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PARKS & RECREATION BOARD 2017/03/21 MinutesThe City of Lake Forest Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes March 21, 2017 I. Call to Order The Parks and Recreation Board Meeting was called to order by Chairman Charlie Kohlmeyer at 6:30p.m. The following were present: Board Members: Mr. Charlie Kohlmeyer Mr. Jake Lee Ms. Melanie Walsh Mr. Paul “Skoo” Walker Mr. Paul Best Mr. Steve Reimer Mr. Andrew Grabemann Staff: Ms. Sally Swarthout, Director of Parks and Recreation Mr. Joe Mobile, Superintendent of Recreation Mr. Chuck Myers, Superintendent of Parks, Forestry & Cemetery Mr. Anthony Anaszewicz, Program Manager, Athletics Mr. Ken Pierini, Program Supervisor, Athletics Mr. Rich Paulsen, Supervisor of Parks Ms. Dani Spann, Administrative Assistant II. Approval of Minutes The meeting minutes of the February 21, 2017 Park & Recreation Board meeting were presented and approved. Board member Best motioned for approval of the amended minutes and Board member Lee seconded. The minutes were then unanimously approved. III. Opportunities for the Public to Address the Board on Items not listed on the Agenda No comment IV. Rugby Program Spotlight Program Supervisor, Ken Pierini gave some brief information on the Rugby program and introduced the Rugby Director, John Walker. Mr. Walker talked about the history, philosophy and the various program divisions. This program was acquired in 2011 and has been managed by the Recreation Staff. Mr. Walker discussed the present enrollment along with some of the future goals to expand and offer more Rugby programs to all ages. Team highlights and awards were mentioned. They won the state championship in 2013 and 2014, and coming in 3rd place in 2016. He also touched on some individual highlights. Chairman Kohlmeyer asked how many teams are in Illinois and Mr. Walker answered there are 55 high school teams in Illinois, totaling close to 3000 athletes. They are currently leading in Illinois with single school teams. The season starts in the first week of April. Discussion followed. V. Deerpath Golf Course Update Superintendent Myers introduced Vince Juarez, the new General Manager of Deerpath Golf Course. Mr. Juarez gave a brief overview of the golf industry and touched on the following points. 1. Review of core golfers a. Decline over last 15-20 years 2. Surrounding area competition a. 81 golf courses within 30 miles with 15 new ones in the last 20 years b. Drive is to remain competitive 3. 2017 year in review a. Annual passes and green fees have declined b. Customer experience is improving c. True Review Survey is showing a 20 point growth with about 570 surveys returned 4. FY18 Strategies/Budget/Marketing a. Maximize golf revenue by delivering top course conditions and improving customer experience b. Hold pricing longer and encourage more people on non-peak times c. Current rates are very competitive-currently $15,000-$20,000 ahead Discussion followed on increasing revenue, and updates on the IDOT plan that is currently in Phase 2. VI. South Park Playground Superintendent Myers gave an overview of the current playground and mentioned features for the proposed one. The new playground will have the same footprint as the current playground. The new playground will include the Pour-in Place surfacing which is a safety best practice. The budget impacted fees for this project will total $230,000 and will come from the Parks & Public Land Fund in addition to the Special Recreation Fund. Discussion followed on budget and in house labor costs along with donating the used equipment. Requested Action: Approval of the new playground in the amounts of $200,000 from the Parks & Public Land Fund and $35,000 from the Special Recreation Fund. A motion was made by Board member Lee to approve the new South Park Playground. The motion was seconded by Board member Best. The motion was passed. VII. Annual Mow Contract Parks Supervisor, Rich Paulson, gave a brief background on the mow plan. The contract went out to bid with a total of 5 bids received. The lowest bid was rejected due to unfavorable reference checks and the inexperience of the contractor with jobs of this magnitude. The contractor chosen was Landscape Concepts Management. The City has a history with them and has been pleased in the past with their work. Requested Action: Approval of the Mow Contract with Landscape Concepts Management. A motion was made by Board member Lee to approve the Mow Contract with Landscape Concepts Management. The motion was seconded by Board member Walker. The motion was passed. VIII. Comments by Director Director Swarthout touched on the upcoming exciting events for April. • Easter Eggstravaganza- Saturday, April 8th at Deerpath Middle School • Easter Bunny Baskets- Wednesday, April 12th 3:00pm – 6:00pm • Mother & Son Bowling Night- Friday, April 14th at Brunswick Zone, Vernon Hills • Smelt-O-Rama- Saturday, April 22nd at Forest Park Beach IX. Comments by Board Members No Comment X. Adjournment Board member Best motioned for adjournment and Board member Lee seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 7:32pm. Respectfully Submitted Dani Spann Administrative Assistant