Zionsville Board of Park and Recreation

Summary Minutes of the Meeting of the Zionsville Park and Recreation Board November 14, 2018 The Zionsville Board of Parks and Recreation met Wed., November 14, 2018 at ~7:00 PM. The meeting took place at the Zionsville Town Hall’s Council Chambers (Room 105). Board members Tim Casady, John Wollenburg, Steve Bullington, Jeff Edmondson, Wayne Bivans and George Abel were present. Also present was Park Department Superintendent, Matt Dickey & Park Board Attorney, Roger Burrus. Agenda/Meeting Tim Casady made a motion to approve the October 10, 2018 regular board meeting minutes as submitted. George Abel seconded that motion this was passed by the Park Board unanimously. Public Presentation/Comments -None Identified Staff Reports Park Superintendent Matt Dickey informed that Park Board that the LARE Project is moving along. Although, this was after the State had pushed another project ahead of ours. The Wastewater Department is contributing to this project because it helps protect their out fall. The total cost will be approximately $150-160,000. A citizen’s complaint was made on the rutting done while the equipment was backing in. Mr. Dickey related to the gentleman through a voice message that this would be fixed once the project is completed as the contractor might rut it again. But if the gentleman would want it fixed now, we would see that handled. On an easement question from a homeowner across the street, Mr. Dickey has tried calling several times and has not heard back from said gentleman. Mr. Dickey noted to the Park Board that there is a 40 ft. and a 60 ft. easement on each side. Mr. Dickey wanted the Park Board to know that he did order the truck, per their direction at the October Board meeting, reminding them that this was in place of ordering a tractor and that the Park Board had originally decided to use the moneys for the tractor in this year’s budget, but there was Board-level discussion to switch this to a truck. The truck will have the spray bed, plow, and a lift gate. Mr. Dickey also informed the Park Board that he has received 4 quotes to remove the 18 identified trees in Turkey Foot. He will have to see if this money is to be encumbered or if he needs to transfer or shift funds to cover this in the current budget. But the plan had always been to do this work in the fall after leaf drop. He has also received a quote to replace 45 struggling/dying/dead trees at Heritage Trail, Mulberry Fields and Elm Street Green. Again, the money for this will likely have to be shifted around. The Park Board by consensus agreed that this increased standard of care would probably cause repurposing of funds earlier planned for other projects. Mr. Dickey reminded the Park Board of the Parks Department authorizing appraisals to BLN for the upper flat part of the southern Rail Trail corridor; Vonterra has given the Parks their half. As part of the negotiated settlement the northern property owners along Zionsville Road have given their ownership of the rail east-half of the abandoned corridor to the Parks Department; about 35 feet. Park Board Attorney, Roger Burrus is working on the deed for this. Mr. Dickey reminded the Park Board that they had asked for extra money in the 2018 budget for natives/invasive with the Overly Worman Park. As of now 2 species of natives/invasive have drastically curtailed; Asian Bush Honeysuckle and the Hemlock. These and other species will be worked on in the spring also but this should go a long way in knocking back these species in the Park portion where the work was performed. Citizens and all the “rail-trail municipalities” and the Boone County government officials met to discuss working on the Big-4 Rail Trail which goes all the way from Indianapolis to Lafayette. The County would have a say in a significant piece of this; if it was acquired, about 6 miles. A Public Outreach meeting was held in November to discuss this trail. The meeting was well attended by trail users and generated a lot of good comments from those attending. Park Board President, Jeff Edmondson and Park Superintendent, Matt Dickey met with the Town’s Deputy Mayor to discuss the rewriting of the job description for the Assistant Superintendent for Maintenance Services with the Parks Department. They are tweaking the description to be more of a project management; working with the internal staff and the Parks projects. The job will be posted as soon as the Parks Budget is approved. Another bit of news Mr. Dickey shared with the Park Board is that today at the Golf Course the rough’s mower caught on fire. He sent an email with a photo to the Park Board earlier today. He has talked with Steve Robinson and brought his recommendation to the Board. After considerable discussion at the Park Board level, Steve Bullington made a motion to repurpose the $50,000 from the 2018 cart path funds toward a new fairway mower and to switch 2019 funds originally planned for a used fairway mower next year to replace the burnt-out roughs mower. Given that of all the demo-units and used units we have purchased to save money only one demo unit has “worked out”, the Park Board specifically decided to purchase new. Wayne Bivans seconded that motion and this was passed unanimously. Mr. Dickey also, brought a draft of the first billing of the Midwest Pump Service for the Zionsville Golf Course Irrigation. He noted that on the invoice is an item of 50% deposit requirement of $29,650.00; according to the Accounting and Uniform Compliance Guidelines Manual for Cities and Towns, compensation and any other payments for good and services must not be paid in advance of receipts of the goods or services unless specifically authorized by law. Mr. Dickey wanted the Board to be aware of why we weren’t able to pay the requested amount. Park Board Attorney, Roger Burrus needed a motion on documentation he had on the land related to the grant for the Overly Worman Park requirements. He needed a motion stating that any OWP properties to always be used for public recreational purposes only and to authorize signatures by either the Park Board President or the Park’s Superintendent. Tim Casady made a motion to accept the documentation stating that per the grant’s requirements, the properties of the OWP be used only for outdoor public recreational purposes and to authorize signatures by the Park Board President and Superintendent on the document. This was seconded by John Wollenburg and passed unanimously. There was a problem in the construction of the Starkey stairs. After struggling to fit the treads onto the stringers, it was noted that the delivered treads were built incorrectly. The vendor who built the stairs will have to refabricate it. This will take time and the public had already been notified that the stairs were close to getting done. The on-site contractor will not be charging us extra for this. Mr. Dickey suggestion was that if the old treads are not taken back, then we could engineer the second set of stairs to use them. New Business Under new business, Mr. Dickey passed out a list of current Parks vehicles. One Ford Ranger truck is likely of no value and of “heavy” use miles and with no reverse gear. To declare a surplus needs a motion by the Park Board to declare this. Tim Casady made a motion to declare the 2001 Ford Ranger as listed as surplus and of no value. George Abel seconded the motion and the Park Board passed this unanimously. Park Board President, Jeff Edmondson met with the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor this week. One item they discussed was in increasing interest from a segment of the public of pickle ball courts. Mr. Edmondson thought that this might need to be looked at earlier than 2020 as in the current budget. After much discussion, the Park Board agreed that this will have to stay in the 2020 budget as originally planned. Another item Mr. Edmondson discussed with the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, which had their total approval, was using ½ mile markers on the Rail Trail; it had occasionally been considered for quarter mile markers in some circles. Also, a mountain biking club is starting at the Zionsville High School and they have asked to use trails at Starkey Park. The Mayor and some of the Park Board Members decided to walk the trails at Starkey Park to see if this would work or not. Concern is that the public would not like anything to take away from the nature side of the Park; riding mountain bike may damage areas on the trails. At the Board meeting Board President Edmondson related that during the walk, the Mayor had decided Starkey Park was not the right place for this activity. Old Business -None Identified Other Board Related Items -None Identified Claims George Abel made a motion to approve the claims plus one walk on of $4,000 with Diskey Signs as displayed on the claims form sheet submitted by the Town’s Department of Finance & Public Records. John Wollenburg seconded and the motion was passed unanimously. Adjournment The meeting was then adjourned with a motion made by Steve Bullington and was seconded by George Abel & passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at ~7:45PM. The next regular Park Board meeting is scheduled for December 12, 2018 at 7PM, at the Zionsville Town Hall’s Council Chambers (Room 105). _______________________________ ____________________________________ Jeff Edmondson, President John Wollenburg, Secretary