Restroom work

A compromise solution has been found for the restroom facility at Runkle-Miller Field.

Portland Park Board on Tuesday approved a project to renovate the restroom and concession facility at the field at Portland Memorial Park.

The restroom/concession facility at the field has been a topic of conversation on and off for the park board for several years as part of an overall look at making improvements to the facility that is home to The Portland Rockets. At the board’s April 2022 meeting, Rockets manager Randy Miller estimated the cost of expansion and renovation of the restroom and concession stand at $75,000.

Because of the cost of the project, no action was taken last year other than putting the restroom/concession stand upgrades into the city’s five-year master park plan.

On Tuesday, parks department employee Matt Shauver brought an alternate option to the board. He suggested removing the block walls that currently separate stalls inside the men’s and women’s restrooms, creating two family restrooms with changing tables, putting in new doors and installing a three-bay sink and new hot water heater for the concession area. He noted that those changes would be less costly and would bring the restrooms into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

He said quotes from Hemmelgarn Masonry for doors came in at $6,500 while Mark Aker Plumbing would handle the plumbing work at a cost of $6,160. City employees will handle demolition of the walls.

“My goal is to make the best of what we have,” said Shauver. “It’s to save money, but have an ADA, usable facility.”

Board members Brian Ison, John McFarland, Shauna Runkle and Michael Brewster approved the project, with the money to come from leftover economic development funds passed through the city from the county to the park board from Bitter Ridge Wind Farm.

Miller also informed the board of plans to install a new batting cage at the field. (Because it is being built in the same area as the current batting cage, it does not require park board approval.)

The board also agreed to send Hatzell Bros. Standing Seam Solutions notice that it needs to have standing seam roofs and metal exteriors on the dugouts at Runkle-Miller Field complete by April 1. (The $10,950 project was awarded to Hatzell Bros. in May.)

Jay County Junior High School baseball teams are scheduled to begin using the facility April 6.

The board also set pay rates and fees for Portland Water Park, with the exception of rental fees.

Members agreed to rates of $18 per hour for the water park manager, $15 for the assistant manager, $14 for lifeguards and $13 for concession workers.

They also decided to keep pool admission and pass rates the same as they have been since 2020, noting the goal of having the facility well used this year as it has not been open full-time since 2019. (It was open part-time in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic and 2021 because of a lifeguard shortage, and was closed in 2022 for tile repairs.) Admission rates will be $5 before 5 p.m. and $3 after 5 p.m. Passes start at $45 for an individual, $70 for a family of two, $95 for a family of three, and continue up to $180 for a family of seven or more.

The board heard a request from Jenny Bricker, who is leading an effort to relocate the Indiana 26 (Water Street) bridge over the Salamonie River on the eastern edge of the city that will be removed this spring. She asked that the board consider having the bridge placed in Hudson Family Park.

While taking no action on the request, Ison noted that the parks department is already responsible for the upkeep of one such bridge that spans the Salamonie River connecting Weiler-Wilson and Hudson Family parks. He also said he would have to look into stipulations that were put in place when the Hudson family donated land for the park to the city.

In other business, the board:

•Elected Ison as board president with McFarland as vice president and Runkle as secretary. Ison noted that he has identified a candidate who is interested in joining the board and plans to attend its March meeting.

•OK’d several electrical projects to be completed by Coppersmith of Portland — installation of electrical service to the gazebo at Hudson Family Park at a cost of $5,990, modifications to electricity at each of the baseball/softball diamonds at Weiler-Wilson Park at a cost of $4,500 and replacement of the main electrical box at Weiler-Wilson Park at a cost of $10,000. (Ison noted that Portland Junior League is willing to contribute financially toward the work at the baseball/softball diamonds, though an amount has not been specified.) Shauver said he would work with Coppersmith to minimize the impact of the work on games at the facility.

*Approved the following: the purchase of two Ferris mowers from K&L Tractor of Fort Recovery at a cost of $9,200

•Heard from Michele Goldman of Pennville Custom Cabinetry that new cabinets the company built for the concessions building at Portland Water Park are complete. They are expected to be installed later this month.

•Heard Shauver thank U.S. Aggregates for the donation of several boulders that were placed at corners of the drive at Hudson Family Park.