Zionsville Board of Park and Recreation

Summary Minutes of the Meeting of the Zionsville Park and Recreation Board June 12, 2019 The Zionsville Board of Park and Recreation met Wednesday June 12, 2019 at 7PM. The meeting took place at the Zionsville Town Hall’s Council Chambers (Room 105). Tim Casady, Jeff Edmondson, & Wayne Bivans, John Wollenburg were present. Also present was Park Department Superintendent, Matt Dickey and Park Board Attorney, Roger Burrus. Not present was Park Board Member, George Abel. Agenda/Meeting Tim Casady made a motion to approve the May 6, 2019 regular board meeting minutes. John Wollenburg seconded. The motion passed unanimously. Public Presentation/Comments - None Identified Staff Reports Superintendent Matt Dickey informed the Park Board that the golf information was not in the Town Council report due to things being slow with all the rain. There were a few $1,000+ dollar days, but also a few days of being closed. An update on hiring an Assistant Superintendent for the Maintenance Service, Mr. Dickey and Park Board President Jeff Edmondson conducted a second set of interviews this week and did make an offer. A copy of the Town’s benefits package was forward from HR to the potential hire. The garden plots are cultivated and open. The Parks had to cultivate the gardens twice due to the weather. Also, the water is now functional at Elm Street Green; a plumber needed to come and correct a problem in the meter pits. All plots are reserved. Park Board Attorney, Roger Burrus updated the Park Board on the lease to farm the section at the Holiday Farms. Mr. Burrus relayed back to the farmer that had indicated an interest in farming the Holiday field portion of the donation. However, he declined to participate as he ended up not submitting. As of the Board meeting, there hasn’t been any bids to farm the land. Also, Mr. Burrus has finished the agreement with design of the second set of Starkey Stairs. This agreement has been signed. Mr. Dickey told the Park Board that he, Park Board Member, Tim Casady, and the Deputy Mayor will be participating in an audio call with the DNR (Department of Natural Resources) to debrief on the NLT (Next Level Trails) grant application. The Golf Irrigation project is waiting to get a new well. This has delayed the pump station completion. It is still functional but with just the one well the golf course has to run more cycles, which takes longer. New Business Attorney Mr. Burrus was approached by Superintendent Dickey to draft a more specific Park Board document policy on Park usage for the Board’s consideration, maintenance in areas not intended for public traffic (off trails, in the middle of Starkey Parks, etc.). Mr. Burrus did some research and found other trail maintenance information which he believed were very complicated. His concern was protecting the Town from liability exposure and to give Mr. Dickey a document that can answer questions to the public. The Park Board commented on how comprehensive the policy was and that this policy does gives clear instructions. The Park Board decided to look the policy over for now and to discuss being adopted as standard policy at the next Board meeting. Mr. Dickey explained documents with the 2019 budget and where the Parks is at now. The budget is projected three years out. One line item that will be added to this year’s budget is the Vehicle Leasing line-item category, this will be added in every department. He went on to explain that part of what the Town form does is the projected year end of 2018 and see where your 2019 budget request will be and then the 2020 budget. The main category Mr. Dickey wanted to discuss tonight with the Park Board are the capital items. For example last year the Hemlock was treated at the Overley Worman Park; this category, natives/invasives was increased last year for this specific reason. Next month the Park Board will likely vote on the 2020 budget request by the Town Council. Mr. Dickey mentioned other budget needs the Parks has in a meeting on the 11th of June. In recent years, the Town has always been talking about potential bonds in this order 1) Streets, and 2) Sanitary Sewers, (which is paid by utility fees, not tax dollars) a utility bond and then after these items are finalized a Park bond discussion. This meeting was kind of a scoping meeting to come back and say this is what the Town elected officials may support in this first phase of the 5-Year Master Plan. The Town is wanting to refine the estimates and the accountants are saying even a full Park bond should have very little impact beyond what the current bond (which Mr. Dickey recalled as being paid off in 2021.) Beyond that there is very little additional impact and the Town is looking at significant project potentials. The Parks has asked REA (Rundell, Ernstberger & Associates) to refine their figures in the Master Plan, so if it is known a project might have to be short changed. Similarly, the same question has been put to the Town’s consultants (HWC & CSO) regarding the Heritage Trail Park South Expansion Project into the Rail Trail garden area. Mr. Dickey requested that the Park Board to take note of the section at the bottom of the outlined budget and to see what was anticipated for 2020 and 2021 and consider what changes they would like to make. One item that needed to be put back in was the Case tractor as that money originally planned for this year was targeted for the vehicle Town’s Lease Program & the UTV the mayor had suggested for our maintenance efforts. Looking over what projects that the Parks has left over and could be potential. One item in group B that looks likely it will not covered in the potential bond the Starkey Avenue Bridge replacement. This had an engineer study in April/May 2015 who identified it was structurally sound but cosmetically challenged. Mr. Edmondson stated that we may have another way of funding this. In next year’s budget, $300K to start toward the bridge replacement and to incrementally put aside and additional $100K each year. This still depends on what the Town is willing to put this in the bond, though. Mr. Edmondson asked the Park Board Members to be thinking about what projects they would like out of Group C. The Lincoln Park Refresh may well have to be delayed beyond 2020 as of now due to the Town’s unfinished street work on 1st Street. Mr. Dickey suggested to start discussions on joint emails with their thoughts. It is the Park Board’s goal to finish at the next month’s meeting, but if needed an additional meeting can be arranged. Old Business Tricia McClellan from Rundell Ernstberger & Associates (REA) was present to discuss potential Park improvements/designs with Elm Street Green Adventure Playground and Zionsville Parks Tot Lot. Ms. McClellan described the first project, the Adventure Playground at ESG. This, has currently envisioned to include log and mushroom steppers, two more benches, climbing boulders with net, retaining wall with handrail, lawn, and log crawl tunnels. This project is wheelchair assessable. Mr. Dickey asked that the lawn area on the South East Corner not be turf, but to stick with the larger footprint to make that area remain its current prairie/wildflower mix. The Park Board agreed, stating that children would be less tempted to climb the retaining wall if there was prairie instead of turf. Board Members asked that the Log Stepper, Mushroom Steppers and the Log Crawl Tunnels be closer together and intermixed. Ms. McClellan said that the next step will be to make these changes and get quotes from a couple of manufacturers, prepare a formal bid and document for eventual Park Board action. The next item is the Zionsville Park Tot Lot north of Lions Park. Ms. McClellan from REA brought two pages of concept sketches on the overall layout and a closer look at the Tot Lot. On this improvement, the new swings will stay in the same location and will be 3 bays, with 2 traditional swishers in each bay. Based on the conceptual, there will be a center piece with free standing panels with sensory components, spinning stools, a seesaw, and saddle spinners. The Park Board suggested switching the spinner’s location with the play panel so that children can be more openly viewed. This project is ADA also. Mr. Dickey did say that a couple of Silver Maple trees will have to be removed for the Tot Lot. REA stated that these two projects will go out as one, which should help with pricing numbers coming back. The last item to discuss is the resurfacing project with the Tennis Courts and resurfacing, anticipation in 2020-2021. REA brought 4 concepts for the Park Board to consider and discuss. The first concept determined by the Board as likely the best choice, but can’t move forward until the property lines are confirmed. If the Parks has the land needed for this concept, they can have the tennis courts with a net that can be lowered for pickleball also. Other Board Related Items Mr. Dickey stated that the Town has not finalized a decision on where the sanitary sewer will go to serve Holliday Farm. As the Park Board recalls the Waste Water Treatment Plant Superintendent and engineers walked the area along Turkey Foot Park to actually see this area. After touring, the WWTP decided not to that the route alongside the trail or to bore underneath on the southern part of the Park. But there will still be discussions ongoing at higher level than the departmental. Superintendent Dickey had an update on the pipeline utility work planned at Heritage Trail Park. This is near Heritage Trail Park, but on the east side of 875 where there is an existing natural gas pipeline that crosses the Rail Trail. The utility company claims work needs to be done on this pipeline. An engineering drawing has been received by the Town engineering firm. This is something that the Parks cannot control. That part of the Rail Trail will have to be closed during at least some of the work. Claims Steve Bullington made a motion to withhold the golf irrigation invoices for Heritage & potentially others due to work not being completed and to authorize Superintendent Dickey to release the payment once said work is finished. The rest of the claims are approved 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 Wayne Bivans, seconded by Steve Bullington & the vote was unanimous at ~9:05PM. The next regular Park Board meeting is scheduled for July 10, 2019 at 7PM, at the Zionsville Town Hall’s Council Chambers (Room 105). ___________________________________ ____________________________________ John Wollenburg, Secretary Jeff Edmondson, President