AGENDA DEKALB PARK DISTRICT BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Ellwood Visitor’s Center Thursday, January 11, 2018 6:00 pm Study Session Introduction of Jeff Cameron, Golf Maintenance Superintendent Ellwood House Historic Structures Report Managed IT Service Discussion Discussion of Merit Increase Pool for FY 2019 TIF Discussion Policy 100.18 - Program Cancellation/Facility Closings Policy 300.10 - Open Gym Policy Policy 300.17 - Behavior Management 7:00 pm Public Meeting I. Meeting Called To Order, Roll Call, Pledge of Allegiance II. Action on the Agenda III. Consent Agenda All items appearing below are considered routine by the Board and shall be enacted by one motion. If discussion is desired, that item shall be removed and discussed separately. a. Special Board Meeting of December 7, 2017 b. Study Session and Public Meeting of December 21, 2017 IV. Public Comments V. Old Business VI. New Business a. Action on Tentative Budget for Fiscal Year 2019 b. Action on Ordinance 18-02: Park Closing Hours c. Action on Park Maintenance Standards d. Approve Commissioner Travel to IAPD Conference VII. Financial Reports a. Action on Invoices for Payment b. Monthly Financial Summary c. IT Summary d. Board & Staff Travel Expense Summary e. Budget/Actual Report VIII. Staff Reports IX. Executive Session a. Setting a Price for Sale or Lease of Real Estate 2(c)6 b. Collective Bargaining Matters 2(c)2 X. Reconvene Open Meeting XI. Adjourn Public Meeting Date of Notice: January 9, 2018 Date of Next Regular Board Meeting: February 15, 2018 Assistive services will be provided upon request ELLWOOD HOUSE: Historic Structure Report 12/6/17 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Restoric, LLC (Restoric) compiled a Historic Structure Report (HSR) of the Ellwood House between December 2016 and December 2017. The report was commissioned by the Ellwood House Association (Association) to fulfill their mission to “…engage visitors with authentic examples of ingenuity and architecture by sharing the Ellwood mansion, gardens and museum campus.” The HSR was partially funded by a grant from the Jeffris Family Foundation (Jeffris) through their Heartland Fund, with matching funds provided by the Association, the DeKalb County Community Foundation, the Douglas C. and Lynn M. Roberts Family Foundation, and the Ecolab Foundation. Jeffris supports the development of historic sites for non-profit organizations in small towns and cities in the eight Midwest states. The Ellwood House, built by Isaac and Harriet Ellwood in 1879, remained in the Ellwood family until it was acquired by the DeKalb Park District in 1965. Since its acquisition, the Association, has completed numerous projects to preserve, restore and support the Ellwood mansion, gardens and museum campus—often lacking a common vision for the mansion’s period of significance, eclectic design and construction, and restoration priorities. Extensive research was completed for the HSR that included discoveries in the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming which shed new light on the early alterations of the house, relationship between Isaac Ellwood and his architect George Otis Garnsey, and the Ellwood’s extensive business holdings. Three key objectives stemmed from the HSR: A) establish a period of significance, of interpretation and a target restoration date; B) determine the chronology of construction and alterations; and C) determine the preservation and restoration priorities and costs. To this end, Restoric has established the period of significance lies first and foremost with Isaac & Harriet Ellwood from 1879 through 1910, and secondarily with Perry & May Ellwood who completed a major remodeling project in 1911 – 1912. A complete understanding of the original construction of the house in 1879 and the four major remodeling projects and additions in 1885, 1899, 1912 and 1945 have been determined. The evolution of the floor plan is shown on the attached “Evolution” plans. Finally, the restoration priorities, and related costs, are included in the attached cost estimates. The Ellwood House Report was completed in several stages: original research and review of archival materials; building investigation and surveys by Restoric; development of measured drawings; interviews; material sampling; and cost estimating from professional material suppliers and restoration contractors all compiled into this long term planning document for the Association. More information was accumulated from a variety of sources over the past year than anticipated and is still being compiled in a final narrative report. The total enclosed square footage of the Ellwood House is 16,684 s.f. including the conservatory and back porch. The total footprint of the Ellwood House grows to 19,443 s.f. when the front porch, terrace and porte cochère are included. The preliminary grand total of all work is $4,369,515. Of this amount $2,447,891 or 56% may be completed “as desired” to improve the authenticity and aesthetics of the house along with the visitor’s experience, but is not critical to the life safety or preventing unchecked deterioration of the house. The “immediate” and Phase 2 (1 to 3 years) priorities total $1,062,837 including design, engineering and consulting fees. Restoric, LLC Page 1 ELLWOOD HOUSE: Historic Structure Report 12/6/17 HSR PRIORITIES: CONSERVATORY SKYLIGHT: The conservatory skylight has been review by licensed structural engineers. It was under- engineered from the onset and has deteriorated due to leaks in the exterior load-bearing beam. The engineers propose adding a steel beam at mid-span to reinforce the rafters. The rotted outer beam and framing shall be repaired and a new copper skylight designed and fabricated to cap and protect the entire conservatory. All work immediately above the conservatory on the west wall of the house should be completed in concert with this project to reduce future maintenance and repair costs in working over the new skylight. ADA (ONE PROPOSED OPTION): The currently platform lift is unreliable and an eyesore which diminishes the historic character of the Ellwood House and visitor’s first impressions and experience in the approach from the parking lot. A high percentage of visitors are elderly and struggle with the monumental stairs that must even be climbed to access the first floor. Restoric proposes a new ADA location (see attached plan) that accomplishes much more than simple accessibility. The new interior location will protect the lift from the elements. It will provide better access during marginal or bad weather. It will accommodate more people. Moreover, it provides an opportunity to restore the historic character of the conservatory and northwest porch. This project also considers the rehabilitation and re-use of the caretaker’s apartment that yielded many benefits in years past, namely better care of the museum. ROOF: The flat roofs are all nearing the end of their life cycle and should be slated for replacement. Ponding water, small holes and deteriorated membranes were found on all of the flat roofs. The upper roof gutter is corroding along with holes in the dormer metal cladding. Many were not re- roofed properly which will require temporarily removing and rebuilding the cresting and balustrades, and numerous penetrations can be eliminated since the soil stacks are no longer required. There are no current leaks, but planning should begin for the replacement of these roofs before interior damage occurs. The roof projects will also provide an opportunity to restore the balustrade added in 1899 (and retained in 1912) that once graced the roofline. WINDOWS: The windows are in fair condition overall but the aluminum storms windows should, at minimum, be replaced with higher quality and more historically appropriate wood storm windows with laminated glass to filter the UV light and protect the museum interior as well as the primary historic windows. Restoric, LLC Page 2 ELLWOOD HOUSE: Historic Structure Report 12/6/17 THIRD FLOOR HVAC: A conventional HVAC system should be installed on the third floor to improve climate control in the house and reduce the high humidity and extreme summer temperature fluctuations. This will help preserve the house and furnishings, collection, and improve visitor comfort. INTERIOR COLOR SCHEME OF THE CORE “KEYHOLE”: Based on preliminary exposures by Historic Surfaces, LLC, the second floor hallway had a similar color scheme to the first floor hallway. This core of the house, shaped like a skeleton keyhole in plan view, should be restored to the Isaac & Harriet Ellwood period. The core of the house should represent the core of the family. This would provide continuity between the first, second (and eventually third) floors of the house and the rotunda. MISCELLANEOUS: There are also multiple small projects, surveying the electrical wiring, disconnecting the active plumbing to the second floor bath, addressing interior basement moisture and humidity levels (possibly due to broken drain tiles), saturated basement walls along the north elevation, etc. that should be included among the priorities. These should perhaps be packaged with some of the more interesting and visually appealing projects for more successful fund raising. These are identified in the spreadsheet of cost estimates and will be flushed out further in the comprehensive HSR. PREPARATION OF COST ESTIMATES: Based on an analysis of the consultant’s reports and the findings of Restoric’s preservation team, a spreadsheet of work items was compiled for the Ellwood House site, exterior and interior. This