02-14-2007Blair Park Board Meeting
February 14, 2007
Roll Call
The Blair Park Board met at 7 p.m. Wednesday, February 14, in the City Hall Council Chamber.
Members present: Neil Jensen, president; Kathy Kuster, vice president; Ann George, secretary; Ardee
Pounds. Blair Parks Department: Pat Long. Not present: Roger Petersen, Jim Peterson.
Reading and Approval of November 8, 2006, Minutes
Ardee Pounds's motion to approve the minutes of the November 8 meeting was seconded by Kathy
Kuster and carried.
Approval of Bills (There were no bills needing approval.)
Old Business
Discussion of proposed new shelter for Lions Park. Using Power Point, Pat Long showed members
catalog photos of picnic shelters from several companies. He said that there is $10,000 in the budget for a
shelter and that he would ask the Blair Lions Club to help with any additional funding; Keno funds might
also be available. The approximate cost for pouring the concrete pad and building and painting the shelter
by Parks Department staff members is $1,000. Board members expressed a preference for the
following shelters because they featured additional roof support: the 20 x 30 foot Bolingbrook at
$11,295 (ABCreative, Icon Shelters) and a 20 x 30 foot shelter at $12,875 (Gametime, RCP). Pat will
also ask Frye Associates if that company has a shelter with additional support. If necessary, depending on
the space available at Lions Park, he will also ask these companies if they have slightly smaller versions of
these shelters. He also mentioned that next year the Parks Department will have to install signage
indicating "age appropriateness" for playground equipment at the parks; he is researching the signage and
requirements.
New Business
Election of officers for 2007. Kathy Kuster moved that the election be tabled to the March meeting
so that all members could participate in the vote. Her motion was seconded by Ardee Pounds and
carried.
2007 plans and goals for parks. The following goals for 2007 were discussed: at Lions Park, installing
the new shelter and adding a new drinking fountain; along the Cauble Creek Trail (the next phase in the
Blair Trail System), making improvements as needed; and at Black Elk - Neihardt Park, replacing and
repairing, as needed, mosaic tiles on the tower and stabilizing the mosaic /concrete pedestals; removing
scrub trees, among them cedars, that are crowding the cottonwood in the Oval; and adding a tipi shelter.
Discussion of web page design thus far. Pat Long used Power Point to show members the Parks
Department website. He noted suggestions members made for improving and adding to the site.
Report from Arboretum Curator
Neil Jensen reported that he'd received a list from Iowa State University of trees and shrubs available this
year, but that the list didn't include anything special. He said he'd give it to Pat. Pat proposed that Friends
of the Arboretum not meet at the same time as the Park Board and that meetings be held quarterly.
Adjournment
Ardee Pounds's motion to adjourn was seconded by Kathy Kuster and carried.
Respectfully submitted,
Ann George, Secretary