Zionsville Board of Park and Recreation

Summary Minutes of the Meeting of the Zionsville Park and Recreation Board 8-12-2020 The Zionsville Board of Park and Recreation met Wednesday, August 12, 2020 at 7PM. Note: Due to the COVID-19 Emergency Health Situations, this meeting was required to be a virtual meeting. Park Board Members, Tim Casady, John Stehr, John Wollenburg, Jill Pack, John Salewicz, Erin Bidwell, & Wayne Bivans were present. Also present was Park Department Interim Superintendent, Mindy Murdock, Joe Rust, Tech Advisor, and Park Board Attorney, Roger Burrus. Minutes A motion was made by Jill Pack, seconded by Wayne Bivans to approve the July 8, 2020 Park Board Minutes. Minutes were approved unanimously by roll call vote. Public Presentations/Comments Interim Superintendent Mindy Murdock introduced the Park Board to Jaiden Georgen, who will be speaking later on about the Skate Park. Staff Reports Interim Superintendent Mindy Murdock updated the Park Board on the Nature Center. Summer Camps had 107 in attendance and even with the COVID-19 cancellations/refunds, actually made a profit of ~$350. Going forward, the Nature Center is continuing the virtual programs and will be working with the schools to use this within the teachers/classrooms. Ms. Murdock also informed the Park Board of the maintenance items. The crew did mow down all the unused garden plots; the plots that are being used are looking very good. Eco Logic has done some native/invasive treatments throughout the parks this month. Park Board Attorney, Roger Burrus updated the Park Board on a few items on the agenda. A committee has been appointed by the Mayor for the Park Impact Fee process. Erin Bidwell is on this committee representing the Park Board. Mr. Burrus has been doing work on property acquisitions. On the Holliday Road vacation petitions, everything has been considered on what needs to be done after meeting with some department heads. There will be a meeting with the Deputy Mayor next week and Mr. Burrus will be updating the Park Board of that meeting next month. New Business Attorney Burrus informed the Park Board of the Storen Property. 10 years ago, after the property was acquired at Elm Street Green, the Parks was interested in acquiring more property next door, but so were a lot of other people. The Storens purchased the property at 125 N. Elm Street and even though they did not want to sell any of the land to the Parks, they were very willing to sign an agreement to give an easement for a pathway along Eagle Creek; 1.5 acres along Eagle Creek and a conservation easement so the 1.5 acres would be preserved in a “natural” state. to the Parks. Mr. Burrus suggested as part of that agreement, a right of first refusal in favor of the Park Board, so that if the Storens changed their minds or decided to sell their property, we would have the first right of refusal to purchase the property. Recently the Storens were made an offer for the property that they could not refuse, 2M. The Parks would have the first opportunity to purchase this property, but this is way out of the Parks budget and this could not be matched. The easements will remain. A motion was made by John Stehr to decline the Right of Refusal and to give the authority to the Superintendent and/or the President to sign the said document. This was seconded by Jill Pack and the motions was passed unanimously by a roll call vote. Park Board Attorney Burrus gave the Park Board an update on the Henkaline property acquisition, which is located at 45 N. Elm Street, just south of the Storen property. Mr. Burrus explained that years ago the Henkalines promised the Parks that when they were ready to sell, they would let the Parks know. At the time, Attorney Burrus informed the Mayor. The Town Council authorized the two appraisals averaging $647,000 of the Henkaline property. This is 5 acres of potential Park land along Eagle Creek. The problem with the Henkaline property is that the Parks would have to buy the entire property which includes an old house. The Park Board thought this might be a good fit for a new Nature Center and that this is really important to the Park’s future planning. Mr. Burrus is working on several options and thinks that a little more ground work is needed before any action is taken presently. Interim Superintendent Mindy Murdock presented to the Park Board the 2021 Budget suggestions for the Parks and the Golf Course. With revenue down due to COVID-19, department heads were told to start from scratch and figure out what their department will need to function. Ms. Murdock broke down the Parks budget into 4 sections. The first is individual daily items. In this section she pointed out the Director of Recreation Services; which would be similar to the Director of Maintenance Services but focused on Parks recreational type services. She increased the part time line item by quite a bit due to needing a PT Naturalist, PT Recreation Programmers, & PT seasonal maintenance workers. Another item added is a Nature Center van; this would be used for Park programming and recreational outreach. The ZNC Contract Services was increased due to the roof needing replaced; the increase did not include needed sewer repairs. The next section is the capital projects. Town Council told Ms. Murdock to include all projects in the Master Plan and to break them down individually. These projects are all or partially funded through bonds. Overley Worman Park, Rail Trail North, South, & Trailhead, the Big-4 Rail Trail, & the Starkey Ave. Bridge Replacement are all included in this. The 3rd section included line items that are presently included in our 2020 budget. Those include the Dog Park at Heritage Trail Park, the Tennis Court resurfacing, the Turkeyfoot Bridge repair, & the Starkey Park Stair Replacement. These are in the 2020 general budget. Lastly are the priorities for 2021. This section Interim Superintendent Murdock needed the Park Boards recommendations on which items are of most importance to them. Park Board members expressed the importance of the Heritage Trail Park Phase 2 project, which includes an additional playground, more parking & trails. This would be good for the Dog Park also. The Park Board also agreed that the Elm Street Green Connector was important too. This would connect ESG to Lions Park and would provide some monies for the Henkaline property. The Park Board would like the Nature Center to be moved up to the top of the list. Ms. Murdock explained that the Non Reverting Capital Fund is $300,000 currently and if not spent, the Park keeps that; it rolls over. Whereas regular capital is gone if not spent. The Park Board suggested that $300-500,000 be earmarked every year for the NRCF. The Golf Course budget for 2021 has a few items that Ms. Murdock wanted to explain to the Park Board about. One item that is on there, but never has been used is the full time Golf Course Manager. Our current manager is part time, but we have in the budget monies for a full time manager. Part time salary is increased by some, but this could go down if the full time position for the manager is filled. Overtime line item is added to the golf course budget; originally this was included in the Parks overtime budget. Golf Cart leases was added. Leasing golf carts at $20,000 would include new carts every 4 years, any maintenance needed, & storage during the winter months. For total cart path replacement a total of $80,000 is budgeted. Those are the major changes that Ms. Murdock wanted the Park Board to know about. The next item up for discussion is the Heritage Trail Dog Park. This concept was created in the original Master Plan. Ms. Murdock presented the Park Board with the original concept and shared this with the Mayor. The concept included a 3.5 acre dog park. This park can be done in house with the Street & Parks Department at a cost of ~$200,000. The Park Board also asked REA to update their numbers in the HTP Phase 2 plan with the original master plan dog park. The Mayor is very excited about this and informed Ms. Murdock to utilize this plan. The Park Board asked Interim Superintendent Murdock to come up with some policies and procedures with a dog park, to confirm utility connections, any expense estimates, maybe include another 1 acre dog park at Elm Street Green, and to see how this would work with the Parks current budget. Ms. Murdock will get this information and this discussion will be continued at the next board meeting. Next up RQAW Transportation and their assessments of the Starkey Avenue & the 100-foot bridge. The Starkey Avenue Bridge is a concrete slab bridge which was originally a railroad line. It now carries the Rail Trail over Starkey Avenue. RQAW informed the Park Board that the superstruction is in poor condition and the substructure is in fair condition. It is recommended to replace the superstructure as a minimum treatment. Their costs analysis shows superstructure replacement cost would be $415,000, structure patching repair costing $370.000, and a full bridge replacement costing $590,000. A superstructure replacement would last approximately 30 years verses a complete bridge replacement lasting 60 years. The 100 Foot Bridge assessment by RQAW are mainly cosmetic. This bridge is over Eagle Creek and is pedestrian only. They recommend replacing the chain link fence, place rip rap around the piers ($45,000), patching the arch ring ($480,000), and repainting and repairing the columns ($55,000). These estimates were not included in the Bond requests. After discussing options, Tim Casady motioned that this is the desire of the Park Board, after reviewing RQAW’s assessment, to replace the Starkey Avenue bridge and to work with REA to incorporate into their design & construction documents into the South Rail Trail extension and to authorize the Superintendent and the Park Board President to sign said documents. This was seconded by John Stehr and passed unanimously by a roll call vote with the Park Board. Interim Superintendent Murdock brought pictures from the Director of Maintenance of various items that need to be repaired and replaced in the Parks. Items included drinking fountains, bathroom doors, bathroom hand dryers, splashpad metal benches. An addition is a Corn Hole; Ms. Murdock thought this could go next to the Bocci court in ESG. There would be bike deterrent included with the Corn Hole cost. All of these would total $23,970 and would be well within the Park budget. Park Board Member John Stehr issued a motion to accept these repairs/replacements and to include the Corn Hole as recommended by Ms. Murdock and Director of Maintenance, Dave Moliterno. This motion was seconded by Wayne Bivans. A roll call vote was taken and this motion was passed unanimously. Old Business Mindy Murdock introduced Jayden Georgen who was present at the Park Board meeting to discuss the current Skate Park rules. Jayden has been riding his scooter in the Skate Park for several years and would like to know why that is not allowed anymore. Ms. Murdock explained that the Skate Park has always had rules posted at the park that no scooters or BMX’s are allowed. She has replaced the signs with new updated ones and she explained that the Park was short staffed and did not follow up with the rules at the Park as they should, but now with double the staff and with the newly renovated Skate Park those rules are being followed. Director of Maintenance, Dave Moliterno did contact Grindline Skates and asked their opinion on this matter. Grindline Skates can’t recommend opening up the park to scooters and/or BMX, this Skate Park is designed for skateboards only. The Skate Park is not equipped to take on the damage that a metal scooter or BMX will do. The Park Board stated that Mr. Moliterno’s opinion should be more recommended due to his research. A motion was made by John Stehr to keep the current rules with the Mulberry Fields Skate Park. This was seconded by John Wollenburg and after a roll call vote was passed unanimously. Tricia McClellan, REA was present to give the Park Board an update with Overly Worman Park. REA stated that 90% of the construction plans are read for Tim Casady and Mindy Murdock to review by early next week. The development plan will go before the planning commission in September and then will be ready to bid after that meeting. Jill Pack briefed the Park Board on the IU Resiliency Cohort and Climate Action Plan. They do have a website page located on the Town’s web page. This gives several options to help reduce our impact emissions. Virtual community groups will be conducted. Several Department head and some Park Board members are on the committee. Ms. Pack asked the Park Board to go to the website to get more information and to share what you see with the community. Pros Consulting and the Recreation Programming Assessment/Planning Project is finished with their surveying with the stake holders. This will then go to the community for surveying. Ms Murdock was asked to look at programming with 5 different Parks programs to work off of. She is going to look at Noblesville and Brownsburg and a few other Parks in Ohio. This will be wrapped up by the end of September or Octorber. Claims A motion to approve claims as submitted was made by Park Board Member Wayne Bivans, and seconded by John Stehr. Motion was approved unanimously by a verbal vote. Adjournment The meeting was then adjourned with a motion made by Park Board Member Tim Casady seconded by John Wollenburg & a verbal roll call vote at ~930PM. The next regular Park Board meeting is scheduled for September 9, 2020 at 7PM, at the Zionsville Town Hall’s Council Chambers (Room 105). _____________________________________ ______________________________________ Tim Casady, President Wayne Bivans, Secretary