Horner Park Advisory Council
Meeting Minutes
Larry Brown, as President, presiding, called the meeting to order at 6:35 PM. Kevin Anderson acted as Secretary for this meeting. See roster below for attendance.
Previous Minutes: The minutes of the March 3, 2008 meeting were distributed and approved as amended.
Treasurer’s Report: John Lyman distributed the JPMorgan bank statements showing $4,783.66 in checking, $33,426.44 in savings, for a total of $38,210.10. Both accounts reconcile and there are $214.72 in outstanding checks.
Announcements: Earth Day will be on April 19. The Jazz band’s spring recital will be held on May 16. Cheryl and Sarah’s efforts on the Doggie Egg Hunt were so successful that the event made the national television news feed.
Concert Committee: So far over $2000 have been donated from 51 households, a typical return so far. Jazz saxophonist Frank Catalano has been booked for two sets at Manor Park on June 8. June 21 and 22 will feature Ground Up Theatre and Stoli. The movie The Wizard of Oz has been requested for June 28 and a bigger name concert act has been tentatively scheduled for that date as well. Volunteers who are distributing flyers to residences have been warned of the potential legal consequences of placing them inside mail boxes.
Garden Committee: Susie training starts on April 17. She now has another part-time job and will be unable to put in 20 hours/week this year, but 15-20 hours is doable. Horner Park’s “ Earth Team” is planning a rain garden. Details about getting the Horner Park walkway grasses cut back is expected for the next meeting.
Web Site: No report.
Volunteer Committee: No report.
Park Briefs:
Horner Park: The little fieldhouse is just about ready to go and should be open for opening day. The parking lot rehab project is going through and should be done this spring. Tom McManamon is pursuing funding for new bleachers.
In keeping with a system-wide “keep off the grass” program to give the fields a chance to establish themselves, only the high school teams are playing now. Tom is still hoping to get new dirt but there are no plans for backfilling holes.
The Irving Park Road bridge is scheduled for rehab this year, but federal funding has pushed the underbridge connector to 2011. Larry Brown has talked to Chuck Lomanto in Alderman Mell’s office and will write a letter to 47th Ward Alderman Schulter regarding this.
Ralph Concepcion has filled-out the appropriate permit form for the proposed Cornhole Festival.
The more diligent fee structure enforcement is expected this year, but a letter of intent can be submitted to waive fees when appropriate. Waivers for multiple permits can be contained on a single letter.
Ravenswood Manor Park: Extending the twig fence is expected as part of the Earth Day activities. Discussion related to RMIA plans were deferred.
Jacob Park: The shoddily repaired sinkhole is expected to be properly repaired when the remain sewer work in the area is done. The January 14, 2008 letter from Alderman Schulter to the CTA regarding donating the adjacent CTA property to the Park District was presented to be entered into the minutes.
Buffalo Park: John O’Connell presented the plans for stone seating area project. A motion to accept the plans with the exception of removing the gingko tree passed unanimously.
Sunken Garden Park: Larry Brown will ask about getting forestry out to examine and possibly remove the two parkway trees damaged by the water leak. Seeding the parkway where the sewer was repaired is expected to be an Earth Day activity.
Flagpole: No report.
Baseball: Horner Park Baseball Association registrations are down for this year but are going ok.
Bylaws: The review the bylaws has been tabled in light the Park District’s plans to standardize them all, and Friends of the Parks’ efforts to make the proposed changes less onerous.
Other business: None.
New Business: A motion to allocate up to $100 for HPAC membership in Friends of the Parks passed unanimously.
The meeting adjourned at 7:57 PM.
Next meeting: The next regular HPAC meeting will be held Monday, May 5 at 7 PM at Horner Park.
Respectfully submitted: Kevin Anderson
Roster of those in Attendance: Larry Brown, President; John Lyman, Vice President; Thadeus Kosmider, Treasurer; Peter Schlossman, Co-Secretary; Kevin Anderson, Co-Secretary; Larry Hodak, Michael Holm, Alan Mueller, Susie Novak, John O’Connell; Tom McManamon, CPD.
