Zionsville Board of Park and Recreation

Summary Minutes of the Meeting of the Zionsville Park and Recreation Board November 8, 2017 The Zionsville Board of Park and Recreation met Wed., November 8, 2017 at 7:00 PM. The meeting took place at the Zionsville Town Hall’s Council Chambers (Room 105). George Abel Tim Casady, Steve Bullington, Wayne Bivans were present. John Wollenburg arrived a few minutes into the meeting. Not present was Jeff Edmondson. Also present was Park Department Superintendent, Matt Dickey & Park Board Attorney, Roger Burrus. Public Presentation/Comments - None Identified Agenda/Meeting Steve Bullington made a motion to approve with a minor correction, the October 11, 2017 regular board meeting minutes. John Wollenburg seconded. The motion passed unanimously. Staff Reports Superintendent Matt Dickey was pleased to announce that our Naturalist, Mindy Murdock received important recognition from her professional peers in the State. Mindy was awarded the Joe Wright Recognition of Excellence Award at the Environmental Education Association of Indiana’s (EEAI) annual conference this year. The Park Board congratulated Ms. Murdock for this award and several spoke highly of her efforts.. Mr. Dickey wanted to keep the Park Board posted on the meetings he has been attending with key trail planners and land holding entities along the Big-4 Rail Trail and its abandoned RR corridor. These were from Lebanon, Whitestown, Friends of Boone County Trails, & the Boone County Council, all focusing on connecting the Big-4 Rail Trail Corridor. Mayor Haak attended the November meeting. The next meeting will be in December at Lebanon. Mr. Dickey will keep the Park Board updated as they continue meeting. Mr. Dickey informed the Park Board on the LARE Grant (Lake and River Enhancement), he and the consultants have been working on getting the materials that DNR has been asking for. Mr. Dickey updated the Park Board on the Impact Fee process. He has been working on the RFP (Request for Proposal) information and has confirmed 2-3 engineering firms and a couple of accounting firms. These firms are required for the impact fee process. Mr. Dickey is hoping that a number for the total amount needed for the Parks will be ready by the next Board meeting in December for their review. The previous month’s golf course revenue were down, but expenses were down as well, so October was the highest gross profit compared to the nine previous years’ Octobers. Scott Barson, the golf course manager started considering the potential for using a module for online registration. Mr. Dickey asked him to research the subscription cost of such modules. Mr. Barson also discussed with Mr. Dickey on closing down the golf course for the month of November. After looking back over all our years of Novembers figures, Mr. Dickey & most of the management staff thought that the expenses, ie. with mowing still being needed, and/or agronomics treatments, that it might be a good idea to keep the course open in November to help offset the costs with at least some revenue. Park Board President, George Abel, also pointed out to some degree this golf course is a public park service as well. The Park Board asked to be updated about the Friends of the Nature Center. Park Board Member John Wollenburg, who also serves on the Friends board, explained that the Friends voted in the last meeting to dissolve the group. He related this has been totally their choice, but their active membership is so low that only a few people are effectively working to implement even their most creative ideas. The Friends will use the funds left over to purchase a commemorative plague and a ‘butterfly’ bench to recognize the original founding members and to use the remaining at least $4,500 to go to the Nature Center’s tree exhibit. Park Board Attorney, Roger Burrus is still working with the Butz family and the cemetery situation. He should have a draft for the Park Board to review by the next board meeting Mr. Burrus presented the Park Board with an agreement on the Vonteera land donation asking the Friends of Boone County Trails to hold that property for us with the responsibility for maintenance and insurance remaining with the Parks. Steve Bullington made a motion to authorize the agreement with the FBCT and to authorize the Park Board President, George Abel or the Parks Superintendent Matt Dickey to sign this agreement. This was seconded by Wayne Bivans and the motion was passed unanimously. New Business The Master Plan; the next 5-year plan for the entire Park system, process is underway. 70 stakeholders have been invited to participate and give their input. The Park Board, elected officials, school personnel and others will all be included. In addition, a professional Park consulting team is also involved in this process. There are three public input open houses scheduled also, an online survey has been developed and is found on https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/zionsvilleparks plan. This will all be merged with staff’s and various park planner’s knowledge and will be submitted as a draft to the Park Board and then to the State DNR. Superintendent Dickey informed the Park Board that Mindy Murdock would like to ask for a holiday hours adjustment for the Nature Center. Her request was that on December 24th, Sunday, the Nature Center would be closed; normally it is open from noon to 5 and also on December 31st, after the Noon Year’s Eve program from 10 to noon, she requests that the center also be closed from noon on for the 31st. John Wollenburg made a motion to implement Mindy Murdock’s request and close on the 24th and after the Noon Years program on the 31st. Tim Casady seconded the motion and this was passed unanimously. Old Business - None Identified Updates on Park Board’s Citizen Advisory Committees - None Identified Other Board Related Items - None Identified Claims Tim Casady made a motion to approve the claims as submitted. John Wollenburg seconded and the motion was passed unanimously. Adjournment The meeting was then adjourned with a motion made by Park Board Member Wayne Bivans, seconded by John Wollenburg & the vote was unanimous at ~7:45PM. The next regular Park Board meeting is scheduled for 12/13/17 at 7PM, at the Zionsville Town Hall’s Council Chambers (Room 105). _______________________________ ____________________________________ Tim Casady, Secretary George Abel, President