September 4, 2019 at 4:47 p.m.
Fighting vandals
Board approves measures after recent incidents in Portland park restrooms
Vandalism has become a problem again.
In response, park restrooms will be closing earlier and more cameras may be installed.
Portland Park Board on Tuesday gave permission for parks department workers to begin locking restrooms for the evening at 7:30 p.m.
The board also heard details about Portland Water Park attendance for the year and received a request for work at Hines-Inman Field.
What had been a relatively quiet year has taken a turn for the worse, street and parks department employee Matt Shauver told the board, noting recent incidents of vandalism at Milton Miller and Haynes parks.
Trash cans were dumped at Milton Miller Park and vandals had also urinated and defecated on the floor. At Haynes Park, both a toilet and stall door were broken in the men’s restroom, which is now closed until repairs can be made.
In response, park restrooms will be closing earlier and more cameras may be installed.
Portland Park Board on Tuesday gave permission for parks department workers to begin locking restrooms for the evening at 7:30 p.m.
The board also heard details about Portland Water Park attendance for the year and received a request for work at Hines-Inman Field.
What had been a relatively quiet year has taken a turn for the worse, street and parks department employee Matt Shauver told the board, noting recent incidents of vandalism at Milton Miller and Haynes parks.
Trash cans were dumped at Milton Miller Park and vandals had also urinated and defecated on the floor. At Haynes Park, both a toilet and stall door were broken in the men’s restroom, which is now closed until repairs can be made.
Park board members Shauna Runkle, Chris Compton and Giles Laux, absent Rod Ashman, granted Shauver permission to start closing restrooms beginning at 7:30 p.m. each night. He said previously he had been closing them around 9:30 p.m.
He also asked the public for assistance with combating vandalism.
“If you see anything going on, call,” said Shauver.
There are already security cameras installed at several of the city’s parks, and Shauver said he would like to see more added to help protect them from vandalism.
Following the water park’s final day of the season Monday, manager Missy Bader gave a year-end report showing that the facility had attendance of 23,481 this year and brought in $138,429.26. Attendance was down 3.6 percent from 2018, but revenue went up in part because of increased admission fees.
She also presented information about lifeguard pay rates that the board requested last month. Currently, Portland Water Park lifeguards start at a rate of $8 per hour. The starting rate is $8.39 at Hartford City, $8.55 at St. Henry, $8.64 at Dunkirk and $10.10 at Tuhey Pool in Muncie, Bader said.
Park board plans to review the information as it considers pay rates for 2020.
Shauver also noted that he is gathering information about the possibility of adding a splash pad at the water park.
Chet Franks of Jay County Pee Wee Football visited the board to request upgrades to the parking lot and sidewalks at Hines-Inman Field on the north side of Portland Memorial Park.
The parking lot is currently stone, which Franks noted makes it difficult for senior citizens and the handicapped to navigate safely.
Franks said promises were made by Portland city officials more than 20 years ago to pave the lot and that he would like to see progress made, even if it has to be done a little bit at a time. He also asked that sidewalks be installed along the south side of the field and connecting to the concession/bathroom building.
He also asked if it would be possible to limit activity on the field to Pee Wee Football only from 30 days before the season begins until the end of the season in order to help make sure the playing surface is in good condition and safe for the athletes. Park board members said they would look into that request.
In other business, the board:
•Heard from Shauver that a protective coating was applied to the playground surface at Hudson Family Park. Other recent park maintenance included painting the center pavilion and cutting down a tree, both at Haynes Park.
He also asked the public for assistance with combating vandalism.
“If you see anything going on, call,” said Shauver.
There are already security cameras installed at several of the city’s parks, and Shauver said he would like to see more added to help protect them from vandalism.
Following the water park’s final day of the season Monday, manager Missy Bader gave a year-end report showing that the facility had attendance of 23,481 this year and brought in $138,429.26. Attendance was down 3.6 percent from 2018, but revenue went up in part because of increased admission fees.
She also presented information about lifeguard pay rates that the board requested last month. Currently, Portland Water Park lifeguards start at a rate of $8 per hour. The starting rate is $8.39 at Hartford City, $8.55 at St. Henry, $8.64 at Dunkirk and $10.10 at Tuhey Pool in Muncie, Bader said.
Park board plans to review the information as it considers pay rates for 2020.
Shauver also noted that he is gathering information about the possibility of adding a splash pad at the water park.
Chet Franks of Jay County Pee Wee Football visited the board to request upgrades to the parking lot and sidewalks at Hines-Inman Field on the north side of Portland Memorial Park.
The parking lot is currently stone, which Franks noted makes it difficult for senior citizens and the handicapped to navigate safely.
Franks said promises were made by Portland city officials more than 20 years ago to pave the lot and that he would like to see progress made, even if it has to be done a little bit at a time. He also asked that sidewalks be installed along the south side of the field and connecting to the concession/bathroom building.
He also asked if it would be possible to limit activity on the field to Pee Wee Football only from 30 days before the season begins until the end of the season in order to help make sure the playing surface is in good condition and safe for the athletes. Park board members said they would look into that request.
In other business, the board:
•Heard from Shauver that a protective coating was applied to the playground surface at Hudson Family Park. Other recent park maintenance included painting the center pavilion and cutting down a tree, both at Haynes Park.
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