Horner Park Advisory Council
Meeting Minutes
Larry Brown, as President, presiding, called the meeting to order at 7:35 PM. Kevin Anderson acted as Secretary for this meeting. See roster below for attendance.
Previous Minutes: The minutes of the May 5, 2008 meeting were distributed and approved as amended.
Treasurer’s Report: There was no treasurer’s report.
Announcements: expect a repeat of last year’s successful suppression of fireworks in Horner Park.
Work has started in on the parking lot. The project will include pads for trash cans and handicapped curbs. Tom is pleased with the new movable green plastic garbage cans. Funding was secured through the efforts of Rep. Fritchey.
The jazz band anniversary concert and teen mosaic reception were great successes. The bill is in for the award for Don Sadofsky, but not for the reception food.
Over sixty volunteers from various groups participated in the River Day clean-up along Horner Park’s bank.
The $1000 grant from Friends of the Park for new mats needs to be paid directly to the vendor.
Concert Committee: Contracts are coming in. The July 18th show starts at 8pm, not at 7pm. Larry Brown is making special stage and sound arrangements for the Michael McDermott show.
Garden Committee: Susie Novak has resumed working this season. The dead plant at the point has been cut down. And other news was tabled until Susie can make a report.
Web Site: No report.
Volunteer Committee: No report.
Park Briefs:
Horner Park: The little fieldhouse is done. Tom is expecting a better mix for the infields in about three weeks; it is tops on the list. The official start for junior ballfield labor is today.
Attendance is filling and Tom is taking names for soccer. Tennis is filled.
Tom reports that Women Playing Sports Association (WPSA) programs are doing great, with new programs for women’s volleyball and dodgeball; they are not monopolizing resources.
A new 12″ coed league will be starting on Tuesday nights on diamonds 4-9, playing single games with a 45-minutes time limit.
The dedication event for the ballfield renovation project has not yet been planned, and is not expected until all elements of the project have been wrapped-up.
The proposed cornhole festival is not going forward, reportedly due to not enough sponsorship.
Ravenswood Manor Park: The snow fencing has been taken down, and the grass looks okay.
Jacob Park: Tom mentioned the possibility of modernizing the playground.
Buffalo Park: Drawings have been handed off to Peter to scan and put on the website. Larry Brown has talked to Tim King, Director of the Chicago Park District’s Department of Intergovernmental and Community Affairs, and is waiting to get confirmation that this is a $60,000 project and that the funds contributed are being spent correctly.
Sunken Garden Park: It has been reported that the garden along the north fence has been cut back.
Flagpole: Per the tour of the little fieldhouse following last month’s meeting, sighting the flagpole on the south side of the fieldhouse is now under consideration.
Baseball: Horner Park Baseball Association (HPBA), Tom and others met with staff from 33rd Ward Alderman Dick Mell’s office to discusses the HPBA’s desire to extend their time for ballfield lights so they change their schedule to fit in two games per night rather than one. Tom has been working with HPBA on scheduling options.
The issue of liability with respect to the city’s new earlier curfew was discussed. It was pointed out that an exception is made for entities like HPBA which take responsibility for providing supervision, and that all HPBA participants sign waivers. HPAC advised of concern regarding this issue.
Pat Byrnes arrived at the customary meeting start time of 7pm and was unable to stick around. He brought a letter describing the problems with the ballfield lights, and advocating that the original light cutoff time of 10pm be moved forward to 9pm in accordance with now one-hour earlier curfew. The letter also asked for a return to the original concession of a Monday-Wednesday-Friday limit on usage, and for better policing of air horns. His letter has been entered into the minutes.
HPBA enrollment is reported to be down 30%. Susan pointed out that HPBA is not in good standing as a non-profit corporation according to the Secretary of State’s website.
Bylaws: No report.
Other business: None.
New Business: None.
The meeting adjourned at 8:50 PM.
Next meeting: The next regular HPAC meeting will be held Monday, July 7 at 7 PM at Jacob Playlot Park.
Respectfully submitted: Kevin Anderson
Roster of those in Attendance: Larry Brown, President; John Lyman, Vice President; Kevin Anderson, Co-Secretary; Peter Schlossman, Co-Secretary; Larry Hodak, Michael Holm, Susan Malone, Alan Mueller, John O’Connell; Tom McManamon, CPD.
