HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark Committee Minutes 01.21.1999MINUTES
PARKS COMMITTEE
JANUARY 21, 1999 5:00 P.M.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
MEMBERS PRESENT: Gay Easton Ken Olson
Larry McCann Miles Walton
Mark Mace
OTHERS PRESENT: Peggy Miller
Peggy Miller, speaking on behalf of the Laurel YMCA, came to the meeting to discuss the
park on East Eighth Street. The YMCA would like to develop this park into a skate park and
a park with enough grass to hold football, soccer, volleyball, softball, and baseball games.
They would also like to use the park for other family events that are in line with what the
YMCA promotes. The committee told Mrs. Miller that Steven O'Neal, with the Laurel Youth
Soccer Club, and the Laurel Police Reserves had already talked with us about taking over the
care development of this park. However, nothing has been done since they were granted
permission, approximately in February of 1998. We had some discussion as to what their
plans would be. They talked about having a community center, a building roughly 300 x 150.
The building would be able to house mini-conventions, music groups and community
activities. Miles told her that he would contact Steve O'Neal to see what their plans are.
When Miles talked with Steve a couple of months ago, they had no further plans other than
that they were still in the development stages. They were quite surprised at the amount of
money that developing this park might cost them because of the drainage. Miles told Peggy
that there were some concerns with the engineering of developing that park. She said that
would be fine and they would look into that. She was going to talk to Steve O'Neal to see
what he knew. Miles will contact Steve and the Police Reserves to see if they are still
interested in developing that park.
Leases for Riverside Park: Last year we extended the leases in hopes that we would have an
answer from MMIA regarding the blanket liability insurance that MMIA was hoping to be
able. to offer. Larry tried to call Jim Worthington at MMIA, but he had not been able to find
out if any blanket liability insurance policies are available. The committee discussed
extending the leases for another year. Discussion then brought up what effect CI-75 would
have on the fees for these leases, the insurances, and that type of thing. We did extend those
leases several times last year for three month's at a time, and the fees remained the same.
Because of CI-75, all we can do now is to extend the leases that were in place at the time in
1998. Motion by Larry McCann to extend the leases for one year from January 1, 1999,
with the existing liability, seconded by Ken Olson. Motion carried.
Larry mentioned that Barry Linn, a teacher from the high school, offered to take over the
flooding of the ice skating rink. Apparently, the city would flood the rink at 7:00 a.m. and the
students would walk through it later, causing it to be torn up. Barry will take over the
responsibility of flooding it and do the flooding at night.
Miles had some questions on the gates and signage in Thomson Park. The signs have been
ordered and should be done soon. The Parks Committee would like to see the signs and gates
put in place before the start of baseball season.
Other discussion that came out of the Fourth of July Committee was the need to put electricity
in the park. Larry got a bid for $2,975.00 from Ace Electric to put electricity in the park.
This would provide some secure underground outlets wired with 220 power. It would run
north and south from approximately the area of the picnic shelter down to East Sixth and run
east and west down East Sixth Street with eight other underground boxes at about sixty-foot
intervals. Discussion was also that we may want to extend that from the power pole that is
north of the picnic shelter over to the tennis courts, so that we could have some other outdoor
activities besides baseball. This might include some acting troops, musical groups, and other
activities that would be possible if electricity were available. Larry was instructed to budget
for that in this year's budget.
Larry will get with Joe Leckie to see about an ordinance about driving stakes in the ground for
the awnings that are put up for various activities, such as the firemen's activities and the
aviation week. We need to be more cognizant of this now because of the underground
sprinklers in the park. Having an ordinance to make it by permit or permission only would
ensure that someone has specifically told them where the stakes can be driven.
Discussion about having reservations in the park for the Fourth of July or anytime. The
committee wants to make it clear to Cheryll and anyone who may be taking the calls that the
park is not a reservable entity, as it is a public park. Anything done in the parks that would
require reservations, such as the Fourth of July, would require a permit process that the city
would install and administer. Other than that, there are no reservations for the park as such.
The meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
'les Walton, Chairman