#2 March 13, 2012 Minutes
LEISURE SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES
MARCH 13, 2012
7:00 PM
MUNICIPAL BUILDING
FIRST FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM
Members Present: Steve Ellis, Betty Schwarz, Benjamin Dobson, Sandra Hendricks, Steve
Knox, Dean Paynter, Lorie Markus and Deb Dongarra-Adams
Absent Members: Lynn Jones
(Bill Jass and Frank Dmuchowski are no longer members of the
committee)
Guests: None
Staff Present: Tom Presny
Meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM by Chairperson Steve Ellis. Roll call was completed by
sign-in sheet.
APPROVAL OF THE NOVEMBER 8, 2011 MEETING MINUTES
A motion was made by Lorie Markus and seconded by Deb Dongarra-Adams to approve the
minutes of the November 8, 2011 meeting. This motion was approved unanimously.
Note:
The Leisure Services Advisory Committee was scheduled to meet on January 10, 2012.
However there were not enough members present for a quorum and as such meeting minutes
were not prepared.
CONSTRUCTION OF RIVERSIDE PARK MAINTENANCE BUILDING
Tom Presny shared information regarding a new maintenance building at Riverside Park. This
32’ x 36’ masonry block building will feature walls of masonry block. The lower 40” of these
walls will be covered with lannon stone to replicate the stone color and texture on the nearby
South restroom building and pavilion. Construction will begin mid-April with completion planned
nd
for June 22. The budget for this building is $135,000.
BELOIT TO JANESVILLE TRAIL CORRIDOR PLAN
A diverse group of trail enthusiasts and representatives from local units of government have
been meeting for several months with the goal of completing a bike trail link from Beloit and
connecting with the Janesville trail that exists south of Tripp Road. Fund raising totaling
$14,500 was used to hire Schreiber Anderson and Associates of Madison to prepare a corridor
master plan for linking these two communities through Afton. The plan is now in print and on the
City of Janesville website (http://www.ci.janesville.wi.us/index.aspx?page=533).
2012 PARKS BUDGET SERVICE LEVEL CHANGES
Tom Presny shared budget service level reductions that will be made for the 2012 park season.
Six fewer seasonal employees will be hired this year which will result in a citywide change from
a seven to an eight workday mowing cycle at a cost reduction of $28,500. In addition 8-12 older
drinking fountains will be removed from the parks at a cost reduction of $3,500.
A discussion took place by several members of the Committee concerning parks staff belonging
to a Union and if volunteer groups would be allowed to mow parks and what the liability behind
that would be. Tom Presny stated that it would depend on future Union contracts, but there
have been times when groups/individuals have been allowed to do so with a signed liability
waiver. Steve Knox asked why parks close at the end of October. Tom Presny informed the
Committee that Parks Division staff has been involved with leaf collection in November and staff
is unavailable, as well as there being budget limitations.
PRAIRIE BURNING AND NATURAL AREA MANAGEMENT
Tom Presny shared that the Parks Division is responsible for burning 42 park and greenbelt
prairie and natural areas on a three year rotation. Notices are provided to area residents prior to
these burnings and press releases are provided to the news media. Early spring burning will
begin in March which is unusual.
RECOGNITION OF STEVE ELLIS FOR HIS SERVICE TO THE CITY
Tom Presny presented Steve Ellis with a City portfolio and congratulated him for providing two
terms with six total years of service on the Leisure Services Advisory Committee. Most recently
Steve has served as Committee Chairperson. Steve stated that he has enjoyed his service to
the Committee and is proud of his 40 years of serving Janesville baseball and softball interests.
With the departure of Mr. Ellis the LSAC will need to select a new chairperson at the May
meeting.
MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA
It was asked that an update be provided to the Committee regarding the status of the skate
board park. We have found that the official location of the skate park remains on Jackson Street
at the site of the former Batting Cages. The Skate Park Committee has raised just over $30,000.
When they have raised $50,000 the City intends to place a matching amount of funding in our
capital borrowing plan and begin phased construction.
Steve Ellis and Lorie Markus suggested that there be a new Leisure Services Advisory
Committee policy regarding absences from meetings. The policy should suggest that after a
second straight absence to a Committee meeting, City staff should contact the absent member
inquiring why they have been unable to attend meetings. If their absence is not justified and if
they were to miss a third consecutive meeting, they should be removed from the Committee.
Staff checked on this proposal and learned that appointments are made by the Council
President with confirmation by the Council following a review of applications by the Citizen
Advisory Committee on Appointments. Only upon a resignation received from a Committee
member, can he or she be removed from the Committee.
Steve Ellis and Steve Knox asked why minutes of LSAC meetings are not submitted to the City
Council for their review and awareness. The LSAC meeting minutes will be placed on the City
)
website (http://cms.ci.janesville.wi.us/weblink8/Browse.aspx?dbid=0 but minutes are not
provided directly to the Council for review. The Committee’s point being made was that the
LSAC reviews many issues that would benefit the City Council in their decision making.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 8:50 PM with a motion by Lori Markus and seconded by Sandra
Hendricks. The motion passed unanimously.
The next Leisure Services Advisory Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday May 8,
2012 at 7:00 PM.
Submitted by:
Tom Presny
Parks Director