Porter Park Board Meeting

August 19, 2008

Call to order: 7:03 pm

Pledge of Allegiance

Roll Call: Park Board Members present: Becky Maranto, Rondi Wightman, Patty Raffin, and Jeannine Virtue. Also present: Park Superintendent Jim Miller and Park Administrator Stephanie Miller.

Election of Officers: Rondi Wightman made a motion to nominate Becky Maranto as Porter Park Board President for the remainder of 2008. Patty Raffin seconded the motion. The vote was 4 to 0 in favor. Motion carried. Rondi Wightman made a motion to nominate Patty Raffin as Porter Park Board Vice President for the remainder of 2008. Jeannine Virtue seconded the motion. The vote was 4 to 0 in favor. Motion carried.

Welcome New Member: Becky Maranto welcomed Jeannine Virtue to the Porter Park Board.

Approval of Minutes: Patty Raffin made a motion to accept the July 15, 2008 Porter Park Board Minutes as written. Rondi Wightman seconded the motion. The vote was 3 to 0 in favor. Motion carried. Jeannine Virtue could not vote because she was not on the Park Board yet at the July, 2008 meeting.

Consideration of Claims: Rondi Wightman made a motion to approve the budget expenditure report from July 16, 2008 to August 18, 2008 for $1,693.51 as written. Patty Raffin seconded the motion. The vote was 4 to 0 in favor. Motion carried.

Petition and Comments from the Floor: John Beckman, chairman of the “Windows to the Wetlands” project in Hawthorne Park asked the Park Board to use the East Shelter at no charge on Saturday, October 18, 2008 from 9am to 3pm. John will be working with the Boy Scouts to improve the trail and hold a workshop/seminar on the practice of using native plant species which will be open to the public. Jeannine Virtue made a motion to wave the fees for the East Shelter on October 18th for John Beckman’s workshop. Patty Raffin seconded the motion. The vote was 4 to 0 in favor. Motion carried. John Beckman asked the Park Board for their help in forming an Advisory Committee that will meet about twice a year. Patty Raffin asked how many hours have been put in so far on the Wetlands project. John said between himself and 14 helpers about 1,000 hours of volunteer time have been devoted to this project so far. The Park Board thanked him for all his hard work.

Park Superintendent’s Report: Jim Miller reported a couple of problems he found during his Park Property and grounds check. There were two boards broken at Porter Cove Park on the Satire Theatre and two backs of benches broken at Hawthorne Park. Both have been repaired. Mowing, trimming, and grounds cleaned are being done on a regular basis. There is a dead Cherry Tree located at Coslet and Waverly, also a Box Elder Maple Tree in the main playground is showing more decline. Both trees are located in Hawthorne Park. Jim Miller asked the Park Board for permission to remove the Cherry Tree and trim the Box Elder Maple Tree

1 with the help of a PACT Worker who is a Certified Arborist at no charge to the Park Department. The consensus of the Park Board was to allow Jim to proceed as long as all insurance papers and permits are in place. Jim Miller reported prep work such as pruning, mowing, trimming, grounds cleaning, and electrical check of the East Shelter was done in preparation of the Art Fair held at Hawthorne Park on Aug. 2nd and 3rd. The Art Fair went well with great weather and their 50 Year Celebration Dinner inside the Community Center on Saturday night turned out very nice. Rondi Wightman, her husband Greg, and Jim & Stephanie Miller attended the dinner to represent the Park Department. During the Art Fair an Artist backed over a 2 inch caliber Crusader Hawthorne Tree (1 ½ years old) with their trailer destroying it. Two other small trees were bumped also by Art Fair visitors while parking but are expected to survive. Jim Miller moved a small Crusader Hawthorne Tree from another part of the Park to the location of the destroyed Hawthorne Tree in order to match the set of three Memorial Trees it was a part of at the corner of Coslet and Waverly Road. He then purchased a new Winterking Hawthorne Tree and planted it in place of the moved tree. The Art Fair will give the Park Department $152.10 for the new Hawthorne Tree and $99.90 for labor as requested by Jim Miller. Patty Raffin made a motion to put $152.10 given to the Park Department by the Art Fair into the Porter Park’s Donation Line Item #219 001 365 earmarked for the purchase of a new Hawthorne Tree. Also, to cover labor costs $99.90 into the Porter Park’s Donation Line Item #219 001 365 earmarked for the Park’s Halloween Party for Children. Rondi Wightman seconded the motion. The vote was 4 to 0 in favor. Motion carried. Weed Control continues especially at Porter Cove Park and the Hawthorne Park Ball Field. The John Deer Tractor front right wheel cost $100 with free shipping and the wheel bearings were $30. These have been replaced and the Tractor is working fine now. The Community Center front lounge air conditioner wasn’t cooling so Jim Miller said he called Doler Heating and Cooling for an estimate to service the two A/C units. Doler came and charged both A/C units which are running fine now. All the tile floors in the Community Center have been stripped and waxed. The Sand Volley Ball Courts located in Hawthorne Park and Porter Cove Park has been roto tilled as well as the Hawthorne Park Ball Field. Building shelves, organizing, and cleaning has been done in the Pole Barn Anton Insurance has informed Jim Miller that the Senior Citizen Group can continue to meet in the Community Center and all activity will be covered by insurance because the Seniors will be considered guests of the Porter Park Department. Jim Miller said he would like to keep employee Jim Clemmons beyond the summer employee status. Jim Miller will divide Clemmons hours with the other employee’s hours.

Park Administrator’s Report: Stephanie Miller gave the Park Board the Minutes of the July 15, 2008 Park Board Meeting and the July 2008 Income Statement. The concert held in the Gazebo on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 by the Valparaiso University Community Concert band was attended by approximately 100 people. The second concert held in the Gazebo on Wednesday, August 13, 2008 by the Rusty Pipes Band was attended by approximately 50 people. Jim Miller took 50 chairs from the Community Center to the Gazebo for the band to use and returned them immediately after the concert. The Hoosier Hoedown held at Hawthorne Park on Thursday, July 17, 2008 by the Westchester Public Library turned out well.

Old Business:

Festival Rental Form: Becky Maranto said with the title change from “Festival Rental Permit” to “Festival Rental Agreement” the form is now complete and ready to be used.

2 Five Year Plan - Survey: Becky Maranto gave each Park Board Member and Jim and Stephanie Miller a rough draft of the new 5 year plan. She asked everyone to look over the draft and make changes which will be reviewed and added to the plan. The complete and final copy should be done by November 2008.

Donation: Jeannine Virtue made a motion to put the $100 donation given to the Park Board by the Senior Citizens Group into Park Donations, Line Item #219 001 365 earmarked for the Park’s Porter Express Christmas Party for children. Patty Raffin seconded the motion. The vote was 4 to 0 in favor. Motion carried.

Budget Changes: Becky Maranto told the Park Board they need to reduce their Park budget total by $4,000 due to an overpayment by the County which needed to be paid back. Patty Raffin made a motion that line 430 (Park Improvements) of the current Park Budget be reduced by $4,000 which leaves a balance of $1,000. Rondi Wightman seconded the motion. The vote was 4 to 0 in favor. Motion carried.

New Business:

Halloween and Christmas Parties: A Halloween Party for children will be held at the Hawthorne Park Community Center on Friday, October 17, 2008 from 6pm to 8pm. A discussion followed about plans for both the Halloween and Christmas parties.

Stevens Park: The Park Board discussed possible uses for this newly acquired Park land located on the corner of Rt. 20 and Hokanson across from the Savings and Loan Bank.

Lake Charles: Jim Miller asked the Park Board what they want to do with this Park Land. A discussion followed.

Advertisements: Becky Maranto told the Park Board that she was surprised how many people didn’t know where all the Porter Parks were located and what they had to offer. Becky suggested a goal for the upcoming year to better advertise our Porter Park system. A discussion followed.

Park Board Member Comments: None

Next Meeting: The next scheduled Park Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 7pm in the Hawthorne Park Community Center.

Meeting Adjourned: A motion to adjourn the Porter Park Board Meeting at 8:30pm was made by Patty Raffin. Jeannine Virtue seconded the motion. The vote was 4 to 0 in favor. Motion carried.

______President Vice President

______Member Member

Minutes taken and prepared by the Porter Park Board’s Secretary Stephanie Miller.

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