Horner Park Advisory Council
Meeting Minutes
Larry Brown, as President, presiding, called the meeting to order at 7:05 PM. Kevin Anderson acted as Secretary for this meeting. Introductions were made. See roster below for attendance.
Previous Minutes: The minutes of the April 4, 2007 meeting were distributed and approved as amended.
Treasurer’s Report: John Lyman, acting as Treasurer, distributed the JPMorgan bank statements showing that we have $1,520.20 in checking, $35,705.69 in savings, for a total of $37,225.89. He distributed a preliminary balance sheet generated from Quickbooks showing fixed assets including furniture and equipment totaling $37,518.41 and a Profit & Loss statement showing $27,508.79 in income since 10/01/2006. He remains actively engaged with volunteer and accounting professional Brian Toibin in organizing the books.
Announcements: There is a show scheduled for the gym on June 1st at 7pm.
A networking fair for advisory councils will be held on May 16 at Warren Park.
River Clean Up Day is Saturday, May 12.
Concert Committee: There is one date left to book. Of the $8500 budgeted $5000 has been spent. Money continues to come in, and the $1000/night sponsorships are going well. Michael Holm will get contracts to Kitty. Tom will make sure Jake or someone gets scheduled for Horner Park’s concert night, Sunday, July 22. A teens/kids show during Manor Bash is in the works. Michael is also looking for a heavy-duty 250’ extension cable.
Garden Committee: Susie Novak will resume employment in the middle of May and will communicate with Larry Hodak and John O’Connell on plantings. The GreenNet grant application netted $400. A request for authority to spend $100 for annuals and one perennial for the big pots passed unanimously.
Web Site: Michael Holm has setup the stewardship email forwarding address and will work to get Peter Schlossman up-to-speed on uploading files to the website. Michael will put up three potential dates for on using the website. A system for storing non-public files is still a goal.
Volunteer Committee: Members will retry flyering the local schools in an effort to recruit a student preditor for the website. A volunteer coordinator link should be added to the website to allow for on-line volunteering.
Park Briefs:
Horner Park: Patrol Officer Jon Washkevitch from the 017th District CAPS program discussed the concerns about the illegal fireworks displays during the 4th of July.
Tom McManamon reported strong sign-up numbers for upcoming Horner Park programs, with the tennis league and soccer clinic filling up. The park will host a Festival of the Arts on June 9-10 and will email details.
The funds for rehabbing the little fieldhouse have been secured and are waiting to get “loaded”. The park district will be doing the plans in-house, and the plans must be reviewed before the funds are made available. No work can start until the funds are available. The worst-case scenario is bring in porta-potties for the interim.
Representative John Fritchey has secured funds for repaving the parking along California Ave. Kevin Anderson requested that a scope of work be made available in assess the possibility of using a permeable paving system to reduce stormwater run-off.
The ADA-compliant ramp project is 90% done.
The lamps have been installed in the new ballfield light towers. Pete Leki reiterated the complaint about the excessive brightness the lights cast onto his and neighboring homes on the eastern bank of the river. Tom McManamon said the lights will only be on Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights and will be turned off by 10pm; he also has a huge lock to prevent unauthorized use.
Tom McManamon reported the new ballfield sod has taken root, and eventually wants wood installed to prevent the backstops from deforming with use. John Lyman noticed slag and broken glass in the newer, heavier dirt.
The Council expressed an interest in getting an update from the Horner Park Baseball Association and the schedule of night games. John Lyman had been offering suggestions on organizing their accounting and reports they are making progress but has not had recent contact.
The grand opening for the ballfields is scheduled for the weekend of June 9-10.
Kitty Gale has received a flagpole spec sheet from the Park District which she will scan and email.
Ravenswood Manor Park: The branch fencing around the native garden was rebuilt on Earth Day. Paschen Construction has no money to contribute beyond restoring the parkway. The possibility of surface suitable for installing bike racks instead resodding was discussed. There is no money available from the Alderman Mell’s office.
Jacob Park: Garbage cans are now there. Alderman Schulter is working on incorporating the adjacent CTA construction area land as an addition to the park, but wants them to clean it up first.
Buffalo Park: Thanks go out to Mary, Jim, Amy and their helpers for cleaning up on Earth Day.
Sunken Garden Park: The park is going to get seeded.
Other business: A goal was set of updating and amending the by-laws this summer.
Larry Brown has created a tri-fold flyer to promote HPAC and increase community involvement.
New Business: Kevin Anderson will email information on the 12 Clean Water Principles and seek official endorsement by The Council at a future meeting.
No other business presented, the meeting adjourned at 9:24 PM
Next meeting: Monday June 4 at 7 PM at Horner Park
Respectfully submitted: Kevin Anderson
Roster of those in Attendance: Larry Brown, President; John Lyman, Vice President; Kevin Anderson, Co-Secretary; Ann Breen-Greco, Larry Hodak, Michael Holm, Missy Kunze, Alan Mueller, Susie Novak, Julie Peterson, Peter Schlossman, Patrol Officer Jon Washkevich, Tom McManamon, CPD; Kitty Connelly Gale, CPD.
