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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-17-2011 Minutes SOUTH BEND BOARD OF PARK CONAUSSIONERS REGULAR MEETING JANUARY 17, 2011 The Board of Park Commissioners of the Park District of the City of South Bend, Indiana met on Monday January 17, 2011 at the O'Brien Administration&Recreation Center, 321 E. Walter St., South Bend, Indiana for its regular meeting. Notice of the date,time and place of the meeting were duly given as required by law. Park Board members present were as follows: Mr. Robert Henry,President Mr. Robert Goodrich,Vice President Dr. Thomas Kelly Mr. Garrett Mullins Park Board members absent were as follows: Staff members present: Phil St. Clair, Superintendent; Betsy Harriman,Administrative Director; Bill Carleton,Fiscal Officer; Susan O'Connor,Recreation Director; Paul McMinn,Assistant Recreation Director; Randy Nowacki,Director of Golf Operations; Terry DeRosa,Zoo Director; Richard Payton,Development Director; Mike Dyszkiewicz,Maintenance Superintendent; Karen Myers, Program Supervisor; Cindy Moryl,Daycare Supervisor; Cindy Piech-Miller,Fitness Center Supervisor; Paula Garis, Special Events Supervisor; Cynthia Taylor, Charles Black Center Director; Loretta Kollar,Program Supervisor;Amy Roush,Aquatics Supervisor; Maurice Scott,King Center Director; Katie Hocker,Fitness Supervisor; Garry Harrington,Rum Village Center Director; Thomas Bodnar,Park Board Attorney I. The meeting was called to order by Board President Robert Henry at 2:30 p.m. 1. Election of Officers for 2011 Dr. Kelly made a motion to retain the current officers of Mr. Henry as President and Mr. Goodrich as Vice President. Mr. Mullins seconded the motion and it was passed. H. The first order of business was the interviewing of interested citizens. 1. Recognition of Park Police Officer Dan Schaefer-Betsy Harriman Ms. Harriman related to the Board the actions of Park Police Officer in coming to the assistance of a South Bend Police officer and helping subdue and arrest a combative suspect. She presented him with a plaque thanking him for his service. He thanked the Board and accepted the plaque on behalf of the Park Police as a whole, stating that he hoped this would raise the awareness of the Park Police unit. III. The next order of business was unfinished business. There was no unfinished business. IV. The next order of business was new business. - I - 1. Request to Approve Arborist Licenses The following license applications were presented for approval by the Board: a. Ballew Landscape Construction b. Custom&Moore Tree Experts,LLC c. 4 Seasons Tree Services,LLC d. Mark Temple Tree Service e. San-Mar Tree &Maintenance f. Super Tree, Inc. g. Watson's Tree Service h. KC Tree, Inc. i. Fuerbringer Landscaping&Design, Inc. j. Kevin's Tree and Landscaping of Michiana, Inc. k. Acorn Landscaping Mr. Bodnar recommended the approval of Custom&Moore Tree Experts,LLC,4 Seasons Tree Services,LLC,Mark Temple Tree Service,Watson's Tree Service,KC Tree, Inc., and Acorn Landscaping. The others did not list the City of South Bend as certificate holders on their proof of insurance forms. He recommended that they be approved subject to presentation of revised proof of insurance forms. Mr. Goodrich made a motion to approve Custom&Moore Tree Experts,LLC,4 Seasons Tree Services,LLC,Mark Temple Tree Service,Watson's Tree Service,KC Tree, Inc., and Acorn Landscaping. Dr. Kelly seconded the motion and it was passed. 2. Requests for Use of Parks- Ms. Harriman requested the Board approve the following requests: a. Homeward Bound Run-Howard-April 2 b. St. Anthony's Run-Potawatomi-April 16th c. Achievement Forum Egg Hunt-Howard -April 16th d. Letter Carriers Egg Hunt-Memorial-April 17th e. Arthritis Walk-Potawatomi-May 1st f. Cinco de Mayo -Howard-May 7th g. Leeper Art Fair—Leeper Park- June 18 and 19 h. East Side Reunion- Coquillard Park-July 29 and 30 i. Vietnam Veterans Candlelight Vigil-Howard-August 12 j. Breast Cancer Walk-Howard- October 15t' k.National Kidney Foundation Walk-August 13`s-Rum Village Park 1. Ride for Kids-July 10-Pinhook Park Mr. Goodrich made the motion to approve the above request pending staff approval and it was seconded by Mr. Mullins. The motion was approved. 3. Request to Approve Boland Park Easement Mr. Bodnar requested that the item be tabled while the deed is being investigated. Dr. Kelly made a motion to table the request until the February meeting. Mr. Goodrich seconded the motion and it was passed. 4. Request to dispose of Assets a. Taylor Dunn Electric Carts (3)-to scrap b. 1992 Chevrolet Pick up, 3/4T#339- auctioned - 2 - c. Field Tarp- Coveleski—Donation to St. Mary's College d. Anesthetic Machine-Zoo-to scrap Mr. Carleton requested that these assets be declared obsolete and permission given to dispose of these items. Mr. Mullins made a motion to declare the items listed as obsolete. Mr. Goodrich seconded the motion and it was passed. V. Approval of Minutes Dr. Kelly made a motion to approve the minutes of the regular Board meeting held on December 20, 2010 as mailed. The motion was seconded by Mr. Goodrich and approved. VI. Approval of Maintenance Vouchers A motion was made by Mr. Goodrich to approve maintenance vouchers for December 2010 totaling $909,745.23 It was seconded by Dr. Kelly. There being no further discussion,the motion was passed. VII. Business of Director St. Clair Director St. Clair gave his annual report for 2010 to the Board. His report is attached. VIII. Comments by the Golf Operations Director 1. Mr.Nowacki reported that the Golf division is preparing for the 2011 season. 2. Interviews for the concessions manager position at Erskine are underway. 3. Mr.Nowacki requested permission to advertise for chemical and fertilizers for 2011. Mr. Goodrich made a motion to approve Mr.Nowacki's request to advertise for chemicals and fertilizers for 2011. Dr. Kelly seconded the motion and it was passed. IX. Comments by the Zoo Director 1. Mr. DeRosa reported that there were 512 visitors for the Zoo's first Winter Days of the season. 2. A food and gift manager has been hired. 3. A green roof will be installed when the Zoo Society board gives its approval. 4. Interviews for the vet position are going on. A site visit is being planned. 5. The night security position has been filled. 6. He is encouraging the zoo staff to participate in the city's wellness program. X. Comments by the Maintenance Superintendent 1. Mr. Dyszkiewicz informed the Board of the snow plowing that the department is doing through the city. 2. The trades crew is remodeling the kitchen area at Pinhook. 3. The plumbers are doing boiler repair. 4. At the Conservatory,new fans are being installed to circulate the air more efficiently. 5. He requested that the Board approve a request to advertise for heavy equipment. It is budgeted in the 2011 capital budget and will be financed with a five year lease purchase agreement. - 3 - Mr. Goodrich made a motion to approve his request. Dr. Kelly seconded his motion and it was passed. 6. Mr. Dyszkiewicz thanked Paul Moreland and Jim Byers and their crews for their outstanding snow cleaning efforts. The Board added their thanks also. Xl. Comments by Recreation Director 1. Ms. O'Connor reported that the winter programs are underway. 2. Howard Park Ice Rink has had excellent attendance. There had been over 5,500 skaters over the Christmas break. 3. Programs were closed on January 8 due to the snow storm. 4. The Daddy-Daughter dance is February 8 at Century Center. 5. Bike the Bend completion party will be in Potawatomi Park on May 15. 6. Ms. O'Connor introduced the Recreation staff to the Board and went over a comparison of attendance numbers at various locations and events. XH. Comments by the Development Director 1. Mr. Payton thanked Mr. Goodrich for attending the recent Park Board Foundation meeting. 2. He reported that the Park Foundation Board elected officers and directors. Planning for fund raising took place. A master plan overview was done by Matthew Moyers. 3. Awards will be presented to us at the upcoming IPRA convention. 4. A grant from the Convention and Visitor Bureau has been applied for. It will go toward advertising for the Blues and Ribs Festival. We should hear early next month. XHl. Open Meeting 1. The Board discussed the memorandum of understanding that exists between the City and the Zoological Society. It was suggested that it be reviewed and updated. Marcy Dean, Executive Director of the Zoological Society,reported that the Zoological Society planned to meet to ratify an updated agreement for the city's review. She said she would provide a copy for the Board when it was ratified. XW. There being no more business to come before the Board the meeting adjourned at 4:15 p.m. XV. The next regular meeting will be held February 21, 2011 at 4:00 p.m. in the Boardroom of the O'Brien Administration Center. Respectfully Submitted, William Carleton Executive Secretary 2010 Annual Report Highlights South Bend Parks and Recreation Department - 4 - On behalf of the Board of Park Commissioners and the staff of the South Bend Park and Recreation Department, I am pleased to submit our 2010 highlights. Attendance and/ or participation at park and recreation facilities in 2010 totaled over 900,000. This does not include the thousands of people who use the park's open spaces and trails as part of their everyday life in our city. Although dollars for parks were limited, the department succeeded in getting many programs, upgrades and repairs accomplished throughout the city park system. Looking for resources outside the norm, we focused on additional opportunities. We felt there were four components that were critical to the overall success of the Parks and Recreation Department in 2010. Partnerships, grants, volunteers, and creative "in house" solutions were all examined. These four resources became our focus and ultimately proved very successful strategies that helped the Parks and Recreation Department move forward in 2010. Good partnerships are absolutely essential to run an effective and sustainable Parks and Recreation Department. Beginning with the Potawatomi Zoo, the opening of the new Otter's exhibit was made possible solely through the efforts of the Potawatomi Zoological Society. This new state of the art facility is now home to four very adventurous and playful Otters. An official grand opening of the Otters exhibit will take place next spring at the zoo. New births at the zoo created a lot of excitement as well for zoo patrons in 2010. The births of three Amur Leopards Cubs, three Red Panda Cubs, one Southern Hornbill Chick, one Sichuan Takin, and one White- Naped Crane where very significant as these animals are part of the World Wide Species Survival Plan ( SSP ) implemented by the Accredited zoo's in the United States. The Potawatomi Zoo personnel have been hard at work rearing these young animals and insuring their survival during the most vulnerable time. The zoo staff should be commended for their efforts regarding the - 5 - breeding and formal care for these rare and endangered species. The park's two 18 hole and one 9 hole municipal golf courses provided golfing opportunities for over 68,000 rounds of golf. In addition to daily play, there were numerous golf outings including the 15th Annual Superintendents Golf Outing which raised over $5000.00 to assist segments of our community youth with the opportunity to participate in local recreational activities. We thank our partners and sponsors of the golf outing for their participation and for what their contribution means to the success of our community outreach to the city's youth. A new partnership with the South Bend Community School Corporation's "Special Needs Ability Pre-School" ( SNAP ) program was successfully implemented in 2010. The Parks and Recreation Department and the School Corporation administer this program for youth that meet required special needs prior to their enrollment in the public schools. The School Corporation recognizing the quality and over all educational components of our current Pre-School programs, offered the Parks and Recreation Department the opportunity to partner with them on this very unique program. It's our goal these youngsters will successfully transition into the public school system when they enroll as 5/6 year olds. Perhaps the most important partnership with the city's Parks and Recreation Department was recently formed by the creation of South Bend's first Park Foundation. The mission and purpose of this board will be providing funding for future programming and capital developments in the Parks and Recreation Department. The Parks Foundation will act as the fundraising arm of the department and separate from the Board of Park Commissioners who is the current governing authority. As municipal funding models are changing through out the country, successful foundations are becoming critical components as part of long term sustainability for existing park agencies. Additional resources outside the traditional budgeting dollars often make the difference between a good year of service and a great year. This past year we were very fortunate to receive a $353,547.00 Community Service Block Grant from the federally administered American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This grant targets neighborhoods that have been most - 6 - affected by the current economic downturn by supporting the employment of individuals in the community who have lost jobs to reduction in workforce or economic hardship. Through this grant the Parks and Recreation Department were able to employ over 50 local residents between the months of April and September. These work crews often tackled mowing and cleaning duties of various neighborhood parks and vacant lots. Further resources in 2010 came in the form of volunteers. This past October was dedicated as Volunteer Recognition Month by the City Parks and Recreation Department by virtue of over 10,000 hours dedicated to our operations by volunteers. The 10,404 volunteer hours we tracked on our data constitute a monetary value of$182,802.00. Volunteers assisted in all types of activities. Cleaning parks and river banks, staffing recreation and zoo programs, assisting in special events and fundraisers, and participating in park and equipment upgrades are a few examples of the type of assistance these generous citizens in our community provided the Parks and Recreation Department. The city parks system consist of 57 parks and numerous facilities scattered across the city. Maintaining the parks inventory is always a big job. Our maintenance crews have consistently over the years used creative methods and cost saving measures to keep the park infrastructures in place. Roof repairs, concrete upgrades, plumbing, electrical, and carpentry skills are performed daily by the parks maintenance staff. In addition, construction projects in the parks are often performed by parks maintenance. One example was the total reconstruction of the Blue Field diamond at the Bellville Softball Complex. Park crews raised the sinking ball field with over 4500 tons of new dirt, graded the field, installed the irrigation system and surrounding fence, and laid 80,000 square feet of sod to complete the project. In addition to this project, the maintenance staff constructed and completed the fifth diamond at the Bellville Complex. These in house efforts saved the department significant dollars that we were able to spend on other neighborhood park upgrades. In 2010 the Park Maintenance Division mowed 25,000 acres of park land, mowed 125 different street islands, picked up and hauled 15,000 yards of leaves off of the city streets - 7 - and park properties, assisted the Street Department with snow plowing in addition to all of the park facilities, parking lots and trails, and hauled over 300 tons of trash from the city parks. Additional duties performed by maintenance include mowing over 5700 vacant lots, storm damaged trees at 676 different locations through the city, over 3000 tree trimmings, and 164 new tree plantings. This past Arbor Day the City Parks and Recreation Department partnered with AEP Indiana Michigan Power Inc. for an Arbor Day Tree Give Away Program. Educational programs were offered and over 420 trees were given to local residents who participated in the day's event. The Recreation Division continued to offer a very comprehensive list of activities throughout the year. More notable has been the growing success of the O'Brien Fitness Center. The O'Brien Center recently celebrated its tenth anniversary with an open house and unique programming opportunity. Programs emphasize healthy lifestyles for all members. Lipid testing equipment, healthy foods cookbooks, breast cancer awareness programs, and veteran recognition events are just some of the new and creative activities going on at the O'Brien Fitness Center. This past year saw over 75,000 patrons past through the turn styles at the fitness center. In order to better prepare for the unexpected medical emergency, the Parks and Recreation Department currently have 114 employees trained and certified in CPR / AED applications. On three different occasions the past two years, park employees have played an instrumental role in the life saving procedures of"first on the scene" CPR/ AED applications. The Parks and Recreation Department continues to see its role in the health and wellness field expand. Through out country communities are facing growing health related concerns. Start up wellness programs and long term sustainable health initiatives are becoming core priorities for many cities. Health and wellness training is the fastest growing field in the park and recreation profession. Our Parks and Recreation Department will continue to look further into expanding its role in creating a healthier over all community in 2011. As we move further into the electronic age, the Parks and Recreation Department integrated a new online registration feature available to those - 8 - who choose a more convenient method of program registration. In addition Parks successfully launched its social media marketing initiatives which include Face Book, e-newsletters, and constant contact. These new marketing strategies have been very helpful communicating our message to the general public. Looking ahead, the Parks and Recreation Department will continue maintaining the required 155 standards of our CAPRA Accreditation and the AZA Accreditation at the Potawatomi Zoo. We will keep our benchmarks high and contribute to the overall quality of life for the citizens of South Bend. We will explore new opportunities for revenue enhancement, promote new and creative activities, insure all those in the community have access to our parks, and be good environmental stewards of our park facilities and green spaces. 2010 Awards / Recognition Department of Natural Resources awarded South Bend its 13th consecutive Tree City USA designation Amateur Softball Association, by virtue of our evaluation scores being among the highest in the United States for a host facility, presented South Bend Parks and the Bellville Softball Complex the James Farrell Award of Excellence. Indiana Parks and Recreation Association, the governing body of all park agencies in Indiana awarded South Bend Parks the following awards: "Special Project Award in Creative Revenue" —S. B. Parks. Bounce O'Rama Program This program became a very successful revenue source for the parks and recreation department. In addition it became a great outreach tool to the community. - 9 - "Partnership Program Award" — The I.U. South Bend Community Connection Partnership with S. B. Parks in Arts and Culture This program was a great partnership with IUSB and S.B. Parks. Local youth were exposed to learning opportunities in the field of Arts and local culture. Mentoring by older college students provided a great learning atmosphere and some very creative outcomes. Indiana Parks Professional of the Year — Phil St. Clair Awarded annually to the State's top park and recreation professional.