Parks Director Sam Dudley said at the July 23 meeting that signs are still being put up to mark trails, and refurbished metal benches had been installed in Basin Park. It was discussed whether to offer people an option to dedicate a bench for a fee that would pay to have a plaque attached to the bench.
Chair Mark Ingram discussed the way by-laws concerned with at large positions are currently written. He said that there was redundancy and awkward language that need to be rewritten and pointed out that as the bylaws stand, there is no limit to how many at-large positions there can be on the commission. He instructed that this be further researched, rewritten, and have the changes approved by the city council.
In discussing second quarter financials, Dudley pointed out that he had noticed the line items in the budget for the utilities at Lake Leatherwood City Park, which was listed at $5,000, and Lake Leatherwood at $20,000, needed to be reversed. He also asked that a new truck be purchased for the gardener, as the 2007 Chevy Colorado had blown a piston and it would cost more to repair the engine than to buy a new truck. He added that he would like to get at least three new vehicles.
Ingram suggested looking to see if there were fleet discounts through the state or county, such as public works and the police often offer, and new commissioner Ruth Mitchell added that perhaps speaking with power companies like SWEPCO might also be worthwhile.
Dudley told commissioners that one air conditioning unit for a Lake Leatherwood cabin was leaking coolant, and when he called in an HVAC company he was told that the units for cabins two-through -six were installed at the same time 10 years ago, and judging from the sounds coming from cabin five’s unit and the leak from cabin four, all needed replacing. He was quoted $14,238 to replace units 2–5 with unit six costing $7,246 because it was a split system for a larger building.
Ingram suggested that since they have restricted funds on Leatherwood, they replace unit four and negotiate with the company. Commissioner Aaron Borey suggested securing the bulk price by creating a contract with the company saying that within a set time Parks would replace all units.
Discussion about the Artist in the Park program has been ongoing in Basin Park for about 12 years with the Arts Council. Dudley argued that it was difficult to “police” this program and said it had been a nice idea at the time, where artists pay $20 for the right to sell their work in the park, but it was difficult to manage.
Suggestions were made to follow a system similar to the Farmers’ Market where it would only be on certain days that artists were allowed to sell, and Ingram asked Mitchell to talk with the Arts Council and to get the facts about the program.
Dudley brought up the cleaning service at Lake Leatherwood, with the cabins doing more business and the laundry being sourced to Berryville, and said they needed to consider hiring a cleaning company. He added that they were currently “blessed” with the cleaning service of a woman who came every week, but the time was coming when she would not be able to continue. Ingram suggested a trial period with the cleaning service Dudley was considering, and if it works out they could add it to the budget for next year.
Commissioners voted for a two dollar an hour raise for the grounds specialist who has been working for Parks for a year.