PLATFORM PLAYERS PROMOTE HUT

The Regular Board Meeting of the Glen Ellyn Park District Board of Commissioners was called to order on Tuesday, February 16 at 7:03 PM. Present were several Platform Tennis Players and Mary Lou Lowry, an Observer from the Glen Ellyn League of Women Voters.

The Consent Agenda with a Voucher List of bill totaling $1,275,308.67 passed unanimously.

During Public Participation Adrienne Gregory expressed concerns about the Garden Plots. Hearing conflicting reports that there may be a waiting list, she inquired that if there was a greater need, if it was possible to add to the existing location at Village Green Park, or add plots at another location. Superintendent of Parks Dave Scarmardo thought that everyone who wanted a plot last year received one, and will be communicating with Ms. Gregory this year to ensure that those requiring the Plots needs are met.

Alan Lowry requested Staff input as to why Lake Ellyn was not cleared for skating the prior weekend. Superintendent Scarmardo informed Mr. Lowry that during the last snow day earlier that week, there was water pushing up near the edge of the Lake and as a result it was not safe for Staff to clear the Lake, nor to place equipment on it. Scarmardo further informed Mr. Lowry that weather conditions closed similar facilities in Lombard, Bartlett and Palatine. Insurance regulations are 8 inches of ice to open to the public.

Mr. Lowry inquired as to the By-Pass which was installed on Lake Ellyn in 2005 and if it was useful. Commissioner Ron Aubrey noted that in January 2008 there were 4 days of skating, in 2009 26 days and so far in 2010 – 10 days. This indicates that the By-Pass has been helpful in regulating freezing conditions on Lake Ellyn.

Superintendent of Recreation Kathleen Esposito played a short video of Platform Tennis showing the Board and the Public what a hut is and where it is in proximity to the Platform Tennis Player. Celia Rodee, wife of Village Trustee Peter Cooper commented that she would like to see Platform Tennis use the Maryknoll Clubhouse as a Hut. This has already been discussed at other Board Meetings, as well as Board Packets and the opinion has been that the Clubhouse does not meet the needs of the Platform Tennis players.

Commenting on the proposal for a Warming Hut for Platform Tennis at Maryknoll Park, Commissioner Bill Dallman responded that as a player and a Commissioner “I too also want to be fiscally responsible, we need to hold ourselves accountable to the community”. Commissioner Melissa Creech asked Board President Ed Hess what they were going to do with the proposal. Chairman Hess reminded Creech that Staff was asked by the Board to put a proposal together with numbers, enrollment, fees and costs. At this time no further action needed to take place.

Creech was concerned about the staff time needed for this as it would intrude on her requests for reports from Staff. Hess responded that “… we have an interested group of people that want to partner with the Glen Ellyn Park District. If/when we can finance this project we will bring it back to the Board.”

With a comment that elicited an audible response from Platform Tennis Players who have respectfully attended three Board Meetings since May 2009, and who have continually remarked that they want to enter into a partnership with the Park District, Creech retorted that it is not the purview of the Public to direct staff what to do, this is the Boards job.

Hess informed Creech that the Board and Staff do not have enough information, and this survey was requested by the Board of Staff at the October 27 Meeting. This was the meeting where Commissioners Julia Nephew and Melissa Creech walked out and was covered in the November 6 issue of The Glen Ellyn Park Bench: “Nephew Creech Walkout Stuns Board”.

Commissioner Jay Kinzler also expressed concern over Staff time spent on the project. Hess again reminded them that they agreed to have Staff move forward with the survey to better inform the Board. Hess reminded them that Staff was doing what the Board requested of them. Furthermore, Superintendent Esposito and Assistant Superintendent of Recreation Mary Defiglia visited Lake Bluff, Hinsdale and Lake Forest Platform Tennis organizations to conduct this survey on their own time during the Holidays in order to get the information to the Board that the Board requested.

The Board was asked to appoint a new law firm. Longtime Glen Ellyn Park District Legal Counsel Steve Adams is leaving his firm of over 20 years for a firm specializing in Government Law. His former firm, Brooks, Adams and Tarulis will be concentrating on Estate Planning. Counselor Adams has joined the law firm Tressler LLP which has 140 attorneys which represent 30 Park Districts within the State of Illinois, the most of any firm in Illinois. Adams further stated that the Park District fees will remain the same.

Commissioner Nephew asked if the fees will remain the same and how much extra it will cost in travel time for Adams to come to Glen Ellyn. Adams reiterated that the fees will stay the same and that they do not charge for travel time. Commissioner Kinzler asked if the fees will stay the same, to which Adams again reiterated that the fees to the District will stay the same.

Executive Director Cory Atwell commented that the Board appoints the firm and the Counsel. Director Atwell further commented that the Board can always vote to change the firm and Counsel.

With that the vote was taken and Nephew, Creech and Kinzler voted for the Glen Ellyn Park District to remain with a firm specializing in Estate Planning while Commissioners Minogue, Aubrey, Dallman and Hess voted to retain a firm that is already retained by thirty other Park Districts in Illinois and to retain Counsel that has represented the District for over 12 years.

This move is reminiscent of the January 19 Board Meeting. At that meeting there was an Amendment to the 2009 Budget and Appropriation Ordinance that required Board approval. Superintendent Laurie Woods included in that meeting’s Board Packet a memo per Commissioners Kinzler’s request defining the processhttp://gepark.org/assets/PDFs/Board%20Packets/2010/BrdPkt011910.pdf:

From The Glen Ellyn Park Bench article “A New Year Along With New Officers”:

In spite of this information and in spite of Kinzler’s questions answered at the meeting by Superintendent Woods, Kinzler remarked that well, since he didn’t vote for the budget, he wouldn’t be voting for this. A Memo to the Board from Superintendent Woods dated November 19, 2009 and found on the Park District website provides the following summary: http://gepark.org/assets/PDFs/Board%20Packets/2010/BrdPkt011910.pdf

“The Ordinance is a legal document filed with the County authorizing the Park District to spend funds as designated in the Ordinance, It lists all revenue sources and breaks down the expenses by fund. It is a recap of the discussions held by the Board regarding the tax levy, operating budget, and capital budget projects and financing.” The vote passed 4-3 with Creech, Kinzler and Nephew voting no.

In a follow up with Milton Township Assessor Bob Earl, the hypothetical question was asked: what if this motion failed. Assessor Earl responded that at that point, the Glen Ellyn Park District would have no legal authority to spend tax dollars.

PDMRA, the District’s Risk Management Agency awarded the Glen Ellyn Park District their highest award. This includes their safety record for program participants, employees and facilities.

The Board of Directors tentatively scheduled a retreat for Saturday, March 20. They are reviewing proposals for facilitators to present to the Board for approval on March 2. This Retreat will have an emphasis on Boardsmanship, Teamwork, Future Thinking and Brainstorming.

WDSRA Western DuPage Special Recreation Executive Director Jane Hodgkinson’s Executive Summary Memo was included in the Board Packet for this meeting and explains WDSRA use of the Ackerman Sports and Fitness Center:
http://gepark.org/assets/PDFs/Board%20Packets/2010/BrdPkt021610.pdf

During Matters from Commissioners Jay Kinzler told Staff he was concerned with the scheduling of Ackerman since he drove by on a recent Saturday night and the soccer field was not booked. He directed Staff to do a better job of scheduling. Kinzler also commented that his staff at his medical practice spent a day reviewing the voucher list for him and thought there might be easier reports for his staff to use. Kinzler further remarked that when he watches the Village Meetings on TV, that the Glen Ellyn Village attorney is not usually present and that the Park District Attorney should not be at all of the meetings. A quick call to the Village proves that Kinzler is wrong. Village Attorney Stuart Diamond is present at all Village of Glen Ellyn Board Meetings. Kinzler continued to complain about cell phones, a cost which was approved in the 2010 Budget.

The meeting adjourned at 8:29 PM.

The next Workshop Meeting of the Glen Ellyn Park District is scheduled for Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at 7:00 PM. The meetings are held at the Spring Avenue Recreation Center (SARC) 185 Spring Avenue. As with all meetings, the public is invited and welcome to attend.