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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNovember Park Board MinutesSOUTH BEND BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS  REGULAR MEETING  November 21, 2022   The Board of Park Commissioners of the City of South Bend, Indiana met on Monday, November 21, 2022, at Howard Park Event Center, 219 S. St. Louis Blvd and virtually on Microsoft Teams for its regular meeting.  Notice of the date, time and place of the meeting were duly given as required by law. The public was provided with a link to join the virtual meeting.   Park Board members present were as follows:  Consuella Hopkins, Sam Centellas Park Board members present and attending virtually as follows: Mark Neal VPA staff members present:  Aaron Perri, Executive Director; Amy Roush, Development Director; Hannah Francis, Special Events Coordinator; Matt Frazier, Marketing Manager; Emily Sims, Chief Development Officer; Matthew Moyers, Community Standards Coordinator; John Martinez, Director of Facility & Grounds; Kelli Notteboom, Manager of Aquatics; Stephanie Coleman, Manager of MLK Center; Jessica Williams, Executive Assistant Other city representatives present: Jenna Throw, Assistant City Attorney; Troy Warner, Councilmember; Canneth Lee, Councilmember; Zach Hurst, City Engineer; Carl Nylander, City Engineer I. Call to Order  Consuella Hopkins called the meeting to order at 5:00 pm. II.Minutes of the Regular Board Meeting on October 17, 2022 Motion to approve the meeting minutes of October 17, 2022, by Sam Centellas, seconded by Mark Neal, motion carried. Roll call vote 3-0. III.Consent Agenda Motion to approve the consent agenda of November 21, 2022, by Sam Centellas, seconded by Mark Neal motion carried. Roll call vote 3-0. IV.Outstanding Partner Aaron Perri announced the Outstanding Partner Award will be postponed and given to Navarre Hospitality Group at the next meeting held on December 12, 2022. V.Interviewing of Interested Residents Vice President Hopkins opened the floor for interested residents to speak on a topic not on the agenda. There were no comments from the public. VI.Reports by Organizations – South Bend Cubs Joe Hart was in attendance. Hart relayed the South Bend Cubs won their second championship since 2019. There has been pre covid attendance. Four Winds Field will be receiving a new video board in 2023. Hart also announced South Bend Cubs won the Single-A Ballpark Award of the Year again. This year there were 66 baseball games and 40 other events including concerts, comedy, and nonprofit partnerships. Three of the levels of the League won their championships as well. The Board of Park Commissioners congratulated the South Bend Cubs on their outstanding year. Commissioner Hopkins asked about happenings during the November and December months. Hart shared that there will be holiday kids’ events and Santa visits at the pro shop as well as holiday sales. Years past there were horses and sleigh rides on the field as well. This is something for the public to look forward to this winter. VII.Potawatomi Pool Assessment Report Carl Nylander presented the assessment of Potawatomi Pool by Frost Engineering. Frost Engineering assessed both Potawatomi Pool and the Kennedy Water Playground. Nylander explained the Potawatomi Pool assessment determined the pool was not physically obsolete but was functionally obsolete. There were issues in the following areas: ADA accessibility, family changing area, deck repairs, operation of deck showers, and security. The lap pool structure and finish were compromised. Nylander explained 10-20 years ago a rubber base and commercial liners were placed in the pool. The pool liners are now in poor shape. The concrete shows widespread extensive cracking and is not suitable for pool usage going forward. The piping for the pool is cast iron which is not meant for long term usage. There was around 14,000 gallons of water loss per day when the pool was in use. There is a huge possibility water was being lost through the piping. The piping is also undersized based on current code. According to the assessment, it is difficult to pursue a quick fix. There were some other code and safety compliance issues. Since the pool was constructed in the 1950s, there have been some pieces of federal legislation that were passed. All old pools and facilities had to come into compliance. ADA was passed in 2010 and the Virginia Graham Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act was passed in 2007. Pool mechanics and chemical systems are fair but at the maximum life expectancy. There are no physical signs of leakage of chemicals but there was corrosion in the cast iron piping. Some chemicals were also stored improperly. $2 million for repairs will allow short-term usage. The piping would have to be replaced and a new slab poured. Short-term repairs would allow 3-5 years of pool use. Aaron Perri stated that resources and labor were setbacks in getting short-term repairs done. Nylander supported this claim. Perri recommended a long-term approach over a short-term fix. A long-term solution for the pool is ideal and can potentially become a project success like the Howard Park renovation. Commissioner Neal asked will there be an official conversation with the neighborhoods. Perri spoke with the Riverpark Neighborhood Association and teased this long-term step would likely be the direction Venues Parks & Arts would go in. Future conversations should investigate all aquatics in the city, kid’s kingdom, parking, the conservatory, and should compliment what is happening at the zoo. VII.New Business 1. Resolution 0004-2022: Mayor Stephen J Luecke Park On November 11, many gathered as a city led by Mayor James Mueller to rename the brand-new Coal Line Trail and Brownfield Park in honor of Mayor Stephen J Luecke. Aaron Perri presented this confirming resolution renaming the park and trail to be approved by the Board of Park Commissioners. Mayor Luecke was the longest serving mayor in South Bend history and he initially served as a member of the South Bend Common Council for 9 years representing the 1st district. He served as Mayor from 1997 to 2011 where he was reelected three times. He spearheaded 2 large scale redevelopment efforts; the West Washington and Northeast neighborhoods, which transformed the neighborhoods and received prestigious national honors. Mayor Luecke’s most notable accomplishments as mayor included comprehensive Brownfield remediation efforts, implementation of smart sewers, and the restoration of the Morris Performing Arts Center and Palais Royale. Mayor Luecke renewed the city's focus on the beauty of the Saint Joseph River, paving the way for the many riverfront paths and outdoor spaces we cherish today. Motion to approve Resolution 0004-2022: Mayor Stephen J Luecke Park, by Sam Centellas, seconded by Mark Neal, motion carried. Roll call vote 3-0. 2. Resolution 0005:2022: Resolution Disposal of Property Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center will be closing programming and a groundbreaking will occur on January 15th. A few items need to be disposed of. Jenna Throw explained this resolution represents the process under Indiana law where an entity within the city who holds personal property can determine that it lacks value to the city, and it can then be considered disposable. Motion to approve Resolution 0005:2022: Resolution Disposal of Property, by Sam Centellas, seconded by Consuella Hopkins, motion carried. Roll call vote 3-0. 3. Drewrys Temporary Access Agreement Zach Hurst explained this is a temporary access agreement to allow a Board of Public Works contractor onto the property to replace some fencing at the northwest corner of Muessel Grove Park. The mayor's office would like to begin the process of cleaning up the parcel and step number one is securing the site. There have been break-ins into the building which is the main point of the fence replacement project. The contractor has 5 days to complete the project. Hurst stated the park side has about 10 feet of fencing to replace. Commissioner Centellas asked if there is a need for tree removal. There will be no tree removals. Throw stated tree protection is included in the agreement. Motion to approve Drewrys Temporary Access Agreement, by Sam Centellas, seconded by Mark Neal, motion carried. Roll call vote 3-0. 4. MOU between Venues Parks & Arts and The Botanical Society of South Bend, Inc. Aaron Perri relayed this is a MOU to effectively extend the existing agreement VPA has with the Botanical society to manage the conservatories. The conservatories do need some investment to the facilities. This is a 1-year extension of the existing agreement. Throw stated the cost is $15,000 per year for one year and termination of the new agreement states 1 year from the date of execution which is November 2023. Motion to approve MOU between Venues Parks & Arts and The Botanical Society of South Bend, Inc., by Sam Centellas, seconded by Mark Neal, motion carried. Roll call vote 3-0. 5. North Shore Triangle Agreement Judy Mengle, Jo Broden, Barb Sutton, and Michalen Meternowski were all present form the Neighborhood Association. In August, the Neighborhood Association meeting discussed a project called “Know and Grow”. Mengle stated the association would like to place a 3-sided bulletin board made of recycled materials in Parkovash Park. The sign is made of 2,400 milk cartons and the company has a 20- year warranty on the product. Commissioner Centellas asked about free speech and what will be allow and not allow to be displayed. One side will hold information on neighborhood meetings and events, the other side will be for updates on the Unity Garden, and the final side will be for community resources. Commissioner Neal relayed that guidelines for postings would be something to consider. The issuing of the grant for the sign will not be known until January 2023. Motion to approve a substantially similar agreement to the North Shore Triangle, by Sam Centellas, seconded by Mark Neal, motion carried. Roll call vote 3-0. 6. Temporary Access Agreement Four Winds Exhibit Jenna Throw explained this agreement allows Heading for Home temporary access to park property for construction work that will be done on the Ivy. There will be placing of plywood underneath equipment on any portion of the property with turf or any irrigated areas to protect the park property. There is one remaining term on indemnification that is still being worked out with Heading for Home. This work will be done on the space between 2 portions of the Ivy. This public walkway leading into the outfield entrance at the ballpark is owned by the Board of Park Commissioners. Motion to approve a substantially similar agreement to the Temporary Access Agreement Four Winds Exhibit, by Sam Centellas, seconded by Mark Neal, motion carried. Roll call vote 3-0. VIII.Report by Chief Development Officer – Emily Sims Emily Sims presented on Development activities for the past two months and remainder of the year. The Directors Youth Scholarship Golf Outing (DYSGO) hosted 15 teams, 15 sponsors, and raised over $17,566.56 for youth scholarships. 498 scholarships have been given out in 2022 thus far. Best Week Ever brought out over 18,000 residents to celebrate multiple events over the course of a week. The highlighted events include Rebel Arts Fest, Sweat the City on Jefferson Bridge, Best Wednesday Ever, Links at Four Winds Field, and Morris Fest. Over 12,000 people came out to celebrate Morris Fest Weekend. The festival wrapped up with a pyro musical. There has been 7,650 volunteer hours to date. TCU had a large group volunteer at Howard Park to help with park cleanup as well sharpening skates for ice-skating season. VPA celebrated all the volunteers in September at Four Winds. Spark has made quite a few appearances. The development division has also been busy with ribbon cuttings for the following: the Harriet Tubman Bench Dedication, Randolph Park, East Bank Trail, and the Mayor Stephen J Luecke Trail. $5.5 million in grants have been written for the Martin Luther King Jr. Dream Center and Kennedy Park through the Land Water Conservation Fund. The CAPRA reaccreditation process with the National Recreation and Park Association is also underway. Visit dates will be in May 2023, and the application for reaccreditation will be due in February 2023. On giving Tuesday, the giving initiative will be geared toward the Skate-it-Forward program. Discussions and brainstorming sessions for a 2023 Ethnic Festival or Heritage Festival will begin in December. IX.Report by Executive Director Aaron Perri - Groundbreaking Martin Luther King Jr. Dream Center is January 15, 2023. - Holiday Luncheon will be celebrated on December 8. - VPA Foundation has purchased VPA windbreakers with the National Gold Medal Award Logo. These will be available at the Holiday Luncheon. - Winter Open is officially November 25 at 10:00am. - Jonathan Jones’ last day will be December 2. A celebration will be held to celebrate his 6 years of service with VPA. - The Director of Recreational Experiences position is now posted and open to applicants. - Department of Community Initiatives will be merging with the Division of Community Programming on January 3, 2023. - Plaza Park just installed 3 Daydreamer Musical Benches. Signage and way finding to be added and a ribbon cutting is planned before the holidays. This was made possible through 3 privately funded grants; the National Endowment for the Arts, the Community Foundation of Saint Joseph County, and the final philanthropic gift came from Robby and Pamela Rask. X.Adjournment No other questions or comments from the Park Commissioners, meeting adjourned at 6:10 by Vice President Consuella Hopkins.    The next regular meeting will be held December 12, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. at Howard Park Event Center and virtually. Respectfully Submitted,   Jessica Williams Clerk, Board of Park Commissioners