Projects reviewed for 2026

With the water park season over, students back in school and the calendar heading toward fall, city officials are looking ahead to 2026 projects.

Portland Park Board discussed possible projects for next year in preparation for presenting its proposed budget to the city council.

Park board president Brian Ison reviewed a list of projects, including $50,000 in asphalt work at Hudson Family Park, $31,000 related to developing the next five-year park plan, $28,000 in restroom upgrades at Weiler-Wilson Park and $25,000 for work to mitigate erosion at the pond in Hudson Family Park.

Other projects on the list for potential completion in 2026 involve metal work for the dugouts and fence upgrades at Weiler-Wilson Park, remodeling the restroom at Milton Miller Park, reinforcing the retaining wall near the Hudson Family Park playground, new doors for the restrooms at Haynes Park, upgraded plumbing for the restroom at Hines-Inman Memorial Field and sealing basketball courts.

Added to the list from discussions of other issues during the meeting were restoring the slides at Portland Water Park and fixing the umbrellas at the facility.

Board members discussed various options for helping to control erosion around the pond at Hudson Family Park. They asked street and parks department superintendent Matt Shauver and parks manager Ronnie Reynolds to look at all options and return with a recommendation.

Ison will present the proposed projects to the city council as part of the budget process.

The board also heard a report from Portland Water Park manager Mara Bader after the facility closed for the season Sunday. She noted that the water park was open for 82 days this year with a total of 18,527 patrons — an average of 226 per day.

A total of 139 passes were sold, including 50 single passes and 30 two-person passes. The facility was rented eight times during the summer.

Bader said she plans to return to the water park manager role next summer, but that it will likely be her last in the job. She suggested that future “free days” — there were three this year, with attendance of 450 or higher at each — be limited to a specified number of attendees in order to ease stress on the staff.

Board members thanked Bader for her efforts this year and her interest in returning next year while also discussing putting a succession plan in place for after the 2026 season.

The board also honored outgoing member Shauna Runkle, who resigned after serving more than 20 years. It welcomed new board members Kyle Carpenter and Emily Goodrich, who were named to fill out the terms vacated by John McFarland and Runkle. Their terms will run through 2027.

In other business, the board:

•Heard an update from Michelle Goldman about plans for the inaugural Jay County Bridge Dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, at the bridge connecting Weiler-Wilson and Hudson Family parks. The event will be open to anyone. Food trucks will be available and attendees can also bring their own picnic food. Park board members and parks staff asked about logistics and needs for the event. They also advised coordinating with Jay County Junior-Senior High School, which has a junior high cross country meet scheduled for Hudson Family Park that evening.

•Approved almost $45,000 in paving for the basketball court at Milton Miller Park and 1,000 feet of the walking path at Hudson Family Park.

•Gave permission for the Portland Rockets to install concrete and electricity in their new storage building at Runkle-Miller Field. The board also discussed options for new overhead doors at the Rockets’ press box and concession stand.

•Heard the following updates from parks manager Ronnie Reynolds: additional lighting has been added at Portland Memorial Park; upgrades were made to the concession/restroom building at Hines-Inman Memorial Field and new speakers were installed; six new disc golf holes were added at Hudson Family Park; and the winterization process is underway at Portland Water Park.

•OK’d moving forward with plans to cut back some vegetation and clean up brush debris at Hudson Family Park

•Tabled a request for fence repairs at the east baseball/softball diamond at Weiler-Wilson Park. Parks staff will reach out to Portland Junior League about its overall needs at the facility.