DATE: October 17, TO: Marion Mayor & Council

Transcription

1 DATE: October 17, 2017 TO: Marion Mayor & Council Park Board Activity Capital Improvement Projects (CIP): The five year CIP plan as proposed was reviewed. The board discussed which projects are priorities and possible funding sources. Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) Projects: The board reviewed the ten year LOST spending plan. The Willow Park Pavilion/Restroom project was determined to be a low priority. All other CIP projects remain as priorities and the Board recommends their funding. They moved to reallocate the Willow Park Pavilion/Restroom project funding to the Lininger Park Pavilion ($50,000), the Aquatic Center Feasibility Study ($30,000), and the remaining $65,000 to be considered for Depot Restroom Renovations. The Board also moved to assign $155,000 of FY 18 unallocated funds to the Lowe Park South End Development. Tree Board Activity Grant Submittal Approval: The board gave support of and directed staff to submit grant applications for future tree plantings projects through MidAmerican Energy for the Trees Please! Grant, and Alliant Energy for the Branching Out Grant. Department Report Swamp Fox Festival: City Square, Thomas and Lowe parks were prepped for this annual community event. In addition to hanging various banners, assistance was provided to the committee to help set up for the event. The event kicked off on Friday evening with family movie night featuring the Back to the Future movie shown at the Amphitheater. On Saturday, a 5K, the parade (left photo), Fall Market, and other entertainment (middle photo) events were held in Uptown Marion during the day. Evening activities moved to Lowe Park and included the Master Gardeners tomato and pepper tasting, BINGO (right photo), and The Brass Transit Authority (above photo) playing on the Amphitheater. The evening concluded with a spectacular fireworks display. A classic car show was held in Thomas Park on Sunday. 1 P a g e

2 A huge shout out to the Swamp Fox Festival committee and chair Patty Wise for hosting a great community event. General Parks Maintenance: With summer projects slowing down and cooler temperatures arriving, operations staff have been provided with the opportunity to perform complete some general maintenance items. Flower Beds: Right-of-way flower beds have been weeded and old railroad ties were replaced at the entrance bed in Thomas Park. General Turf Care: Fall seeding and herbicide application have been completed. City Park was dethatched and reseeded following the Swamp Fox Festival. With dry weather the past month, mowing crews shutdown and staff reassigned to other park maintenance projects. Trail Maintenance: A lift of new lime is being added to the Boyson Trail system using the department s laydown machine and should be completed by mid-october. Parking Stall Painting: All parking lots were swept and new paint applied to stall lines. Pavilions: Pavilions in Thomas, Donnelly and Taube Park were cleaned and givien a new coat of paint. Playground Equipment: Monthly playground inspections were completed and all playground equipment throughout the system has been scrubbed and power washed. Lowe Park Ballfield Storage Shed: The roof on the Lowe Ballfield storage shed had developed a leak over the season. The department s construction crew removed damaged sub-roof material and installed new shingles. Facility Window Cleaning: Exterior windows were cleaned at the Lowe Arts and Environmental building and the Thomas Park Administration and Operations facility. Splash Pads: The splash pads closed for the season following Labor Day. Cleaning and winterization is underway. A new 5 wide concrete pathway was installed in Thomas Park from the pavilions to the splash pad. Prairie Restoration: The department s grounds crew, spent several days removing volunteer trees from the prairie area west of the pond at Lowe Park. The south property line was also mowed and volunteer trees removed. Forestry Bucket Truck: The long awaited bucket truck arrived in late September and insurance and registration paperwork has been filed. Both forestry and operations staff are being trained and familiarized with the truck and operation features. Fall Tree Plantings: With funding from MidAmerican Energy s Trees Please! grant of $1,000, the Street Tree Replacement Program planted 33 trees throughout the community. 2 P a g e

3 The Trees for Kids Grant was submitted and will fund a planting along 10 th Street, north of 29 th Avenue near Linn-Mar High School. Final preparations are underway to complete the plantings in October. Trees planted in the spring and this fall are being watered during the area s dry spell. Staff Training: Along with Bucket Truck Safety, forestry and operations staff participated in Fall Protection Awareness Training. Citizen Requests Tree Issues: There were 15 citizen requests in September regarding right-of-way trees, and one call about a private tree. Oak Shade Cemetery: There were three burials and four spaces sold last month. A water line which services the west side of the cemetery was repaired with assistance from the Water Department. Citizen Requests Tall Grass/Weeds: Seven citizen calls were received about tall grass in September. Six of those property owners were mailed certified notices and the department mowed one property for non-compliance or for being a habitual violator. Youth Recreation Programs: Lil Tykes Basketball Camp wrapped up their final night September 27. A total of 43 kids ages 3 to 6 participated in this first year camp at the Thomas Park Basketball Courts. Another fun and successful flag football season is almost in the books as Youth Flag Football will play its final games on October 14 at Lowe Park. Lil Chefs/Kids Crafters Combo Class gets underway in late October. The four week class alternates between a seasonal craft and a seasonal cooking activity. Crafts and cooking activities are all themed around Halloween and Thanksgiving. Fall into Fitness: Nearly 225 people attended the Tuesday evening Fall into Fitness program held in September at the Amphitheater. Each week featured a different type of workout, concluding with Body Attack on September 26. Upcoming Programs: The Painted Pumpkin decorating class and contest will be held at Lowe Park on October 10 at Lowe Park. Kids will paint and design their very own pumpkin which will be voted on by Facebook Likes and in-person votes by the public. Halloween Boo! Camp is back by popular demand. This fun, night-time camp is all things Halloween; games, crafts, snacks, music, and the ever-popular skeleton scavenger hunt. Camp will be held on Friday, October 27 at Lowe Park and includes a pizza dinner. 3 P a g e

4 Swimming Pool: With the pool closed for the season, a couple of cosmetic updates were completed; all three pools and deck light poles were painted, and the acid room door was replaced. We continue to investigate where the pool leak is coming from. The inlet lines were scoped as well as the drain tile line running the full length of the pool complex. Outdoor Endeavors also stopped by the pool when it was full to listen for water running. The 2017 Marion Pool Report has been prepared and will be presented to the Park Board. Arts Council: The Prairie Revival by Reinaldo Correa art trail sculpture was delivered at the end of September. Final installation touches are being completed and the Arts Council will work with the artist to accept the project. The art exhibit at The Gallery from August 26 to October 28 features works from Lori Kidd Studio and the Creative Artists group. Coffeehouse Nights begin October 6 with Jonny Lipford kicking things off. Jonny is a versatile musician of ancient wooden flutes, delivering a fusion of music and message which captivates, empowers and inspires the listener. SAFE ROOM & ARTS CENTER USAGE SEPTEMBER Events with alcohol permits: 8 AV Equipment Rentals: 2 Some reservations use more than one room. Room Paid Free Safe Room 1 3 Amphitheater 3 6 Lobby/Gallery 0 1 Art Room 0 2 Sunburst 3 17 Hickory 5 3 White Oak 0 0 Red Oak 4 2 Red & White Oak 8 9 Entire Facility 2 2 Outdoor (Pond) / Greenhouse MONTHLY TOTAL MONTHLY TOTAL P a g e

5 Activity Type Monthly Usage Number of Attendees Gallery Open / Arts Council Activities 3 43* Seniors Bingo /Dance / Cards Parks / Recreation Master Gardeners Fall Into Fitness Swamp Fox Movie Swamp Fox Concert 1 1,000 Swamp Fox Bingo Meetings / Work / School / Church Blood Drive 1 19 Family Gatherings / Showers Rehearsal/Wedding/Reception MONTHLY TOTAL 67 4, MONTHLY TOTAL 64 2, totals do not include attendees to Swamp Fox activities. *Art Gallery visitors not reflected. PAVILION RESERVATIONS SEPTEMBER Pavilion Free Paid TOTAL Attendance* English Thomas Park Begley #1 Thomas Park Begley #2 Thomas Park Hanna Park Depot - City Park Taube Park Uptown Artway TOTALS , Totals ,285 *Does not include attendees to: Marion Farmers Taube Park Fall Marion Depot 5 P a g e

6 MARION PARK BOARD MINUTES September 13, 2017, 4:00 P.M. Thomas Park Administration and Operations Facility ROLL CALL: ABSENT: STAFF: GUESTS: Chair Patty Wise, John McIntosh, Terry Speral, Kyle Martin, Amy Hussel None Mike Carolan, Darcie Coberly Jay Moore, Jo Moore Minutes Moved by Hussel and seconded by McIntosh to approve the August 9, 2017, regular Park Board minutes. All in favor, motion carried. Reports The August Financial Report was reviewed. Moved by Wise and seconded by Speral to approve the August Financial Report. All in favor, motion carried. The August Invoice Report was received and filed. Staff reviewed payments made to Aaron Alderman ($15,520 for Disappearing Culture Art Sculpture), Central States Concrete ($38,536 for two sculpture footings and additional sidewalk), Gopher ($1, for new recreation program obstacle course kit), Iowa Parks and Recreation Association ($3, for July discount tickets sold), KDAT-FM ($600 for Dueling Pianos advertising), Miene Septic Service ($725 for Lowe Park septic system cleaning), Plan-It Geo LLC ($3,547 for Tree Plotter software), Red Cedar Chamber ($6,000 for a pass-through state cultural grant), and El Kahir Shrine ($150 donation to provide free popcorn at Movie Night in August). Public Input None. Replacement Tractor Bid The 2014 New Holland tractor which was involved in a roll-over accident in August was determined to be totaled by the City s insurance. The roll-over protection structure on the tractor provided the safety measures intended and the operator was not injured. Staff has been working with the insurance company and Kromminga Motors (Monticello), the vendor for the original purchase, to assess the tractor. After a roll-over incident the structure can t be fixed or reused and still be considered safe. The only option is to replace the entire roll-over structure, bringing the repair costs to over $65,000 which is more than its current value; therefore, a replacement will be covered by the City s insurance. Kromminga Motors provided a bid for a like tractor in the amount of $81,500. Moved by McIntosh and seconded by Martin directing staff to proceed with the replacement of the damaged 2014 New Holland from Kromminga Motors (Monticello) with a like tractor in the amount of $81,500. Carolan stated the insurance deductible is $500 and the turn-around time is three to four weeks. All in favor, motion carried. 6 P a g e

7 Board Member Reappointments Board member terms will expire on December 31, 2017, for McIntosh, Martin, and Speral. Martin requested to be reappointed to the Park Board in addition to McIntosh and Speral. Pool Water Line Leak Status The pool has been losing water over the past two seasons. The loss was minimal at first, but by the end of the summer the pool was losing around 4,000 gallons a day. Karlene Hummel has been working with Public Services staff and Rotor Rooter to televise different sections of water lines in order to pinpoint the leak. Although the exact location has not been determined, the leak appears to be under the deck. Staff will continue to keep the board informed of the findings. Operations Division Supervisory Positions Update Carolan informed the board of the reassignment of Aaron VanMilligan from Parks Operations Manager to Parks Maintenance Supervisor. VanMilligan and Ed Chalstrom will supervise different tasks with crews assigned to each; this will provide two working supervisory positions in the department. VanMilligan will oversee grounds and equipment; Chalstrom will oversee facilities and construction projects. These changes took effect at the end of August. The Operations Manager position will remain vacant at this time. Receive and File None. Other Items Martin asked how the attendance was at the City s Capital Improvement Project Input Meeting. Carolan indicated in addition to staff and council, about 20 people stopped by. Staff Report The punch list for Waldo s Rock Park is getting smaller. Light poles are on site and will be installed by Trey Electric. The ribbon cutting and park dedication is set tentatively for October 11 at 4 p.m. The October Park Board meeting will follow the ceremony and be held at the park, weather permitting. The Marion Park and Recreation Foundation met August 22 and made a commitment to fundraise $150,000 to support the inclusive playground at Lowe Park. The ribbon cutting for the joint tennis court project with Marion Independent School District was August 22. A nice crowd was in attendance, including around twenty pickleball enthusiasts who played on the courts right away. The Trees for Kids Grant was funded to plant trees with Linn-Mar agricultural students along the west side of 10 th Street near the Linn-Mar campus on October 5. Arborist Mike Cimprich completed the Tree Risk Assessment Qualification training and passed his certification. Youth Flag Football participation is strong with 121 kids making up 8 teams of 2 nd /3 rd graders, and 3 teams of 4 th /5 th graders. 7 P a g e

8 Carolan complimented Hummel and Tony Ireland for their work to provide a summer of great entertainment at the Amphitheater. The pool final swim day was Labor Day, September 4. The pool has been drained and the water line leak is being investigated. Hummel estimated the August vandalism cost close to $4,300 with the replacement of water, chemicals, labor and lost revenues. The pools and light poles are being repainted. The annual pool report will be presented in October. Wise asked if the vandalism can be turned into insurance. Carolan said he checked and it cannot be. Martin asked some questions about the pool painting process. The next Lowe Park Sculpture Trail piece Prairie Revival is scheduled to be installed in the next couple of weeks. Hussel asked if there could be some type of interpretive signage at each piece. Carolan acknowledged the signage is a good idea. Perhaps a brochure could be put together and available at the Arts & Environmental building in the meantime. Carolan reported there was some vandalism in Lowe Park and at the Boyson Park trailhead. The white vinyl fencing was busted up this past weekend. Carolan will be on vacation beginning the afternoon of Friday, September 15, and returning to the office on October 4. In his absence, Hummel will be in charge of the day-to-day operations. Board Discussion Time Wise shared some details of the upcoming Swamp Fox Festival event. She indicated details are coming along great and the committee is excited about this year s event with a theme of Back to Our Future. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 5:10 p.m. The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 11, 2017, at 4:30 p.m. at Waldo s Rock Park following the ribbon cutting and dedication; if the weather is unfavorable, the meeting will be moved to the Thomas Park Administration and Operations Building. John McIntosh, Secretary 8 P a g e

9 MARION TREE BOARD MINUTES September 13, 2017, 7:00 A.M. Thomas Park Safe Room ROLL CALL: ABSENT: STAFF: GUESTS: Chair Scott Hansen, Rodney Bluml, Sunshine McDonald, Mollie Lorenz, Tom Ryan, Marilyn Tormey Mark Sanderson Mike Cimprich, Pat Carlson None Minutes It was noted in the August 9, 2017 minutes Hansen s last name was not spelled correctly under Other Action or Discussion Items. Moved by Tormey and seconded by Lorenz to approve the August 9, 2017, Tree Board minutes as corrected. All in favor, motion carried. Financial Report The financial report was received and filed. It was noted Shrubs was not spelled correctly for the 11/17/2016 purchase. The Alliant Energy Branching Out fall grant funds were deposited in the amount of $7,040. Public Input None. Grant Updates The Branching Out fall grant award of $7,040 from Alliant Energy and Trees Forever has been received and will be used to plant trees along Tower Terrace Road, east of 10 th Street. The date has not been finalized for the planting as this is being coordinated by Trees Forever and participation of TransAmerica representatives. It was noted the funds for the 2016 Trees for Kids grant award has not been received. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) advised all the proper paperwork had been submitted and they are working to get the funds issued. The fall 2017 Trees for Kids grant application was submitted by the September 1 deadline. This grant will fund trees to be planted on the west side of 10 th Street adjacent to Linn Mar High School. Three Linn-Mar Ag Science classes will assist with the tree plantings scheduled for October 5; one class is at 8:30 a.m. and two afternoon classes. The trees will be in 7 to 10 gallon pots. Lorenz stated she will check with Rockwell to see if the Green Communities grant program is still available as a possible funding source for tree planting projects. 9 P a g e

10 Future Planting Projects Cimprich advised letters were sent to homeowners last week regarding the Fall Street Tree Replacement Program with a deadline to response by September 14. It was noted Peck s will be closing October 1; ten of the trees for this planting will be obtained from them. Planting of the trees could start the week of September 18. Cimprich indicated the deadline for the Alliant Energy and Trees Forever spring Branching Out grant request is due November 1. Cimprich asked board members to forward suggestions for tree planting locations to him before the October meeting so they can be considered for the master list. McDonald will be working on maps for the potential tree locations and will work with Steve Cooper from the Engineering Department to complete that project. Board Member Reappointments McDonald advised she would like to be re-appointed to the Tree Board. The re-appointments will be forwarded to the Mayor for consideration and recommendation. Receive and File None. Other Action or Discussion items A publication from the Iowa DNR was made available to Tree Board members by Tormey outlining some volunteer events. Staff Report Cimprich reported staff continue to water trees and mow prairie grasses. The bucket truck was delivered; however, a few items do not meet the specifications of the purchase. These minor issues will be resolved so the truck can be put into service in a timely manner. A Black Hills Spruce was planted in the roundabout on Alburnett Road. Cimprich attended a Tree Risk Assessment/Training class to be qualified to inspect trees. He has taken the test and is waiting on those results. Breeden removed some storm damaged trees which included a large maple with a hollow core. Preparation has started for the fall planting events. Board Discussion McDonald advised she may miss the November Tree Board meeting. Adjournment Moved by Tormey, and seconded by Bluml, to adjourn the meeting. All in favor, motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 7:55 a.m. Next Meeting The next meeting will be held Wednesday, October 11, 2017, 7:00 a.m. at the Thomas Park Safe Room. Rodney Bluml, Secretary 10 P a g e