BOARD PASSES PLATFORM PLAYER AGREEMENTS

The Regular Board Meeting of the Glen Ellyn Park District Board of Commissioners was called to order at approximately 7:00 PM. Several residents from Platform Tennis were among those in attendance, along with Joe Daniels, former Park District Commissioner Jeff Jourdan and a representative from Patch.com

The Consent Agenda including the Finance Report, Voucher List of Bills totaling $630,636.49, September and October (Workshop) Meeting Minutes, Ackerman Pay Request #18 for construction costs related to the Ackerman Sports and Fitness Center for $75,612.71 and (2) Resolutions passed unanimously with a motion made by Commissioner Bill Dallman and seconded by Commissioner Melissa Creech.

Superintendent of Parks Dave Scarmardo presented the results of a bid opening for the construction of additional Platform Tennis Courts at Maryknoll Park. Four bid packets were sent out and only one bid was received. The bid received did not include a Performance Bid Bond; which is required by law. As a result Superintendent Scarmardo recommended that the Board reject the bid. This project can go back out for bid in a few days for an additional ten business days.

Regarding the proposed Platform Tennis User Agreement, resident Joe Daniels, Lorraine Road approached the Board to state his continued opposition to this Agreement. Mr. Daniels stated that this is for an inclusive segment of the population; he demanded to know who the anonymous donor is and insisted that it is a conflict of interest for several Park District Board Members to play Platform Tennis. He further stated that the Board Members that play paddle are not just there to represent you and your friends.

Park District Legal Counsel Adams stated for the record that there is no legal conflict of interest. Daniels replied: “Oh, come on there should be”. Adams responded there is no difference if a Board Member participates in any other Park District program; it is not a conflict of interest.

Jim Nelson, Carleton Avenue approached the Board to state his continued support of Platform Tennis at Maryknoll Park. He thanked the Board and Staff for exercising their fiduciary responsibly by rejecting the construction bid.

Patrick Walker, Highview Terrace also stated his support for Platform Tennis. Mr. Walker also stated his concerns about one Commissioner’s previous email to her political supporters where she apparently referred to the Maryknoll Multi Use Facility as a frat house and a party house and where she stated her opposition to her fellow Board members who play paddle as having a conflict of interest. Mr. Walker referred to this email as disgusting and asked if we have to be like those in Washington DC. He asked if she was merely promoting a political agenda and building a power base.

Mr. Walker concluded his remarks by stating that sending out emails with that wording will make her lose credibility in a town with people who know the truth. The Commissioner who sent the email with the derogatory comments about Platform Tennis and her fellow Board members had no response.

Upon further discussion of the Platform User Agreement, lengthy discussions took place over alcohol usage, permitting and licensing; as well as the time frame for Platform Tennis securing their financing and the bid process for construction the Platform Tennis courts and the Multi Use Facility (Warming Hut/Safety Village classroom). With a motion made by Commissioner Bill Dallman and seconded by Commissioner Sandra Minogue, the User Agreement passed 4-3.

Regarding the Construction Agreement for Platform Tennis – the Agreement was amended “not to exceed a cost of $350,000”. Park District Executive Director Cory Atwell stated that construction for the Facility may be hampered due to weather, but not for the courts since there is no frost line issue with that portion of the construction process.

Regarding the Glen Ellyn Platform Tennis Club (GEPTC), Superintendent Scarmardo stated that if the bid for the courts had not fallen through, GEPTC would have deposited their financial portion to the Park District tomorrow.

Commissioners Nephew, Creech and Kinzler all said they do not want to vote for a project that the Park District cannot pay for until 2013. In previous comments all three have stated their opposition to tying other future Boards financially into 2013. Regarding the GEPTC proposal which stated that 57.8% of the GEPD 2009 community survey responses indicated a need for a greater emphasis on adult recreation, Creech told them that’s what Ackerman is for.

Commissioner Ron Aubrey commented that 3 months ago the same Board members voted to purchase property from the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. This agreement calls for the Glen Ellyn Park District to pay the Forest Preserve District $50,000 a year until a final payment of $250,000 is made in 2018. This motion to fund a project until 2018 passed unanimously.

Commissioner Nephew said this agreement is ok because it is an agreement with the government and that the Park District has never entered into an agreement with private parties before. Commissioner Aubrey corrected Nephew and stated that the 1923 acquisition of Memorial Park was due to private funding; as well as the 1920 acquisition of Lake Ellyn. Counselor Adams remarked that every bond the Park District issues is private money. It is a private exchange between the purchaser and the Park District.

Board President Ed Hess reminded the Board that it is a Multi-Use Facility and will be used for Safety Village as well. Safety Village has been in the Master Plan for Maryknoll Park for over 12 years. He reminded everyone of Commissioner Sandy Minogue’s comments last month when she remarked when we talk of future Boards our job is to have a vision and see down the road. Hess commented without that vision the Glen Ellyn Park District would not have built the Skate Parks at Newton Park and Stacy Park, as well as several other endeavors.

With a motion made by Commissioner Dallman and seconded by Commissioner Minogue the motion passed 4-3.

Since it was 9:16 PM and the Board was only just approaching 2011 Proposed Budget discussions; President Hess suggested limiting discussion to the budget discrepancies discussed at the October 5 Workshop Meeting and trying to limit the discussion to 10:00 PM since the Board still needed to adjourn into Executive Session. The Board agreed.

The discussion centered on prior accusations of a $600,000 shortfall in the 2010 Budget. Superintendent of Finance Nicholas Cinquegrani discussed the three largest funds and their shortfalls:

Corporate: - 90,534
Recreation: -209,732
Capital Programs: -275,292

Recreation: Some of these discrepancies are for $197,833; this was supposed to be paid in 2009 for equipment. The fitness equipment was bid on and budgeted in 2009 but was delivered and invoiced in January 2010 and as a result has to be placed on the books for 2010. Additional non budgeted items included $54,614 for wetlands mitigation due to the Village snowplow dipping into an area to the west cleared for chip stockpiling at Ackerman Park.

The Scholarship Program spent $30,000, which is $22,000 over budget but has seen an increase in need from the community. Credit card charges have also increased since over 70% of Park District Program Registration is done online and only credit card payments are taken. As a result the Park District budgeted 50,000 and they are now projecting to spend $63,000 by year end.

Other assorted non budgeted miscellaneous items totaling $49,449 included the engineering study of the berm at Lake Ellyn after the July and August floods, repairing of the sink holes at Maryknoll Park, gym mats and spin bikes at ASFC and pumps for Sunset Pool and the Splash Pad at Maryknoll Park and border and sidewalks for the new playground at Ackerman Park. The costs to Division Seven to investigate the roof at ASFC and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) door openers at ASFC are also included. Payroll Staff transition accounts for an additional $27,313 and the pool and Splash Pad pumps total an additional $9,306.

Capital Programs: The boiler that went out at the Spring Avenue Recreation Center (SARC) last winter was $101,000.

Corporate: Some of the discrepancies from the original budget include $20,000 in Legal and $20,000 for payroll and staff crossover as they transitioned Executive Assistants with the retirement of Jeanine Sesto last year.

The Parks Department had an error with an incorrect starting budget as they transitioned the fiscal year. Fiscal year 2008 was only 8 months and somehow that number was carried over. This also reflected on the Merit Pay budgeted as well since the merit pool was never transferred to each staff line item.

President Hess stated that most of these items were either approved by the Board as recognized expenditures or an unexpected expense that could not be foreseen in a budget.

Dan Kroger, Facility Manager at the Ackerman Sports and Fitness Center (AFSC) presented a brief overview of the ASFC budget:

Open Gym has been a huge hit and they are $10,000 above projected revenue;
Memberships are higher than projected with $70,000 more than projected in revenue. The walking track has over 200 members. Leagues started out slow last winter (40-50% of capacity and are growing quickly.

Turf rentals are up. White Sox Academy is $13,000 above their lease agreement just in incremental turf rentals. Overall turf rentals are $30,000 above projected.

Additional opportunities such as the Girls Nike Basketball Tournament in July saw well over 2,000 in Glen Ellyn with 200 teams playing and 500 coaches scouting. The Nike event has already booked ASFC for next summer. On Sunday, during the Jack Marston Melanoma Research 5K event at Ackerman, the White Sox Academy hosted a recruiting event with several colleges in attendance.

Commissioner Jay Kinzler inquired about additional opportunities for ASFC. He asked if Ackerman could have a café so people can say “let’s go there.” Kinzler would like to see ASFC become a destination spot. Commissioner Creech asked if they could look into having a concession and sell smoothies.

Kroger further commented that daycare at ASFC is $3.00 an hour and a big draw for Fitness Center memberships but in itself is not revenue producing. The climbing wall has had over 3,000 climbs but approximately half are from Fitness Center members and that is included in the membership. Both are important to sustain membership, but do not produce a positive revenue stream.

Commissioner Nephew asked if the Board could brainstorm and think of a way to increase funding for the Scholarship Program at the Park District. The Glen Ellyn Parks Foundation has provided over $20,000 to the Scholarship Program over the last 4 years. The Parks Foundation holds the “Putts for Kids” miniature golf outing at Maryknoll Park every June. It is the goal of the golf outing to ensure that every child/family in need is provided the same recreational and leisure opportunities as their neighbors.

Commissioners Ron Aubrey, Bill Dallman, Ed Hess, and Sandy Minogue have all participated at Putts for Kids events over the years, along with several former Commissioners.

The meeting adjourned at 10:27 PM. The next Workshop Meeting of the Glen Ellyn Park District Board of Commissioners is scheduled for Tuesday, November 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.