The Sept. 15 regular Parks meeting began with adjustments to agenda items with a placeholder for potential action from the Sept. 14 workshop getting axed, and an Executive Session being added at the end of the meeting. Chair comments were brief as Ruth Hager said that it was time to focus on moving forward and learn from the past without dwelling on it.
Director Justin Huss listed off work by the Parks Dept. during Director’s Comments, which included the transplant of a kiosk from Basin Park to the Dog Park.
He said that the Volunteer Coordinator Scott Miskiel had met with the company that would provide software to organize volunteer efforts. Huss also said that work had been done on the Arboretum that is part of the first phase of the Leatherwood Corridor Project, which aims to give new routes for existing walking trails in Leatherwood City Park.
Parsing out close relations
Relationships past and future began with the work of Windle & Associates to provide Parks with financial information. Hager said that the commission would meet in the next week to review first and second quarter financials. Two special meetings were scheduled for Sept. 22. Hager also reaffirmed Huss’s authority to handle financial information.
The question of how to pay W&A for services rendered was next, and commissioner Dave Hartmann asked if they needed to make a motion to set aside the money. Commissioners agreed that the money was already budgeted in professional services and they would not need a motion to pay off the balance.
In new business, the commission began the review process of Shuttle bids, the only one submitted by Slaughter Trail Guides. Commissioner Carmen Burden questioned why the commission was reviewing the bid now, with it open until Sept. 28.
This raised questions from Huss, as the bid process was to be finished at the end of August. The dates provided publicly, both published on the Parks’ website and in local newspapers, showed the bid process starting and ending in September due to a clerical error.
Huss said that he would work to establish a new bid opening date and told commissioners that Slaughter Trail Guides proposal needed to be considered sealed until the bid process was complete.
Other Items
- Commissioner Dave Hartmann resigned from his post as Secretary to be nominated and voted in as Vice-Chair. Commissioner Christian Super is now Secretary.
- Commissioner Carmen Burden agreed to champion the revival of the Trails Committee.
- After more than an hour in Executive Session the Hager announced no action was taken.
- Next workshop is Oct. 6 at the Harmon Park office and the next meeting is Oct. 20, 6 p.m. at the Aud.