Swing to honor late clerk (10/05/05)

Members of the Portland Park Board voted Tuesday night to honor a longtime elected official who passed away this summer.

The board voted to purchase a new adult bench swing for the kiddie play area at Haynes Park in Portland in memory of the city’s clerk-treasurer Barbara Blackford, who died on July 20.

Prior to being elected to the city post, Blackford served as Jay County recorder for several years.

The swing will be purchased from GameTime of Holland, Mich. at a cost of $1,091.40, and it will be placed on the south side of the enclosed play area.

Some of Blackford’s friends plan to purchase a sign with her name on it to place on the swing, street and park department superintendent Jeff Harker said. Her friends came up with the idea for the swing because she really liked the new equipment at the park, he said.

In other business Tuesday, the board voted to update the master plan for the city’s park system at a cost of $8,000.

Before the board members voted, Portland Mayor Bruce Hosier said the city’s current five-year plan for the park system was created in 2000 and is about to expire. In order for projects to be eligible for state and federal funding, a current master plan must be in place, he said.

The new plan, which will last until 2010, will include the city’s vision for parks in the next five years, planned improvements and expected maintenance for parks. It also will include the planned Hudson Family Park and its construction phases, and expected maintenance to Freedom Park.

Hosier said this morning, The Schneider Corporation, which is designing Hudson Family Park, originally hoped to just update the master plan and add the Hudson park and Freedom Park, which would have cost significantly less.

Schneider officials later learned that the city’s current master park plan is about to expire, so they decided it would be best to create a new plan, Hosier said.

Also Tuesday, board members:

•Met the city’s new assistant street and park department superintendent Doug Blankenbaker.

His first day with the department was Sept. 26. He was hired to replace former assistant superintendent Randy Mann, whose last day with the department was Aug. 15, Harker said.

Before beginning his position with the street and park department, Blankenbaker, 52, was a full-time firefighter with the Portland Fire Department for 21 years. He is the father of two and resides in Portland with his wife Nila.

•Voted to disband the park board’s citizens advisory committee, which was formed in January to help generate ideas for funding and other aspects of the Hudson Family Park project.

Before voting, board president Neil Medler said he felt the committee had served its purpose.[[In-content Ad]]