WEBVTT 00:00:00.034 --> 00:00:07.865 - Okay. Good evening. I'm going to call to order the November meeting of the Bloomington board of park 00:00:07.865 --> 00:00:15.929 - commissioners and Molly if we could start with the roll call please. Jim Whitlatch here. Kathleen Mills 00:00:15.929 --> 00:00:23.683 - here. Ellen Rodkey here. Okay. And we don't have Israel this evening but we do have a quorum. So we 00:00:23.683 --> 00:00:27.870 - always start with our section a our consent calendar. 00:00:28.002 --> 00:00:41.612 - Oh whoops sorry actually Section A this evening we have a park suspension appeal and yes Taylor good 00:00:41.612 --> 00:00:55.492 - afternoon members of the board. I don't believe Mr. Stallworth is present either physically or online. 00:00:55.492 --> 00:00:57.918 - Just making sure. 00:00:59.586 --> 00:01:08.998 - For your awareness We did provide certified mail to his address that he listed on the appeal of the 00:01:08.998 --> 00:01:18.693 - park suspension Last I had heard it had a notice was left on November 2nd at 1 45 p.m. By you USPS and 00:01:18.693 --> 00:01:25.470 - he has been present every day checking his mail up until that point and 00:01:26.242 --> 00:01:35.846 - So we have provided notice as best we can. If he reaches out again he may reschedule. But in the meantime 00:01:35.846 --> 00:01:45.632 - we can move forward. OK. The appeal is regarding aggressive behavior which violates park policy in addition 00:01:45.632 --> 00:01:55.870 - to state law under Indiana code 30 35 dash 45 dash two dash one which is intimidation but communicates a threat. 00:01:55.970 --> 00:02:04.602 - with intent in retaliation for a prior lawful act in this case, an arrest with an active warrant. Happy 00:02:04.602 --> 00:02:13.233 - to answer any questions you may have. I guess my first question is this like one incident or an ongoing 00:02:13.233 --> 00:02:22.197 - pattern of problems? Of course, it was a series of incidents. The ban itself was based on the circumstances 00:02:22.197 --> 00:02:23.774 - around the arrest. 00:02:23.938 --> 00:02:29.855 - Of course, anyone has a right to be angry when they are being arrested, I would think. However, there 00:02:29.855 --> 00:02:35.830 - is both behavior. It's not the arrest itself nor the warrant itself, which I will note the warrant was 00:02:35.830 --> 00:02:41.864 - later voided because, I don't know if that's the correct legal term, but the warrant was voided because 00:02:41.864 --> 00:02:44.126 - the witness retracted their statement. 00:02:44.450 --> 00:02:51.806 - But this the suspension is specifically around the behavior during the arrest and after the arrest in 00:02:51.806 --> 00:02:59.449 - which get in which Mr. Stallworth did act aggressively and threateningly toward Not only staff but police 00:02:59.449 --> 00:03:06.949 - officers around the substation. Is it the substation, right? I would move that we accept the suspension 00:03:06.949 --> 00:03:12.574 - and uphold the suspension his failure to appear in my opinion is a default of 00:03:12.898 --> 00:03:21.089 - of his right to bring any additional information and I think we have enough to accept the and approve 00:03:21.089 --> 00:03:29.120 - and uphold the suspension. So that's my motion. OK. Do you want to. Yeah I am. OK. All right. So it 00:03:29.120 --> 00:03:37.150 - sounds like there's no further questions. Thank you Taylor. All those in favor. Aye aye. All right. 00:03:37.150 --> 00:03:41.246 - Motion is carried. So suspension appeal is denied. 00:03:41.858 --> 00:03:50.341 - And then in Section B we have the consent calendar the claims and payroll non-reverting budget business 00:03:50.341 --> 00:03:58.580 - reports and all of that sort of thing that we see every month that we usually take all in one motion 00:03:58.580 --> 00:04:07.390 - to approve the consent calendar. Second. Okay. All those in favor. All right. All right. Motion is carried. 00:04:07.746 --> 00:04:23.178 - And then in Section C we have a staff intro Amanda Porta community events coordinator Hello I'm Amanda 00:04:23.178 --> 00:04:29.470 - I am excited to join the Bloomington City 00:04:29.762 --> 00:04:35.566 - City Bloomington Parks and Recreation as the community events coordinator. I bring over 15 years of 00:04:35.566 --> 00:04:41.485 - professional experience in event planning, operations management, marketing, and community engagement 00:04:41.485 --> 00:04:47.289 - with a passion for creating meaningful experiences that bring people together. Most recently, I was 00:04:47.289 --> 00:04:53.324 - the director of events management for the Applied Research Institute, and I oversaw a diverse portfolio 00:04:53.324 --> 00:04:59.070 - of events, including conferences, workshops, community engagement initiatives, and special events. 00:04:59.842 --> 00:05:05.624 - Prior to that role, I was a wedding planner for many years, as was my grandmother, so it was kind of 00:05:05.624 --> 00:05:11.577 - in the family. Throughout my career, I've had the opportunity to collaborate with businesses, community 00:05:11.577 --> 00:05:17.816 - organizations, industry professionals, strengthening my skills in strategic planning, relationship building, 00:05:17.816 --> 00:05:23.541 - creative problem solving, and event execution. I take pride in being collaborative and resourceful, 00:05:23.541 --> 00:05:26.174 - and I'm excited to add my value to this team. 00:05:26.850 --> 00:05:34.938 - I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve the Bloomington community and contribute to the department 00:05:34.938 --> 00:05:43.106 - dedicated to enriching the lives of our residents. OK. All right. Welcome. Thank you. OK. And then we 00:05:43.106 --> 00:05:51.274 - have a retirement. Not you Sean. No no no. OK. You're going to recognize Amy. Yes we're going to kind 00:05:51.274 --> 00:05:55.198 - of go cycle of life a new hire and a retirement. 00:05:55.330 --> 00:06:02.116 - Staff would like to invite the park board to join us in celebrating Amy Shrake who has 22 years 00:06:02.116 --> 00:06:09.256 - of outstanding service with the Parks Department Amy's right there and we're gonna bring her up in a 00:06:09.256 --> 00:06:16.396 - little bit Amy began her time in parks as the inclusive recreation specialist in 2004 and she is now 00:06:16.396 --> 00:06:22.334 - our inclusive recreation coordinator as well as managing the Allison jukebox Center 00:06:22.658 --> 00:06:28.841 - Some of Amy's most important things or she's built a legacy at kid city by establishing programs like 00:06:28.841 --> 00:06:35.267 - the CIT program Which is very successful as a pathway to paid staff positions for younger people fostered 00:06:35.267 --> 00:06:41.935 - long-term connections with campers She set a high bar by getting we were already part of an ACA certification 00:06:41.935 --> 00:06:48.239 - But we were getting the highest scores ever and Amy is actually an evaluator. So she goes and evaluates 00:06:48.239 --> 00:06:49.694 - other camps for the ACA 00:06:50.466 --> 00:06:56.445 - She is improving and maintaining the Allison jukebox since taking over in 2011 She's led efforts to 00:06:56.445 --> 00:07:02.962 - organize improve and maintain the building as a welcoming space for campers and renters Notable improvements 00:07:02.962 --> 00:07:09.180 - include the bathroom renovations and enhanced accessibility through the addition of front entrance ramp 00:07:09.180 --> 00:07:15.158 - and power-assisted doors she's transformed the inclusion program to better serve the changing needs 00:07:15.158 --> 00:07:16.414 - of the community and 00:07:17.090 --> 00:07:24.439 - In 2004, she moved from a model where campers with disabilities participated in separate camps to an 00:07:24.439 --> 00:07:31.643 - inclusive model where campers with and without disabilities participate together. She's championed 00:07:31.643 --> 00:07:39.284 - accessibility throughout the park system, collaborating with the operations division to improve facility 00:07:39.284 --> 00:07:47.070 - accessibility for community members with disabilities. So we have a little thank you presentation for Amy. 00:08:04.098 --> 00:08:11.381 - That doesn't look like work at all. She is a big Disney fan. Kids city break days are back in a couple 00:08:11.381 --> 00:08:18.663 - weeks. Don't take an L and forget to sign up because it's gonna slay. And I'm not talking about bells. 00:08:18.663 --> 00:08:25.875 - All of our activities are based, field trips are lit, and our new bus eats. Every day is fun and it's 00:08:25.875 --> 00:08:31.390 - never mid. See the description for dates and how to get your kiddo signed up. 00:08:43.394 --> 00:08:52.304 - I won't pass up a microphone. I just got to put it way down here. I just want to thank everybody for 00:08:52.304 --> 00:09:01.390 - the opportunity. This has been kind of a dream job as you mentioned getting to work with the community 00:09:01.390 --> 00:09:07.742 - and watch campers go from kindergartners to assistant director and also 00:09:08.034 --> 00:09:15.175 - watching all the community members with disabilities that get to participate in our programs and see 00:09:15.175 --> 00:09:22.599 - all of that evolution has been a real honor. So just thank you to the parks department and the community 00:09:22.599 --> 00:09:27.902 - and the city. It's been fun. Great. Well enjoy your retirement. Thank you. 00:09:36.130 --> 00:09:44.223 - Okay all right and then on into section D and first step is resolution 20 26 0 5 disposition of solar 00:09:44.223 --> 00:09:52.396 - panels which Tim will tell us about director of parks and recreation. This resolution relates to three 00:09:52.396 --> 00:10:00.410 - different city departments parks city of Bloomington utilities and the Redevelopment Commission back 00:10:00.410 --> 00:10:05.726 - in 2017 when the bulk solar panels were installed around the city. 00:10:05.890 --> 00:10:11.854 - A large installation that was initially planned for Blucher pool was not installed and as such the city 00:10:11.854 --> 00:10:17.991 - has been sitting on a stockpile of solar panels in the subsequent years. Quite honestly to great advantage 00:10:17.991 --> 00:10:23.783 - we've been able to use some of those for our other installations and save cost. But the RDC needs to 00:10:23.783 --> 00:10:29.633 - free up the storage space where many of these are being kept and asked for a resolution to sell them. 00:10:29.633 --> 00:10:33.246 - We plan to work out an appropriate percentage of the proceeds. 00:10:33.346 --> 00:10:39.433 - With city of Bloomington utilities and RDC we need to work on that. However the majority of the sale 00:10:39.433 --> 00:10:45.460 - proceeds should should likely go to CBU because they were the ones that didn't get the installation 00:10:45.460 --> 00:10:51.668 - that was planned. So it's likely that we'll receive a small amount of proceeds from this and I'll work 00:10:51.668 --> 00:10:57.876 - with those two departments to negotiate that. But asking for approval to dispose of that property. OK. 00:10:57.876 --> 00:10:59.262 - Any questions for Tim. 00:11:00.098 --> 00:11:09.115 - Okay make a motion to approve resolution 20 26 5 second. Okay. All those in favor. Aye. All right. Motion 00:11:09.115 --> 00:11:18.046 - is carried. And then D2 is Sean with the agreement with HFI for the Allison jukebox HVAC upgrades. Hello 00:11:18.046 --> 00:11:21.534 - again. Staff would like to recommend the 00:11:21.698 --> 00:11:27.755 - Park would approve a contract for agreement with the Herald fish incorporation for the replacement and 00:11:27.755 --> 00:11:33.929 - upgrade of the existing HVAC system to a high efficiency HVAC system that will be compatible with future 00:11:33.929 --> 00:11:36.222 - and solar future solar panel upgrades. 00:11:36.482 --> 00:11:43.744 - The quote is broken down into two separate quotes Combined they're separate because it's actually three 00:11:43.744 --> 00:11:50.727 - different systems in two different physical locations within the building They do not exceed amount 00:11:50.727 --> 00:11:57.850 - is thirty three thousand five hundred dollars. The funding is actually through an ESD funding program 00:11:57.850 --> 00:12:04.903 - So I'm happy to answer any questions Sounds good Make a motion to approve the agreement with HFI for 00:12:04.903 --> 00:12:05.950 - H back upgrade 00:12:06.370 --> 00:12:13.626 - All right. All those in favor. I motion is carried. Thank you Sean. Thank you. And in D3 Amy has the 00:12:13.626 --> 00:12:21.170 - agreement with Izzy's for the annual portal services. Good evening. Amy lineback operations coordinator. 00:12:21.170 --> 00:12:28.355 - I would like to recommend approval of the contract with the stables events doing business as Izzy's 00:12:28.355 --> 00:12:34.174 - rental for the twenty twenty seven portal service agreement is these rentals has 00:12:34.306 --> 00:12:40.563 - Provided quality portal that service for the department for many years this year We did issue a request 00:12:40.563 --> 00:12:46.760 - for quotes to make sure that the contract was competitive And Izzy's was the only bid submitted by the 00:12:46.760 --> 00:12:52.897 - deadline We feel confident they will continue to provide excellent service for us in 2027 And we have 00:12:52.897 --> 00:12:59.034 - the costs of each type of service. They're providing broken out here in the staff report So I'm happy 00:12:59.034 --> 00:13:00.478 - to answer any questions 00:13:01.666 --> 00:13:09.044 - I bet you don't think I'm going to ask any questions. Oh, I'm sure you will, Jim. I look forward to 00:13:09.044 --> 00:13:16.864 - it. So this includes the portal at Seminary Square. Yes, it does. And because of Outlook's down, I wasn't 00:13:16.864 --> 00:13:24.390 - able to review my notes, the information again. But I think that was $13,000 or $16,000 for the year. 00:13:24.390 --> 00:13:27.710 - $10,890. And that's for the whole year. Yep. 00:13:28.450 --> 00:13:35.507 - which I'm encouraged about because that seems significantly less expensive than it was previously. Am 00:13:35.507 --> 00:13:42.771 - I right about that? Correct. How much less expensive is it? Yeah. Yeah. And, and I don't really, I don't 00:13:42.771 --> 00:13:50.035 - want to jinx it, but why is it less expensive? I'm happy about that. Do they just gave us a better deal? 00:13:50.035 --> 00:13:57.022 - It's what the bid. It's also a separate vendor. Yeah. So when we first put it in Izzy's did not bid. 00:13:57.122 --> 00:14:03.256 - On the seminary portal at so it's the people that did it before was not easy by by bundling it with 00:14:03.256 --> 00:14:09.636 - the rest of them I suspect is how we are getting and realizing the savings and how often are they gonna 00:14:09.636 --> 00:14:16.015 - clean it daily? Oh great and The other thing which is maybe not related Maybe you don't have the answer 00:14:16.015 --> 00:14:22.211 - to this but it's my understanding that it was blown up a couple of weeks ago What happened there and 00:14:22.211 --> 00:14:24.542 - how much did that was set on fire? Oh 00:14:25.122 --> 00:14:32.126 - The contractor did not charge us for the replace it. Yeah Sounds like a great contractor. So I I fully 00:14:32.126 --> 00:14:39.402 - support this for that price and for that reason I guess the other thing that's a different the the current 00:14:39.402 --> 00:14:46.270 - person is a different vendor from the vendor that didn't charge us just took away the ruined one and 00:14:46.270 --> 00:14:53.342 - didn't charge us for a replacement correct, but that's not who's our is that's not Izzy, right? Okay so 00:14:53.538 --> 00:14:59.735 - And what happened with that? What happened? It blew up? What happened? They burned it down or something? 00:14:59.735 --> 00:15:05.814 - It was burned and there was nothing left. So I don't know. We don't know exactly. I don't think anyone 00:15:05.814 --> 00:15:12.129 - saw what started it or what happened. Which leads me to my next and final two points. One is it's starting 00:15:12.129 --> 00:15:18.208 - to look pretty shabby down there with the fence around it and the little sticks that half are gone and 00:15:18.208 --> 00:15:22.398 - half aren't there. And there's probably not much we can do about that. 00:15:22.562 --> 00:15:29.248 - It's not a critical issue to me but it's starting to look pretty bad from even from the exterior. And 00:15:29.248 --> 00:15:36.196 - then my next issue which is that I will continue to ask and hope and will ask staff to look in and having 00:15:36.196 --> 00:15:42.817 - a camera there so we do know next time what happened when it burned down to the ground. So could you 00:15:42.817 --> 00:15:49.371 - can somebody get back to us as a board on getting a camera in that area please. Yeah I can speak to 00:15:49.371 --> 00:15:52.190 - that. So first the slots will be replaced. 00:15:52.482 --> 00:15:58.523 - That's yeah, they just haven't been yet, but I know I don't know if they're on order It's on the work 00:15:58.523 --> 00:16:04.563 - list or whatever, but yeah, that's coming soon And yes I know we talked I believe it was last month's 00:16:04.563 --> 00:16:10.485 - meeting about some of the security camera things going on with council That dust is settling and it 00:16:10.485 --> 00:16:16.762 - remains on my radar as well as corresponding with the chief of police we've talked a lot about attempting 00:16:16.762 --> 00:16:22.270 - to get some better security camera coverage in seminary there is a security camera there and 00:16:22.466 --> 00:16:28.212 - However, I recently asked them how worthwhile it is and they said it's it's kind of old and not very 00:16:28.212 --> 00:16:34.071 - worthwhile. They're not able to pull much quality stuff off of it. Separate update related to security 00:16:34.071 --> 00:16:39.817 - cameras. We have all of the ones nearly up at Switchard Park now based on our discussion last month. 00:16:39.817 --> 00:16:45.563 - And so now as we look at end of year balances and things like that going into 2027 that is a project 00:16:45.563 --> 00:16:49.886 - on our radar to look and see can we get better camera coverage at seminary. 00:16:51.138 --> 00:16:57.383 - Yeah, and I think it's something that we ought to look at. I know it's a hot topic and timing's not 00:16:57.383 --> 00:17:03.628 - great for cameras here right now, but I think it's something that we should continue to look at and 00:17:03.628 --> 00:17:09.936 - consider for all our parks on some level. I'm not talking about flock cameras or anything like that, 00:17:09.936 --> 00:17:11.934 - but I think we need to know it. 00:17:12.066 --> 00:17:17.918 - This isn't the first time that the that the portal at and that location has gone down and we don't really 00:17:17.918 --> 00:17:23.494 - know how it happens and it'd be nice to know how it happens and maybe be able to take some action or 00:17:23.494 --> 00:17:29.125 - at least have some prevented for that. So I do appreciate that. I'm much happier approving the amount 00:17:29.125 --> 00:17:34.922 - that they have this year than what we were approving for half a year or whatever the numbers were before 00:17:34.922 --> 00:17:40.222 - which were significantly higher than this. So thank you for that. And that's my only questions. 00:17:44.418 --> 00:17:53.375 - Motion to approve the service agreement with the stables for twenty twenty seven second and all those 00:17:53.375 --> 00:18:02.596 - in favor. Motion is carried. And then Amy also has the next several. Yes. Or is the agreement for twenty 00:18:02.596 --> 00:18:05.406 - twenty seven services with HFI. 00:18:06.626 --> 00:18:12.817 - Staff recommends approval of the service agreement with HFI for twenty twenty seven HFI will repair 00:18:12.817 --> 00:18:19.069 - adjust and or replace HVAC and irrigation components at City Park properties and facilities on an as 00:18:19.069 --> 00:18:23.774 - needed basis. They've been a valuable partner with us for many years and we 00:18:24.034 --> 00:18:30.430 - foresee continuing to need their services ongoing Specific amounts for each job are always quoted before 00:18:30.430 --> 00:18:36.521 - and agreed upon So and this is for several different departments. We coordinate with sports and All 00:18:36.521 --> 00:18:42.978 - the ops areas to make sure that anyone is covered under the service agreement that might need them Unless 00:18:42.978 --> 00:18:49.070 - it's a really large job and then that gets quoted separately but these are just kind of quick small 00:18:49.070 --> 00:18:52.542 - things that happen that need to get repaired quickly and 00:18:52.674 --> 00:19:01.115 - We like to have a contract with them. OK. Ready to go. Yep. All right. I'll make a motion to prepare 00:19:01.115 --> 00:19:09.806 - the 20 27 services agreement with HFI. Second. OK. All those in favor. Aye. Motion is carried. And then 00:19:09.806 --> 00:19:18.163 - in D5 Amy has the agreement for the new year 20 27 services with us. Huston electric doing business 00:19:18.163 --> 00:19:19.166 - is Cassidy. 00:19:19.906 --> 00:19:26.633 - I recommend approval of the 2027 contract with Huston electric doing businesses Cassidy electric Cassidy 00:19:26.633 --> 00:19:33.104 - will repair adjust and replace any lighting or electrical components at city parks and properties on 00:19:33.104 --> 00:19:39.575 - an as needed basis They've been a great partner. We use several different electric Companies to make 00:19:39.575 --> 00:19:46.302 - sure that we you know are staying competitive, but it's nice to have several several different contracts 00:19:46.466 --> 00:19:56.409 - They have different specialties and different availability and we do still kind of bid out pricing too. 00:19:56.409 --> 00:20:06.161 - So I recommend approving them for a service agreement service agreement with Houston doing businesses 00:20:06.161 --> 00:20:10.654 - Cassidy. All right. And all those in favor. I. 00:20:11.074 --> 00:20:17.886 - Motion is carried. And then finally for Amy is D6 the agreement for 2027 services with price electric. 00:20:18.562 --> 00:20:25.325 - Staff recommends approval of the service agreement with price electric in twenty twenty seven. They 00:20:25.325 --> 00:20:32.223 - have continued to do jobs for us when we needed similar to Houston and I think we have a couple other 00:20:32.223 --> 00:20:39.392 - ones elite electric to we coordinate again with sports. So this might be properties that sports is taking 00:20:39.392 --> 00:20:46.358 - care of or operations facilities or park locations. But they've been great. So we want to keep working 00:20:46.358 --> 00:20:47.102 - with them. 00:20:51.906 --> 00:20:59.823 - Seven service agreement price electric. All right. And all those in favor. I. All right. Motion carry. 00:20:59.823 --> 00:21:07.893 - Thank you. Thank you. I'll be back later. OK. And then in D7 we have the spectrum trail for the Wapahane 00:21:07.893 --> 00:21:11.198 - trail master planning and you're not Mary. 00:21:11.362 --> 00:21:17.436 - I'm filling in I'm Rebecca Swift on the operations development division director And I'm here to recommend 00:21:17.436 --> 00:21:23.282 - a contract with spectrum trail design to give some much-needed love and attention to Wapahane Mountain 00:21:23.282 --> 00:21:29.129 - Bike Park We're looking to do a nice audit of the existing trail system out there make recommendations 00:21:29.129 --> 00:21:30.718 - for existing routes signage 00:21:30.882 --> 00:21:36.516 - Access pretty much just all-around improvements of how do we continue to activate and use this park 00:21:36.516 --> 00:21:42.263 - as it was intended It was designated as the first mountain bike park in Indiana So we kind of want to 00:21:42.263 --> 00:21:47.390 - it's hard to compete with Brown County, but a big part of that is access and the fact that 00:21:47.490 --> 00:21:51.906 - We do not maintain some of the more difficult, challenging routes that people on mountain bikes that 00:21:51.906 --> 00:21:56.367 - are a little bit more skilled want to see. But I'm here to also put on the record that it is not only 00:21:56.367 --> 00:22:00.958 - for mountain bikes. You can go out there and hike. It's a very lovely place to go take your dog walking. 00:22:01.026 --> 00:22:06.780 - And that's another thing why we need signs. We need better sign trails so people can know where it's 00:22:06.780 --> 00:22:12.477 - safe to be either on foot or on the bike. So we are recommending working with Spectrum Trail Design 00:22:12.477 --> 00:22:18.174 - because they have particular expertise in mountain bike trail design. And we previously worked with 00:22:18.174 --> 00:22:24.099 - them on some of the south shore trail work out of Griffey Lake Nature Preserve. So if you're happy with 00:22:24.099 --> 00:22:29.967 - that work, like we are, we're really eager to work with Spectrum again. So this contract amount is not 00:22:29.967 --> 00:22:30.992 - to exceed 15,000. 00:22:30.992 --> 00:22:37.506 - And this is kind of part of master planning efforts to again improve access and recreational experience 00:22:37.506 --> 00:22:43.770 - at Wapahani. Happy to answer any questions. Just a couple of things because I mean I've been on the 00:22:43.770 --> 00:22:50.096 - board for a while and I just realized we never talk about Wapahani. So is it getting still good user 00:22:50.096 --> 00:22:56.798 - numbers or. So it actually is typically in our lower based on our place or AI reports. It's in our bottom. 00:22:56.898 --> 00:23:03.356 - Performing numbers so people are not going there as often and we believe a lot of that is access It's 00:23:03.356 --> 00:23:09.877 - a very small parking lot And so there's really not a way to get to it not in a car, which doesn't seem 00:23:09.877 --> 00:23:12.030 - like to go inside but part of our 00:23:12.194 --> 00:23:18.084 - Long-term bigger bigger bigger picture master plan is actually part of the power lane trail development 00:23:18.084 --> 00:23:23.803 - Connecting through what's soon to be the summit neighborhood and then Clear Creek Trail There's also 00:23:23.803 --> 00:23:29.523 - a realignment of Weimar Road coming There's a lot of moving parts over there that we absolutely hope 00:23:29.523 --> 00:23:35.413 - to be able to connect a multi-use trail to Wapahani and we're really really interested in a south South 00:23:35.413 --> 00:23:41.246 - portion of the parcel connection point, but that is currently owned by PIC not the city of Bloomington 00:23:41.378 --> 00:23:49.189 - But open to negotiations, if anybody wants to contact us. OK, so this is a first step in just figuring 00:23:49.189 --> 00:23:57.153 - out what Wapahane needs. Correct. Yeah. OK. Sorry, did you have another question? Yeah, the other trails 00:23:57.153 --> 00:24:05.116 - that you mentioned that you've worked with Spectrum on are not mountain bike trails. And so just curious 00:24:05.116 --> 00:24:05.950 - if you can 00:24:06.082 --> 00:24:12.295 - Speak to their portfolio of other mountain bikes. So they have a large portfolio in Brown County They've 00:24:12.295 --> 00:24:18.448 - actually helped Brown County State Parks with a lot of their mountain bike trail design So that's where 00:24:18.448 --> 00:24:24.365 - we've really seen their parks in action or their work in action And then crazy enough some of their 00:24:24.365 --> 00:24:30.340 - staff actually used to work for our department a seasonal trails staff way back when so they're also 00:24:30.340 --> 00:24:35.902 - They love Wapahani and are really eager to work on this project. Okay. Yeah Great Question So 00:24:36.354 --> 00:24:42.513 - Does it get are there any mountain bikers going out there that we know of yes, so it is getting some 00:24:42.513 --> 00:24:48.672 - use Yes, is it and where is it? I'm sorry. I don't know my geography I was just gonna try to look it 00:24:48.672 --> 00:24:54.831 - up on my map, but where is it in relation to Browns Woods? So it is contiguous at any point near not 00:24:54.831 --> 00:25:01.173 - Browns Woods is more connected to Twin Lakes Sports Park recreational trails there it's directly across 00:25:01.173 --> 00:25:04.222 - but Wapahani is also located along the bypass and 00:25:04.450 --> 00:25:11.739 - So it's in the same watershed but there is no connectivity between the parks. I just wonder if it seems 00:25:11.739 --> 00:25:19.099 - to me that having if there's any way to connect that Wapahane to Browns Woods Browns Woods to Twin Lakes 00:25:19.099 --> 00:25:21.342 - it might give it more interest. 00:25:21.570 --> 00:25:27.580 - It might also encourage people to go there that might discourage people that we don't want there. Right. 00:25:27.580 --> 00:25:33.303 - Which might be a good thing. So that's I guess that'd be my question and that's probably beyond the 00:25:33.303 --> 00:25:39.141 - scope of this proposal but just still still part of connectivity to parks and trails is a big part of 00:25:39.141 --> 00:25:45.094 - our master planning efforts. And then connecting maybe to other trails so you wouldn't necessarily need 00:25:45.094 --> 00:25:51.390 - a car to get there. Seems exactly. That's the goal. Then my final question is does the Wapahana Wapahana Park 00:25:51.714 --> 00:25:57.689 - have any issue with tent cities or any of those kind of issues. We do have the occasional reports but 00:25:57.689 --> 00:26:03.723 - it's actually not one of our hot spots for encampment reports. And I believe that's because of there's 00:26:03.723 --> 00:26:09.580 - still passive activation of dog walkers out there eyes our trail staff and vegetation staff are out 00:26:09.580 --> 00:26:15.614 - there managing pretty regularly. But I won't deny that we still have the occasional vandalism and just 00:26:15.778 --> 00:26:23.032 - illicit behavior that we don't necessarily want to see because it's a secluded parking lot. And that's 00:26:23.032 --> 00:26:30.426 - just which kind of goes back to my point. If you get them if you get people to use them you're not going 00:26:30.426 --> 00:26:37.539 - to have those other products. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it. Yeah I think this is great. 00:26:37.539 --> 00:26:40.990 - I'm selfishly a mountain biker so I ride a walk. 00:26:41.474 --> 00:26:50.568 - I'd rather go to Brown County right now and get you back. All right. I'll make a motion to approve the 00:26:50.568 --> 00:26:59.662 - contract with spectrum trail design. All those in favor. Aye. All right. Motion is carried. Thank you. 00:26:59.662 --> 00:27:06.814 - And then in D8 Amy is back and the topic is back. The cemetery plot reclamation. 00:27:07.042 --> 00:27:15.898 - It's come back from the dead can't wait for this one Amy lineback operations coordinator and administrator 00:27:15.898 --> 00:27:24.588 - of Rose Hill and White Oaks cemeteries and that is my role in this item as you know We have new cemetery 00:27:24.588 --> 00:27:33.195 - policies on board this year that you all adopted that allow us to reclaim cemetery plots that were once 00:27:33.195 --> 00:27:35.678 - deeded out and never used and 00:27:36.162 --> 00:27:43.013 - So no one's ever been buried there. And it's been over 50 years. We have spent weeks and gone through 00:27:43.013 --> 00:27:50.066 - the steps to post the information about these plots. I have not received any word from anyone that would 00:27:50.066 --> 00:27:56.917 - have a claim to these plots. So we are moving forward, assuming that they have been abandoned. And we 00:27:56.917 --> 00:28:03.634 - have a list of people that are very excited about purchasing these plots so that they can be buried 00:28:03.634 --> 00:28:04.574 - in Rose Hill. 00:28:04.962 --> 00:28:13.671 - Recommend that we vote to that you the board vote to formally reclaim the plots listed in my staff report 00:28:13.671 --> 00:28:21.887 - there are 32 of them and Yeah, I think that's all happy to answer any questions Yes, there's a list 00:28:21.887 --> 00:28:30.678 - of about Between 20 and 30 people who are waiting to hear from me when we have plots available the problem 00:28:30.678 --> 00:28:34.622 - with these is they're not necessarily if it's a 00:28:34.754 --> 00:28:42.567 - If it's a family member that wants to have two plots next to each other some of these law these are 00:28:42.567 --> 00:28:50.536 - individual plots. Most of them are. There is I think one that has several together. So H 60 and 63 62 00:28:50.536 --> 00:28:56.318 - and 63. Yeah. L 122 I think has several different. Well we might have to. 00:28:57.090 --> 00:29:05.201 - probe that and find out how many spaces, and then also that L94 west half. So there are definitely ones 00:29:05.201 --> 00:29:13.078 - that are more than just one space. OK. Thank you. Yeah. All right. We're ready to stop looking at me 00:29:13.078 --> 00:29:21.500 - like that. Now I know there's not bodies in there. I learned that last month. It was a legitimate question. 00:29:21.500 --> 00:29:24.542 - No, I mean, there's just so many puns. 00:29:25.026 --> 00:29:33.258 - All right. Make a motion to approve to approve the reclamation of abandoned cemetery plots for the purpose 00:29:33.258 --> 00:29:41.182 - of resale. All right. All those in favor. Thank you very much. Thank you. And then indeed nine we have 00:29:41.182 --> 00:29:48.414 - updates to park policy one three three zero zero community exchange. And this is Julie Ramey. 00:29:49.026 --> 00:29:55.916 - Good evening I'm Julie Ramey the community relations manager for parks and recreation and I'm bringing 00:29:55.916 --> 00:30:03.006 - to you today a new policy regarding the management and standards for what are known as community exchange 00:30:03.006 --> 00:30:09.895 - boxes more frequently known as things like little free libraries and little free pantries and over the 00:30:09.895 --> 00:30:16.651 - past two decades there have been numerous little free libraries little free exchange boxes installed 00:30:16.651 --> 00:30:18.992 - in city parks and while originally 00:30:18.992 --> 00:30:26.127 - Intended to be great places for book exchanges Things like that they we have several structures that 00:30:26.127 --> 00:30:33.686 - have deteriorated due to lack of ongoing maintenance the original manufacturers of the original installers 00:30:33.686 --> 00:30:40.750 - didn't follow up with the installations and Many of the structures evolved to hold things like food 00:30:40.750 --> 00:30:43.646 - school supplies and things like that and 00:30:43.810 --> 00:30:50.277 - So the problem is that these unattended structures represent ongoing concerns related to maintenance, 00:30:50.277 --> 00:30:51.038 - appearance, 00:30:51.106 --> 00:30:58.372 - safety it's not realistic that the department can manage or maintain or keep track of anything that 00:30:58.372 --> 00:31:05.928 - goes in or out of those boxes whether it's appropriate whether it's safe so as a result we've developed 00:31:05.928 --> 00:31:13.194 - a policy that gives us the ability to refuse requests to add little free exchange boxes any kind of 00:31:13.194 --> 00:31:17.118 - community exchange boxes to city properties what this 00:31:17.506 --> 00:31:26.152 - What this policy also does is allows us to sort of a grandfather clause to identify structures that 00:31:26.152 --> 00:31:34.884 - are existing in parks. Find if we can the original installer and get with them on having them remove 00:31:34.884 --> 00:31:43.529 - the box and find a new place for it on private property. OK. Was there ever a time when we did give 00:31:43.529 --> 00:31:45.950 - approval for some of these. 00:31:46.722 --> 00:31:52.471 - Just as you did use example the little free library like I can think of I can picture some in parks 00:31:52.471 --> 00:31:58.220 - that I can do. Was there a process before where we gave people approval to put them in or they just 00:31:58.220 --> 00:32:02.014 - have all popped up on their own over the last however many years. 00:32:02.626 --> 00:32:09.214 - There was a process for approval and it went through the operations division. So Amy Lyon back or her 00:32:09.214 --> 00:32:16.124 - predecessors would have been the ones that were originally approached along with the volunteer coordinator 00:32:16.124 --> 00:32:22.776 - who helped coordinate the ask in several cases. They were Boy Scouts Eagle Scout projects and had some 00:32:22.776 --> 00:32:29.686 - some great ideas to put little free libraries in various parks other types of civic projects organizations 00:32:29.686 --> 00:32:30.526 - that put the 00:32:30.850 --> 00:32:38.994 - exchange boxes in our parks with permission for very valid reasons. But over the years Eagle Scouts 00:32:38.994 --> 00:32:47.463 - move on groups that had great ideas to maintain boxes have moved away or the original idea holders have 00:32:47.463 --> 00:32:56.258 - left leaving the exchange box to unfortunately deteriorate. And sorry since I can't pull up the information 00:32:56.258 --> 00:33:00.574 - if we don't find who originally installed it then we 00:33:00.802 --> 00:33:08.160 - We have the authority with this just to just to take it out because some of them are pretty shabby at 00:33:08.160 --> 00:33:15.374 - this point. That's correct. Okay. Yep. All right. I think it's a good idea what this proposal does. 00:33:15.374 --> 00:33:22.805 - I think the original meeting was well meaning and and they had great ideas and I particularly like the 00:33:22.805 --> 00:33:27.422 - you know the library ones and things like that the pantry ones. 00:33:27.682 --> 00:33:36.022 - make me nervous even thinking about it. So I support that. I guess my question would be, I can think 00:33:36.022 --> 00:33:44.444 - of several places. One I can think of at First Street in Eggleston and some other places where people 00:33:44.444 --> 00:33:52.701 - have a library on what they may believe is or may be their private property next to a sidewalk, but 00:33:52.701 --> 00:33:56.830 - also may be in our right-of-way or our tree plot. 00:33:57.570 --> 00:34:03.007 - talking about those or we just talking about the ones in a park. In other words the ones outside in 00:34:03.007 --> 00:34:08.554 - front of somebody's house that may be on their private property can't touch those. I'm not suggesting 00:34:08.554 --> 00:34:14.154 - but some may be in the public right away. Are we are we talking about those. I'm not suggesting we do. 00:34:14.154 --> 00:34:20.190 - I just want to know whether or not this covers that. This particular policy is just about our park properties. 00:34:21.090 --> 00:34:30.779 - Although it does give us the wherewithal if our urban forester has the opportunity to plant a tree and 00:34:30.779 --> 00:34:40.279 - there's a little free library a Community exchange box in a tree plot and it needs to be moved in at 00:34:40.279 --> 00:34:50.814 - least we have a policy to refer back to for consistency To approve the new community exchange structures policy 00:34:52.450 --> 00:34:59.832 - All right. All those in favor. I motion is carried. Thank you Julie. And D10 is the updates to park 00:34:59.832 --> 00:35:07.732 - policy one three zero eight zero park hours. And Tim is going to start that off for us. Yes. Good evening. 00:35:07.732 --> 00:35:15.188 - Director of Parks and Recreation on to our item tonight that I'm sure is going to have a little more 00:35:15.188 --> 00:35:21.758 - discussion and thought around it. And I want to start by saying you know this is a topic 00:35:21.858 --> 00:35:28.702 - park hours that we've been thinking about for a while and have mold and have even discussed in board 00:35:28.702 --> 00:35:35.952 - meetings and sessions previously related to security costs and contracts and things like that. And there's 00:35:35.952 --> 00:35:42.863 - a couple of reasons why this is coming up now specifically. And a couple of those are you know one we 00:35:42.863 --> 00:35:45.438 - continue to have a lot of challenges. 00:35:46.018 --> 00:35:53.686 - not just with homelessness, but homelessness, vandalism, bad behavior in our parks. I'm always careful 00:35:53.686 --> 00:36:01.355 - to make sure we know those are separate categories. The Venn diagram on those is not all the same. And 00:36:01.355 --> 00:36:09.023 - we have those issues. So outside of homelessness, we have vandalism and behavior issues anyway. At the 00:36:09.023 --> 00:36:13.118 - same time, we have a budget crunch generated by SEA 1, 00:36:13.314 --> 00:36:19.687 - force which is restricting our property tax revenues from going up to cover our base services that we 00:36:19.687 --> 00:36:26.123 - need to provide for our community and we have the expiration of our ARPA dollars. And for the last two 00:36:26.123 --> 00:36:32.496 - plus years we have relied on the city's ARPA dollars to provide the contracted private park security. 00:36:32.496 --> 00:36:38.494 - Our police department has gained in terms of officers from where we were a couple of years ago. 00:36:38.658 --> 00:36:45.015 - But it's still not at full staff just because of the amount of time it takes to work up staff, get them 00:36:45.015 --> 00:36:51.433 - through training, and at the same time, you know, train through and beat the attrition numbers of people 00:36:51.433 --> 00:36:57.057 - who might be retiring or going on injury leave or things like that. So I've been talking to 00:36:57.057 --> 00:37:03.169 - other departments. I've been talking to Office of the Mayor about this. As we budgeted for security 00:37:03.169 --> 00:37:07.998 - next year, we had to reabsorb the security costs into our general fund budget. 00:37:08.418 --> 00:37:14.253 - And at the same time we knew and long term that that hiring security in this fashion with our current 00:37:14.253 --> 00:37:20.318 - budget constraints is not sustainable. So what we have done is we've actually reduced our security budget 00:37:20.318 --> 00:37:26.039 - next year by about 30 to 35 percent. I'm forgetting the exact margin. And in some ways we felt like 00:37:26.039 --> 00:37:31.760 - we found areas where OK there's some efficiencies here. Maybe we haven't looked at this in a couple 00:37:31.760 --> 00:37:38.110 - of years. There's some things we can combine or maybe do without or short some hours here or there seasonally. 00:37:38.210 --> 00:37:44.097 - But at the same time it's it's still a substantial two hundred something thousand dollars in our general 00:37:44.097 --> 00:37:49.985 - fund budget next year that we have reabsorbed at the same time. You know we heard it in our master plan. 00:37:49.985 --> 00:37:55.648 - We heard it in our community survey. We hear it in Facebook comments whatever you want to go to that 00:37:55.648 --> 00:38:01.367 - there's you know a lot of people who still have complaints and issues around park security. I do want 00:38:01.367 --> 00:38:07.198 - to mention there has been a big success and that the number of needles that we see in parks has dropped 00:38:07.458 --> 00:38:14.623 - dramatically year over year. I mean like we are at a percent of maybe 10 to 15 percent finding of what 00:38:14.623 --> 00:38:21.648 - we found two years ago. So something has shifted there and that's a that's a great advancement and I 00:38:21.648 --> 00:38:28.743 - just want to acknowledge that. But we continue in this year seemingly continue to have even into into 00:38:28.743 --> 00:38:35.699 - November which is maybe a little atypical for what we normally experience a lot of issues. Hopewell 00:38:35.699 --> 00:38:37.438 - seminary downtown parks. 00:38:37.570 --> 00:38:45.121 - a certain core group of parks that we specifically have our security patrols go to. We use park suspensions 00:38:45.121 --> 00:38:52.182 - as a tool. You saw that earlier tonight. We are trying to, when possible, you know, where people are 00:38:52.182 --> 00:38:59.174 - using the park and excluding others from being able to use the park or in particular having violent 00:38:59.174 --> 00:39:03.998 - or threatening behavior towards others, delegating that authority to 00:39:04.162 --> 00:39:10.613 - our downtown resource officers to issue suspensions under our authority and under the board's authority 00:39:10.613 --> 00:39:17.063 - which may occasionally result in a suspension as we saw tonight. So we've been considering these 5 a.m. 00:39:17.063 --> 00:39:23.266 - to 11 p.m. hours for a while and you know have found that among other park systems in the state and 00:39:23.266 --> 00:39:29.655 - other similar systems that we might compare to out of state as well. We have generally speaking longer 00:39:29.655 --> 00:39:32.446 - hours more available hours for our parks and 00:39:33.282 --> 00:39:39.476 - I like that. I like that we're available. I want to continue to be available but we're trying to weigh 00:39:39.476 --> 00:39:45.670 - this security cost and the ability to sort of initiate public safety patrols at good hours. The budget 00:39:45.670 --> 00:39:51.984 - that we're inheriting and dealing with and all of these factors and leading us to make a recommendation. 00:39:51.984 --> 00:39:54.750 - So while we do have a recommendation on hours 00:39:55.778 --> 00:40:01.283 - In the staff report tonight I just want to emphasize we are we are open to deliberation and discussion 00:40:01.283 --> 00:40:06.627 - and you know if there's there's more information that the board would like to see we can always you 00:40:06.627 --> 00:40:12.185 - know defer this decision and come back to it in another month have further discussion. Of course Israel 00:40:12.185 --> 00:40:17.583 - is not here tonight as well. So we are very open to the board's feedback on this and wanted to bring 00:40:17.583 --> 00:40:23.034 - this in and gather all of the public feedback in here as a jump starter for a public discussion about 00:40:23.034 --> 00:40:25.118 - this issue. Let's see public feedback. 00:40:25.858 --> 00:40:32.221 - Julie Ramey, our community relations manager, did issue a call for public feedback. We received 300 00:40:32.221 --> 00:40:38.838 - plus pieces of community feedback largely by distributing that to our registration email list of people 00:40:38.838 --> 00:40:45.328 - who register for park programs. Overall, it's mixed. There was not a lot of support for changing park 00:40:45.328 --> 00:40:51.691 - hours. There certainly was some, but I think the reason that we saw amongst that feedback that came 00:40:51.691 --> 00:40:53.854 - in is a lot of people are saying, 00:40:54.338 --> 00:41:01.105 - The people who are who are ignoring park hours who are causing bad behavior causing issues after hours 00:41:01.105 --> 00:41:08.135 - are going to do it anyway. And I don't disagree with that. I agree with that. I think that's true. However 00:41:08.135 --> 00:41:14.903 - and I put this in the staff report if we calculate particularly on the evening end of things if we are 00:41:14.903 --> 00:41:21.736 - able to look at a group of people assembled in a park after 10 p.m. for example which which is the hour 00:41:21.736 --> 00:41:23.838 - that we recommended in here and 00:41:24.354 --> 00:41:30.139 - have BPD or our security or our staff in some cases initiate closure of the park just that one hour 00:41:30.139 --> 00:41:35.924 - earlier. That's an annual savings in security by being able to cut one hour of security off the end 00:41:35.924 --> 00:41:41.766 - of the night of fifteen thousand dollars. So it's not insignificant but it does have an effect. That 00:41:41.766 --> 00:41:47.551 - said I've heard some other feedback about morning hours and in particular there's a fitness group I 00:41:47.551 --> 00:41:50.270 - know that meets at switch yard at five thirty. 00:41:50.402 --> 00:41:56.951 - And there's a lot of feedback in there and that's why we linked it in the staff report so it could be 00:41:56.951 --> 00:42:03.628 - could be viewed. Let's see. Also I just want to emphasize you know we did receive another proposal from 00:42:03.628 --> 00:42:10.305 - Commissioner Whitlatch that we included as an addendum for consideration and deliberation of the board. 00:42:10.305 --> 00:42:17.046 - And I want to emphasize that our previous hours policy and still as it is written does have an exemption 00:42:17.046 --> 00:42:19.550 - for basically use of paths and trails. 00:42:19.778 --> 00:42:26.718 - outside of park hours. I actually Commissioner Whitledge had some some very good language in his proposal 00:42:26.718 --> 00:42:33.396 - that I thought stated what we were after better than what we had in our policy. So I actually adopted 00:42:33.396 --> 00:42:39.942 - some of that into there in terms of the pathway and trail usage after hours and outside of hours as 00:42:39.942 --> 00:42:46.751 - well as the exemptions. So the exemptions that were intended before and I think are written in a better 00:42:46.751 --> 00:42:48.126 - way now include park 00:42:48.386 --> 00:42:54.486 - and department sponsored events or partnered events may have exemptions to the hours permitted events. 00:42:54.486 --> 00:43:00.467 - So people who get a special use permit special use permits may allow. And then of course maintenance 00:43:00.467 --> 00:43:06.744 - emergency things like that would come up outside of hours too. So all of that is written into the policy. 00:43:06.744 --> 00:43:13.080 - And lastly I'll just say you know we are open to discussion having providing whatever info we can tonight. 00:43:13.080 --> 00:43:16.574 - I sense we have some public comment here on the topic too. 00:43:16.674 --> 00:43:23.627 - and happy to enter into a discussion with the board about where we are thinking to go with this. OK. 00:43:23.627 --> 00:43:30.717 - All right. Thank you Tim. I think both. Can I ask you a question like on that fitness group if they're 00:43:30.717 --> 00:43:37.876 - there. Do they have. Are they required to have a like permanent use or anything for that. No that would 00:43:37.876 --> 00:43:41.662 - just be you know typically if you got over 100 people. 00:43:42.018 --> 00:43:48.584 - Then we would ask for a special use permit. This is just a small group that are regular park users throughout 00:43:48.584 --> 00:43:55.030 - the whole year. And regardless of what we decide we could find a way to make sure things like that continue 00:43:55.030 --> 00:44:01.059 - because you could either amend the hours to 530 a.m. Again I'm not as worried on the morning side of 00:44:01.059 --> 00:44:07.087 - things as I am the evening or we could permit the event and give it a special use permit which would 00:44:07.087 --> 00:44:10.430 - allow it to operate. So there are solutions either way. 00:44:10.562 --> 00:44:16.563 - But I will mention I forgot to say to you I know dawn to dusk has been discussed. Another option that 00:44:16.563 --> 00:44:22.446 - could be explored is summer hours and winter hours that some other departments set. So you know for 00:44:22.446 --> 00:44:28.506 - example you could say what would the daylight months be. You know March to October. It's a certain set 00:44:28.506 --> 00:44:34.389 - of hours and then November to February or something you know whatever the breakdown would be there. 00:44:34.389 --> 00:44:35.742 - OK. Yeah I think both. 00:44:36.290 --> 00:44:42.902 - Jim and I have some things we wanted to say about it but Jim was also suggesting maybe gathering some 00:44:42.902 --> 00:44:49.385 - more information before we want to. Bear with me for a minute and let me just talk through this and 00:44:49.385 --> 00:44:55.867 - I appreciate the work that staff and Tim and everybody has put into this. And I can tell you I will 00:44:55.867 --> 00:45:02.480 - not support a 10 blanket 10 o'clock closing period. I think 10 o'clock may be very appropriate in the 00:45:02.480 --> 00:45:06.110 - summer. So to your seasonal issue that's something that 00:45:06.274 --> 00:45:13.036 - would be of interest to me, but having the parks open till 10 o'clock at this time of year, December, 00:45:13.036 --> 00:45:19.731 - January, when it gets dark at six o'clock seems inappropriate to me. That's four hours of basically, 00:45:19.731 --> 00:45:26.361 - when you drive home tonight, drive by a park and look how dark it is. And it's gonna be, people are 00:45:26.361 --> 00:45:33.918 - gonna be able to be in there under this provision for four more hours. And that to me is just a significant issue 00:45:34.242 --> 00:45:40.643 - for me especially when we have these other problems. Now having said that the problems we're talking 00:45:40.643 --> 00:45:47.107 - about are much bigger than the hours of the park. So we're not going to solve those problems with the 00:45:47.107 --> 00:45:53.697 - hours of the park. But I do think what the hours of the park does give us the ability to do is it gives 00:45:53.697 --> 00:46:00.034 - us the ability when the parks close to ask for assistance in having the parks protected during that 00:46:00.034 --> 00:46:03.710 - time. So if the park closes at my proposal is a half hour 00:46:03.906 --> 00:46:09.924 - after dusk and a half hour before dawn it's open and after that is closed. If after that time period 00:46:09.924 --> 00:46:16.180 - let's say at 730 there is a large group in the park then the police would be probably amenable and would 00:46:16.180 --> 00:46:22.197 - agree with us that we can they can go and move those people along with the way it is now. The police 00:46:22.197 --> 00:46:28.393 - can't do anything till 11 o'clock under this proposal. They can't do anything till 10 o'clock and quite 00:46:28.393 --> 00:46:32.862 - frankly they don't want to go out at 10 o'clock and 11 o'clock to do that. 00:46:33.058 --> 00:46:39.430 - They may be willing to do it at seven o'clock. So that's one of my issues. I also think for that very 00:46:39.430 --> 00:46:46.052 - reason that same enforcement we have to think about people who have houses near these parks. Those people 00:46:46.052 --> 00:46:52.424 - don't want to go to bed at nine o'clock and worry and know that there are people gathered in the park 00:46:52.424 --> 00:46:58.671 - legally maybe doing things that they don't. We don't want them to do but park there legally because 00:46:58.671 --> 00:47:00.670 - the parks open till 11 o'clock. 00:47:00.802 --> 00:47:07.666 - We have to consider the safety of the neighborhoods that we have there. We are the park commissioners. 00:47:07.666 --> 00:47:14.330 - We have the obligation to manage our facilities parks for recreation space. I will also say that as 00:47:14.330 --> 00:47:21.060 - part of this some facilities should be open maybe later than 10 o'clock. I would argue that people's 00:47:21.060 --> 00:47:28.124 - park for instance is a park. I'm not going to approve this but people's parks probably a park that should 00:47:28.124 --> 00:47:28.990 - never close. 00:47:29.506 --> 00:47:35.791 - I don't know that I what I think about that but that's in an area with lots of traffic. It's lighted. 00:47:35.791 --> 00:47:42.138 - It's mostly just a pass through area and I don't think people's parks should close at sunset or or any 00:47:42.138 --> 00:47:48.608 - of those issues. So I think there are certain parks anything that's related to ball fields and my policy 00:47:48.608 --> 00:47:55.079 - takes all those things into consideration if they're used for lighted purposes or other purposes related 00:47:55.079 --> 00:47:57.790 - to that. So they should be open after dark. 00:47:57.922 --> 00:48:04.472 - I also don't have a I'm also don't have a problem with parks being open later when it's like this is 00:48:04.472 --> 00:48:11.023 - this is more of a safety in dark you know what what are we told to keep your place safe you have you 00:48:11.023 --> 00:48:17.573 - haven't lit when it's dark you haven't lit well most of our parks aren't lit sufficient sufficiently 00:48:17.573 --> 00:48:24.253 - that we can that it has that same protection so this is more of not the hours it's more light and dark 00:48:24.253 --> 00:48:26.718 - is the issue and certainly during the 00:48:26.850 --> 00:48:34.049 - Winter months then it's dark much earlier You know, I could probably if we said in you know, the winter 00:48:34.049 --> 00:48:41.179 - months the parks closes at seven o'clock or eight o'clock I could probably live with that I can't it's 00:48:41.179 --> 00:48:48.171 - hard for me to live with leaving a park open till ten o'clock when it's when it's pitch black at six 00:48:48.171 --> 00:48:55.301 - My proposal does deal with the people who want to walk their dogs who want to exercise who want to use 00:48:55.301 --> 00:48:56.062 - the trails 00:48:56.226 --> 00:49:03.262 - that they have a park activity. I think Kathleen mentioned the issue of somebody that wants to play 00:49:03.262 --> 00:49:10.861 - flashlight tag, all those kind of things. Those would all be acceptable in my policy. What's not acceptable 00:49:10.861 --> 00:49:17.897 - is camping out in the parks till 10 o'clock or 11 o'clock and us not being able to move them along, 00:49:17.897 --> 00:49:25.074 - especially when it's pitch black outside. None of us, I think any of us would think if we had a sixth 00:49:25.074 --> 00:49:25.918 - grade child 00:49:26.466 --> 00:49:32.632 - There's a lot of difference about letting that sixth grade child run over to Bryant Park and play on 00:49:32.632 --> 00:49:38.982 - the swing at 8 o'clock or 9 o'clock in the summer when the sun's still out, and letting our sixth grade 00:49:38.982 --> 00:49:45.453 - child run over to Bryant Park at 8 o'clock or 9 o'clock when it's pitch black, and there's not sufficient 00:49:45.453 --> 00:49:51.558 - lighting around there, and there's people that are camped out there doing who knows what, possibly. 00:49:51.558 --> 00:49:55.038 - So I just think it's a safety issue as far as that goes. 00:49:55.362 --> 00:50:04.549 - My suggestion would to be to have some sort of seasonally related hours. My proposal bases it on sunrise 00:50:04.549 --> 00:50:13.386 - and sunset which is modified by the seasons. I've traveled around a lot and I kind of look for that. 00:50:13.386 --> 00:50:22.660 - I see an awful lot of parks big parks little parks that have a sunrise to sunset hours and they're closed 00:50:22.660 --> 00:50:23.710 - after that. 00:50:23.874 --> 00:50:30.545 - many of them putting gates down and things like that. So it's not an uncommon practice. It's a little 00:50:30.545 --> 00:50:37.085 - bit, it's a little bit, you know, more questionable about, well, when is really sun's rise and when 00:50:37.085 --> 00:50:43.886 - is sunset and, and that type of thing. I think that's manageable, but I also think we could handle that 00:50:43.886 --> 00:50:47.614 - issue by, you know, uh, having changing hours based upon 00:50:47.906 --> 00:50:54.175 - You know different times of the year maybe it's twice a year maybe it's October and March maybe it's 00:50:54.175 --> 00:51:00.444 - three times or four times a year that we change it. I do think we ought to have it posted and posted 00:51:00.444 --> 00:51:06.713 - well. And the other thing I think we ought to have with that which is really the city of Bloomington 00:51:06.713 --> 00:51:12.982 - gave me this idea is we ought to post no loitering after hours no loitering after park hours. That's 00:51:12.982 --> 00:51:17.886 - kind of an old fashioned idea but I've got I sent Tim and I've got pictures of 00:51:18.018 --> 00:51:24.210 - One of the nicest maintained public spaces we have in the city of Bloomington is the part bicycle parking 00:51:24.210 --> 00:51:30.227 - garage at the 4th Street parking garage. I don't I walk by it almost every day because it's right next 00:51:30.227 --> 00:51:36.303 - to my office and I walk by when I go to lunch. Unfortunately there's almost never any bicycles in there 00:51:36.303 --> 00:51:42.203 - but there has I've seen one or two here recently but it's a lovely facility that has that would be a 00:51:42.203 --> 00:51:45.182 - lovely place for people to go hang out and loiter. 00:51:45.634 --> 00:51:51.491 - and put their tents and spend their days there because it's well protected from the weather and everything 00:51:51.491 --> 00:51:57.184 - else. Well the city of Bloomington has placed large no no loitering signs in there and my guess is that 00:51:57.184 --> 00:52:02.822 - they enforce those. Anybody tries to set up themselves in that area. My guess is the police are moving 00:52:02.822 --> 00:52:08.296 - them along very quickly and using those no loitering signs. So I think that stating that there's in 00:52:08.296 --> 00:52:14.044 - some fashion maybe we can come up with a better word than no loitering no trespassing no something after 00:52:14.044 --> 00:52:15.358 - hours is something that 00:52:15.586 --> 00:52:22.207 - I would encourage because again it allows us to work with the police to enforce these provisions. So 00:52:22.207 --> 00:52:28.894 - I've said a lot. I appreciate you all listening to me. I will not support 10 o'clock. I don't want to 00:52:28.894 --> 00:52:35.582 - have to vote no to it. What I would prefer that we do is that we send this that we table this that we 00:52:35.582 --> 00:52:42.400 - study it more that we come up with maybe one that's well crafted that can allow people to use the parks 00:52:42.400 --> 00:52:45.022 - after hours when they're using them for 00:52:45.122 --> 00:52:51.205 - activities that maybe are appropriately used in the dark or done in the dark that are actual appropriate 00:52:51.205 --> 00:52:57.231 - park activities that I've done some of that but my language could be better as well. I would be willing 00:52:57.231 --> 00:53:03.083 - don't have to but I would be willing to work with staff where we could maybe try to come up serve on 00:53:03.083 --> 00:53:08.992 - a committee or however you want to do it with staff and maybe some public or members of the public or 00:53:08.992 --> 00:53:12.990 - whatever that we could maybe try to come up with a policy that could 00:53:13.250 --> 00:53:20.275 - be closer than to what I'm suggesting and that we could maybe get support of staff the public and everybody 00:53:20.275 --> 00:53:27.039 - else to do that. So my proposal is that my proposal is done half hour before half hour after or an hour 00:53:27.039 --> 00:53:33.543 - before after. Frankly I know I'm not. If somebody wants to get up at five thirty in the morning and 00:53:33.543 --> 00:53:34.974 - go to a park you know 00:53:35.106 --> 00:53:41.798 - I'll credit to them because and I don't really I'm not too concerned about the early hours. I'm more 00:53:41.798 --> 00:53:48.423 - concerned about the late hours. So I you know if we want to make it earlier than 6 a.m. any time of 00:53:48.423 --> 00:53:55.247 - the year I'm probably okay with that. But I had the night hours and the dark hours are what my concern 00:53:55.247 --> 00:54:02.270 - are. But I I suggest or I would ask that we table it for today study it further work together as a board. 00:54:02.498 --> 00:54:09.548 - Maybe Kathleen and I even work with staff because we could do that Maybe that's two out of I think two 00:54:09.548 --> 00:54:16.599 - of us could meet that's not a majority So we could even work with staff to try to craft something, but 00:54:16.599 --> 00:54:23.512 - that's what that's my proposal as it is. Thank you for listening Well, I would say as somebody who's 00:54:23.512 --> 00:54:30.494 - lived 50 steps from Bryan Park for 30 years I don't I rarely have I'm in the park often quite late. I 00:54:30.626 --> 00:54:37.076 - walk my dogs there. Recently I came home late from a concert and the only time I could take my dogs 00:54:37.076 --> 00:54:43.655 - out was 10.30 at night. I don't see a lot of problematic behaviors. Now that's one park that's there. 00:54:43.655 --> 00:54:50.750 - One of my concerns about dramatically shortening the hours is I know that Jim's proposal has these exceptions 00:54:50.750 --> 00:54:54.878 - about jogging and running, although I do think you mentioned it 00:54:55.106 --> 00:55:02.049 - would not be appropriate to be on the playground equipment at that time. No, I think that's something 00:55:02.049 --> 00:55:09.401 - that could be modified. But it says if you're actively moving, actively doing things that are park related, 00:55:09.401 --> 00:55:16.345 - you'd be OK. OK. One of my concerns is that I think when people hear, if they hear, I mean, yeah, the 00:55:16.345 --> 00:55:23.220 - sun goes down now, 545, 6. If they hear that it's closed, I don't know that they read the exception, 00:55:23.220 --> 00:55:24.990 - like that it's OK to jog. 00:55:25.090 --> 00:55:31.275 - Neighbor likes to pull out his telescope at 9 9 p.m. 9 30 p.m. And invite the neighbors over to look 00:55:31.275 --> 00:55:37.459 - at the planets and he gets a big crowd over there I mentioned the flashlight tag with the kids and I 00:55:37.459 --> 00:55:44.072 - know you're saying these are legitimate park activities I just don't know if people will make a distinction 00:55:44.072 --> 00:55:50.195 - between oh, it's closed. Oh, it's 630 I'm not really supposed to be in the park anymore Having said 00:55:50.195 --> 00:55:53.502 - that I think we could we could go I mean 11 is late I 00:55:53.602 --> 00:56:01.248 - Acknowledge that I think we could go to ten or nine I would be interested in exploring the seasonal 00:56:01.248 --> 00:56:08.971 - hours as well But and and I know that in a city this size the 300 plus whatever comments You know, I 00:56:08.971 --> 00:56:16.617 - know that's not a huge sample size But but most of the people the comments I saw people were didn't 00:56:16.617 --> 00:56:22.046 - were not interested in closures and for earlier hours and people had a 00:56:22.338 --> 00:56:28.434 - lot of different reasons for that. I mean there was someone who said they had terrible insomnia and 00:56:28.434 --> 00:56:34.592 - they need to wander down to the park at 2 a.m. There was the fitness group that was mentioned. There 00:56:34.592 --> 00:56:40.932 - were just a lot of different reasons that people want to use the park at odd hours. So I would support. 00:56:40.932 --> 00:56:47.150 - Yeah. I do think 11 is late. I would support doing something earlier and especially if it can save on 00:56:47.150 --> 00:56:51.966 - security costs. But I don't know the dawn to dusk to me seems pretty limiting. 00:56:52.578 --> 00:57:02.052 - So yeah sure I'll just chime in as well. Yeah I mean I think a drastic cut just eliminates a big population 00:57:02.052 --> 00:57:11.000 - of people who are shift workers or you know just people who are night people. I'm not I'm I'm the one 00:57:11.000 --> 00:57:19.860 - that's there at five going through the park. So yeah and the morning thing also doesn't bother me. I 00:57:19.860 --> 00:57:21.790 - think 5 a.m. is fine. 00:57:22.050 --> 00:57:30.871 - But you know if there's a cost justification to reducing to 10 I would be in support of that not during 00:57:30.871 --> 00:57:39.353 - the summer maybe but maybe in the winter. And that's one of my questions was if we're going to talk 00:57:39.353 --> 00:57:45.630 - about like a summer winter schedule you have like the place or A.I. data. 00:57:45.890 --> 00:57:52.744 - So I guess I'd be curious if that's a good measure or if there's other measure some other measure we 00:57:52.744 --> 00:57:59.531 - could use to see like what is usage by the hour in like the winter months versus the summer months. 00:57:59.531 --> 00:58:02.110 - And then again too it's like I don't. 00:58:02.850 --> 00:58:09.836 - I'm also probably a weirdo and don't run with music so like I don't even have a phone on me so you're 00:58:09.836 --> 00:58:16.753 - not even capturing my data in the morning you know so there is some of that and I guess I would also 00:58:16.753 --> 00:58:23.602 - argue make an argument too that if the park is closed at seven eight o'clock in the winter I almost 00:58:23.602 --> 00:58:25.246 - think it becomes like a 00:58:25.826 --> 00:58:34.704 - like an isolated area that then has no people in it, which if I live near the park, and I'm not super 00:58:34.704 --> 00:58:43.495 - far from a park, but I think having activity and having people out there playing tag or just hanging 00:58:43.495 --> 00:58:52.199 - out, you know, if a group wants to, do the shelters have lights? Some do, so if like a group wanted 00:58:52.199 --> 00:58:54.462 - to have a potluck at 730, 00:58:54.786 --> 00:59:02.013 - in January, which would be chilly. With climate change. Yeah, I mean, yeah, it's super El Nino. It's 00:59:02.013 --> 00:59:09.312 - supposed to be warm and dry this winter. But I think that there's good things that can take place and 00:59:09.312 --> 00:59:16.825 - that you're almost isolating an area to become desolate. And then does that actually invite more people? 00:59:16.825 --> 00:59:23.838 - Anybody that wants to use the park can use the park. You can go for walks. You can walk your dog. 00:59:23.970 --> 00:59:30.198 - You can do that 24 hours a day if you're using it for that reason what you can't do is you can't go 00:59:30.198 --> 00:59:36.551 - and use drugs in a shelter and just hang out there till 11 o'clock until or later till somebody comes 00:59:36.551 --> 00:59:42.966 - and pushes you along. I am not trying to stop anybody from using the parks as parks are to be used and 00:59:42.966 --> 00:59:49.630 - I'm trying to write that clearly and I'll write it more clearly. So the idea that I'm that this is somehow 00:59:49.858 --> 00:59:56.236 - prohibiting people from using the parks is not at all what I'm doing. I'm trying to give us the authority 00:59:56.236 --> 01:00:02.253 - to use to tell people if you're not using these parks for the proper reason we're going to move you 01:00:02.253 --> 01:00:08.270 - along and we can't do that now until 11 o'clock because there's no prohibition on somebody going in 01:00:08.270 --> 01:00:14.347 - and yeah they may be using drugs and things like that because they are because it's dark and you get 01:00:14.347 --> 01:00:19.582 - to do a lot of things in the dark or teenagers may be going there drinking and I'm not 01:00:19.842 --> 01:00:25.970 - you know, everybody probably did that at one time or another. But that's what I'm trying to prevent 01:00:25.970 --> 01:00:32.160 - and trying to give us the tools to move those people along when it's dark at 7 or 8 o'clock at night 01:00:32.160 --> 01:00:37.982 - so that when you come out with your telescope and are doing something actively, you don't have 01:00:38.530 --> 01:00:44.628 - across the street in the shelter 25 people with their shopping carts and their drugs and their needles 01:00:44.628 --> 01:00:50.845 - and things like that 20 feet away from you. Those people have been moved along because they're not doing 01:00:50.845 --> 01:00:57.180 - a park activity. If you're doing an activity so the idea that I am trying to put that this policy prevents 01:00:57.180 --> 01:00:57.950 - anybody from 01:00:58.082 --> 01:01:03.817 - doing any of the things that you've just mentioned telescopes flashlight tag walking their dog walking 01:01:03.817 --> 01:01:09.386 - the park when they have insomnia. It's not going to prevent any of those things. And in fact I want 01:01:09.386 --> 01:01:14.954 - to make sure it doesn't and I'll work with whoever wants to work with it to draft the language that 01:01:14.954 --> 01:01:20.690 - does that. What I'm trying to prevent is the people that are there till they go in there and they have 01:01:20.690 --> 01:01:25.534 - you know you go by seminary parks seminary parks get worse again. People are have huge 01:01:25.634 --> 01:01:31.299 - Huge stacks of things and so they're there till 11 o'clock and we can't move along who who is going 01:01:31.299 --> 01:01:37.360 - to go play flashlight tag in Seminary Park after dark. Is anybody anybody we know going to play flashlight 01:01:37.360 --> 01:01:43.025 - tag in Seminary Park the way it is now. Now if we could move those people along at seven o'clock so 01:01:43.025 --> 01:01:48.746 - they're not there somebody might play flashlight takes somebody might walk their dog there. Somebody 01:01:48.746 --> 01:01:54.014 - might walk through there but they're not going to walk through there or play flashlight tag. 01:01:54.146 --> 01:01:59.846 - When seminary park right now when those people can't be moved along until 11 o'clock nobody is going 01:01:59.846 --> 01:02:05.658 - to go in that park for the reason that extended that's what I'm trying to stop. I'm not trying to stop 01:02:05.658 --> 01:02:11.358 - anything else. Excuse me for feeling strongly about it but I feel extremely strongly about this and. 01:02:11.650 --> 01:02:18.454 - I just think that all I'm trying to do is give us the tools to be able to allow the parks to be used 01:02:18.454 --> 01:02:25.393 - for their proper purpose and not allow them to be used for an improper purpose. I want them to be open 01:02:25.393 --> 01:02:32.264 - till 10 o'clock 11 o'clock in the summer when it's light out. It's a light dark thing. That's my only 01:02:32.264 --> 01:02:39.001 - point. And I again I apologize for my strength of my opinion here but I feel strongly about it. OK. 01:02:39.001 --> 01:02:39.742 - Thank you. 01:02:39.874 --> 01:02:46.348 - Thank you Jim. I do. Yeah I think I mean Jim had talked to me before we started the meeting about possibly 01:02:46.348 --> 01:02:52.399 - just not having a vote this evening gathering more information. I do want to allow for it because I 01:02:52.399 --> 01:02:58.691 - mean if there are people here who want to speak to the issue and you've had to sit here through an hour 01:02:58.691 --> 01:03:04.984 - of discussion of portal that's I do want to allow people to come up to the podium and comment if that's 01:03:04.984 --> 01:03:07.646 - appropriate at this time. Yeah. Can I just. 01:03:07.906 --> 01:03:13.710 - Just offer one thing. Yeah. Yeah. And I think from a staff perspective we know there are a lot of dimensions 01:03:13.710 --> 01:03:19.087 - at play here and a lot of feelings and I think it was important for us to put this out there with as 01:03:19.087 --> 01:03:24.465 - much information as we could gather and have at least a preliminary public discussion. Katz is here. 01:03:24.465 --> 01:03:29.949 - News might pick this up right. People can can learn about this discussion on going more than happy and 01:03:29.949 --> 01:03:35.486 - almost expected coming in to to not have a vote tonight. So that is that the commissioner's discretion. 01:03:35.618 --> 01:03:42.185 - We would be happy to work on this and develop this more the place or AI data we could definitely split 01:03:42.185 --> 01:03:48.688 - out by month to see how much use is happening where and when we can split it out by month and by park 01:03:48.688 --> 01:03:55.128 - you know like there we can get granular with that. I don't want to go to do in the weeds but there's 01:03:55.128 --> 01:04:01.950 - there's work to be done there. And then the other thing I just I could support seasonal hours too that are 01:04:02.082 --> 01:04:07.546 - You know I would rather do that from a staff perspective have a separate set of hours than the constantly 01:04:07.546 --> 01:04:12.856 - shifting sort of dawn to dusk. That's just staff preference though. You know we can make whatever work 01:04:12.856 --> 01:04:18.063 - and I do worry a little bit and want to have some time with our legal department to investigate sort 01:04:18.063 --> 01:04:23.321 - of some of the loitering aspects and understand that a little bit more in terms of what's enforceable 01:04:23.321 --> 01:04:28.734 - and because I think what it could also do is it could could put our staff or others in a position to say 01:04:29.954 --> 01:04:36.005 - sort of a weird judgment zone of, well, this is legitimate use and this is not, and how do we navigate 01:04:36.005 --> 01:04:42.292 - that? So I would want some more time to sit with and understand that before we would make a recommendation 01:04:42.292 --> 01:04:48.167 - on that. That's something that I'd appreciate that I had written down earlier is, I mean, what, and 01:04:48.167 --> 01:04:54.277 - I'm sure there's a legal definition, what is loitering? I mean, for instance, right before it got cold, 01:04:54.277 --> 01:04:56.510 - I mean, we've had a warm fall so far. 01:04:56.674 --> 01:05:02.476 - And I would see people who would, for instance, play basketball in Bryant Park. And when they were done, 01:05:02.476 --> 01:05:08.443 - they'd just all kind of hang out on the grass for an hour afterwards. And they're no longer doing something 01:05:08.443 --> 01:05:14.245 - active. They're all just hanging out. No, they're not using drugs. But what is loitering? Now it's dark. 01:05:14.245 --> 01:05:18.334 - Now I'm still here hanging out. Is that an inappropriate use of the park? 01:05:18.626 --> 01:05:24.370 - So it seems like we need some more information maybe some definitions. And I would just offer to that 01:05:24.370 --> 01:05:29.945 - you know some of the inappropriate use Jim that you're talking about. We shouldn't allow any time. 01:05:29.945 --> 01:05:35.576 - Yeah right. You know even if the park is open and that's another challenge that we're facing is how 01:05:35.576 --> 01:05:41.714 - do we not allow misuse to happen at any point. And that's kind of I was talking about using park suspensions 01:05:41.714 --> 01:05:46.782 - and trying to make a difference that way is something that we're working on for any time. 01:05:46.882 --> 01:05:54.177 - of day. So I completely agree with the sentiments of everyone and I respect it and want to continue 01:05:54.177 --> 01:06:01.473 - to work with you on the topic. I move that we table it and bring it back up to a future meeting and 01:06:01.473 --> 01:06:08.914 - maybe have discussions among commissioners subject to the public meeting laws and staff and things so 01:06:08.914 --> 01:06:16.574 - that we can try to work through this and maybe come back with something that we can all agree to. Can I. 01:06:16.962 --> 01:06:23.976 - Make a suggestion that we move to public comment now just to be respectful of people's time. You could 01:06:23.976 --> 01:06:30.786 - take a motion. I will second that. Yes. All right. So all those public comment in favor of tabling. 01:06:30.786 --> 01:06:37.937 - What is this. Well Kathleen I don't you wouldn't have to vote yet necessarily. You could take the public 01:06:37.937 --> 01:06:43.998 - comment now. OK. Yeah. Either way I mean as long as we're taking the public comment. OK. 01:06:44.514 --> 01:06:49.667 - Do we vote now? I think we vote now. Okay. So all those in favor. Aye. Okay. All right. And I'm fine 01:06:49.667 --> 01:06:55.024 - with going to public comment. I'm going to have to, and I don't want to be seen as running out on public 01:06:55.024 --> 01:07:00.331 - comment. I'll listen to as much as I can. I'm going to an event at the auditorium tonight, so I'm going 01:07:00.331 --> 01:07:05.841 - to have to leave pretty soon, but I will try to stay here as long as I can to listen to any public comment. 01:07:05.841 --> 01:07:11.198 - Okay. Is there anyone who would like to come up to the yes, please. Yeah. Come on up. Tell us your name. 01:07:12.930 --> 01:07:19.297 - Uh, two, two, three minutes. Yeah. Okay. Uh, hello. My name's Natalie. Um, limited resident for about 01:07:19.297 --> 01:07:25.788 - 13 years. I'm going to comment on agenda item two D 10 updates, spark policy, uh, one three, oh, eight, 01:07:25.788 --> 01:07:32.093 - oh, park hours. I moved here in 2013 for several reasons. The good culture, art, music, food, a nice 01:07:32.093 --> 01:07:38.834 - community that takes care of each other in abundance of beautiful, accessible outdoor spaces. Um, fictional 01:07:38.834 --> 01:07:42.142 - Hoosier Leslie Nope put it succinctly when she said, 01:07:42.306 --> 01:07:47.594 - Parks are for everyone. That's what makes them great. I'm inclined to agree our parks should provide 01:07:47.594 --> 01:07:52.935 - spaces for people to exist outside their homes without having to explain why you have to be buying or 01:07:52.935 --> 01:07:58.171 - selling something or shopping or picking something up. You can just be there to be there. They lose 01:07:58.171 --> 01:08:03.460 - a lot of this utility if we further restrict the hours they're accessible especially considering the 01:08:03.460 --> 01:08:06.078 - diverse working hours and needs of our community. 01:08:07.042 --> 01:08:12.005 - Reducing park hours truly feels counterintuitive to any park use I can think of will stop people from 01:08:12.005 --> 01:08:17.212 - getting fresh air on a walk with a close friend after work, meeting up with a group to ride your bicycles, 01:08:17.212 --> 01:08:22.078 - tossing a frisbee or kicking a soccer ball back and forth, or even parents taking their children to 01:08:22.078 --> 01:08:26.944 - a playground to let out some energy after school. It puts an unnecessary barrier between activities 01:08:26.944 --> 01:08:30.302 - that bring folks together in use of our beautiful Bloomington parks. 01:08:31.362 --> 01:08:38.258 - The proposed purpose to reduce vandalism and unwanted behaviors feels woefully unthought out to me. 01:08:38.258 --> 01:08:45.222 - Anyone who doesn't pay mind to vandalism laws and such feel unlikely to pay mind to park hours early 01:08:45.222 --> 01:08:52.256 - in the meeting. Jim Latch you mentioned in the 2 d 7 agenda item paraphrasing of course that unwanted 01:08:52.256 --> 01:08:58.462 - activities in the park you're mentioning are reduced when normal park activity increases. 01:08:58.690 --> 01:09:04.710 - then follow that reducing hours for normal park activity could easily risk increasing these unwanted 01:09:04.710 --> 01:09:10.670 - activities. You mentioned the success of the new loitering signs at the 4th Street bike parking but 01:09:10.670 --> 01:09:16.689 - almost also mention its extremely sparse usage. I think those two are likely connected if you make a 01:09:16.689 --> 01:09:22.769 - space feel unwelcoming or hostile then will not be used. What's the point of a park if it's not used. 01:09:22.769 --> 01:09:27.358 - I think you could logically conclude that reducing hours would only serve to 01:09:27.618 --> 01:09:35.656 - punish our community members who use these parks for their intended purposes and of course would be 01:09:35.656 --> 01:09:43.935 - weaponized disproportionately against the most disenfranchised in a beautiful city. Thank you for your 01:09:43.935 --> 01:09:52.214 - time. Thank you. Hello. Hello. My name is Seaforth Breeze. I'm a resident of Bloomington and have been 01:09:52.214 --> 01:09:53.822 - for about 14 years. 01:09:54.306 --> 01:10:02.573 - I wanted to speak out against the park, like the reduction of hours. I think there's been some clarifications 01:10:02.573 --> 01:10:10.163 - here today on what that policy might look like and the fact that there'll be more discussions on it. 01:10:10.163 --> 01:10:17.904 - But I think that broadly reducing park hours by closure using that language will create more confusion 01:10:17.904 --> 01:10:23.390 - than not. Some of the discussion even here has demonstrated that, right? 01:10:23.714 --> 01:10:30.241 - As somebody who uses the parks very regularly for like a frisbee league, for bike polo, some of those 01:10:30.241 --> 01:10:36.960 - groups meet very late into the day. I mean, bike polo, for example, we are often playing till 10 o'clock 01:10:36.960 --> 01:10:43.423 - and sometimes even past 10 o'clock just because of the nature of on Thursdays. That's when folks can 01:10:43.423 --> 01:10:49.886 - get out and we have light for the space that we're using. We didn't used to have light and we didn't 01:10:49.886 --> 01:10:53.342 - used to use that space as much late into the evening. 01:10:53.730 --> 01:10:59.795 - But now that that's available, we're out there later and we're providing those kind of eyes, that use 01:10:59.795 --> 01:11:05.859 - case that I think provides the true safety that y'all are looking for, the true sort of security that 01:11:05.859 --> 01:11:11.983 - is not gonna be provided by just lowering hours. You know, folks will just, any of the issues that you 01:11:11.983 --> 01:11:18.226 - are trying to control by reducing park hours I think can only increase when you have less people feeling 01:11:18.226 --> 01:11:23.102 - welcome in the space and feeling like, you know, am I included in the exemptions? 01:11:23.522 --> 01:11:29.995 - is it really worth getting a permit to host an event? You know, I help organize bike party, which takes 01:11:29.995 --> 01:11:36.281 - groups of cyclists through many of the parks once a month, like very frequently. And so just hearing 01:11:36.281 --> 01:11:42.567 - about that, I've been like, okay, well, are we going to have to figure out a whole permit, you know, 01:11:42.567 --> 01:11:49.040 - permitting for our future events? Those start at seven and can go up until 10 and beyond. So it's just, 01:11:49.040 --> 01:11:53.086 - it's one of those things where it adds friction to the use cases 01:11:53.378 --> 01:12:03.209 - of folks who are, I mean, I think it's just counterproductive. So I think that specifically that language 01:12:03.209 --> 01:12:12.669 - closure, also the loitering aspect. I used to go into the parks when my little siblings were younger, 01:12:12.669 --> 01:12:20.830 - and we would take a bunch of blankets, lay them out, and we would just stargaze, right? 01:12:21.314 --> 01:12:28.964 - did not look that different than many of the other communities that, I mean, obviously we were some 01:12:28.964 --> 01:12:36.614 - young kids and me, but from a distance, it was just a bunch of blankets on the ground and a rolling 01:12:36.614 --> 01:12:44.646 - cart that let us bring it over there. So I think that loitering is always going to be unevenly enforced, 01:12:44.646 --> 01:12:50.078 - right? Because if a parks member or a police officer came up to us and 01:12:50.786 --> 01:12:56.786 - and interacted with us, they would very quickly be like, no, this is fine, you can stay. But if you 01:12:56.786 --> 01:13:03.026 - bring in that group of basketball players, like folks that are more just like adults, and it's not sort 01:13:03.026 --> 01:13:08.546 - of like kids, and you can't clearly be like, okay, this seems fine, then it's just going to 01:13:08.546 --> 01:13:14.846 - create opportunities for discrimination, opportunities for that call to be the wrong call in the moment, 01:13:14.846 --> 01:13:20.126 - because somebody just looks at the group of people in front of them and says, this is a 01:13:20.322 --> 01:13:29.496 - Values and this is I apologize. Okay. Thank you. See fourth Hi, my name is Sarah Mosher I'm a resident 01:13:29.496 --> 01:13:38.580 - in Bloomington I live on Euclid so it's a few blocks away from the building and trade park and I also 01:13:38.580 --> 01:13:45.438 - go by seminary part quite a lot to just on my bike or running or driving and 01:13:45.826 --> 01:13:53.707 - Oh, and I've been here since 2009. But my family's been here for many generations. And I do think that 01:13:53.707 --> 01:14:01.665 - the idea of closing the parks or making them open just an hour or a half hour before after sunset isn't 01:14:01.665 --> 01:14:09.623 - the best way to deal with issues of loitering. Because, well, for one, in the summer, it's still really 01:14:09.623 --> 01:14:14.750 - hot, even hours after the sun goes down. And so sometimes I don't. 01:14:14.850 --> 01:14:23.895 - go to the park until it's pretty late. And I think that it just will exclude more people than the people 01:14:23.895 --> 01:14:32.854 - that Mr. Whitlach is thinking of. And it also seems like if you're concerned about using drugs or teens 01:14:32.854 --> 01:14:41.468 - drinking alcohol, those are already things that are illegal. So you can already call the police and 01:14:41.468 --> 01:14:43.966 - have them stop that activity 01:14:44.482 --> 01:14:53.077 - Already at any time, so I'm not sure that closing the parks At a certain hour or shifting hours of the 01:14:53.077 --> 01:15:01.422 - park is really gonna help that I think it's really just gonna as the last speaker said kind of just 01:15:01.422 --> 01:15:10.352 - make it easier to discriminate against people who look funny or look poor or Are you know? Have a shopping 01:15:10.352 --> 01:15:13.022 - cart there even though we don't 01:15:13.154 --> 01:15:19.234 - like to see that maybe I don't think there's anything wrong with it when I use the parks late at night 01:15:19.234 --> 01:15:25.197 - and I do fairly often because sometimes that's the only time that I can meet up with friends because 01:15:25.197 --> 01:15:31.159 - we've been working and it's also one of the only places where we don't have to pay for something you 01:15:31.159 --> 01:15:37.121 - know it can get expensive to always be meeting up at a bar late at night and some people don't drink 01:15:37.121 --> 01:15:38.302 - we just want to sit 01:15:38.690 --> 01:15:45.779 - The park and talk so we wouldn't be necessarily doing one of those activities Because we just be sitting 01:15:45.779 --> 01:15:52.732 - and talking but I think since we all Live in Bloomington. We all deserve to be able to use those parks 01:15:52.732 --> 01:15:59.754 - to their full assistant like now so it just doesn't seem like a Way, that's really gonna actually solve 01:15:59.754 --> 01:16:06.910 - the problem that mr. Whitletch is talking about. It's just seems like it might just create more confusion 01:16:07.138 --> 01:16:18.661 - Do I have to write my name and address on here or. OK. OK. Thank you. Yes. Thank you Sarah. Hello. Good 01:16:18.661 --> 01:16:29.741 - evening. I am Kyla Cox Deckard. I serve on the board of public works for the city but I am here and 01:16:29.741 --> 01:16:37.054 - my own personal accord as a resident and a city parks enthusiast. 01:16:37.186 --> 01:16:43.094 - First I want to say thank you to all of you for the care that you give our parks and thanks to the city 01:16:43.094 --> 01:16:48.946 - staff who ensure that we have such beautiful parks. I think they truly are a treasure of our community 01:16:48.946 --> 01:16:54.627 - and I appreciate the ongoing conversations on the ways that we can improve them and use them to the 01:16:54.627 --> 01:16:55.934 - best of their ability. 01:16:56.706 --> 01:17:04.915 - I am a member of the fitness group that may have been mentioned earlier. It's called Fia Bloomington, 01:17:04.915 --> 01:17:11.998 - which is an acronym for females in action. We're a women's fitness group that is really 01:17:12.066 --> 01:17:19.174 - Completely open to women 18 and older. It's peer-led we're just a group of women who come together in 01:17:19.174 --> 01:17:26.352 - the park and Work out and socialize we do have some of those strange potlucks in the cold Temperatures 01:17:26.352 --> 01:17:33.530 - that were mentioned as well. We do have Workouts in City Park six days a week. So we make a lot of use 01:17:33.530 --> 01:17:40.708 - out of the park We do have two workouts that happen at 530 a.m In parks and then we also have workouts 01:17:40.708 --> 01:17:42.032 - that are happening 01:17:42.032 --> 01:17:49.123 - at different later morning times and then also in the evenings usually like 630 to 730 time range. So 01:17:49.123 --> 01:17:56.074 - of course this conversation is important to us because we are some of those users that are there in 01:17:56.074 --> 01:18:03.026 - the dark on really both ends of the day. We work out all year round. We compete to see who can work 01:18:03.026 --> 01:18:07.614 - out in the coldest temperature. So cold does not deter us at all. 01:18:07.714 --> 01:18:16.294 - And so I appreciate the conversation around the issues of you know light and also the issues of time 01:18:16.294 --> 01:18:25.129 - because that does impact us on both sides one of the reasons that I was drawn to this group was because 01:18:25.129 --> 01:18:33.709 - the workouts took place in public parks and I think that We can always make better use of our parks. 01:18:33.709 --> 01:18:37.022 - And so I was encouraged to be a better 01:18:37.090 --> 01:18:44.077 - Partner and someone who was more active in our parks I do think it strengthens our social fabric when 01:18:44.077 --> 01:18:51.065 - we bring people together who are using our parks for all different reasons I find that we are able to 01:18:51.065 --> 01:18:58.052 - be there alongside people who might be you know resting for a moment at a park table might be passing 01:18:58.052 --> 01:19:03.806 - through with their dog or might be using the park for whatever recreational or just 01:19:03.938 --> 01:19:11.147 - you know restorative reasons that they might find the need to use the park and I think that that strengthens 01:19:11.147 --> 01:19:17.826 - our community and I think the fact that we are active in the park in the dark at 5 30 in the morning 01:19:17.826 --> 01:19:24.373 - and at 7 30 at night is a huge asset. So I appreciate your consideration of this issue. Thank you. 01:19:24.373 --> 01:19:31.582 - Thank you. All right. Is there any other public comment in person or online. No one's online. OK. Thank you. 01:19:33.474 --> 01:19:41.181 - Okay. Well thank you to members of the public who came out tonight to speak and then we have in our 01:19:41.181 --> 01:19:49.196 - section E we have a couple of reports this evening. First we have Julie Ramey telling us about the IPRA 01:19:49.196 --> 01:19:56.825 - conference attendance and award. I apologize. I'm going to have to go. Okay. What's the show. Six. 01:19:56.825 --> 01:20:00.062 - Oh yeah. With the wives. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. 01:20:07.394 --> 01:20:13.535 - Good evening again, Julie Ramey, Community Relations Manager. Parks and Recreation is exceptionally 01:20:13.535 --> 01:20:19.798 - proud to announce that we are the recipients of the Indiana Park and Recreation Association Award for 01:20:19.798 --> 01:20:26.184 - Excellence in Resource Management. And while there is a snapshot of Leslie Brinson and myself accepting 01:20:26.184 --> 01:20:32.386 - the award last week at the IPRA conference up in Fort Wayne, Rogers Family Park was the recipient of 01:20:32.386 --> 01:20:37.360 - the award. Of course, recognized for not only its ongoing environmental work and 01:20:37.360 --> 01:20:43.822 - Establishing re-establishing native prairie plants, but also all the work that's been done in the past 01:20:43.822 --> 01:20:50.159 - few years to gain more interest in using the park more use of the park through accessibility through 01:20:50.159 --> 01:20:56.622 - passive use walking trails biking trails and Chimney Swift towers are a feature of the park. So we are 01:20:56.622 --> 01:21:03.774 - delighted to announce that we did receive the excellence in resource improvement award for Rogers Family Park and 01:21:05.378 --> 01:21:14.653 - Excellent congratulations nice photo. Yeah, yeah And if I could just jump to the next are you ready 01:21:14.653 --> 01:21:24.206 - for that? Yeah, that was bossy of me We we are also finalizing finally our master planning process and 01:21:24.206 --> 01:21:30.142 - the investment priorities plan process through the receiving of 01:21:30.242 --> 01:21:38.861 - public comments on both of those plans and there is a really thorough summary available in your packets 01:21:38.861 --> 01:21:42.590 - on the public feedback that we received from 01:21:42.690 --> 01:21:48.937 - our from people regarding our master plan. We did a survey of the public in September to get feedback 01:21:48.937 --> 01:21:55.061 - about the master plan and it's a little tricky because we were getting feedback about the plan that 01:21:55.061 --> 01:22:01.430 - we've already done and not welcoming people to tell us what we should be working on. So there were some 01:22:01.430 --> 01:22:07.615 - open ended questions and most importantly we wanted people to know about our four overarching master 01:22:07.615 --> 01:22:08.350 - plan goals. 01:22:08.450 --> 01:22:15.033 - and which of those goals the public felt was most important. The public 39 percent at least of the people 01:22:15.033 --> 01:22:21.492 - who responded to the survey said that investing in what we have is our most important priority and most 01:22:21.492 --> 01:22:25.342 - important goal. So we are in line with the with the snapshot. 01:22:25.506 --> 01:22:32.057 - It's not a statistically valid survey, but it is a snapshot of what the public thinks. Like I said, 01:22:32.057 --> 01:22:39.002 - there is a really thorough summary. And if you want to move on to the investment priorities plan summary, 01:22:39.002 --> 01:22:45.685 - we had 44 responses to that plan or that survey about the plan, which we sent out a little after your 01:22:45.685 --> 01:22:52.236 - special park board meeting on September 28th to get feedback on our proposed investment priorities, 01:22:52.236 --> 01:22:54.398 - again, built on our master plan. 01:22:54.530 --> 01:23:01.071 - Goals for investing in what we have and the most prominent themes we were revolving around playgrounds 01:23:01.071 --> 01:23:07.549 - specifically Southeast Park playground was called out several times Aquatics and equitable access was 01:23:07.549 --> 01:23:14.027 - a topic that was very frequently mentioned in that investment priorities plan the differences between 01:23:14.027 --> 01:23:19.806 - Bryant Park pool and Mills pool and our proposed investment plans for those facilities and 01:23:20.674 --> 01:23:27.007 - There were 44 responses to that investment priorities plan survey altogether, including some that we 01:23:27.007 --> 01:23:33.340 - received after the deadline. But those folks who were late with their comments can rest assured that 01:23:33.340 --> 01:23:39.799 - their comments were captured in our overall public feedback for the investment priorities plan and for 01:23:39.799 --> 01:23:46.195 - the master plan. And I'm happy to answer any questions about the master plan or investment priorities 01:23:46.195 --> 01:23:48.766 - plan survey summaries. Thank you, Julie. 01:23:49.186 --> 01:23:56.874 - Thank you for the binder of information. We can have all the details. Yeah. Appreciate appreciate the 01:23:56.874 --> 01:24:04.863 - updates. Thank you. All right. And then in E3 Tim has a update on the community parks initiative planning 01:24:04.863 --> 01:24:12.626 - grant proposal. Yes. Very brief since Jim had to leave just the information is in the packet. You know 01:24:12.626 --> 01:24:15.038 - I wanted to get that out there. 01:24:15.170 --> 01:24:21.109 - This relates to what we talked about our September special meeting and dovetailing off of what Julie 01:24:21.109 --> 01:24:27.165 - was just sharing the CPI grant opportunity came upon us quite suddenly and quite amazingly. So we have 01:24:27.165 --> 01:24:33.045 - been working on that planning phase is required. So these are the projects that we put in there for 01:24:33.045 --> 01:24:38.984 - planning purposes building off of our master plan. As you recall the reason we were still working on 01:24:38.984 --> 01:24:44.158 - the master plan was DNR had some feedback before they would accept it. They wanted some 01:24:44.514 --> 01:24:50.200 - what I'll call more encyclopedic elements added back in stuff that we know about our parks but they 01:24:50.200 --> 01:24:55.886 - wanted to see present. So nothing substantive in terms of the decision making strategic plan of the 01:24:55.886 --> 01:25:01.573 - master plan has changed in the version that you have now that we are going to ask the board to read 01:25:01.573 --> 01:25:07.259 - up in December. It just includes a lot more of that encyclopedic information about in and about our 01:25:07.259 --> 01:25:07.998 - park system. 01:25:09.058 --> 01:25:15.210 - I'll let you look at the CPI grant projects and they're happy to have a discussion now or later about 01:25:15.210 --> 01:25:21.423 - those. We should find out about those planning grant awards by the end of the year and then we go into 01:25:21.423 --> 01:25:27.635 - the planning phase to apply for the full up to 10 million dollar grant by August 20 27. OK. All right. 01:25:27.635 --> 01:25:33.787 - Yeah I'm sorry but this still the Microsoft outage. I don't know. I can't remember if I had questions 01:25:33.787 --> 01:25:37.406 - about or not because I can't pull it up. But OK. All right. 01:25:37.794 --> 01:25:44.868 - But yes thank you for that. Did you have any questions. Yeah. All right. And then we just have the regular 01:25:44.868 --> 01:25:51.480 - public comment period here at the end if I don't see any unfamiliar faces now. But yeah nobody. OK. 01:25:51.480 --> 01:25:58.157 - All right. And then Tim do you have any other announcements and announcements for us this evening. I 01:25:58.157 --> 01:26:04.901 - think we've covered our next and last meeting of the year will be Thursday December 10th regular time 01:26:04.901 --> 01:26:05.694 - right here. 01:26:07.330 --> 01:26:12.605 - All right. Well thank you to staff and to public who came out tonight. And with that I'll adjourn the 01:26:12.605 --> 01:26:15.966 - November meeting of the Bloomington Board of Park commissioners.