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PARKS & RECREATION BOARD 2020/02/20 MinutesThe City of Lake Forest Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes February 20, 2020 I. Call to Order The Parks and Recreation Board Meeting was called to order by Chairman Paul Best at 6:30p.m. The following were present: Board Members: Mr. Paul Best Ms. Shannon Maguire Mr. Jared Rhoads Ms. Melanie Walsh Ms. Nancy Duffy Mr. Will Elliott, Student Staff: Ms. Sally Swarthout, Director of Parks and Recreation Mr. Joe Mobile, Superintendent of Recreation Mr. Chuck Myers, Superintendent of Parks, Forestry & Special Facilities Mr. Anthony Anaszewicz, Program Manager Ms. Dani Spann, Administrative Assistant II. Approval of Minutes Meeting minutes of the November 19, 2019 Park & Recreation Board Meeting were presented and approved. Board member Walsh motioned for approval of the minutes and Board member Rhoads seconded. The minutes were then unanimously approved. III. Opportunities for the Public to Address the Board on Items not listed on the Agenda No comments IV. Park Rental Policies Approval Program Manager Anthony Anaszewicz went over the background of the Master Park Policy. The most recent update was done in spring of 2017. He gave a brief summary of the proposed updates and edits to the policy. He touched on the new state law regarding cannabis. Board member Maguire wanted a reminder to participants in athletic field rentals should not engage in alcohol consumption. A motion was made by Board member Rhoads to approve the updates and edits to the Master Park Policy. Board member Walsh seconded. The motion was passed. V. Annual Tree Purchasing Contract Superintendent Chuck Myers presented to the board the Annual tree purchasing joint bid with Highland Park. 17 bids were received with over 66 species to work with. City staff will go to 17 various vendors and hand pick the needed trees. Forestry section anticipates the planting of 300 trees and have $80,000 budgeted for FY2021. The primary planting is for street trees. The City is currently in a good place with Emerald Ash Borer. A motion was made by Board member Maguire to approve the Annual Tree Purchasing Contract for FY2021. Board member Walsh seconded. The motion was passed. VI. Forest Park Maintenance Contract Superintendent Myers talked about the Forest Park. The last few years the maintenance services have been done under contract with Mariani Landscape. Galen Gates and City Staff have also been doing work. Bed maintenance and mowing is maintained with the contracts. The City would like to renew the current contract with Mariani Landscape for another year. Mariani Landscape will continue using the electric equipment. A video was shown of the auto mower and how it works. Very little maintenance will be required with the auto mower. Some advantages to using the auto mower are, healthier for grass due to small amounts of grass being cut each time, weeds aren’t allowed to flower due to constant cutting, extremely quiet and more efficient. It takes about 2-3 weeks to see effects. City staff are seeing approval to enter into a one year contract with Mariani Landscape to provide mowing and grounds maintenance to Forest Park. A motion was made by Board member Rhoads to approve to enter into a one year contract with Mariani Landscape to provide mowing and grounds maintenance services at Forest Park, in the total of $41,911.00 for FY2021. Board member Duffy seconded. The motion was passed. VII. Sand Master Equipment Purchase Superintendent Chuck Myers presented to the Park Board the request to purchase a SandMaster to improve the drainage for the athletic fields. Traditional drainage is very costly. The City used several methods to help with the drainage problem. The SandMaster is a machine that cuts deep slits that inserts sand into the ground. It creates very little disturbance to the field surface. Townline Park and Northcroft Parks are especially in need of this, with all parks eventually. The cost to contract this out was going to cost $70,000 for Townline Park only. Discussion followed on the first year’s progress on hitting all the parks. A video was presented showing the equipment and how it works. Mr. Myers went over the bids received from Redexim Turf Products and Tropicars Golf & Utility Vehicles and the lowest bid was from Redexim at $60,468.33. The funding source for this purchase would come from the Restricted Sports Field Improvement Fund. Company Name Dollar Amount Bid Redexim Turf Products $60,468.33 Tropicars Golf & Utility Vehicles $61, 868.33 A motion was made by Board member Maguire to approve the purchase of a Redexim SandMaster 1600 for the Parks Section from Redexim Turf Products in the amount of $60,468.33. Board member Rhoads seconded. The motion was passed. VIII. Comments by Director Superintendent Chuck Myers gave an update on some of the current damage by the storms at the lakefront and the restoring done by Staff. Director Swarthout talked about the history of the sand and the difference over the last 32 years. Staff is working on the removal of the steel pieces. Board member Best asked for continuous updates on the beach. Superintendent Joe Mobile gave an update on the 10 year strategic plan. Next fiscal year it is budgeted for an athletic field feasibility study to be done. Talking with the Lake Forest Parks and Recreation Foundation brought about sharing the costs on this study. A study will be made of each park and the condition they’re in. The purpose is to better understand the needs of our field layout, define issues to be addressed, possibility of converting some fields to turf. A kickoff discussion will tentatively be held in March with the Lake Forest Parks and Recreation Foundation and City Staff. A base map will be created to be used in the study. Mr. Mobile went over the process of the study. A joint Park Board and Foundation meeting will be held to discuss the study. Timing on the study is an 8 week project with an anticipated start date for funding around July. Director Swarthout talked about the following events coming up in March and April. Ms. Swarthout extended an invitation to the Board for the NSSRA Shining Stars event on April 24th.  House League Baseball Registration- Monday, March 30th  Flannels & Flapjacks- March 7th at Recreation Center Gymnasium  Reptile Rampage- March 8th from 10am – 4pm at Recreation Center Gymnasium  Lake Forest Dance Academy Passion to Dance- March 14th at 5pm at Lake Forest Academy  Girls Softball- April 9th at West Park or Waveland Park IX. Comments by Board Members Board member Rhoads mentioned communicating to the public updates via video from Parks and Recreation. Student member Will Elliott offered to help with videos. X. Other Comments XI. Adjournment Board member Duffy motioned for adjournment and Board member Rhoads seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 8:37p.m. Respectfully Submitted Dani Spann Administrative Assistant