09-09-2009Minutes, Blair Park Board Meeting
September 9, 2009
Roll Call
Members of the Blair Park Board met at 7 p.m., Wednesday, September 9, in the City Hall Council
Chamber. Members present: Neil Jensen, president; Ann George, secretary; Roger Petersen, Jim
Peterson, Ardee Pounds. Blair Parks Department: Pat Long. Members not present: Jeene Hobbs.
Reading and Approval of August 12, 2009, Minutes
Ardee Pounds's motion to approve the August 12 minutes was seconded by Jim Peterson and
carried.
Approval of Bills
There were no bills needing approval. Pat Long explained that the City and Friends of the Blair Arboretum
had split the bill (City, $158; Friends, $157) for the intern from the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, who
did a tree inventory at Steyer Park.
Old Business
Further discussion of new olavpround eauipment for Stever Park Pat said that the City Council had
acted on next year's city budget the night before (Sept. 8), and he hadn't yet learned what the parks budget
would be. Twenty -five thousand dollars had been requested for playground equipment. The most pressing
need, he said, is to make all of the playground surfaces ADA- compliant.
Update on Black Elk-Neihardt Park sidewalks. Pat reported that the sidewalk around the Tower of the
Four Winds was being poured in increments; the goal is to complete the project by the end of the month.
The parks budget will pay $8,000 and Keno funds $8,000 for the project, with Black Elk - Neihardt Park
Board, Inc., covering any remaining amount, if needed. After three or four benches are installed along the
new sidewalk (a project of the Black Elk - Neihardt Park Board), Phase 3 of the projected park
improvements will have been completed. Phase 4 will consist of designing a new picnic shelter on the
north side of the parking lot and fund- raising for its construction. The shelter will feature relief sculptures
of John G. Neihardt and Black Elk created by Jim Olsen.
New Business
Discussion o possible future improvements for all parks. Pat asked Board members to survey the
playgrounds at all city parks and to come to the next meeting with suggestions for improvements. He gave
members assorted playground equipment catalogs to look at before the October meeting.
Friends of Arboretum meeting Friends of the Blair Arboretum will meet at City Hall on September 16.
Pat reported that the inventory of trees in Steyer Park is almost complete; the information is on a
spreadsheet.
Adjournment. Ardee Pound's motion to adjourn the meeting was seconded by Roger Petersen
and carried.
The Board will next meet at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, October 14, in the City Hall Council Chamber.
Respectfully submitted,
Ann George, Secretary