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Home My WebLink AboutAugust 20 2018 Park Board MinutesSOUTH BEND BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING AUGUST 20, 2018 The Board of Park Commissioners of the City of South Bend, Indiana met on Monday, August 20, 2018 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. Mark Neal, President Mr. Dan Farrell Ms. Aimee Buccellato Park Board members absent were as follows: Ms. Consuella Hopkins Staff members present: Aaron Perri, Executive Director of VPA; Eva Ennis, Operations Coordinator; Clara McDaniels, Assistant City Attorney; Elizabeth Leachman, Events Coordinator; John Martinez, Facilities and Grounds Director; Jonathan Jones, Recreation Director Other city representatives present: Dave Relos, Community Investment Associate I. Call to Order President Mark Neal called the meeting to order at 5:08 pm. II. Approval of Minutes Motion to approve minutes of June 18, 2018, by Dan Farrell, supported by Aimee Buccellato, motion carried. III. Consent Agenda Approval Motion to approve the consent agenda by Aimee Buccellato, supported by Dan Farrell, motion carried. IV. Use of Park Requests – New Events 1. Remembrance Ceremony | City Cemetery | September 22 John Wilson of 50601 Little John Lane, Granger, IN, explained that he is part of a new organization called the John Auten Camp Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. The organization is hosting an event to rededicate the grave of John Auten at the City Cemetery. The event would consist of going through the bio of John Auten and a rifle solute. Motion to approve the Remembrance Ceremony at City Cemetery on September 22 by Dan Farrell, supported by Aimee Buccellato, motion carried. 2. Wedding | Leeper Park | October 6 Tami Grinslid of 519 Riverside Drive, South Bend, Indiana, requested use of the Zigler Auditorium for a wedding on October 6. Motion to approve the wedding ceremony at Leeper Park on October 6 by Aimee Buccellato, supported by Dan Farrell, motion carried. 3. Tailgate Party | Fredrickson Park | November 9-11 Tracy Bubelenyi, employee of Parisi Restaurant, requested use of Fredrickson Park for a tailgate event before the Notre Dame vs. Florida State football game. John Martinez recommended discussing details of the event set up with the Facilities & Grounds Division later. Aaron Perri asked how excise requirements will be met. Tracy Bubelenyi replied that everything will be roped off and follow all excise laws. Mark Neal asked what the plans were for security. Tracy Bubelenyi replied that there will be six personal security hired by Parisi plus four uniformed officers. Aaron Perri requested that the event organizers set up a meeting with VPA staff to go over several details. Clara McDaniels recommended approval contingent upon securing those details. Motion to approve the tailgate party at Fredrickson Park in November 9-11 contingent upon security details being submitted and working out details with VPA’s Facilities and Grounds team by Aimee Buccellato, supported by Dan Farrell, motion carried. V. Interviewing of Interested Citizens Mark Neal opened the floor for public comments. There were no comments. VI. New Business 1. Resolution 0001-2018 - Seitz Park Property Transfer & Quit Claim Deed Aaron Perri explained that this resolution and deed is related to Seitz Park area involving Forum Real Estate (Stephenson Mills), Redevelopment Commission, and Parks. Some deed work, replatting and conveyance of land needs to happen for Seitz Park to expand into the proposed footprint. The resolution outlines the details of the transfer. Motion to approve Resolution 0001-2018 Seitz Park Property Transfer & Quit Claim Deed by Dan Farrell, supported by Aimee Buccellato, motion carried. 2. First Tee of Michiana Tony Stearns introduced Nathan Utz and Garry Seaver, present and past chair of First Tee of Michiana respectively. First Tee has secured enough funds to do the first phase of improvements at Studebaker. Tony Stearns reviewed proposed improvements to Studebaker. Nathan Utz reviewed the work that First Tee of Michiana has done in the region so far this year including running programs in seven different school districts in the area. 3. Community Tree Nursery Collaboration Agreement John Martinez explained that the Community Tree Nursery Collaboration Agreement is a proposed amendment to the agreement currently in place. The amendment will expand the program to 500 Block of Allen Street in South Bend. Motion to approve the Tree Nursery Collaboration Agreement by Dan Farrell, supported by Aimee Buccellato, motion carried. 4. Request to Advertise - RFQ for Howard Park Restaurant/Café Aaron Perri introduced the RFQ document and explained that Howard Park building will have a café space which VPA is seeking an operator for. The RFQ will be sent out publicly to solicit interested parties to submit qualifications. Submissions will be due on October 15, 2018. Motion to approve the request to advertise for the Howard Park Restaurant RFQ by Aimee Buccellato, supported by Dan Farrell, motion carried. 5. First Amendment to Berlin Place Walkway Plaza Agreement Clara McDaniels explained that, in March, VPA approved the license agreement for the Berlin Place Walkway. The developer is no longer doing the work for the walkway, and the City will now take on the work. Because of this, the project will go through the bidding process and be funded by Redevelopment Commission. The board discussed whether this shift in who will be overseeing the work would provide an opportunity to reevaluate the specifications of the project and if reevaluating the specifications would disrupt the timeline for the project. The board agreed to table the discussion until the next meeting to provide time to get an update on the timeline for the project and review any opportunities for design changes and review. Motion to table the First Amendment to Berlin Place Walkway Agreement until September 17, 2018 meeting by Aimee Buccellato, supported by Dan Farrell, motion carried. VII. Report by Recreation Director Jonathan Jones Jonathan Jones reviewed participation numbers for aquatics, athletics, camps, and the summer lunch program. He also gave the following updates: • The Sky Digg Soldiers basketball team was the Midwest Regional Champions for the Jr. NBA. They represented the Midwest in the World Championships in Orlando, Florida, and came in third place. • The Senior Bus Trip went to Mount Rushmore. • Recreation Department is focusing on building connections and partnerships in the community to help provide programming to more of our residents in the best way possible. • In partnership with U93, VPA will hold a community-wide rafting challenge at the East Race Waterway. Funds raised at the event were split between the Ronald McDonald House and the VPA Youth Scholarship Fund. • The Recreation Department is looking at partnerships with the YMCA to offer programs at VPA facilities such as sports instructional programs. • MLK Center computer lab project is complete and a ribbon cutting ceremony was today. This project is part of the partnership with Metronet and the Library. • River City Basketball has been rebranded to VPA Youth Basketball. VIII. Business by Executive Director Aaron Perri Aaron Perri gave the following updates: • The City will be expanding the agreement with Metronet to the Charles Black Center. • VPA has a budget hearing with council members on Wednesday, August 22 at 5 pm in the County-City Building. VPA Fees will come to the Park Board for review in September with the approval in October. There are no major adjustments in the park fees this year. • In June, the Park Board approved the Public-Private Partnership Agreement with the Potawatomi Zoo. The zoo will be going before City Council for approval of a bond to pay for some of the capital improvement projects planned there. • Director’s Youth Scholarship Outing was August 15. VPA raised a record breaking amount this year to go towards the youth scholarship fund. • VPA has put out an offer for a new Development Director. • Kari Bumgardner will be promoted to Experience Director. • Elizabeth Leachman, Events Coordinator, will be handling park use applications. • VPA has submitted several grants recently including a grant from the DNR for Pinhook and one from NEA for the Riverlights Trail. • Following the CAPRA visitation in June, VPA received notice that it received a favorable recommendation. Final approval of CAPRA accreditation will be received at the NRPA conference in September. • At the last meeting, the Ecological Advocacy Committee asked the board and Common Council to support a revision in municipal code related to tree shrub ordinance. A City Council subcommittee is currently working on that revision and hopes to have something complete by the end of the year. No other questions or comments from the Park Commissioners, meeting adjourned at 6:55 pm p.m.by President Mark Neal. The next regular meeting will be held September 17, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. in the Boardroom of the O’Brien Administration Center. Respectfully Submitted, Eva Ennis