09-12-2018
Blair Park Board Meeting Minutes, September 12, 2018
Call to Order: Blair Park Board president Neil Jensen called the September 12, 2018 meeting to
order at 7:00 PM.
Present: Neil Jensen, Jeene Hobbs, Betsy Anderson, Todd Wick, Joe Burns, Parks
Superintendent Pat Long.
Approval of Minutes: Todd Wick made a motion to approve the minutes of the August 8, 2018
meeting. Motion was seconded by Betsy Anderson. The motion was approved.
Approval of Bills: No bills presented. Budget report shows account # 5241 over budget at
$5,604. 82, but the amount does not show payment from NRD. Bill for trees came in before the
payment from NRD. Actual amount should be + $626.82. Other added costs for Optimist boat
ramp.
Old Business:
1. Progress on Cemetery paving project: Pat reported that paving at cemetery has been
completed. Try to do another short piece slated for next year. Another current project is cutting
tree limbs on trees in islands at Deerfield. Limbs are scraping school busses. Project to be
completed by end of the week.
New Business:
1. Budget for next year: Hourly wage cap increased because worker pool is very tight. Increase
in trees budge from $9,000 to $10,000 - mostly for tree removal.
2. Black Elk Park maintenance budget increase of $75,000 for City share of replacing tiles on
the Tower of the Four Winds. The amount is contingent on raising the rest of the money from
public/private donations. Sidewalk near Tower needs to be temporarily repaired and later
permanently replaced after Tower repairs
3. Funds for playground at Stier are carried over but reduced by $5,000. Also $100,000
budgeted for playground at Stemmerman.
4. On Saturday October or 6 or 13 Boy Scouts are planning a service project at Black Elk -
Neihardt Park to remove cedar trees. They will camp at the park overnight.
5. Jeene Hobbs and Betsy Anderson volunteered to participate in a sub-committee to establish
and revise rules for parks and depot rental, use of park grounds, and cemetery rates.
6. Friends of the Jeannette Hunt Animal Shelter have expressed an interest in establishing a dog
park at the south-east end of Black Elk-Neihardt Park adjacent to the new housing development.
The area would be accessible motor vehicles and water. The board consensus is that the dog park
proponents present a preliminary proposal at a regularly scheduled park board meeting so that
board members can ask questions.
7. Betsy Anderson asked about contacting the master gardeners of Washington County about
establishing a rain garden in the drainage pit next to the new Lions Park bathroom. Pat said he
needs to find out what the city plans to do with that area first. Betsy said it would be a good
project for master gardeners to get in some hours, and it wouldn’t take much to maintain the area
once you get it started. Pat said he would talk to Mark Hodson and see what the plans for the
area might be.
8. Board members discussed the possibility of playground theme and equipment at playground
proposed for Stemmerman Park.
Adjournment: Neil Jensen adjourned the meeting at 8:20 PM.
Respectfully submitted by Joe Burns September 30, 2018