Prepping park

Progress continues toward opening the water park this month.

Portland Park Board hired an assistant manager Monday for Portland Water Park and received updates from staff regarding preparations for opening day.

After hiring Mara Bader last month to serve as the manager for the facility, board members Brian Ison, Michael Brewster, Shauna Runkle and Jennifer Weitzel selected Hannah Laux as the assistant manager. A 2024 Jay County High School graduate who now attends Ball State University, she has previously served as a lifeguard at the facility.

The board also learned that there are 18 lifeguards returning to the staff so far. Applications are still open for lifeguard and concession stand positions.

In preparing the water park to open — the scheduled opening date is Saturday, May 24 — staff found issues with the facility’s ultraviolet system. Repairs are in process.

The board also noted a new policy that it be notified before action is taken on any repairs that cost more than $5,000.

Parks manager Ronnie Reynolds also updated the board that mulch has been placed around the new playground equipment at the east side of Haynes Park and seasonal workers will begin landscaping and mulching within the next week.

    Portland parks manager Ronnie Reynolds tightens the canopy in front of the concessions stand Thursday morning at Portland Water Park. The heater for the pool that was purchased last year is running in preparation for opening on Memorial Day weekend. (The Commercial Review/Ray Cooney)
  

Board members discussed quotes for repairs to the baseball/softball field fences at Weiler-Wilson Park. The estimates for that work came in between $6,500 and $9,500. They tabled the quotes, and Reynolds plans to do site visits with both firms that submitted quotes to discuss the scope of the work.

They also acknowledged that Portland Mayor Jeff Westlake has removed John McFarland from his seat on the board. McFarland, who had been the board’s vice president, had been serving a voluntary suspension since his arrest on drug charges in March. He was formally charged last week with two Level 5 felonies, three Level 6 felonies and two misdemeanors for charges relating to possession of narcotics, controlled substances, marijuana and paraphernalia, as well as unlawful possession of a syringe.

Anyone interested in joining the park board should contact city hall at (260) 726-9395 or Ison at (260) 251-7565.

The board also elected Brewster as vice president.

In other business, the board:

•Approved A Better Life – Brianna’s Hope to use the Hudson Family park concession building for a motorcycle ride/family fun day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9. 

•Reviewed a donation acceptance letter for a new storage building for the Portland Rockets at Portland Memorial Park’s Runkle-Miller Field.

•Tabled a request from the local HAMM Radio Club to use the former concession building at Milton Miller Park. Reynolds and street and parks department superintendent Matt Shauver will take a look at the building to help determine if the request can be accommodated.