April 19, 2007
The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. with the following members present: S. Klein and B. Wallace. Mayor Poole arrived at 7:15 p.m.
Also present: D. Weir – Administrator, C. Osborne – Fiscal Officer, M. Hatch – Recreation Director, B. Provost – Village Engineer, S. Roessner – Zoning Inspector, and Bill Blue.
Agenda: no additions or deletions
Minutes of March 15, 2007 were presented for approval. Klein moved to approve the minutes as presented, seconded by Wallace. All in favor.
OLD BUSINESS
1. Recreation Equipment Storage – Weir stated he received a cost estimate from McGrath Construction for approximately $15,000.00. Weir stated the heating and humidity control issue needs to be addressed at a later time. The addition would be constructed with these utilities ready for install, but wouldn’t be installed with this project. Hatch stated she wouldn’t have an office in this building. Weir suggested adding this to tonight’s Council agenda. Klein moved to recommend this to Council for approval, seconded by Wallace. All in favor.
2. Sports Park Use – Weir stated he and Provost discussed bidding the grading portion of this project. Provost stated we wouldn’t have the contract in place until Almeda Dr. is dedicated as a Village street. Weir stated he met with school board member, Dick Moss and Supt. Yokum, to discuss their concerns with this dedication such as liability regarding baseballs hitting vehicles and drainage at the ball fields. Weir stated he conveyed to them the Village will correct the radius of the road and additional improvements once the road is dedicated. Weir stated they couldn’t understand why the Village is requesting 100’ r-o-w. Weir explained the r-o-w is needed for the parking lot project and the r-o-w needs to be consistent along the entire road. Provost stated the parking lot will require an additional 20-feet and won’t go near the existing ball fields. Weir stated Moss and Yokum will discuss the Village proposal at the May school board meeting. Provost stated once the bids are accepted, a permanent contract must be in place within 60 days. After that time, the Village will need to re-bid the project. Provost stated the Village could grade the area and apply seeding in the fall. Roessner stated the ball fields won’t be constructed this year. Discussion held regarding a restroom building. The committee realizes this would be an advantage to the entire area. Hatch stated this is a temporary park because the recreation center is planned for this area. Portable restroom units are placed at the ball fields for the spring-through-fall sports’ season. Hatch stated the school pays for a portion of this fee during their baseball season. After further discussion, the committee decided a permanent restroom won’t be advantageous at this time. It is the consensus of this committee to advertise for bids for grading.
3. George Knox Park - Weir stated walking paths would not be installed1. Grading has been done this year. Hatch stated the Frisbee Golf equipment hasn’t been installed due to inclement weather. Hatch stated the sign was delivered this week and it has a locked area in which park rules and a map of the park will be posted.
The committee deviated from the agenda while waiting for Mayor Poole to arrive.
Hatch stated she met with Henry Duchscherer, President of the Cardinal Athletic Boosters, Supt. Yokum, and school maintenance employee, Jim Byler, to discuss how these groups can work together to improve the condition of the ball fields. Hatch stated because all of the groups use the ball fields, they all agreed to share in the cost of these improvements. On behalf of the Village’s recreation programs, Hatch agreed to purchase ball field mix material and to have it laser leveled, at a cost of $1,500.00. Hatch stated the laser leveling will cut down on the overall maintenance of the field. The athletic boosters are addressing some of the drainage issues with all of the ball fields, and the school is purchasing approximately 4 tons of the ball field mix.
Hatch stated the college intern, Lily Ammons, has 40 hours left to fulfill her class requirement. Hatch stated Ammons has been an asset to the recreation department.
Discussion held regarding facilities for Village recreation programs. Hatch stated she was able to use a space at the library for the Village’s yoga classes on a one-time basis. Discussion held regarding charging a user fee for the senior/community center due to a cleaning issue. Klein stated he’s in favor of charging a user fee. Hatch stated the Body Sculpting class has complained many times regarding the condition of the floor. Weir stated he’s written to all of the organizations that use the building stating they are responsible to clean the building before they leave. However, this hasn’t been done and he’s interviewing cleaning companies.
4. Eagle Park Improvements – Blue questioned if anyone knew the reason Council woman Jemison voted against placing these resolutions on first reading at the April 5 council meeting. Klein stated he believes it’s the cost issue. Wallace stated he believes the parks are a good reflection on the community. Blue questioned if either of these proposals have any demographics studies for review, and stated he feels there are a lot of “things” in this park. Provost stated the smaller splash ground is 30-feet in diameter and the larger pad is 50’ x 60’. Klein stated he’s in favor of the bigger slash pad due to the two different areas for the smaller kids, and feels this park adds to the value of the homes. Klein stated he discussed this with Council woman Davis and they both feel the park should be built to its entirety rather than on a smaller scale. Klein stated the north side of Tare Creek Parkway will be developed in the future and this area will be a center part of the Village. Klein stated the families with small children are in favor of this splash park. Klein stated $1 million isn’t a lot of money for this project. Wallace stated the enrollment in the Village elementary school has grown due to the closing of Huntsburg and Parkman schools. Wallace feels if families know this park is here, they’ll plan to spend the day in the Village. Blue stated people from Newbury will also be coming here to use the splash park. Klein stated he’s sees that as a positive. Klein stated Davis relayed to him this was one of Council woman Jemison’s issues against this splash park. Klein stated if people come here from other areas to use this slash park, they’d also spend money in the Village in the restaurants and stores. Wallace noted this is a tourism issue, too, and there’s no reason not to build the park in its entirety.
Weir stated the smaller splash pad is $246,000.00. Blue questioned if the Village
could purchase only the larger pad. Because the bids were for the smaller pad and
for the combined pads, the Village couldn’t purchase just the large pad. The project
would have to be re-bid and the park couldn’t be constructed this year. Provost
stated the smaller/base bid includes the electricity, the drainage, and the waterlines
to the utility building. The additional cost to add the second one isn’t just the cost of
the larger pad, but includes larger pumps, larger motors, etc. Provost
stated if Council wants the park constructed this year, these need to be passed as
an emergency.
Klein stated he knows Councilman Hofstetter has concerns regarding this
project. Discussion held regarding budget monies for all of the parks’ projects.
Osborne stated the Almeda Drive dedication and the parking lot construction at that
area wasn’t discussed until after the budget was passed. Weir stated we may have
to amend the budget to ensure enough money is appropriated. Discussion held
regarding how many Council members are required to place legislation as an
emergency. Mayor Poole stated he’d like these resolutions passed tonight because
he wants this project constructed this year. Provost stated the infrastructure
contractor must be done by July, if the resolutions before Council are passed
tonight, this contract is over in August with a 90-day waiting period meaning the
contractor only has the month of August for construction. The dry playground
equipment and the pavilion are the same way. After those three contracts are
completed, we still have to install the walking paths and the landscaping, which
needs to be in by October. Provost stated if the park is to be completed this year,
these resolutions must have some action tonight because of the contract deadlines.
Klein stated he’d make the motion to waive the readings. Blue stated he’s not
comfortable spending $1 million for this park. Poole stated it isn’t $1 million just for
this park, although it will be close to $1 million. Mayor Poole stated the Village hasn’t
spent a lot of money on the parks, and for a long time there was only Mineral Lake
Park. Blue agreed this has been neglected for a long time. Mayor Poole stated
even though this will increase maintenance, Poole stated this cost should be
considered over the long term. Mayor Poole stated he’s been pro recreation all
along, and noted how the Village has increased all of the recreation programs and
feels this park is on the leading edge of something and he wants this Village to be
viewed as a nice place live. Mayor Poole stated he would love to see the Village be
the first in the county to do something of this magnitude. Mayor Poole stated he
understands Blue’s concerns regarding the cost. Blue questioned if there was a
lower cost compromise. Blue stated he knows, being an election year, the
constituents will question why the Village is spending an enormous amount of money
on this while raising the water and sewer rates. Mayor Poole stated he’s been
warned about this, but is willing to defend his position. Wallace stated no one came
to the meetings concerning the water/sewer rate increases. Blue stated no one
came to the meetings regarding Mayor’s Court, but we now have a referendum for
that issue. Klein stated he doesn’t see these as related issues. Weir stated costs
for the improvements on the water and sewer plants are benefits that the Village
residents are currently receiving. Weir noted the residents will be able to see the
money spent on the parks. Poole stated Council doesn’t neglect other areas of the
Village as far as water and sewer or roads. Mayor Poole stated there will be
oppositions and Poole stated he’s ready to defend this.
NEW BUSINESS – none before the committee.
Being no further business at this time, the meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m.