department to replace those trees. After discussing with the Park Board, under advice from the attorney and others determined that the Parks Department should not have to replace the Ash trees, as they were entirely upon Park Department land. The Board also felt the impact was minor and whatever small effect would recover eventually on its own. Mr. Dickey mentioned that during the Monday night Town Council meeting, the Town passed a resolution which is the beginning of the process to acquire land formerly called The Rail Trail Gardens, about 13 acres south of the Heritage Trail Park just across the rail trail corridor. This land abuts to the 12 acres acquired from the Zionsville Schools a few years ago as part of a land swap with the Jennings Field and the Town. It was announced at this Town Council meeting that the Streets and Parks Departments will be moving out in 3-4 years as the Police will take over the entire municipal building due to the increase in staffing. The Streets Department will be relocating to this eventual new property and will be building there. There are older barns already on the property that might be salvageable for the Streets Department storage. What is not known at this time is specifically where and how the Parks will be relocating. It was discussed that maybe the Parks would relocate with the Streets Department new building or maybe relocate eventually to a new, greatly-expanded Nature Center building. After discussing various ideas, the Park Board made the decision to put on hold for now until more specific information is received. Mr. Dickey gave each Board Member a copy of a brochure from RATIO Design that featured a couple of pictures of Mulberry Fields Park and Splash Park. This is a national publication. Superintendent Dickey gave an update to the Starkey Park damaged boardwalk & stairs. The Parks Department was approved for about $11,000 from the insurance claim with ~$7,000 already received. This money will be held temporally in the non-reverting operating fund. Mr. Dickey would like to not have to contract this portion of the boardwalk project out and use the volunteers that helped before. Park staffers are in the process of contacting these individuals for that purpose. As of now, it’s anticipated that section of the Starkey Park trail should be open sometime in late spring/early summer. Park Board Attorney, Roger Burrus updated the Park Board on what he has been working on. He is finalizing contracts with the Golf Course, Rundell Ernstberger & their two projects, and with Creekside Corporate Park. New Business - None Identified Updates on Park Board’s Citizen Advisory Committees - None Identified Other Board Related Items Mr. Dickey asked the Park Board to sign up and help with the Z’GreenFest. He explained that the Park Department Staff will be setting up and tearing down, volunteers would be needed in- between. Mindy Murdock, our Park Naturalist will be teaching a Bees program during the GreenFest. Mr. Dickey and our Superintendent for the Maintenance, Allen Shafer will be attending. Z’GreenFest is on Sunday, April 23 from 1:30 to 5PM. This event will take place at the Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Library. One other item Mr. Dickey needed to discuss with the Park Board was the possibility of a Recreation Grant. He explained that this had been a reimbursement grant for new recreation programs. The Lions Club requested $3,000 for new 2-5 year old play equipment. Mr. Dickey explained that this grant was for new recreational programs; not necessarily for equipment. After some discussion, Park Board member John Wollenburg made a motion to place the recreation grant program on hold for now until more information is gathered concerning the Nature Center. Tim Casady seconded the motion and this was passed unanimously. Claims Jeff Edmondson made a motion to approve the claims as submitted. Tim Casady seconded and the motion was passed unanimously. Adjournment The meeting was then adjourned with a motion made by Park Board Member John Wollenburg, Manda Clevenger seconded at ~8:30PM. The next regular Park Board meeting is scheduled for April 12, 2017 at 7PM, at the Town Hall’s Beverly Harves Room. _______________________________ ____________________________________ Manda Clevenger, Secretary George Abel, President