July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Park board considering new fund (03/08/06)
Portland Park Board
By By RACHELLE HAUGHN-
Community members may soon have a way to contribute financially to the improvement of city parks.
Members of the Portland Park Board are considering establishing a non-reverting park improvement fund, to which local residents could contribute.
Board president Neil Medler suggested the idea at the Feb. 7 park board meeting.
There currently is an endowment fund for the park system set up through The Portland Foundation, he said at Tuesday’s board meeting. However, only the interest earned on that fund can be spent, Medler said.
If a non-reverting fund is established, those who contribute could decide how they want the funds to be used, he said.
The request to establish such a fund would have to go before the Portland City Council for approval, Medler said. The park board has taken no action on the suggestion, but could at the next meeting, he said.
In other business Tuesday, Nola Albrecht, landscape architect for The Schneider Corporation, said she plans to send the final draft of the park system’s five-year master plan to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. DNR has already approved one draft of the plan and suggested some changes, she said. They should approved the final draft in June, Albrecht said.
The plan includes the city’s vision for parks in the next five years, planned improvements and expected maintenance for parks.
It also includes goals such as upgrading playground equipment, creating walking trails and designating routes to connect the parks, and improving the appearance of the parks.
The park system’s master plan has expired. An updated plan could increase the city’s chances of getting federal and state funding. The new plan will be good through 2010, Albrecht said.
Schneider officials created the five-year master plan at a cost of $8,000.
In November, board members and local residents gave input on the plan. A seven-member steering committee was established to come up with ideas for the future of the city’s park system. Schneider then organized and compiled all of the information.
Also Monday, the board:
•Heard Jeff Harker, street and park department superintendent, announce that the new playground equipment for Memorial Park should arrive sometime in the next month.
The equipment — which includes a new slide unit, along with two swing sets, two park benches and one bench swing — will be installed shortly after it arrives, Harker said.
It is being purchased from GameTime of Holland, Mich., at a cost of $49,980.
•Gave Harker permission to have a parking lot at Weiler-Wilson Park re-paved.
Harker said he will get a quote from LICA Construction Corp. of Berne to re-pave the lot for the junior league baseball diamonds and pave a gravel lot to the east. The work would also include the painting of parking spaces.[[In-content Ad]]
Members of the Portland Park Board are considering establishing a non-reverting park improvement fund, to which local residents could contribute.
Board president Neil Medler suggested the idea at the Feb. 7 park board meeting.
There currently is an endowment fund for the park system set up through The Portland Foundation, he said at Tuesday’s board meeting. However, only the interest earned on that fund can be spent, Medler said.
If a non-reverting fund is established, those who contribute could decide how they want the funds to be used, he said.
The request to establish such a fund would have to go before the Portland City Council for approval, Medler said. The park board has taken no action on the suggestion, but could at the next meeting, he said.
In other business Tuesday, Nola Albrecht, landscape architect for The Schneider Corporation, said she plans to send the final draft of the park system’s five-year master plan to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. DNR has already approved one draft of the plan and suggested some changes, she said. They should approved the final draft in June, Albrecht said.
The plan includes the city’s vision for parks in the next five years, planned improvements and expected maintenance for parks.
It also includes goals such as upgrading playground equipment, creating walking trails and designating routes to connect the parks, and improving the appearance of the parks.
The park system’s master plan has expired. An updated plan could increase the city’s chances of getting federal and state funding. The new plan will be good through 2010, Albrecht said.
Schneider officials created the five-year master plan at a cost of $8,000.
In November, board members and local residents gave input on the plan. A seven-member steering committee was established to come up with ideas for the future of the city’s park system. Schneider then organized and compiled all of the information.
Also Monday, the board:
•Heard Jeff Harker, street and park department superintendent, announce that the new playground equipment for Memorial Park should arrive sometime in the next month.
The equipment — which includes a new slide unit, along with two swing sets, two park benches and one bench swing — will be installed shortly after it arrives, Harker said.
It is being purchased from GameTime of Holland, Mich., at a cost of $49,980.
•Gave Harker permission to have a parking lot at Weiler-Wilson Park re-paved.
Harker said he will get a quote from LICA Construction Corp. of Berne to re-pave the lot for the junior league baseball diamonds and pave a gravel lot to the east. The work would also include the painting of parking spaces.[[In-content Ad]]
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