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[ AGENDA PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD City Hall - Council Chambers 6131 Taylorsville Road January 15, 2026 6:30 P.M.]
AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND BEGIN.TONIGHT'S MEETING WITH THE ROLL CALL? CASEY TAYLOR HERE.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, RON ER HERE.
AND I DO NOT HAVE ANY OPENING REMARKS THIS EVENING AND THERE'S NO CITIZENS COMMENTS.
TONIGHT'S, SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO OLD BUSINESS WITH THE YMCA UPDATE.
UM, IT'S BUSY AT THE Y UM, NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS AND, AND EVERYBODY GETTING BACK INTO THE SWING OF WORKING OUT.
UM, WE'VE CURRENTLY GOT, UM, OUR YOUTH BASKETBALL LEAGUE RUNNING AND OUR YOUTH VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE WILL START UP NEXT MONDAY WITH PRACTICES.
UM, OTHERWISE THAN THAT WE'RE PLANNING ALREADY FOR THE AQUATIC CENTER.
UM, GOT SOME CHANGES THERE POTENTIALLY.
UH, JUST WITH THE DURATION WE'RE GONNA BE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK INSTEAD OF THE NORMAL.
UH, WE'LL WE'LL SEE WHAT THE SCHOOL BOARD DOES NEXT MONTH, BUT THAT COULD CHANGE DEPENDING ON HOW THEIR SCHOOL DAY GOES.
UM, BUT WE'VE ALREADY STARTED TO, TO WORK ON THAT.
WE'VE STARTED LIFEGUARD RECRUITING ALREADY.
WE'VE GOT GUARD CLASSES PLANNED, UM, BASICALLY STARTING NEXT MONTH ALL THE WAY THROUGH, UM, BEGINNING OF JUNE.
UM, SO STARTING TO GET THAT INTO FULL SWING AS WELL.
UM, WE ARE DOING THE SHELTER RENTALS AGAIN, UM, WITH SARAH'S MATERNITY LEAVE.
SHE ASKED US TO GO AHEAD AND DO IT FOR ONE MORE YEAR.
AND THEN, UM, THE PLAN IS NEXT, NEXT FALL TO TRANSITION TO, UM, THE CITY USING THEIR, UM, SOFTWARE TO MANAGE ALL OF THE SHELTER RENTALS.
SO ONE MORE GO ROUND FOR US ON THE SHELTER RENTALS.
UM, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, UM, THAT IS PRETTY MUCH IT FOR US AT THE Y.
AND MOLLY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO PROVIDE THE CITY UPDATE? NO.
UM, YES, I'VE BEEN WORKING, UM, IN THE LIAISON FOR SARAH.
UM, WE DO HAVE THE, THIS ON THE 26TH IS THE, UM, 45TH AMERICA'S TWO 50TH, UM, PROCLAMATIONS HERE AT CITY HALL.
IF YOU'RE ABLE TO ATTEND, I HIGHLY INVITE YOU TO COME THE TIME CAPSULE BE OUT THERE AS WELL, SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT YOU CAN AND CANNOT PUT IN THE TIME CAPSULE.
UM, IT'S ALONG WITH THE PROCLAMATIONS, UM, COMING UP IN FEBRUARY.
THE NEXT AMERICA'S TWO 50TH EVENT THAT HAPPENED WILL BE THE CHAMBERS INNOVATORS OF HUBER HEIGHTS.
YOU CAN LOG ONTO THE CHAMBER WEBSITE AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE INNOVATORS OF HUBER HEIGHTS OFFERINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING FOR FEBRUARY.
ALSO IN FEBRUARY IS OUR GALLANT'S DAY EVENT THAT IS ALSO IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CHAMBER.
UM, IT IS A PARKS AND RECREATION HOLIDAY ON FEBRUARY 13TH THAT IS ABOUT WOMEN CELEBRATING OTHER WOMEN.
SO I HIGHLY INVITE YOU TO COME OUT.
OTHER THAN THAT, WE ARE FULL STEAM AHEAD ON SPECIAL EVENTS FOR THE YEAR.
UM, COMMUNITY CENTER RENTALS HAVE OPENED AS WELL.
THEN EICHELBERGER RENTALS AND THE SENIOR CENTER RENTALS HAVE ALL OPENED UP THIS MONTH.
AND AN UPDATE ON THE OEFF GRANT? YEAH, SO SARAH DID A REALLY NICE JOB, UH, AT LEAST FOR ME AND MOLLY, I THINK, UM, GIVING US SOME THINGS.
SO THERE'S AN OEF GRANT UPDATE.
UM, SARAH SAID THAT THEY HAVE OFFICIALLY APPLIED FOR THE EPA MINI GRANT ADA IN REMOVING INVASIVES FROM THE POLLINATOR BEDS AT CLOUD AND RIP WRAP.
UM, THE ADDITION OF INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE THERE AND A STAND WILL BE INSTALLED AT EACH HOUSING M EMPTY C PACKETS AND INSTRUCTING PATRIOTS ON HOW TO COLLECT, COLLECT THEIR OWN SEEDS TO TAKE HOME FOR THEIR OWN PROPERTIES.
UM, SHE SAID THAT IF, UH, UH, IF THE CITY IS AWARDED THIS GRANT, UM, SHE'LL LET ME AND MOLLY KNOW SO THAT WE CAN SHARE THAT WITH YOU GUYS AT THAT NEXT MEETING.
BUT, UM, WE ARE OFFICIALLY APPLIED FOR THAT, UH, MINI GRANT.
UM, SO I DO KNOW AT RIPRAP, UM, WE ARE WAITING ON, UH, THE REMOVAL OF THE INVASIVE, UH, INVASIVES FROM THE POLLINATOR BEDS, OUR POLLINATOR AREA RIPRAP FOR, UM, A GROUP FROM CJ TO COME IN AND ACTUALLY START PLANTING MILKWEED AND SEEDS AND STUFF.
UM, IT'S A PROJECT THAT THEY'RE RUNNING THROUGH THE ROTARY CLUB.
UM, SO THE ROTARY CLUB SPONSORED 'EM JUST LIKE WE DID WITH, UH, RICH'S SON CHRISTOPHER, TO DO THE POLLINATOR AREA UP AT, UH, THE HEIGHTS RECREATION COMPLEX LAST YEAR.
SO, UM, THIS GRANT WOULD HELP, UH,
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WITH THAT INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL, UM, IN THOSE AREAS.AND THE HERITAGE TREE PROGRAM AND PLACARD UPDATE.
UM, SO THE, THE PROGRAM, THE HERITAGE TREE, UH, PROGRAM, UH, PLACARD AND STAND IS IN SARAH'S OFFICE.
UM, SO YOU GUYS, AS AS A PARK AND REC BOARD, SARAH ASKED THAT YOU CHOOSE HOW AND WHEN TO VISIT THE TREE AND INSTALL THE, THE SIGN OR THE PLACARD.
UM, IF THE S RECIPIENT IS AVAILABLE, WE CAN WORK WITH, UM, TONY ROGERS, UH, CLERK OF COUNSEL, UH, TO SCHEDULE A TIME FOR THEM TO BE RECOGNIZED AS WELL AT PROBABLY A COUNCIL WORK SESSION, UM, IN THE FUTURE.
UM, AND WE WILL, WE'LL COORDINATE EVERYTHING THROUGH RICH ON THIS, UM, AS IT WAS KIND OF HIS BABY WITH THE HERITAGE TREE PROGRAM.
SO, UM, WOULD YOU GUYS GUYS LIKE TO WAIT TILL IT GETS A LITTLE BIT WARMER OUTSIDE, I'M ASSUMING? I MEAN, YOU GUYS DON'T WANT TO GO LIKE ON MONDAY, DO YOU? UM, SO I THINK AS A GROUP WE JUST NEED TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO THIS, UM, IF WE WOULD LIKE TO GET ON THE DOCKET FOR A COUNCIL WORK SESSION TO BRING THIS INDIVIDUAL IN, UM, FOR A PRESENTATION, UM, AND, AND THAT FORTH.
SO, UM, I THINK WE JUST NEED A LITTLE DISCUSSION ON THAT.
SO, UH, RICH AND MOLLY AND MYSELF KNOW HOW YOU GUYS AND GALS WOULD LIKE US TO PROCEED.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY PREFERENCE ON TIME? LEMME JUST CLARIFY.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S THE ISSUE OF WHEN WE DO THE, UM, THE HOMEOWNERS, I GUESS, UM, WHATEVER, IT'S MEETING WITH THE CITY LEADERSHIP TO KIND OF BE RECOGNIZED AND THEN THERE'S ACTUALLY PROVIDING THE ONSITE PLACARD AT THE TREE.
THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS, CORRECT? YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
THE SECOND, PROBABLY WANNA WAIT TILL THE GROUND'S NOT FROZEN
SO, UM, THAT'S PROBABLY A SPRING THING.
UM, AS FAR AS THE FIRST THING, UH, SEEMS A LITTLE ODD TO DO IT IN JANUARY PROBABLY, BUT I WOULD THINK ONCE IT STARTS TO BREAK A LITTLE BIT, FEBRUARY, MARCH MIGHT BE A GOOD TIME.
A GOOD TIME LOOKING AT THE SCHEDULE TO MAYBE DO THAT IS, UM, THE, UH, THE, UH, BOARD CHAIR WILL PRESENT AT ONE OF THE COUNCIL WORK SESSIONS, THE PARK AND REC UPDATE, UM, I BELIEVE THAT IS IN MARCH.
SO THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT SINCE WE'RE ALREADY ON THAT DOCKET.
AND JUST LET TONY KNOW, HEY, WE'RE ALSO GONNA DO THIS.
UM, AND THEN MAYBE APRIL WHEN IT IS ACTUAL EARTH DAY AND WE'RE DOING THE TREE GIVEAWAY, THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD TIME TO, TO PRESENT THAT.
I THINK THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT PLAN TO WAIT UNTIL THE SPRING AND THEN DO, SINCE WE'RE ALREADY ON THE DOCKET, WHY NOT JUST GO AHEAD AND SLIDE THAT RIGHT IN THERE.
ANYBODY ELSE DISAGREE OR HAVE OPINIONS OR, ALL RIGHT.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE THE MARCH WORK SESSION WILL DO THAT.
AND THEN MOVING ON TO NEW BUSINESS, THE NATIVE TREE HANDOUT AND DISCUSSION.
SO IN YOUR PACKETS, UH, SARAH PROVIDED A COUPLE OF, UH, HANDOUTS ON, UH, NATIVE TREE.
UM, I THINK WHAT SHE'S REALLY HOPING US TO DO IS, UM, LOOK AT OUR, UM, OUR POLICY, UM, TO KIND OF LOOSEN IT A LITTLE BIT.
THE RECOMMENDATION, THE FORMAL, THE ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION WAS ONLY NATIVE TREES.
UM, SHE WOULD LIKE US TO HAVE KIND OF A CONVERSATION AROUND LOSING THAT A LITTLE BIT.
UM, SO SOME ADAPTED TREES CAN BE USED IN APPROPRIATE CIRCUMSTANCES AROUND PARKING LOTS AND FOR UNIQUE INSTALLATIONS.
UM, CURRENTLY THE, THE, THE, UH, FORMAL, UH, RECOMMENDATION IS ONLY NATIVE TREES IN OUR PARKS, BUT JUST BASED ON PARKING LOTS AND PLAYGROUNDS AND OTHER STRUCTURES THAT MAY BE THERE, KIND OF LOOSENING THAT.
UM, JUST SO IT WORKS BETTER WITH, UH, WHAT'S IN THE PARK, UM, WHILE STILL REALLY HAVING A PRIORITY AROUND NATIVE TREES, JUST IN CERTAIN SPOTS WHERE WE MAY NEED TO, TO LOOSEN AND REDUCE THAT A LITTLE BIT.
UM, BUT THE TWO ARTICLES, THE TWO HANDOUTS THAT YOU HAVE IS WHY PLANTING NATIVE TREES MATTER IN OHIO.
UM, AND IT DOES TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, ADAPTED TREES HELPFUL IN OHIO'S LANDSCAPES.
UM, AND THEN, UM, THERE IS A ARTICLE FROM THE CITY OF SOMERVILLE, UM, THAT TALKS ABOUT THE FIRST OF ITS HOW
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THEY PASSED THE FIRST OF ITS KIND NATIVE PLANTING ORDINANCE.UM, THE ORDINANCE DEFINES NATIVE PLANTS AND TREES WITH THOSE, WITH ORIGINS IN THE, IN NORTH AMERICA, EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
UM, AND IT REQUIRES THAT NATIVE SPECIES CONSTITUTE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF ALL NEW PLANTINGS.
UM, SO THAT ORDINANCE KIND OF GIVES YOU SOME IDEA.
UM, AND THERE'S EVEN A SECTION IN THERE TALKING ABOUT NON-NATIVE PLANTS THAT ARE NOT INVASIVE, BUT THEY'RE ALSO AN IMPORTANT PART OF AN URBAN ECOSYSTEM.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THAT JUST GIVES US, UH, SOME, SOME IDEAS OF, OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING, UM, ACROSS, ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, NATIVE TREE PLANTINGS AND COMMUNITIES.
SO, UM, I'LL OPEN IT FOR DISCUSSION AND, AND WE CAN, IF WE WANNA MAKE A FORMAL RECOMMENDATION TONIGHT, OR IF YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO READ UP, DO A LITTLE RESEARCH ON YOUR OWN OR CALL RICH WITH ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE SINCE HE'S THE TREE GUY.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND WE CAN ALWAYS PUT THIS AS A, AS AN AGENDA ITEM FOR NEXT MONTH TO ACTUALLY MAKE A FORMAL RE RECOMMENDATION IF YOU WANT.
SO, CHRIS, FOR, FOR CLARIFICATION, CHRIS, DID YOU MENTION THAT SOME OF THE TREES WOULD BE IN THE PARKING LOTS OR NEAR THE PARKING LOT? NEAR THE PARKING LOTS? SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE MORE ADAPTED TO AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT.
UM, SHE DID NOT PROVIDE US WITH ANY SPECIFIC TYPE.
UM, I KNOW BRADFORD PEARS WOULD NOT BE ON THAT LIST.
UM, BUT, UH, RICH, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHAT TYPES OF TREES THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED KIND OF AN, AN URBAN FILL IN FOR SOME OF THOSE AREAS? I, I DON'T, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
I IMAGINE THERE PROBABLY ARE SOME TREES THAT HAVE BEEN BRED TO HAVE SMALLER ROOT SYSTEMS SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, BREAK THROUGH CONCRETE TO BE ABLE TO, UM, FEED THEMSELVES.
UM, I, I DO LIKE THE WAY THE SUMMERVILLE THING READS THAT IT, IT DEFINITELY SAYS THAT YOU PRIORITIZE NATIVE AND IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO DO OTHERS, YOU COULD, YOU COULD CONSIDER THOSE AS WELL.
SO IT'S NOT EXCLUSIVE NATIVE, BUT, UH, I, I THINK IN A LOT OF CASES YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE NATIVES, BUT THERE JUST MAY BE TIMES WHEN THERE COULD BE, I GUESS THAT TO FOLLOW UP, I GUESS NOTHING WORSE THAN TO COME OUT TO YOUR CAR, YOUR VEHICLE IN WHATEVER TREE IS DRIPPING SAP OR IT'S GOT A, A FRUIT OR SOMETHING THAT'S FALLING ON YOUR CAR.
UH, I MEAN I, I KNOW THERE'S PROBABLY SOME THAT AREN'T GOING TO DO THAT, BUT I THINK YOU'VE ENJOYED THE PART, HAD A GREAT TIME, THE TOURNAMENT, WHATEVER YOU CAME TO, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT.
SO JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE, I MEAN, JUST A CONSIDERATION.
YEAH, AND I THINK, UH, IF YOU READ THE SUMMERVILLE ARTICLE, IT TALKS ABOUT THAT THERE ARE SOME TREES THAT ARE ABLE TO HANDLE HIGHER SALT CONTENT.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU, I YOU SALT SALT A PARKING LOT, YOU WANT TREES THAT CAN HANDLE SOME OF THAT ADDITIONAL HIGHER LEVELS OF SALT.
UM, UM, I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT SHE'S LOOKING AT.
SHE'S NOT LOOKING TO, SHE'S JUST LOOKING FOR THAT FLEXIBILITY THAT IF WHEN THEY'RE DESIGNING LIKE A CLOUD, UM, AND GOING THROUGH ALL OF THAT PROCESS THAT THEY HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY TO, UM, IF THERE'S AN AREA WHERE THEY NEED TO NOT PLANT NATIVE TREES JUST BECAUSE OF HOW THE LAYOUT IS, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, JUST PROVIDES HER WITH THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.
AND JUST A, JUST A FOLLOW UP TO THAT.
OBVIOUSLY WITH TREES COME LEAVES, UM, IN THE FALL, I MEAN, IS YOUR PARKING LOT GONNA BE SLIPPERY OR IF YOU GET A NICE RAIN OR A EARLY SNOW, IS IT GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, THERE'LL BE SOME CLEANUP I'M SURE WITH, UH, WITH THAT CLOSE TO THE SURFACE, LIKE, OR A PARKING AREA AS WELL.
YEAH, I THINK THOSE ARE GREAT POINTS.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT LIKE WE WANNA PUT A TREE EVERYWHERE, RIGHT?
WHAT'S THE BEST KIND OF TREE TO PUT THERE? UM, SO FOR SURE.
CHRIS, TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE, OUR ACTION IS TO TRY AND COME UP WITH, UH, A DRAFT ORDINANCE TO HAVE, UH, EITHER SARAH OR MOLLY PRESENT TO CITY COUNCIL RIGHT AS PATTERN AFTER THE SOMERVILLE ORDINANCE HERE.
THAT WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT DOING.
IT WOULD BE A, A FORMAL RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL TO ADJUST THE CURRENT POLICY OF NATIVE TREES.
TO GIVE SARAH AND PUBLIC WORKS THE ABILITY TO, UM, PLANT SOME NON-NATIVE TREES IN CERTAIN AREAS WHERE THEY NEED TO.
BUT USING THIS AS A TEMPLATE YEAH.
SO, SO, UM, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY NEEDS ANY, I REMEMBER THIS CONVERSATION WE WERE HAVING LAST MONTH AND, UM, OR YEAH, TWO MONTHS AGO, THE LAST MEETING IS
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WHAT I MEANT.SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY NEEDS ANY ADDITIONAL TIME, BUT I I I THINK WE COULD GO AHEAD AND PROPOSE RIGHT NOW TO RECOMMEND THAT WE PRIORITI PRIORITIZE THE NATIVE TREES.
BUT I, I KNOW LAST MEETING I SAID, DO WE NEED LIKE A PERCENTAGE NUMBER? DO WE NEED SOMETHING SPECIFIC OR IS IT JUST ALLOWING THE FLEXIBILITY TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS WHEN NATIVE TREES MAY NOT BE THE BEST SPOT BASED UPON A MAY, MAY IT BE DESIGN OR PLACEMENT OR THE U OR THAT TREE MIGHT SERVE A CERTAIN FUNCTION IN THOSE CASES.
SO THAT, SO I, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TODAY UNLESS ANYBODY WANTS MORE TIME.
I THE TALKING ABOUT THE MEETING THAT WE HAD IN NOVEMBER, WE HAD A HANDOUT, THIS HANDOUT, THESE WEREN'T ALL HERITAGE TREES.
SOME OF 'EM I THINK WERE ADAPTIVE AND I WAS GOING THROUGH AND THERE'S LIKE ONE OF 'EM, LIKE THIS, UH, CRIMSON FIRE OAK THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'D BE PERFECT FOR THE SITUATION THAT'S BETWEEN A PARKING LOT AND IT'S, WELL, LIKE A WALKWAY JUST 'CAUSE THE SHAPE OF IT.
SO, AND THAT WHEN I DID MY RESEARCH, I, I THINK I MARKED THAT AS AN ADAPTIVE TREE.
SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, SITUATIONS LIKE THAT I CAN SEE WHERE IT WOULD BE REALLY GOOD.
SO I DO SUGGEST THAT WE ADD ADAPTIVE TREES WHERE NEEDED.
I, I LOOKED ALSO AT THOSE PROPOSALS LAST, UM, SESSION AND I WENT THROUGH SOME OF THEM AND SOME OF THEM ARE JUST HYBRIDS OF TWO NATIVES, WHICH I THINK IS SUITABLE.
THEY'RE JUST CROSSBRED FOR URBAN AREAS.
AND THAT CRIMSON ONE ALSO STOOD OUT TO ME AS PROBABLY THE BEST OPTION WHEN IT COMES TO NEAR PARKING LOTS AND, UM, CONCRETE AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO WOULD WE LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND MOTION FOR A RECOMMENDATION OF PRIORITY BUT NOT EXCLUSIVITY FOR THE NATIVE TREE PLANTINGS? I THINK THAT SOUNDS GOOD.
JUST WE HAVE HIM PROPOSE MOTION, ALL MOTION TO PROPOSE.
WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO SECOND ANDY? YEP.
NO, DEFINITELY NOT INCLUDE INVASIVES.
NOT FOR SURE NO BRADFORD PAIRS.
BUT THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT ARE INVASIVES AS WELL THAT YOU DON'T WANT, WELL, WE ALREADY WROTE ON SO IT'S TOO LATE.
IT MAKES WE, WE CAN ADD THAT IN
YOU WANT ME, DO YOU WANT ME TO DO POLL FOR THEM? YEAH.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS REGARDING THAT? NO.
WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE ELECTION OF THE 2026 OFFICERS.
ALL RIGHT, WE READY? ALL RIGHT.
SO, UM, FIRST POSITION IS POSITION OF BOARD CHAIR.
ARE THERE ANY NOMINATIONS ON THE FLOOR? I'LL NOMINATE MS. TAYLOR TO BE CHAIR.
I'LL SECOND ANYBODY ELSE FOR A NOMINATION.
I'LL NOMINATE RACHEL IF SHE'S INTERESTED.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS ON THE FLOOR? ALL RIGHT, SO OUR TWO NOMINATIONS ARE CASEY TAYLOR AND RACHEL AKINS.
UM, WE WILL VOTE FIRST FOR CASEY TAYLOR.
UM, I WILL, UH, I GUESS WE'LL JUST SHOW OF HANDS.
DOES THAT WORK OR DO YOU WANNA DO ROLL CALL? SHOW OF HANDS? SURE.
SO ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR OF CASEY TAYLOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
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SIX.ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF RACHEL AIKENS, PLEASE SHOW HANDS.
I CAN'T, HE JUST LIKES TO MAKE EVERYTHING DAVID.
HE'S JUST A, HE'S JUST A, HE'S JUST A, HE'S JUST A, HE, HE'S NICE.
SO OUR 2026 CHAIR WILL BE, UM, MS. CASEY TAYLOR.
THE OTHER POSITION THAT WE NEED TO VOTE ON TODAY IS BOARD VICE CHAIR.
DO I HAVE ANY NOMINATIONS FOR THE FLOOR? I WILL NOMINATE RACHEL AGAIN.
SHE'S INTERESTED AND I WILL SECOND.
ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? ANDY, WERE YOU GETTING READY TO MAKE A NOMINATION OR A SECOND? I JUST SECOND
ANY NOMINATIONS FOR BOARD VICE CHAIR? I'LL NOMINATE ANDY.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? I GAVE A NOMINATION.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF MS. RACHEL AIKENS AS VICE CHAIR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF MR. ANDY HILL FOR VICE CHAIR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.
WAIT, ARE WE VOTE TWICE?
SO OUR 2026, UH, PARK AND RECREATION BOARD VICE CHAIR WILL BE MS. RACHEL AKENS.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL BUSINESS OR ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THIS EVENING? I HAVE AN ISSUE I WOULD LIKE TO BRING BACK TO THE BOARD.
UH, AND THIS GOING TO INVOLVE MOLLY, I NEVER MET YOU MOLLY, BUT I'VE SEEN YOU HERE.
WHEN CHERYL LEFT, WE HAD A CA CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN THAT WE HAD REVIEWED TO PRESENT THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND THERE'S ONE ITEM ON THERE THAT I HAVE A, I WANNA SAY A PERSONAL INTEREST IN, BUT I WAS PUSHING, THAT WAS THE, UH, RESTROOM AT COMMUNITY PARK AND SHE HAD TOLD US THAT SHE WOULD TRY AND GET AN RAFQ OR SOMETHING OUT EARLY SPRING SO SHE COULD START TRYING TO GET WORK ON THAT ONCE THE GROUND WAS, UH, SOFT ENOUGH TO START TURNING DIRT.
ARE YOU AWARE OF THAT? AND HAVE YOU UH, YOU ARE AWARE OF THAT? YES.
YEAH, WE SHOULD DIVE INTO DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE, UM, COMMUNITY PARK RESTROOM.
I KNOW IT IS IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
AND IT'S BEEN BUDGETED FOR 2026.
I'M NOT SURE WHERE WE STAND IN REGARDS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT, BUT YES, I KNOW IT'S IN THE WORKS.
SO IT'S YOUR OFFICE THAT RELEASES THE RAFQ OR DOES THAT COME OUTTA THE UH, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE? THE RFP WE'LL PUT IN FOR THE RFP AT THE CITY MANAGEMENT THROUGH THE CITY MANAGEMENT OFFICE.
THEN THEY'LL, THEY'LL PUT IN THE RFP FOR IT AND THEN, UM, WE'LL GET THE SUBMISSIONS AND THEN PUT THE SUBMISSIONS IN FOR THE PROPOSAL FOR THE WINNING BID.
ALSO ON THAT LIST WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN THE ADDITION OF PARKING SPACES AT THE, AT THE PARK DOWN THERE BECAUSE THIS PAST SUMMER WE HAD A VERY DRY SPELL THERE FOR A WHILE AND THEY DIDN'T KILL THE GRASS, BUT THEY HAVE A REAL WET SUMMER PEOPLE PARK IT ON THE GRASS.
THAT'S GONNA BE ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT WE'RE GOING TO CREATE.
WAS THAT ALSO ON THAT LIST TO EXPAND THAT UH, PARKING LOT DOWN THERE AT COMMUNITY PARK? COMMUNITY PARK? YES.
YEAH, THE COMMUNITY PARK, UM, PROJECT INCLUDES THE ADDITIONAL, UM, RESTROOM, HOUSE BEING BUILT, BUILDING BEING BUILT THERE.
UM, THE EXPANSION OF THE PARKING LOT AND A UPDATED PLAYGROUND OKAY.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? I HAVE UH, ONE ITEM, AND THIS IS I GUESS FROM MOLLY AS WELL.
UM, AND CHRIS, I MEAN THERE WAS THE EMAIL THAT SARAH SENT OUT YESTERDAY.
THERE WAS A, I GUESS THE CITY GOT FUNDING FROM THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION TO OFFSET SOME OF THE COSTS OF BUYING SOME TREE SEEDLINGS THAT WE WOULD BE DISTRIBUTING AS PART OF THE PLANT GIVEAWAY COMING IN APRIL.
UM, AND I THINK THE DISCUSSION IS, UH, DO WE NEED TO HAVE THE BOARD RECOMMENDATION
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THAT WE GO AHEAD AND BUY THOSE NOW? I MEAN, JUST PLACE THE ORDERS NOW BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE BUYING 'EM FROM BUYING THE TREES FROM THE COUNTY, UH, SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICTS AND THEIR SALES ARE GOING ON NOW.SO WE NEED TO LIKE PLACE THE ORDER PROBABLY IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS.
SO JUST WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S GOOD WITH BUYING IT FROM THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SOIL WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT, 300 TREES, ABOUT A BUCK OR TWO A TREE.
UM, WE GET $300 BACK, I GUESS FROM NWF AND THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO PAY, I THINK THE, THE REMAINING COST OF LIKE TWO 50 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND SO I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, AND MOLLY SET ME STRAIGHT HERE, BUT THE QUESTION IS DOES THE BOARD APPROVE SPENDING THAT ADDITIONAL TWO 50? CORRECT.
IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN 200, $2,500 HAS BEEN ALLOCATED TOWARDS THE TREE GIVEAWAY.
SO IF YOU WANT TO PUT THE ADDITIONAL MONEY IN FOR THE TREE SAMPLINGS, THAT WOULD GET TAKEN OUT OF THAT TWO, THAT $2,500.
SO IT'S UP TO YOU IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASSIST IN GETTING THAT EXTRA MONEY AS PART OF THE GALLON TREES THAT WILL BE PROVIDED AS WELL.
WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FUNDING FOR THE SAMPLINGS? A MOTION TO APPROVE.
OH, YOU ALREADY VOTED SO SORRY.
YOU WERE GONNA HAVE TWO VOTES AGAIN.
MOLLY, DO YOU WANNA WORK ON THAT AND YES.
RICH, YOU SENT US ANOTHER EMAIL LATER THIS AFTERNOON RIGHT.
WITH YOUR CONVERSATION WITH THE SOIL AND I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO READ IT.
SO YEAH, BOTTOM LINE IS THEY'RE GOOD TO GO.
THEY, CITY OF KETTERING IS BUYING 500 TREES FROM THEM.
THEY COULD DEFINITELY HANDLE OUR ORDER FOR 300.
UH, THEY JUST SAID WE NEED TO ORDER THEM WHEN THE SALE STARTS ON ONE FEBRUARY TO MAKE SURE WE CAN GET OUR TREES, SO.
SO IT PASSED, UH, 10, NO, 10 ZERO TO UH, USE SOME OF THE FUNDS FOR THE TREE GIVEAWAY TO PURCHASE SAPLINGS WITH SOME OF THAT PURCHASE TO BE OFFSET BY THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION GRANT.
AND ALONG THOSE LINES, I DO WANNA SAY THAT, UH, WE WERE OFFICIALLY ACCEPTED AS PART OF TREE CITY USA, UM, A COUP A MONTH OR SO AGO.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING? ALL RIGHT, THEN WE WILL GO AHEAD AND, UM, HAS ANY, HAS EVERYONE READ THE MINUTES FROM LAST MEETING? YES.
ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THEM? FOR, FOR POINT OF CLARIFICATION, SINCE I'VE BEEN ABSENT THE PAST COUPLE OF MEETINGS, UM, UNDER THE, UM, NEW BUSINESS, IT HAD MENTIONED THAT A, A A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS NATUREWORKS GRANT TO ASSIST ACQUIRING ACREAGE ADJACENT TO CLOUD PARK.
CAN SOMEBODY EDUCATE ME ON WHERE THOSE NINE ACRES THAT WERE CURRENTLY AT CORNFIELD, IS IT ATTACHED OR IS IT ACROSS THE STREET? I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IN MY MIND WHERE THOSE NINE ACRES ARE AT IT.
IT'S BACK IN A PARK ACROSS THE CREEK, LIKE UP, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU PASS THE BASEBALL FIELDS? YEAH.
AND YOU GOT THE LINE OF HOUSES.
SO JUST THE PAST, THE CREEK ON, YOU KNOW, TO THE LEFT.
I DIDN'T KNOW IT WENT BACK THAT FAR.
AND THAT WAS THAT PRIVATE PROPERTY THEN BEFORE OR, YEAH, I THINK ONE OF THE ISSUE IS, IS THERE'S A NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT GOING OVER THERE AND I THINK THE CREEK SPLITS UP LIKE TWO AND IT'S A SECTION WHERE IT'S JUST NOT WORTH THEM FOR TO DEVELOP OR DO ANYTHING OVER THAT.
SO THEY JUST, UH, THEY SELL IT, DONATE OR WHATEVER TO US.
AND DO I HAVE ANYONE MOTION TO APPROVE THE MEETINGS FROM, OR THE MINUTES FROM LAST MEETING? I MOVE THAT MINUTES BE APPROVED AS WRITTEN.
AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CONCLUDE TONIGHT'S MEETING.